It is unclear if the accounts given below involve bullets falling only under
the influence of gravity - that is straight down. It is far more likely
they involve "stray" bullets that retain some component of forward velocity
imparted by the firing charge. Gunner's comments, elsewhere in this post,
make it clear that "service size" projectiles falling only under the force
of gravity are not likely to inflict mortal wounds.
Kinetic energy = 1/2 mv*2
In the case of a 150 grain bullet falling at 300 fps, its kinetic energy is:
Ke = 0.5 x (150/7000)/32) x 300*2 = ~30 ft. lbs.
Bullet weight in grains divided by 7000 = weight in lbs. Weight divided by
32 = poundals or mass associated with gravity.
Bob Swinney
"lane" lane_nospam@copperaccents_dot_com wrote in message
...
"Gunluvver2" wrote in message
...
Tell that to the Klansman that died from one.
lane,
If you can post a link to that article about the KKK member killed by
the
bullet I would like to read it.
Dennis
I don't understand how anyone can think that falling bullet doesn't have
the capacity to inflict a fatal injury. There are so many reports, they
cannot be ignored. It is an urban myth that they are not dangerous.
Besides the ones that Spehro already gave you:
http://timblair.spleenville.com/archives/005183.php
and more
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a950414b.html
"20 Kuwaitis died from falling bullets"
http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/homework/s95523.htm
"cousin of mine was killed several years ago during Mardi Gras when a
falling spent bullet pierced her brain"
http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/vacuum_cleaners.html
"the .45- caliber bullet struck Stephanie just below the knee and 6 to 8
inches down her leg before stopping near her ankle."
http://www.amarillonet.com/stories/0...0616.001.shtml
The bullet left a small burn mark above her ankle before it entered just
below the ankle and traveled about four inches into her foot
http://starbulletin.com/98/01/02/news/story3.html
there was a hard lump in the right side of her neck. She'd been hit by a
falling bullet
http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/0...d?OpenDocument
Terry Smith lives with a bullet lodged in her left lung &
death of a 14-year-old Shannon Smith in June 1999
http://www.beloitdailynews.com/1200/gunn30.htm
He had been hit in the head by a falling bullet last week
http://www.countercurrents.org/iraq-hider250703.htm
Research indicates that a bullet fired into the sky can climb and remain
in
flight for 30 seconds or longer. As the bullet falls, it can hit a ground
level velocity of approximately 140 miles per hour; a velocity which can
penetrate the human skull.
http://www.lapdonline.org/press_rele...12/pr02798.htm
a falling bullet instantly felled Joe. It entered the back of his skull at
the top of his occipital lobe, penetrated through his cerebellum, and
lodged
just millimeters from Joe's spinal cord. Had the bullet traveled one
half-inch further, Joe would have been killed.
http://www.americancynic.com/10181999.html