Comments on: Episode 124: Curving Bullets

By: Brindachingovua

Brindachingovua — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:08:24 +0000

I don’t see much point in testing the “curving bullets” thing in the first place, because the movie doesn’t even pretend that it’s realistic — I mean, it’s a “mind over matter” kind of a superpower the characters have. It’s not about swinging the gun around, that’s just a cool move done for cinematic effect.

I realize that the Mythbusters most likely were fully aware of this going in and probably picked this “myth” simply because it was a popular movie, but still.

By: Dustin

Dustin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:30:29 +0000

On the ‘Wanted’ episode, the thing you forgot to test was the engravement of the bullet. There was a spiral on it. I really think you need to try that. Thanks.

By: Steve Noon

Steve Noon — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:34:15 +0000

During the Iraq war, the Australian SAS (Special Air Service) worked behind enemy lines to seek out Iraqi ballistic missiles and, during the invasion, actually used a sonic boom as a weapon.
Out in the western desert of Iraq, the Kubaisah cement factory, one of the biggest in the Middle East, the Australians were ordered to clear out all Iraqi troops and to check the site for hidden weapons.
They did not want to destroy the cement factory as it was part of the infrastructure for Iraq and was needed for Iraq to get back on its feet quickly.
The scores of Iraqi soldiers guarding the factory ignored the SAS deadline to surrender. It was a difficult target to assault. The Australians did not want to risk the lives of civilians inside by fighting their way in. So the SAS called up for a ground support aircraft to carry out an unusual task.
A US Navy F14 Tomcat responded, came and did a low fly and broke the sound barrier, resulting in a sonic boom – a massive explosion. Initially thought to be detonating ammunition inside the facility, several windows were broken and people came running out with their arms up.
An SAS member recalled the idea arose from an incident back in South Australia where an Australian Air Force plane broke the sound barrier by mistake and broke a lot of greenhouse windows in the area.
The above story was reported in 2003 in a program called “Inside the Aussie SAS,” Current Affairs Reporter ROSS COULTHART – reported for the “SUNDAY” program.

By: Ivor

Ivor — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:05:07 +0000

Regarding the Sonic boom and windows

From experience in the middle east- The israelis fighter jets would always fly over heavily urbanized and built up areas in Lebanon with supersonic speeds and at low altitudes whenever a war breaks out (most recently in 2006- this is done mostly as psychological warfare)

This always results in windows shattering along the neighbourhoods and sometimes also in the cars

Most people soon learned to leave the car and home windows slightly open in order to diffuse the pressure and prevent the glass from breaking- which seems to work… now theyre more of an annoyance than an actual threat (it was very common for the glass to shatter and rain down on families before everyone learned this trick)

Not sure what went wrong with this episode so it didnt work

Great show otherwise

By: vanessa

vanessa — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:06:27 +0000

What would happen if someone shot a bullet at a magnet, would it go through or just stop as soon as it touched it.

By: chris jones

chris jones — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:13:49 +0000

can a sparkler bomb blow your hand off?

By: Nicky Hansard

Nicky Hansard — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:58:21 +0000

A bullet can be ‘curved’. E.g. when you throw a ball out of a car it doesn’t technically fly straight, even though you are not putting any spin on to the ball. Which is exactly what would happen to a bullet fired out of a gun from a moving car, obviously you would have to be going VERY fast for it to be a noticeable short range effect. That’s where they get the idea for curving bullets. Except obviously nobody can move there arm fast enough to do that and it’s not like it actually curves, it just goes on a diagonal path. So no matter how fast your going you can’t make it come back at you.

By: Dray

Dray — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:09:10 +0000

Yes, I thought the bullet was going to curve the other way, too

By: Dray

Dray — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:03:14 +0000

Okay, a bullet can be curved! (not like Wanted) I had to replace the barrel on my .50 caliber muzzleloader(round bullet, so myth is still busted) but before I did I put the firearm on its side and ran etching acid through the barrel for 60 seconds to rough up one side. I then set up two refidgerator boxes (big and cardboard) and set them twenty feet apart and shot through the boxes. the etching was on the right side of the barrel and the bullet curved left almost an inch (from spinning), as proved by the laser pointer. My second shot destroyed the barrel. So it can be done, but the myth is still busted and my arm hurts

By: John Dee

John Dee — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:53:24 +0000

Using a smoothbore barrel, and a specially crafted asymetric projectile a curve could be achieved in flight initially at low speed, but it would quickly, virtually immediately, become unpredictable and tumble. You’d hardly call it a bullet in any real sense of the word and it’s hard to imagine it being usefull. Interstingly enough, if you fletch an arrow, halyway up the shaft, of fletch it at the business end, and shoot it from a bow some spectacular curves can be achieved, but thats even further off subject. Bottom line for the experiment, you can swing the gun as fast as you can, the bullet is going to go the direction it was pointing in when it exits the muzzle, and keep going in that direction.