[mod.rec.guns] Rebuttal to Newton's law vis-a-vis bullet trajectory

jkh@jade.BERKELEY.EDU (Jordan K. Hubbard) (01/14/87)

Article: 1:19


[See what happens when you don't include subject lines in your
submissions? -jh ]

> Article 318 of mod.rec.guns:
> Author: decvax!decwrl!prls!philabs!pwa-b!anneser@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (Dean Anneser)
> Article: 1:4
> 
> References: <1957@jade.BERKELEY.EDU>
 
+ I believe it was Newton who proved that two metal balls of differing weights,
+ dropped from the same height at the same time shall reach the ground at the
+ same time (discounting the negligible effects of friction through the air).
+ Similarly, if one ball was dropped, and at the same instant, another ball
+ was thrust horizontally from the same height, they would both reach the
+ ground at the same time (assuming a relatively flat earth).
+ 
+ Therefore, if you bore sighted a target, that would be suspended with some
+ mechanism that would release the target the instant you pulled the trigger,
+ you would always hit the target (assuming negligible effects of air friction
+ as the target dropped).

I'm not so sure... I recall seeing that there are significant lift effects
on fast-spinning rifle bullets.  The net result may be surprisingly
contra-intuitive.  You probably wouldn't notice it in pistolcraft.

I'll try to find my source for you, but I wanted to put out this caution ASAP.