Re: (TFT) Re: Silliness and physics of bullets

[lifeisfun@aol.com]

Once upon a time, a man picked up an empty wine bottle by the neck and smashed it over his friend's head.  The village drunks howled with delight.  The victem, slightly dazed by the assult decided to return the favor and picked up a nearby empty bottle and bashed his friend on the head with a glancing blow that did not break the bottle.  The result: his friend was knocked unconscous.  
 
I think that much of this argument seems to be focused around the force of a bullet upon a figure when the bullet is passing through the body, vs a shot that impacts on the target and does not penetrate.  In the case where the bullet rips cleanly through the target, very little of the force is transferred to the target.  But, if the bullet hammers into a thick bone and is wholly stopped, then the complete force of the mass times the velocity is transferred.  
 
So, I would guess that it would be possible for a large caliber weapon to easily knock someone over if the bullet hit them solidly and transferred most or all of it's force.  I've fired a 50 cal at metal barrels full of water and managed to knock one over.  Of course, I fired close to 20 rounds at 50 meters.  But, again, I was pumping the rounds clear through the steel of the barrel.  I think that if I hit a man sized figure wearing a flack jacket, i'm certain I could knock him down. 
 
Good Fortune,
Richard
 


TFT Digest wrote: 
> Subject: (TFT) Re: TFT Digest V3 #824 
> > How 'but this I'll take my Brown Bess and you can wear your armor, I shoot you and you will fall down guaranteed.  
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