# How high up can a bullet shot from a .357 go? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 17, 2006, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-up-can-a-bullet-shot-from-a-357-go/361074 "2006-06-17T17:12:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-up-can-a-bullet-shot-from-a-357-go/361074/1 "2006-06-17T17:12:14Z")
I know bullet speed is measured in feet per second and not usually MPH. But if a .357 we shot directly straight into the air from a handgun, how high would it go, roughly? ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-up-can-a-bullet-shot-from-a-357-go/361074/2 "2006-06-17T17:42:04Z")
Didn’t Mythbusters do something about this, kinda? Maybe it was looking at how dangerous the projectile was when it returned to earth, and part of the equation was how high it went, can’t remember. Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Mines\_Mystique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mines\_Mystique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mines_Mystique)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-up-can-a-bullet-shot-from-a-357-go/361074/3 "2006-06-17T18:13:40Z")
Using the lightest bullet’s muzzle velocity from [wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.357_SIG), I get a height of around 45000 feet. The procedure is below g=9.81 m/s^2 vo=519 m/s ho=0 h=-.5_g_t^2+vo\*t+ho h=-.5(9.81)(t^2)+519\*t take a derivative to find the time where the bullet reaches its max height, setting dh/dt=0 0=-9.81\*t+519 solving for t gives approx 53 s substitute back into the first equation, and we get the answer. This, of course, ignores any possible aerodynamic effects due to rifling as well as the possiblity of an angle anything less than vertical. Mines Mystique ---
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-up-can-a-bullet-shot-from-a-357-go/361074/4 "2006-06-17T18:18:54Z")
> [@Mines Mystique](#): > > Using the lightest bullet’s muzzle velocity from [wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.357_SIG), I get a height of around 45000 feet. The procedure is below > > g=9.81 m/s^2 > vo=519 m/s > ho=0 > > h=-.5_g_t^2+vo\*t+ho > > h=-.5(9.81)(t^2)+519\*t > > take a derivative to find the time where the bullet reaches its max height, setting dh/dt=0 > > 0=-9.81\*t+519 > > solving for t gives approx 53 s > > substitute back into the first equation, and we get the answer. > > This, of course, ignores any possible aerodynamic effects due to rifling as well as the possiblity of an angle anything less than vertical. > > Mines Mystique Maybe without the atmoshphere. With an atmosphere your going to be a bit shy of your 45,000 foot number. Well, more than a bit. ---
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-up-can-a-bullet-shot-from-a-357-go/361074/5 "2006-06-17T18:18:50Z")
> [@Mines Mystique](#): > > Using the lightest bullet’s muzzle velocity from [wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.357_SIG), I get a height of around 45000 feet. The procedure is below > > g=9.81 m/s^2 > vo=519 m/s > ho=0 > > h=-.5_g_t^2+vo\*t+ho > > h=-.5(9.81)(t^2)+519\*t > > take a derivative to find the time where the bullet reaches its max height, setting dh/dt=0 > > 0=-9.81\*t+519 > > solving for t gives approx 53 s > > substitute back into the first equation, and we get the answer. > > This, of course, ignores any possible aerodynamic effects due to rifling as well as the possiblity of an angle anything less than vertical. > > Mines Mystique Maybe without the atmoshphere. With an atmosphere your going to be a bit shy of your 45,000 foot number. Well, more than a bit. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-up-can-a-bullet-shot-from-a-357-go/361074/6 "2006-06-17T18:20:02Z")
Thanks, Mines Mystique ---
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-up-can-a-bullet-shot-from-a-357-go/361074/7 "2006-06-17T18:20:14Z")
Oops. and these were missing from the above (twice i guess): ’ e ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-up-can-a-bullet-shot-from-a-357-go/361074/8 "2006-06-17T18:32:07Z")
[How do bullets fly?](http://www.nennstiel-ruprecht.de/bullfly/index.htm#Top_of_page) ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-up-can-a-bullet-shot-from-a-357-go/361074/9 "2006-06-17T20:01:33Z")
So for those who don’t want to look it up, it appears that the actual max height will be somwhere between 1000-3000 feet for a rifle, according to the FAQ section on the page **astro** referenced. See the question “If a bullet is fired vertically from a rifle, what will its terminal velocity be if it strikes the top of someones head on its way back down?” for more information. ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2006, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-up-can-a-bullet-shot-from-a-357-go/361074/10 "2006-06-18T14:55:48Z")
> [@chorpler](#): > > So for those who don’t want to look it up, it appears that the actual max height will be somwhere between 1000-3000 feet for a rifle, according to the FAQ section on the page **astro** referenced. See the question “If a bullet is fired vertically from a rifle, what will its terminal velocity be if it strikes the top of someones head on its way back down?” for more information. It can go much higher than 1000-3000 feet. A typical rifle bullet (30-06) can exceed 9000 feet. A pistol bullet, like the .357 Magnum, is less aerodynamic and has a lower starting velocity. > [@](#): > > The two best references on the subject are “Hatcher’s Notebook”, (by Julian S. Hatcher, 3rd edition, June 1962, Stackpole Books, ISBN: 0811707954) which includes a chapter on bullets fired vertically, and an article titled “Terminal Velocity and Penetration Studies,” by Lucien C. Haag, which appeared in Vol 2, No. 1 of Wound Ballistics Review. > > [Miscellaneous Questions](http://www.frfrogspad.com/miscella.htm) ---
**Author:** ![giuseppe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/48db29/32.png) [@giuseppe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/giuseppe)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2006, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-high-up-can-a-bullet-shot-from-a-357-go/361074/11 "2006-06-18T15:19:33Z")
> [@chorpler](#): > > So for those who don’t want to look it up, it appears that the actual max height will be somwhere between 1000-3000 feet for a rifle, according to the FAQ section on the page **astro** referenced. See the question “If a bullet is fired vertically from a rifle, what will its terminal velocity be if it strikes the top of someones head on its way back down?” for more information. A rifle shot can go a lot higher than 3000 feet. When I was in the military, I witnessed somebody take out a plane with 1 shot from a 30 caliber rifle. That plane was a lot higher than 3000 feet.