How much remains at the end?

[daiirg]

This question has come up at work: Given a muzzle velocity of 1400 fps for a .38 caliber bullet weighing 147 grains and an elevation of 30 - 40 degrees above horizontal....when that projectile finds its way back to earth over 5000 feet away, could it still be lethal and thus could the one who launched it be considered to have been in "reckless disregard" of someone that far downrange?

Thanks for your time and consideration, daiirg

[Allman]

It's not real likely the slug would actually make it that far, bit if it did and if it hit someone just right, particularly a young child, it could definitely be fatal.

Getting thumped in the head by a slug still traveling a few hundred fps could easily be a serious event. Always know where your bullet will stop, and what will be stopping it.

[Jim Watson]

A bullet coming down at the end of its trajectory still packs a dangerous amount of energy. It is probably what actually happens in the alarmist reports of New Year's bullets shot "straight up" and coming down with damage or injury.

In the Sandy Hook tests of 1879 the common .45-70 405 grain lead bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1350 fps would penetrate a one inch board at 2500 yards. True, the target was 44 ft wide and 22 ft high and the best shot at Springfield hit it five times in 70 tries, but when he did, it still hit pretty hard.
The Long Range Springfield .45-85-500 would go through two one inch boards and bury up in the sand or in the supporting post.

[DonD]

there is an interesting website http://www.eskimo.com/~jbm/calculations/maxdist/maxdist.html that calculates such things.

A 158gr .357 @ 1400fps goes 2390 yds and has 33 ft lbs of energy remaining when it hits the ground. Fired at a lower angle, it would not go as far but I suspect it would have more energy when it hit. Don

[carbofan21]

a 147 grain 9mm bullet fired at approx. 33 degrees to the horizon will travel more than a mile (5280 feet+)

i wouldn't want to be hit by one

[PAGunner]

Wow, first thing I thought of was back to physics as an undergraduate (repressed memories) and the concept of terminal velocity, so then I did some googling.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_velocity

Good luck understanding this crap, I forgot all the technical details.

Then we have the layman's information on exactly what you describe:

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a950414b.html

In a nutshell, it can penetrate and could kill, if not seriously injure. I'd hate to get hit with a falling bullet.

Here is another site:

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a950414b.html

[NotSoFast]

That's right. Hail can kill a person if it hits right. And ice weighs much less than lead and copper.

[daiirg]

Thanks for all of the responses...I have some reading to do! While I have no degree in physics, I still could end up testifying on this one as an "expert" because I am a rangemaster.

As such, I am sure that all I will be able to say is that it is my "expert" opinion that firing a gun into the air in a suburban/metropolitan area is something I, as a rangemaster, would prohibit as unsafe.

Thanks again, daiirg.

[Paraiso1]

mythbusters did a little thing on this too.

http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2006/04/episode_50_bullets_fired_up_vo.html

[J.P.]

After a bullet is shot straight into the air, it must reach a point where it runs out of energy and begins to fall.
At this point, it can fall at no higher rate than maximum terminal velocity.

[PAGunner]

After a bullet is shot straight into the air, it must reach a point where it runs out of energy and begins to fall.
At this point, it can fall at no higher rate than maximum terminal velocity.

Yeah, we got that part squared away, but it seems terminal velocity of a bullet can, at the very least, mame you, if not kill.

[D-GLOCK17]

That's right. Hail can kill a person if it hits right......

**Interesting. I never thought about that. But then again. Hail really does wreak havoc on vehices (dents) and can also crack tough tempered windshield glass.**