Effects of high velocity bullets on tissue

[Grayswandir]

Sorry for the weird question. I’ve heard bullets with really high velocity just go straight through you without doing much damage - so I was wondering, if say someone gets hit by a .50 BMG round traveling at really high velocity, assuming the bullet didn’t hit anything vital and just went straight through them, could they survive? And what would it do to the flesh?

[OzyWho]

Idk anything about physics, but I reckon that if something made a hole in my heart or my brain - it should be considered as significant damage.

Having said that though, do I understand the premise correct - that a Sniper Rifle could potentially do less damage than your classical 6mm police pilstol?
Those 6mm seem weak. Been watching plenty of those "police shoot [x] body cam" vids, and it seems that about 10 bullets is the minimum to slow someone down. Sometimes it takes over 20 bullets.
Fun Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkiZ0KJYQpg)

[Grayswandir]

Yes, (also the most commonly used calibre is 9mm, not 6mm). Btw, seeing as it has a higher calibre and its a heavier bullet, at close range (I think at least) a pistol bullet may well be more danaging than a rifle round. I’m sure there’s other variables that come into play such as if the bullet yaws (like 5.56 and 5.45 do), if its hollow/soft point or not, ect. Havent watched that video yet. Gonna wafch it now.

[OzyWho]

Yes, (also the most commonly used calibre is 9mm, not 6mm). Btw, seeing as it has a higher calibre and its a heavier bullet, at close range (I think at least) a pistol bullet may well be more danaging than a rifle round. I’m sure there’s other variables that come into play such as if the bullet yaws (like 5.56 and 5.45 do), if its hollow/soft point or not, ect. Havent watched that video yet. Gonna wafch it now.
The video wasnt as fun as I remember.
I've seen dozens of body cam videos where a dude gets shot 10-20 times and doesn't get down. Regardless, a fun video nontheless :D

[rumox]

You'd bleed out?

[rumox]

The only way I see someone surviving having a hole instantly put through them the size of a .50cal is if whatever it was cauterizes the wound.

[SuperJack]

The video wasnt as fun as I remember.
I've seen dozens of body cam videos where a dude gets shot 10-20 times and doesn't get down. Regardless, a fun video nontheless :D

Welcome to adrenaline. Your body is now in emergency mode and does amazing feats just before you drop dead.

[Helz]

It is a thing. The Marine Corps actually started mass using a different caliber because our standard A059 Green Tip 5.56 were just punching holes though guys. They would sometimes get all fucked up on steroids and meth before attacking and just wouldn't go down.

As for a 50 cal I really don't see you surviving that. I am sure its 'possible' given one Green Barret survived after being shot 42 times or some shit but the exit wounds on those things are absolutely massive. Like.. Fist sized holes. There's nowhere that could hit you in your torso without it wrecking vital organs. If you want to see it I am sure theres websites you could watch 50 cal snipers go to work. That caliber will straight up turn a body to soup and heads pop like a watermelon you stuffed an M80 into.


I was not there but I did see the video of it my buddy took. A guy was shot with a 50 cal in his torso but was so jacked on whatever he kept right on running for a while. His intestines were dragging a few feet behind him as he ran. He didn't make it very far before he dropped but it was pretty crazy to see a guy still running in that condition.
Also energy transfer is a huge issue. Even if you get shot in body armor and the bullets dont pierce you all that energy has still slammed into your body and it can shut down your heart. This is the exact reason for the 'double tap' in the chest in your typical failure drill (2 to the chest 1 to the head) so even if you dont do killing damage you can still just shut their body down.

With the 50 cal in particular I have herd the pressure displacement from the bullet going by you can kill you if it zips by your head. A part of this is caused because bullets are essentially a cone; which is a form of right triangle. The hypotenuse of a triangle is longer than its rise so the air displaced as the bullet moves through it has to travel a farther distance than the rise (which is why sub-sonic rounds often produce super sonic displacement.) If you picture a boat's wake as it zips through water that's what's happening in the air, but bullets have lots and lots of energy so that wake can do some damage.

This is also the exact reason for hollow points and Hydra-Shok rounds to exist. To avoid just blowing through a person and instead release that energy and that lead into their body.

Someday go to a gun store and just ask to see a 50 cal round and it will probably give you perspective on what your asking.

[SuperJack]

I was wondering how long It would take for Helz to answer. Impressive response time..

[Grayswandir]

I was wondering how long It would take for Helz to answer. Impressive response time..
I was wondering whether he would answer at all.

[Grayswandir]

I’m curious how fucked up you have to get (I’m guessing on hasheesh in Afghanistan) to just shrug off a .50 cal like it’s nothing.