Was Mythbusters correct?

[davewilson]

Didn't see the show but heard they concluded where a bullet that's fired straight up doesn't have enough force when it comes back down to actually kill someone. i'm thinking if it's falling in line, maybe even backwards since the center of gravity is usually in the rear, the speed of gravity would have it going fast enough to go through a human skull. what's everyones take on this?

 

[RDM416]

I did not see that episode, but if they tried that, I would want to know what weight bullet they tested this "myth" with.

I think a 40 grain .22 cal bullet might just leave a pretty good knot on your head. However a 300 grain bullet would probably create a little business for the local funeral chapel.

In both cases, the speed would be the same. However, as I hope everyone on this site knows, the "energy" of the 300 grain bullet would be MUCH greater. I'm too lazy to do the math for the actual difference.

 

[HARPERC]

I didn't see that particular Mythbusters, but I pulled out my old Hatcher's Notebook , and reread the chapter on bullets from the sky. Conclusions at the time were: bullets returned at about 300fps, which gave the 150 grain bullets about 30 foot pounds. Army testing at that point had concluded 60 foot pounds was required for a disabling wound. At some point a bullet gets heavy enough to be lethal, but I'm also not in a mathematical frame of mind.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Interesting subject, humans clocked at max velocity between 110-120 mph before opening their chute. Because of atmosphere you quit gaining velocity at some point depending on your ballistic coeficient and I don't know what a 300 grainer is traveling backwards or wobbling. In a vacuum it would continue gaining velocity at 32 fps per second squared. So the higher you dropped it the faster it would be going when it hit. But atmosphere prevents that and all objects max out at a certain velocity with most solid objects clocked between 100-130 mph.

At 150 mph if it could reach that it would be 220 fps and I would not want to be the guinea pig hit by a 300 grainer at 220 fps. I think that could cause enough hemourage on the brain to kill somebody. 120 mph I think is around 165 fps. I wouldn't want to get hit in the head with that either. A 300 grainer hurts just dropping it on your head. Thus my point I always try to make. Always shoot a heavy large caliber bullet at large big game long range for best results. Drop a 168 grain 7mm or 140 grain 6.5 mm on your head and then a 300 grain 338. You will get my point.

 

[dirtball]

It may not have been straight up and straight down, but it did not work out to well for this girl!!!
Maybe this guy saw the show and figured it would be safe.

Dave


Rachel Yoder, 15-Year-Old Amish Girl, Shot Dead In Buggy By Man Cleaning Gun: Sheriff

 

[load]

their episode showed that if fired straight up it would tumble coming straight down and thus not be lethal but if fired on any angle it would not be tumbling and will return to earth at a lethal rate of speed

 

[Buffalobob]

It may not have been straight up and straight down, but it did not work out to well for this girl!!!
Maybe this guy saw the show and figured it would be safe.

That guy should be tried for murder. I always discharge into a tree or bank when unloading my muzzleloader.

 

[BountyHunter]

Interesting subject, humans clocked at max velocity between 110-120 mph before opening their chute. Because of atmosphere you quit gaining velocity at some point depending on your ballistic coeficient and I don't know what a 300 grainer is traveling backwards or wobbling. In a vacuum it would continue gaining velocity at 32 fps per second squared. So the higher you dropped it the faster it would be going when it hit. But atmosphere prevents that and all objects max out at a certain velocity with most solid objects clocked between 100-130 mph.

At 150 mph if it could reach that it would be 220 fps and I would not want to be the guinea pig hit by a 300 grainer at 220 fps. I think that could cause enough hemourage on the brain to kill somebody. 120 mph I think is around 165 fps. I wouldn't want to get hit in the head with that either. A 300 grainer hurts just dropping it on your head. Thus my point I always try to make. Always shoot a heavy large caliber bullet at large big game long range for best results. Drop a 168 grain 7mm or 140 grain 6.5 mm on your head and then a 300 grain 338. You will get my point.

120 MPH is in a flat stable position. Go into a delta (ie head down 45+ angle) and can easily reach speeds of over 200 MPH. Stand on head (bullet in straight down mode) and jumpers have been clocked over 250 MPH.

I sure would not want to get hit by anything at that speed.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

True! I was just saying I have no idea what a bullet would be traveling at but it will max out somewhere if shot exactly straight up and falls straight down. On an angle and it will kill somebody. I figure either way it would kill with the right bullet hitting the head. But at 250 mph or 366.66 fps I think it could very well kill somebody. Not my line of expertise, just commenting.

I can not believe a guy fired a shot into the air not knowing where it was going. Like Bob, find a backstop. More ammo for the antigunners. They can teach gun safety but then a guy actually has to practice it.

 

[Nimrodmar10]

I'm not sure a muzzleloader bullet will go a mile and a half, even angled at the optimal angle for distance. The BCs on those things have to be terrible. And what's the most the velocity could be, maybe 2250 GPS max? Maybe one of our external ballistcs guys could figure the maximum range for us. Let's play a little CSI.