For the shooting into a swimming pool, they concluded that a high-power round (basically anything from a modern weapon fell into this category) you would have to be under about 2.5' of water. For an older style weapon (like a musket) you would have to be under about 6' to 8' of water to be safe. It seems that the bullets from modern weaponry had problems with the transition from air to water and broke up pretty much on impact. You have to watch out, though, because if they put the gun under water and fill the barrel before firing, the bullet goes MUCH farther (it was from another episode, and if I recall the episode details correctly, it was about 16' from a 9mm).charlie wrote:I missed those.
It always seemed to me that if you shot a bullet straight up, it would reach its peak and fall at a speed somewhat below (due to drag) terminal velocity, which I think is around 180 mph.
I calculate that to be somewhat below 264 ft/second, which would hurt if it hit you, but I don't see it being fatal. A slow 38 spl is over 600 ft/sec.
What did they say?
Also, how far under water do you have to be? Guess it depends on the caliber and barrel length.
The bullet into the air thing depends on the bullet going STRAIGHT up, because if it maintains a parabolic ballistic path, you're toast. If the parabolic ballistic path is NOT maintained, the bullet comes down fast enough to give you a good smack, but not even fast enough to break the skin in the majority of cases (I don't recall the speeds, but it was WELL below dangerous - I think it went about 6 inches into soft mud). They found the same thing for a penny (the old theoretical penny off the Empire State Building myth).