Will a .308 Winchester Penetrate Drywall (Gypsum)?

Yes — defeats a 13 mm drywall (gypsum) barrier
Penetration depth
457 mm (18.0″)
Impact velocity
840 m/s (2756 fps)
Muzzle energy
3352 J (2472 ft-lb)
Bullet behaviour
Intact

Fired at the muzzle, a representative .308 Winchester load (9.5 g, FMJ, 840 m/s) reaches roughly 457 mm (18.0 inches) into drywall (gypsum). That is enough to defeat a typical barrier of this material — treat anything behind it as exposed.

About Drywall (Gypsum)

One sheet of interior drywall is ~13 mm; a wall is two sheets and a gap.

.308 Winchester against other materials

MaterialDepth (mm)Depth (in)
Red Brick239 mm9.4″
Concrete199 mm7.8″
Tempered Glass36 mm1.4″
Steel A3617 mm0.7″
Steel AR5008 mm0.3″
See exactly what .308 Winchester does to Drywall (Gypsum) — open in the calculator →

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