Today, since it’s raining outside, we are back in the Sea Can Indoor Airgun Shooting Range running a practical indoor field and penetration test on a true heavy hitter from Umarex's T4E lineup: the TC68 (.68 caliber) less-lethal paintball rifle.
If you haven't seen the tabletop video covering the exterior and specs of this rifle, make sure to check that out first. Today is all about seeing what happens when high-velocity nylon meets plywood and steel.
The Setup & Modifications
For this test, we are shooting solid nylon balls that weigh just under 3 grams. However, we are not running this rifle stock.
I’ve slightly modified this TC68 by adjusting the internal velocity valve. By turning that valve further in with a headless Allen key, the gun delivers a larger burst of CO2 per shot. Instead of the stock 15 Joules, this simple screw adjustment pushes the rifle closer to 30 Joules of kinetic energy.
Even with that massive power increase, the nylon balls are traveling at roughly 460 feet per second (fps). Because it stays under the 500 fps threshold, this modified setup remains completely legal here in Canada without requiring a specialized firearms license.
A Quick Note on CO2 Performance: It is worth mentioning that the dual 12 gram CO2 cartridge setup used during this specific test were not brand new, which likely affected the power output to some degree. Because of this, I am planning on making a similar penetration test video in the future using a brand new 88-gram CO2 cylinder, which I believe will perform significantly better and yield even higher kinetic energy transfer.
The Penetration Test
To see what nearly 30 Joules of .68 caliber impact looks like, we set up three different targets.
Target 1: 3-Ply Plywood
I fired a few rounds straight into 3-ply plywood.
The high-velocity nylon balls went right through the wood with zero hesitation, even punching through the knots.
While the velocity naturally dipped slightly after the first couple of shots as the CO2 cooled, the penetration power on those initial shots was absolute.
Target 2: Heavy Galvanized Steel
Next, we tested the rifle against heavy galvanized steel, specifically, a thick garbage can lid.
The nylon balls did not penetrate the steel, which is completely expected for a less-lethal platform, but maybe fresh CO2 would have made a difference?
However, the impact was incredibly loud and left massive, deep dings in the metal.
Target 3: The Double-Smash Test
For the final test, we set up a stacked, double-layered plastic bucket lid target.
The TC68 smashed straight through the setup, putting a clean hole right through all layers.
Practical Application & Safety Notes
One of the best features of the Umarex T4E TC68 Less Lethal Paintball Rifle is the quick-pierce CO2 system located in the buttstock. You can load your CO2 and keep it unpierced until the exact moment you need it, ensuring your seals don’t wear out while it sits in the closet. However, be careful, I accidentally pierced my CO2 before the test just by resting the buttstock too hard on the ground!
Ultimately, this is a fantastic tool for home defense. If you ever have individuals trespassing or causing trouble, the intent with this rifle is not to kill, it is strictly less-lethal. The goal is to motivate them to leave your property immediately. Having a less-lethal option like this also provides a much more defensible position should a situation ever go to court.
If you are looking to pick up a TC68 for yourself, you can find them in our Canada and US stores. Thank you for reading and watching. You can find all my video content on YouTube, Vimeo adn Rumble so make sure to subscribe to the channels!