[TML] [OT] One for Gun Safty

[Michael Jenkins]

On 11/10/2007, Jerry W Barrington <jursamaj at yahoo.com> wrote:
> On 10/9/07 2:10 PM, "Michael Jenkins" wrote:
>
> > Well there's a Darwin Award waiting to happen if ever I saw one.
> >
> > It also occurs to me that if that thing goes off, it's going to be
> > *really* loud!
>
> Nah.  The bullet travels faster than sound.  He'll never hear a thing.  :)

Are you sure? What model of gun is that anyway?

I'm not familiar enough with pistols to recognise the model, but using
a .45 ACP as an example, according to Wikipedia muzzle velocity is at
most 1060 ft/s or 323 m/s, and sound is around 1128 ft/s or 344 m/s.

.45 ACP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.45_ACP
Speed of Sound http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_sound

Aren't pistols generally subsonic?

Adding a very small lag for acceleration of the round, it's possible
he'd hear something very briefly. I hadn't actually looked this up
before ... I was just goin' for funny. Depending on nerve reaction
times, it's also possible that the bullet will make it into his skull
cavity before he hears the noise.

Can you imagine being in a squad with someone with those gun-handling "skills"?

If you were responsible for supervising or training that guy, what
would your reaction be on spotting that action? I'm thinking it should
at least involve *bellowing*. Or taking the pistol off him, removing
the clip and emptying the chamber, and then beating him with it!
:)

-- 
Regards,
Michael Jenkins
--
No person should call themselves free,
While they are enslaved by fear, or greed, or hate.
--