The response of a “rubbery” polymer, Dow Corning Silastic J Mold Making Silicone Rubber, to high‐amplitude, short‐duration loading is studied using acoustic waves and high‐amplitude stress waves. The acoustic experiments measured the phase velocity of a 1 MHz wave over a temperature range of −30°C to +65°C. These measurements were used to deduce the zero‐strain slope of the instantaneous and equilibrium stress‐strain curves for this material. Flyer‐plate impact experiments were used to study the high‐amplitude response. Two instrumentation techniques were used in this phase of the study. The first employed a quartz gauge in the “direct‐impact” configuration to obtain information about the equilibrium stress‐strain curve. The second employed velocity interferometer techniques to observed transmitted wave profiles and thereby obtain information about both the instantaneous and equilibrium curves. From these data, stress‐strain curves were determined for the Silastic J up to 0.8 GPa. Using this material characterization, the transmitted wave experiments were simulated using a one‐dimensional wave propagation code. The results of the calculations compare favorably with the transmitted wave profiles observed in the actual experiments.