Posted on 10/22/2005 5:05:47 PM PDT by strategofr
No. Same velocity as when it left the barrel minus air resistance and gravity until it stops. Then it does a U-turn and gravity pulls it down, (32 fps squared, if I recall correctly, minus air resistance).
Better to get hit with a falling bullet than a hail stone that weighs more than the bullet. Not lethal way more than probably.
A little 'value added' commentary just to let you know
how the author really feels....
imo
smoothbore or rifled?
if rifled, what caliber, grainage, mv, and twist?
it all matters.
As far as teaching kids goes, they see things different. Some rules like no bad language when smashing your thumb, or don't break the speed limit are perceived by kids as "OK" to break "occasionally".{ Because they see adults doing this.}
I try to teach that firearm rules are in the class of rules that you NEVER break, like hitting or cheating on your spouse or stealing, etc.
Uh....no.
This is just low hanging fruit ...
I am often asked questions about falling bullets; i.e., How dangerous can a falling bullet be? The model I use to answer any falling bullet question is as follows: Will a bullet, such as a 5.56 x 45mm (.223 Remington), if fired at a very high angle (straight up), return to Earth with enough velocity and striking energy to inflict a significant wound?
The military standard for disabling energy, or the amount of energy necessary to produce a casualty, is 58 ft lbs, at a striking velocity of 400 fps. Bullets returning from being fired upward, whether they start their return trip from 2,000 feet, 10,000 feet, or ten miles, will all come back to Earth with the same speed (terminal velocity). Terminal velocity depends on the weight of the bullet and, to a certain extent, on its shape. A 55-grain 5.56 x 45mm bullet leaves the muzzle at roughly 3200 fps and, if fired straight up, will slow down until it finally stops about 9,000 feet above the Earth; then it starts to fall. If it falls point down (not likely) it will return to Earth with a striking velocity of approximately 290 fps, and a striking energy of nine foot pounds or less. If it fell any other way than point down, its fall would be slower and its striking energy less.
The U.S. Army has conducted exhaustive experiments on the subject of falling bullets and has concluded that falling bullets cannot be relied upon to produce dangerous wounds. Guns are usually fired at only moderate elevation 30º would be considered a high angle by most people. The bullet will then strike with some speed with which it was fired, with a much higher velocity than that of merely a falling bullet. Falling bullets do not kill, only those fired at moderate degrees of elevation will produce significant wounds.
About the Author: Larry J. Nichols is the Burbank, California, Police Department Range Master. He has over 25 years of experience as a firearms instructor; is President of the California Rangemasters Association; and is a U.S.M.C. Vietnam combat veteran. He is also a recognized expert witness on firearms and training issues.
Sounds more like a blessing to me...but hey...thats just me.
Mostly good advice. I take some exception to #8 and #2.
"or perhaps a goat who WAS a family member."
LOL!
# 3 was my bad.......
"Afgans was their reluctance to align the sights of the
weapon"
Recall why?
"The injury still required eighteen plus days in the hospital, three rounds of surgery, and continuing physical therapy."
Yeah. A "minor" gunshot wound isn't so minor---especially in the foot.
funny!
I have heard that a projectile fired at maximum trajectory strikes the ground at around 30 to 40 percent of muzzle velocity. Would you know if this is so?
An AK bullet (7.62 x 39mm), which usually weighs twice as much (at 125 grains or so) as an M-16 round (the US mil uses mostly 62-grain 5.56mm rounds in M-16s/M4s, actually, not 55 grain) will reach the earth with more energy than a 5.56mm bullet, due to its greater weight. But even if an AK-47 round lands with 4X the energy of a 5.56mm bullet, it probably won't do more than cause a modest wound, which should certainly be survivable.
I saw a much more in-depth article than the one I posted above. If I can find it, I'll post it.
Just wanted to add that a handgun round might actually strike the earth at something like 30%-40% of its muzzle velocity, as you suggest. After all, a handgun bullet typically exits the barrel at around 1,000 FPS. If they land at 300FPS, that's 30% of muzzle velocity.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.