what are the odds for a bullet to return to the barrel of a gun after it has been fired straight up?

Question

the gun fired was pointed perfectly straight up

Answer 1

Zero.
The spin imparted by the rifling will turn to spiral motion as the bullet's energy is expended going upwards, then when it reaches maximum altitude (two or more miles, depending on the load) it will tumble as it falls, completely subject to the wind, which may be blowing in multiple different directions at different altitudes.
You'll never even find it.

Answer 2

as Joey stated they did a segment on the Mythbusters about this. They fired a 9mm pistol as well as a M1 Garand (.30-06) straight into the air out in the salt flats and recovered the bullets. Because of the small weight of the bullets they reach terminal velocity after falling about 20 feet. When the bullets fell back to the earth they had begun to tumble due to their slow speed. All of the bullets they recovered keyholed when they hit the ground making elongated entrance holes into the ground. Also they had less force than a spring powered BB gun fired down into the ground. This proved that it could not be lethal if a bullet fell onto you. AS for your question if it somehow went straight up and fell directly down at the barrel. It would not enter the barrel, and would most likely bounce off of the muzzle.

Answer 3

A bullet leaves a gun at muzzle velocity, its maximum velocity. It has maximum kinetic potential by way of its velocity immediately up. In a ideal vacuum the kinetic potential could be entirely switched over to an equivalent volume of potential potential at its maximum height (elevation) and the approach might opposite changing each and all the flair potential back to kinetic potential whilst it reached the floor back at muzzle velocity, that could kill. interior the authentic worldwide (with an ecosystem) most of the preliminary kinetic potential at muzzle velocity could be lost going up by way of wind resistance which might scale back its maximum elevation and on the return holiday much extra potential could be lost by way of wind resistance. Any merchandise falling throughout the time of the ambience can no longer exceed 'terminal velocity' by way of air drag and that could remember on the mass of the bullet (rubber or lead?) and its shape (blunt or streamlined?). additionally wind resistance or path could reason a superbly immediately up bullet path to curl somewhat and the bullet might return to a (small or large) circle surrounding the marksman. Rifles impart a twist to the bullet protecting the path straighter than a hand gun. in many circumstances stray bullets fly for the time of a city doubtlessly killing somebody a mile away. So taking pictures a bullet immediately up is an extremely risky game with the two a random and unspecified velocity effect. I as quickly as witnessed an archer taking pictures an arrow immediately up. whilst it disappeared from sight each and every physique ran for canopy and the (stupid!) archer concept extra effective approximately taking yet another shot.

Answer 4

even in a vacuum it would not go back into the barrel
remember the bullet is slightly larger that the muzzle to impart spin by contacting the lands and grooves. It only happens to Elmer Fudd. I guess a 1 in a billion change that if you fired a sabot slugin a vacuum (theoretical) straight up it could come back and fall in the barrel.

Answer 5

Also going for zero
1. The earth spins and thus you will have moved by the time it falls. Not sure about that one
2. where the bullet falls is stochastic that is to say random. If you could construct a probability density function for its location it would be continuous with no mass points. The probability of getting a particular value when a pdf is continuous is zero

Answer 6

Almost impossible. Because you have to factor in air movements acting on the bullet then the earths rotation is going to mean that bullet is going to come down several feet away.

Answer 7

I'd say the odds are about a billion-zillion-quadrillion to one. The odds are much better, though, for the bullet winding up coming straight down into your head.

Answer 8

0%. Bullet rotation, earth rotation, air movement, air mass, temperature differences, all will cause the bullet to move.

Answer 9

it won't they did an experiment about shooting guns exactly straight up in the air on mythbusters.

take care.

Answer 10

Nothing, even a slight breeze would keep that from happening.