Celebratory gunfire nearly hits crowd - GIF

**Altair** · Oct 10, 2021, 08:14 AM

Celebratory gunfire nearly hits crowd.

Previously:

Squib round shoots through magazine of competitive shooter's rifle - GIF and video
Ricocheting round knocks off shooter's earmuffs - video
Sniper shoots gun out of man's hand - video
.50 cal rifle explodes in shooters face - GIF
FN FNS 9 accidental discharge scenarios - GIF

**carloski** · Nov 15, 2021, 05:18 PM

Morons will be Morons.

**hemmjo** · Nov 17, 2021, 04:13 AM

Such a good idea to shoot them straight up into the air.

**Toolmaker51** · Nov 17, 2021, 08:08 AM

Originally Posted by hemmjo

Such a good idea to shoot them straight up into the air.

Common among those without a shred of knowledge about physics...
(or)
Well yes, of course. Provided said firearm has same ballistics as Space Shuttle or a Saturn 5

**mklotz** · Nov 17, 2021, 09:12 AM

The Mythbusters proved that, if you must shoot into the air, probably the safest direction is straight up.

They showed that after the bullet reaches apogee and begins to descend it turns on its side and falls in that attitude. Its drag coefficient in that attitude is such that its terminal velocity is far less than its muzzle velocity when it hits the ground. If hit by one you would be injured but it would be unlikely to kill you.

Shooting at an angle off vertical is very bad since, depending on the launch angle, the round could reach the ground with enough energy to kill.

This is certainly not to suggest that shooting into the air is a good way to celebrate; however it does suggest that the myth of the straight-up bullet regaining its muzzle velocity on return to earth is false.

**theeddies** · Nov 20, 2021, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by mklotz

The Mythbusters proved that, if you must shoot into the air, probably the safest direction is straight up.

They showed that after the bullet reaches apogee and begins to descend it turns on its side and falls in that attitude. Its drag coefficient in that attitude is such that its terminal velocity is far less than its muzzle velocity when it hits the ground. If hit by one you would be injured but it would be unlikely to kill you.

Shooting at an angle off vertical is very bad since, depending on the launch angle, the round could reach the ground with enough energy to kill.

This is certainly not to suggest that shooting into the air is a good way to celebrate; however it does suggest that the myth of the straight-up bullet regaining its muzzle velocity on return to earth is false.

This might be one of those studies that works better in a controlled environment than in reality. First, it would be unlikely if not nearly impossible to actually shoot exactly straight up. Secondly, unstable rounds can do as much damage or more than stable rounds even at less than muzzle velocity. But reaching killing velocity and stability can certainly happen, my brother in law's neighbor shot a few shots what he considered straight up. After a couple rains my BIL's noticed his roof was leaking. There was hole in the roof and not an unstable keyhole. The bullet penetrated shingles, 3/4" of plywood on an angled roof, and embedded in a attic board 4 feet directly below the hole. That would certainly penetrate skull or shoulder and is enough for lethal damage. That was only 9mm as I remember

**Toolmaker51** · Nov 17, 2021, 09:23 AM

Major Julian Hatcher collected same findings. Not attaining muzzle velocity but sufficient energy to injure seriously if not kill. Sometime back, at least one pregnant woman in Los Angeles died in this very manner during 4th of July or New Years Eve.

A 30gr .22 rimfire or bullet of light pistol cartridge will be less probable than most rifle projectiles. At least they are likely tumbling, unstable ballistically due lower speed in descent, compared to as-fired trajectory.