"Tim Williams" wrote in message ...
"Chris Oates" none wrote in message
...
Yes, same velocity they went up with

Nope. As soon as it leaves the barrel it's slowing down, as, AFAIK,
bullets are supersonic, and I know of nothing that has a terminal speed
greater than the speed of sound, at least at this size! After it reaches
the apex, where its vertical speed is zero, it is now speeding up, and
will slowly (exponential decay style) approach terminal speed. Donno what
number that is, though.

Tim

Tim:
Check "Hatcher's Notebook" and in the section on 'Bullets from the
sky' he records considerable data on experiments of vertical firing of
..30 cal 150 grain ammunition. With a muzzle velocity of 2700 ft/sec
they averaged only 300 ft/sec when they returned to the ground. This
gives an energy level of 30 ft. pounds and the Army considers 60 foot
pounds to produce a disabling wound. ("Hatcher's Notebook", Third
edition, pages 510 to 517). The majority of the bullets returned to
earth base first.

J.R. Williams