Off Topic Chicago Police Scanner

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Rifle bullets fired VERTICALLY upwards retain most of the spin imparted at the muzzle, even at apogee and as they fall straight back down, striking the ground base first. The descent terminal velocity is whatever can be achieved by the action of gravity minus air resistance.

Stumpy, relatively slow-moving, pistol bullets do not rise as far and thus will have less opportunity to gain serious velocity on the way down.

ANY bullet fired at a fairly flat angle will hit pretty hard, but will not be coming down from directly above.

Bullets, especially rifle bullets, display "spin-drift" when fired at targets as in a normal firing range. Bullets launched DEAD VERTICALLY will also drift during their flight time, even in still air. P. O. Ackley did quite a bit of work on this, as did Hatcher and several other inquiring minds. Even in totally "still" air, bullets were found to "drift" and fall several feet away from the barrel that fired them. Those that fell on the timber decking of the firing platform left a slight dent in the surface of the deck. A young child with a developing skull may be in some danger from such falling bullets.

It would be interesting to see clear images of projectiles actually recovered from these buildings.