AbstractThe maximum depth of penetration, Pmax, of a shaped charge jet can theoretically be calculated from 5 quantities for the purely continuous, or for the initially continuous and then particulated, or for the fully particulated penetrating jet. These quantities are the distance Z0 of the target plate from the virtual origin, the value of γ (i.e. the square root of the ratio of target to jet density), the jet tip velocity vj,0 the efficient residual velocity vj,min, and the particulation time tp.Instead of calculating the individual values of vj,min for the individual depths of penetration Pexp at various standoff distances, this quantity can quite simply be read from the standoff diagram by means of the penetration cutoff lines‐ a so‐called Standoff/Cutoff‐diagram ‐, using the experimentally determined depth of penetration Pexp. The penetration cutoff lines are lines which start at the virtual origin and which represent the ideal increment in depth of penetration per jet velocity interval in the standoff diagram, the abscissas of this line corresponding to the jet tip velocities.The methods are demonstrated and explained, using the results of three firings with one type of shaped charge as an example. The shots were made at 6, 12, and 24 calibers standoff distance, and the cratering history was also determined in these trials.