When is the bullet most powerful: point-blank, 1' away, at end of range?

[HumblePie]

Next question: is it possible to curve a bullet like they did in Wanted?

Uh no. Not with modern bullets can it be done. Bullets are rifled to fly straight. The rifling occurs in the barrel of the gun. No last minute "bump" of the end of the barrel into the bullet to change the "spin" of the bullet would arch it's trajectory.

Now, on the old perfectly round bullets, it could most certainly be "spun" off into another direction. Actually this was part of the problem with older non-rifling muskets. The bullets that left the barrel could have a random spin and change their trajectory with every shot. You could literally stand 10 feet from a broadside of a barn and not hit it with a single shot from those old guns because the bullet would spin off in a wild direction. Not that it always happened but it did and could. Which is where the term "couldn't hit the broadside of a barn" came from in the first place.

 

[Apple Of Sodom]

Uh no. <snip>

Uh, dude, it was a joke. Did you even see that dumbass movie?

 

[HumblePie]

You heard wrong.

Point blank is the deadliest...although, 1' away is pretty much the same as point blank.

actually, point blank as in sticking the muzzle right up against the object you are trying to shoot is not the deadliest. You need some separation. Otherwise to the air trapped in the barrel is going to press back upon the bullet and take a little of the outward force off it. So about 1" is good. Technically point blank still, but not with the end of the gun pressed up and blocking the air from escaping as the bullet pushes the air out.

 

[HumblePie]

Uh, dude, it was a joke. Did you even see that dumbass movie?

Yes and I know. I was just making sure to answer that question before some idiot who really believes it went off on it. There are plenty of people that watch a movie and think parts of it is "real" and happen that way. I know of them and it is not funny.

Especially from kids who use a paintball gun and see their round paintballs spin off in strange directions. Paintballs aren't rifled so they can spin randomly. Although modern paintball guns are a bit better at trying to control the spin when the ball leaves the barrel.

 

[Apple Of Sodom]

Yes and I know. I was just making sure to answer that question before some idiot who really believes it went off on it. There are plenty of people that watch a movie and think parts of it is "real" and happen that way. I know of them and it is not funny.

Especially from kids who use a paintball gun and see their round paintballs spin off in strange directions. Paintballs aren't rifled so they can spin randomly. Although modern paintball guns are a bit better at trying to control the spin when the ball leaves the barrel.

People need to realize movies are fiction.
Except for Shooter. That movie was 100% accurate.

 

[Cogman]

People need to realize movies are fiction.
Except for Shooter. That movie was 100% accurate.

Even so, I like at least SOME degree of realism (unless the movie is supposed to be fantasy, then its ok to do whatever).

Its when they try and pawn something off as "this could happen" that it sucks.

 

[Dumac]

What about if a bullet was shot into the air high enough that on the return trip it could reach max velocity?

 

[Apple Of Sodom]

What about if a bullet was shot into the air high enough that on the return trip it could reach max velocity?

What about it?

 

[JulesMaximus]

actually, point blank as in sticking the muzzle right up against the object you are trying to shoot is not the deadliest. You need some separation. Otherwise to the air trapped in the barrel is going to press back upon the bullet and take a little of the outward force off it. So about 1" is good. Technically point blank still, but not with the end of the gun pressed up and blocking the air from escaping as the bullet pushes the air out.

Technically, point blank range would be within 3 feet of the end of the barrel of the gun, not necessarily pressed up against the target.

In forensics and popular usage, point-blank range has come to mean extreme close range (i.e., target within about a meter (3 ft) of the muzzle at moment of discharge but not close enough to be an actual contact shot)[1]. Gunshot wounds from point-blank are identified by extensive powder burns as well as tissue damage from perforation by unburned grains of gunpowder.

 

[Evadman]

What about if a bullet was shot into the air high enough that on the return trip it could reach max velocity?

Max velocity on the return trip down is less than the energy of the projectile as it left the muzzle.

 

[TuxDave]

At the end of effective range: I heard bullet gets stronger and stronger as it travels? (at the cost of accuracy)

I have a theory about this but it only applies to arrows. I know (as a crappy archer) if you try to shoot a target way too close (but far enough to fully relax the bow), most of the time it'll hit the target and fall off. But take a couple steps back and it sinks in!

I'm guessing (as a crappy archer) that upon release the arrow hasn't straightened out in flight and so not all the force is being put behind the point. That's why when you shoot a little further out, it tends to sink into the target better.

 

[Evadman]

I have a theory about this but it only applies to arrows.

That theory would work with any elastic material. For all intents and purposes, every material is elastic to some degree and would display the same effect to a degree based upon the elasticity of the projectile.

 

[silverpig]

Probably a few inches away from the end of the barrel. There are still compressed gases rushing out of the barrel which accelerates the bullet even after it comes out. As soon as those gases dissipate to atmospheric pressure, the bullet stops being propelled forward.

 

[CallMeJoe]

You don't know your muzzle from your breach. You might want to look that up there chief.

And neither of you knows a breach from a breech

 

[TuxDave]

That theory would work with any elastic material. For all intents and purposes, every material is elastic to some degree and would display the same effect to a degree based upon the elasticity of the projectile.

I wasn't thinking on an elastic perspective. More like the direction of flight and the arrow body wasn't aligned. So when the arrow hits the target crooked, some of the mass goes towards rotating the arrow as opposed to just sinking it in.

 

[Cogman]

I wasn't thinking on an elastic perspective. More like the direction of flight and the arrow body wasn't aligned. So when the arrow hits the target crooked, some of the mass goes towards rotating the arrow as opposed to just sinking it in.

Thats probably it. Its just what the tail feathers are for, to align body with tip.

 

[Kirby]

Even so, I like at least SOME degree of realism (unless the movie is supposed to be fantasy, then its ok to do whatever).

Its when they try and pawn something off as "this could happen" that it sucks.

Slightly more offtopic, it's almost as bad as the "hacker" plot device.

 

[HumblePie]

And neither of you knows a breach from a breech

mis-spelling a word is not the same thing as calling a tomato a potato.

Technically, point blank range would be within 3 feet of the end of the barrel of the gun, not necessarily pressed up against the target.

If you read what I wrote, I said a little separation is still technically point blank. But I was making the reference because the OP alluded to point blank being right at the muzzle and 1' was listed separate from point blank. As you pointed out 1' is point blank as well. I was merely making mention of the fact that actually placing the end of a gun barrel against the object you intend to shoot and firing would cause a negative force of air upon the bullet that couldn't escape as the bullet was trying to push the air out of the way.

 

[Train]

If you were shooting a standard M-16 or AR-15 at me, I'd actually rather get shot from 1 foot than a few hundred meters. That is, provided I could shield myself from the muzzle blast. Those rounds are going to make much bigger holes at thier preferred distance.

 

[PieIsAwesome]

I heard bullet gets stronger and stronger as it travels?

I died a little inside.

 

[kalrith]

I heard bullet gets stronger and stronger as it travels?

This is only true when it's a nuke fired from orbit.

 

[Cogman]

This is only true when it's a nuke fired from orbit.

Not really, atmosphere is thin up there, so the nuke will reach "faster then terminal velocity" speeds before it strikes. (unless it is rocket propelled and going INTO space, not into the earth)

 

[Inferno0032]

Without reading many of the posts, and from what I've heard/read, it would be at about 1' away. There is still some acceleration as it leaves the muzzle, allowing it to reach its max velocity. However, it may be anywhere from just outside the barrel to 1', depending on the gun, the type of round, amount of powder in the shell, etc.

 

[Cogman]

Without reading many of the posts, and from what I've heard/read, it would be at about 1' away. There is still some acceleration as it leaves the muzzle, allowing it to reach its max velocity. However, it may be anywhere from just outside the barrel to 1', depending on the gun, the type of round, amount of powder in the shell, etc.

Well, I would have personally gone with 1" out of the barrel. 1' is too far for the gases from the gun to push the bullet at all. at 1' or less, there might be a little thrust.

 

[darkxshade]

A bullet is most powerful before it is fired... after it's fired, you need to rely on another bullet if you fucked up.