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

[Key West]

For the an educated it looks like all 3 could have their reasons.

Point-blank: Because it's right out of the nozzle.

One foot away: Strongest because it gives 1' of breathing room for 'fully launching' than point-blank.

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

 

[Ika]

At the end of effective range: I heard bullet gets stronger and stronger as it travels?

lol.

no, physics says that this will never be true, there is no acceleration on the bullet after it is fired, only deceleration from air resistance.

 

[Beev]

I'm no scientist, but how would an end of range bullet be best? Wouldn't it be going slower?

 

[dank69]

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

That's from the tiny fusion reactor built into most modern day bullets.

 

[spidey07]

point blank or even closer. That's when the bullet is at highest velocity and hence most energy. You could make the argument that farther out would be more lethal if the bullet starts tumbling.

 

[Kadarin]

That's from the tiny fusion reactor built into most modern day bullets.

I've always wondered how they fit the tokamak in there..

 

[Cogman]

Point blank. After the bullet leaves the nozzle, it slows down causing it to lose energy. though, really a small distance between the nozzle and target is needed for maximum energy. If you plug the hole, the bullet wont go as fast.

 

[Paladin3]

I'm not an expert, but all the numbers I hear quoted are muzzle velocity. A bullet pretty much reaches it max velocity as it leaves the barrel and only slows due to inertia after that. I doubt there would be any measurable difference between right at the end of the barrel and one foot away. The bullet will definitely not hit harder at the end of some "effective range", unless you found a way to stick a rocket motor in it to continue the propulsion as it continues downrange.

 

[jlee]

Point-blank with muzzle/target contact, or a very short distance away?

 

[Arkaign]

point blank or even closer. That's when the bullet is at highest velocity and hence most energy. You could make the argument that farther out would be more lethal if the bullet starts tumbling.

That's certainly the case with the .223/5.56 in common infantry loads. Ditto with the AK-74 5.45/39mm round the Soviets used commonly in Afghanistan. They tumble at medium distances, causing them to travel wildly in the body.

The Mujahadeen called it the 'poison bullet' for that effect.

EDIT : Reference info

"The 5.45 mm bullet yaws when striking a soft target such as a human, causing the bullet to tumble. This tumbling creates a larger wound in the target than the bullet's diameter. The Afghans who fought the Soviet Union often referred to the 5.45 mm as "the poison bullet" because of the severity of the wound in proportion to its relative size and energy. Reports from Afghanistan suggested that the new bullet might violate international conventions on rifle ammunition; however, international conventions prohibit only exploding, poison, and expanding bullets. It was suggested that the bullet's radical design would create inhumane wounds. This complaint was also made about 5.56 x 45 mm NATO ammunition for the M16, which not only yaws in the flesh, but routinely fragments. No sanctions or prohibitions have been levied on either design. "

from : http://guns.wikia.com/wiki/Kalashnikov_AK-74

As to the OP, yeah the actual bullet energy potential only decreases with distance, but in cases like Spidey brought up, this can actually be more lethal in certain conditions.

 

[CRXican]

just make sure you destroy any evidence

 

[SlitheryDee]

I dunno. As far as damage is concerned, it could be that the most damaging distance is the nearest distance in which the bullet stops in the target rather than passing through it, thereby delivering the entirety of it's energy into the flesh.

 

[Cogman]

I'm not an expert, but all the numbers I hear quoted are muzzle velocity. A bullet pretty much reaches it max velocity as it leaves the barrel and only slows due to inertia after that.

Air friction, inertia is the tendency of the bullet to keep going.

I doubt there would be any measurable difference between right at the end of the barrel and one foot away.

Depends on a lot of things. Air friction increases exponentially with speed. I haven't done a ballistics study to be able to say yea or nay to it.

 

[dmw16]

The answer is wherever the velocity is highest.

The basic assumption would be at the end of the barrel, but there may be some acceleration beyond that point because the high pressure gas may still act on the bullet beyond the barrel. However, it'd be hard to say for sure. You'd need to calculate the force of the gas on the bullet and compare it to the drag it experience.

So simple answer is at the end of the barrel. But it most certainly doesn't build up speed as it travels down range.

 

[Cogman]

That's certainly the case with the .223/5.56 in common infantry loads. Ditto with the AK-74 5.45/39mm round the Soviets used commonly in Afghanistan. They tumble at medium distances, causing them to travel wildly in the body.

The Mujahadeen called it the 'poison bullet' for that effect.

The original question was most powerful (poorly worded). So I'm going to assume he meant "has the most energy".

Beyond that, yeah, what you guys said.

 

[SlowSpyder]

point blank or even closer. That's when the bullet is at highest velocity and hence most energy. You could make the argument that farther out would be more lethal if the bullet starts tumbling.

I don't know if even closer than point blank would be true, at least not for all bullets. Many require the entire length of the barrel to reach their rated speed. That's why some bullets are slower out of the same gun with a shorter barrel. And of course there are faster and slower burning powders.

 

[evident]

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

definitely not this. try even shooting a nerf dart and see what happens at the end of the effective range. simple physics

 

[HumblePie]

Me thinks someone has been playing Eve for too long

Anyhow, a bullet accelerates while it is still in the muzzle/breach, while being fired. This is because the gas pressure behind it is still being built up and pushing it outward. The moment the bullet leaves the breach it is no longer being propelled by the gas and the acceleration stops. After this, there is now only deceleration from friction with the air.

So a bullet has the maximum force just as it leaves the breach. And it's not called a nozzle. A nozzle is something on your shower head, sink, or garden hose.

 

[MJinZ]

For the an educated it looks like all 3 could have their reasons.

Point-blank: Because it's right out of the nozzle.

One foot away: Strongest because it gives 1' of breathing room for 'fully launching' than point-blank.

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

Point blank and one foot away - most likely.

End of effective range - almost never. Unless a bullet is stronger at terminal velocity (fired downwards and achieving its highest velocity through gravity).

 

[MJinZ]

lol.

no, physics says that this will never be true, there is no acceleration on the bullet after it is fired, only deceleration from air resistance.

Certainly not true, on Earth anyway.

Everything accelerates towards the center of the Earth through gravity.

 

[Gothgar]

what is this, WH40k?

are we shooting bolters?

 

[Key West]

Point blank and one foot away - most likely.

.

So which?

 

[HardcoreRobot]

bullet probably reaches max speed in the barrel or shortly outside of it, depending on gun and projectile design. max speed = max powerful. so the answer is 1 or some variation of 2, depending, and you could even contrive a situation in which 3 holds true (VERY slow bullet shot from altitude that gets faster from gravity)

 

[HumblePie]

Point blank and one foot away - most likely.

End of effective range - almost never. Unless a bullet is stronger at terminal velocity (fired downwards and achieving its highest velocity through gravity).

Terminal velocity for a bullet weighing a couple of grams is pretty insignificant compared to firing velocity. Myth busters did a study on this and most standard caliber bullets would bounce off a pig without perforating it. Not that it wouldn't hurt. Some would penetrate, but would not go far enough to cause anything more than minor damage. However, if a big enough bullet reached terminal velocity, there is a chance it could kill or maim but only on more massive bullets. Or if it hit something vital such as the person was looking straight up and the bullet entered the eye into the brain cavity.

 

[MJinZ]

So which?

Probably depends on the weapon, I'm thinking a huge sniper rifle would have different speed characteristics than a shotgun.