top of page
Writer's pictureContente Firearms

You Won't Believe What Happens When You Shoot An Ice Sheet...

What happens when you fire a bullet into a sheet of ice? You'll be SHOCKED with the results... Plus, some other fascinating bullet physics that will leave you stunned.


DO NOT ATTEMPT: THESE ARE TRAINED PROFESSIONALS


Doesn't seem real, does it? Let's break it down. When a bullet is shot from a rifled barrel, it gains a spin due to the grooves inside the barrel. This spinning motion, similar to the way a quarterback throws a spiral football, helps stabilize the bullet's flight path.


Now, imagine this spinning bullet making contact with an icy surface. The reduced friction between the bullet and the ice allows its momentum to persist, causing it to continue spinning along the ice. It's as if the bullet has found a frictionless dance floor where it can twirl and spin freely.


This combination of rifling-induced spin and reduced friction on ice creates the mesmerizing sight of bullets spinning across the frozen surface. Now there's some crazy physics for you!

 

Thought that was interesting? Well buckle up because we have another fascinating fact for you.


If you fired a gun horizontally and dropped a bullet from the same height, both bullets will hit the ground at the same time! Don't believe us? See Mythbusters themselves prove this one true!


DO NOT ATTEMPT: THESE ARE TRAINED PROFESSIONALS


But how does this happen? Here's the surprising part—gravity treats all objects equally, whether they're falling straight down or flying through the air horizontally. So, even though one bullet travels farther, it's still pulled down at the same rate as the one simply falling, causing them to hit the ground with near identical timing.


Thanks for joining Contente Firearms & Supply as we share the wild world of bullet physics! From the mesmerizing spin on icy surfaces to the surprising behavior of falling bullets, we've explored the wonders of ammo and physics in action. Stay curious! Until next time.

23 views0 comments

Comments


bottom of page