I was reading the October issue of the Gazette, and couldn't help but laugh at the lack of research involved in the article by Anne Tenna titled "How to avoid a bullet in the head."

She makes the statement that a bullet fired from a gun will return to earth at the same, if not twice the speed that it was fired.

This statement is far from the truth. If she were aware of the term of "Terminal Velocity," then she would know that the statement of "twice" is wrong. In a vacuum the bullet would fall at the same speed, but not twice.

In our open atmosphere, the bullet would encounter wind resistance, and would only have the force of gravity pulling against it. When both forces become equal, the bullet is at terminal velocity.

A .30 caliber 150 grain bullet fired from a .30-06 would leave the gun at about 2,700 feet per second. Upon returning to earth, the bullet would reach a terminal velocity of at or about, 300 feet per second. A net difference of 2,400 feet per second.

Below is a link to an article about tests from the US Army in 1920 regarding this theory. www.loadammo.com/Topics/March01.htm

I enjoy reading your magazine, but have found that not everything you read is true, sadly including the articles in your magazine.

Good day, John Thornhill Kingston, WA

It's always great to get responses from readers with any kind of feedback or information they would like to provide. In this case, it was all about the correct ballistics of a bullet falling after being shot straight up from a gun.

I apologize if my grandson misled me about bullet velocity and all that. Guess he got his facts mixed up. I know now that bullets fall to earth a little more slowly than I was led to believe. Although I have shot a hand gun, I don't keep one in my house for my own personal reasons.

However, I think the important thing to remember here is that bullets fired in the air do fall from out of "the clear blue sky," and pose a danger to unsuspecting, random victims- even children.

Thanks again, John, for taking the time to write in, and it's really good to know that you enjoy the publication. I will do a little research of my own next time to double check my facts before sounding off.

--Anne Tenna

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