This paper considers one of the methods for studying the properties of materials subjected to dy-namic shear loading. As an example problem, we have investigated the behavior of samples made of alloy АМg6 during dynamic tests conducted on a split Hopkinson pressure bar. It is shown that in the samples of this type, the shear components of the strain tensor significantly prevail over axial components in absolute values. The results of numerical simulation of the deformation of samples correlate well with the data obtained during in situ experimental measurements of temperature fields with a high-speed infra-red camera. The investigated samples can be used to study the shear resistance of materials subjected to high-speed loading in split Hopkinson pressure bar tests.