The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1916-02-03
BULLETS FLIGHT I
Even the Best Aimed Ones Never
Follow Their Noses.
STRIKE A WEE BIT SIDEWAYS.
Tho ProjectiIe Travels on Curve. Of
Course, and It Keeps itse Axis Always
In the Direction the Axis Had When
the Ball Left the Gun. =


the Ball Left the Gun. #s
{: It Is q well known fact that bullet
never goes straight to mark. but dies
ina curve on the order of the parabola.
But most people think that the bullet
itself follows its nose and that at first
when the nose is pointed up, the bull
let follows it and that when the bullet
Is coming down on the other leg of the
curve the nose is pointed down.
This is u mistake, for the nose OF a
bullet always maintains its own direc-
ton. no matter what the bullet as a
whole tries to do. That is. If gun be
pointed slightly up. the bullet. when it
strikes the target. will not enter 1t per-
-pendicularly by the nose. and the hole
made will be larger than the bullet is
round. for. the bullet Of necessity must
hit in certain degree fatwise or,
course the reason the bullet does this
is because it has very rapid rotation
given it by the rifles in the barrel,
which keeps it also from turning over
and over in the air
Another thing that will seem peculiar
to most people is the action of gravity
on bullet If gun be fired exactly
horizontally the bullet will have to be
pulled down by gravity exactly sixteen
feet during the first second. So If there
We're no sights on a gun and it was
leveled by means of hand level and
fired the bullet would hit something
exactly sixteen feet below the gun at
distance away equal to the velocity Of
the bullet per second.
No matter what the bullets velocity.
gravity will pull it. down sixteen feet
during the first second. or If the bullet
be fired upward gravity will take from
its upward velocity thirty two feet dur.
ing the first second
The bullet itself keeps it's axis al.
ways in the direction the axis had
when the bullet issued from the gun.
This is the well known gyroscopic prin-
ciple made use of in the gyroscopic
compass and the monorail car-that a
rotating body will maintain its axis Of.
rotation in the same direction unless a.
moment of force be applied to it.
Hut what actually happens with the
modern high powered rife? Does it
shoot a bullet that goes in sideways?
To slight extent it may be stated
that the modern army bullet does do
that very thing: It's velocity, however.
is so enormous that the gun barrel does
not have to be elevated through so
CrI syYl ar oil &oY n
bullet enters fairly on its nose, though.
not squarely SO. at all ordinary ranges
The same may be said Of the bigger
They have rif1ing in them and
so give rotation and gyroscopic action
to the projectiles But mortar does
not. A mortar shoots something al,
most straight up in the air and lets it
fall down As the mortar is too. short
barreled to be rified the top Of the pro.
jectile would hit Il target long dis.
lance away. but for shot almost
straight up in the air to fall right down
of course the bottom of the projectile
would strike first. The mortar projec.
tiles are generally round. so that it will
not matter how they strike.
- liz iSdSOu d Uull0t cannot De made 4
so that it will always. enter a target
on its nose is that for every
range Il differently shaped bullet would
have tn be manufactured; also the hui
let should be symmetrical. so that the
mir will exert no disturbing influence
Oh its distorted parts.
A bullet has distinct curve like that
Of baseball. due to it's rotation, and
this curve is independent of the parab.
Ola given by gravity. The smoother
and more polished bullet is the less
IS this curve. But the action of the
riHing in "a gun barrel puts little
,rooves7in the. bullet as it goes through
The barrel These catch the air as the
bullet rotates and causes the curve
spoken of
II the bullet be rotated in the direc.
ion of the hands of clock the curve
will make the bullet 20 to the left of
he exact point aimed at The effect is
20 small. however. that it does not
lave to be taken into account in the
of rifles and ammunition
New York American.