How high will a 9mm 115 grain bullet 1100 fps travel up if it hits a steel target angled up at 45 degrees?

Question

How high will a 9mm 115 grain bullet 1100 fps travel up if it hits a steel target angled up at 45 degrees?

Answer 1

Assuming a 100% energetic collision straight up (the worst case it terms of altitude, some projectile impacts are very close to this), the bullet will travel upwards at 1100 feet per second and be slowed by gravity at 32 f/(s^2).  It will reach its highest point of flight 34.4 s later, and will reach an altitude of v*t-1/2(a)t^2, or 1100*34.4-0.5(32)(34.4^2)=18,900 feet.

This solution neglects wind resistance and changes in earth's gravitational pull with altitude, as well as some other minor contributors.  With these assumptions, the caliber and mass of the bullet are not significant to the solution (a bowling ball traveling upwards at 1100 fps would reach the same altitude).

Careful what you shoot at.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

It varies with the bullet type, materials, and the details of the impact. Orient the plate so the bullet deflects down, fill the pit below with shredded rubber from tires to absorb the remaining energy.

Answer 4

Whats the barrel length? What type of bullet is it (hollow point...) whats the temperature, wind speed/direction, humidity, how far from the gun is the steel target?