What would happen if a bullet was dropped into liquid nitrogen?

Question

I actually almost had this happen at work, except it was a whole loaded gun that almost got the nitro. Just wondering how dangerous (or not) this would be if it ever almost happens again.

Answer 1

If you had a loaded gun fall into liquid nitrogen nothing would happen. First off, the liquid nitrogen will not cause the gun to go off by engaging the firing pin. Second, the bullet itself would not go off from being super-cooled or other bizarre chemical reaction.

There are 2 types of bullets, centerfire and rimfire. In both cases the bullets require a sharp impact to start the ignition process. Without the sharp impact, from a firing pin in a gun let's hope, the bullets are very safe, even in liquid nitrogen.

Answer 2

As the liquid nitrogen makes metal brittle, everything would shatter on impact.
I have seen other things dropped into liquid nitrogen and the items just shattered after being dropped.

My question to you is how do you have liquid nitrogen AND a gun this close together...?

Answer 3

probably not very, since the metal in guns is a very stable matrix. when you see "experiments" on TV of things shattering, they are ususally live objects (a rose is a well-used example) or something that is rubber or pliable (such as a ball). the gun will probably just get real cold when you put it in, then warm back up when you take it out. the oils within the gun may freeze, however.

Answer 4

It would get cold and nothing else.