Ricochet Sound

[scope-eye]

What exactly happens for it to make that sound. I know you can't have a western movie without them, I actually think there are laws against that.LOL This last weekend Some one asked me why it makes that sound and I had no answer.
I know the bullet is deflecting off of something, but it still does not explain the sound it makes.

Dean

 

[Recon$$]

Tagging in for the guy who will eventually post the physics of it hopefully.

 

[epags]

One thought....after the bullet hits the plate or rock it is deformed so the sound may be from the non-symmetrical projectile moving through the air.
Let the show begin. Hand me some popcorn.

 

[rogerstv]

Yep, a Physics major is preferred for the answer. I took three semesters of Physics in college. Had one professor who turned it into real world examples. He did not teach on bullet ricochet. He did explain polarized sunglasses and the siren doppler effect. I only remember how to explain polarized glasses.

 

[Gunin4m]

I believe the sound is caused by the bullet tumbling after deflecting.

 

[scope-eye]

I believe the sound is caused by the bullet tumbling after deflecting.

I don't know about that, I have put some really heavy bullets in some very slow twist barrels. And have seen the sideways profile of the bullet in the target cardboard from tumbling, and they never made that sound.

Dean

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Not a physics major, just a farm boy bullet maker. I am pretty sure it is the bullet tumbling very fast from the glancing impact. Bullets tumbling from instability are trying to right themselves in reverse. So not tumbling very rapidly. This not the high pitched buzz.

 

[WinMag4me]

As a kid I would place a penny on the muzzle of 22 rifle, point straight up and fire. Found by placing pennies more to one side of muzzle enhanced the sounds
This was how we made the ricochet sound we heard in the westerns.
The penny spinning thru the sky made the sound of a ricochet.

 

[del2les]

When a projectile strikes and object and deforms but continues to transverse through a medium (air), the deformed projectile, tumbling or not, no longer has a uniform airflow around it. These turbulence points and intersecting air flows cause a whistling effect and/or a super-sonic intersection of the varied flows. Thus, the ricochet sounds differ from different velocities and style of projectiles.

The classic "pop-pop-pop" of the Huey is due to the intersecting air flows of the main and tail rotors, and the classic whip "crack" is the tip velocity breaking the speed of sound.

 

[del2les]

double post

 

[scope-eye]

As a kid I would place a penny on the muzzle of 22 rifle, point straight up and fire. Found by placing pennies more to one side of muzzle enhanced the sounds
This was how we made the ricochet sound we heard in the westerns.
The penny spinning thru the sky made the sound of a ricochet.

Ah man I am so doing that penny trick ASAP.

Dean

 

[Muddyboots]

As a kid I would place a penny on the muzzle of 22 rifle, point straight up and fire. Found by placing pennies more to one side of muzzle enhanced the sounds
This was how we made the ricochet sound we heard in the westerns.
The penny spinning thru the sky made the sound of a ricochet.

FINALLY! A penny is worth something! So what is a dime sound? Nickel? Quarter, or do you get change?

 

[Muddyboots]

I am surprised no one has posted this up yet as answer.
Richochet

 

[scope-eye]

I can make that sound with my pellet gun if I hit it just right.

Dean