A Page from History: Air Resistance of a .30-'06

by
posted on May 11, 2017
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
3006headstamp.jpg
From the October 1957 issue of American Rifleman, a letter sent to the magazine asking about air resistance.

I know that when a bullet is fired at high speed, air resistance slows it down very fast, but could you give me an idea of how much the air resistance against the point of a .30-'06 military bullet amounts to in pounds?—N.S.P.

Answer: When the .30 cal. M2 bullet is fired at a muzzle velocity of 2700 fps, it takes .12 second to go to the first 100 yards, and during this brief interval it loses 219 fps, so that if it kept on losing speed at this rate, it would lose 1825 fps in one second.

When a bullet is dropped, gravity will give it a speed of 32 fps during the first second of its fall. Thus at this velocity air resistance changes the bullet's speed over 56 times as fast as gravity does. The force that gravity exerts on any object is equal to the weight of the object, and as a 152-grain bullet weights 1/46-lb., and as air resistance at the speed mentioned is 56 times gravity, it exerts a force of nearly 1 1/4 lbs. on the nose of the bullet.—J.S.H.

Latest

CMP Buynow 1
CMP Buynow 1

CMP Streamlines Legacy M1 Garand Sales With Easy ‘Buy Now’ Feature

CMP’s new fixed-price “Buy Now” system makes it easier than ever to own a legacy, non-reclaimed M1 Garand rifle.

Watchtower Firearms, Demolition Ranch Team Up For Limited-Edition DEMOLITIA Blackout 1911

Watchtower Firearms releases limited-edition double-stack 1911 chambered in 9 mm designed with input from Demolition Ranch.

Federal Ammunition Honored With National 4-H Shooting Sports Pioneer Award

Federal Ammunition receives 2025 4-H Shooting Sports Pioneer Award for over 40 years of support for youth programs.

New: Smith & Wesson M&P 15 AXE Rifles

Smith & Wesson launches the M&P 15 AXE lineup of suppressor-ready rifles with reduced gas blowback and modern features.

Review: Savage Arms Mark II & Winchester’s .21 Sharp

As demonstrated in the Savage Mark II FV-SR, Winchester’s .21 Sharp cartridge offers higher velocity and greater precision than .22 Long Rifle rounds.

Marsh Edges Stine In Canadian Showdown To Win Lapua Monarch Cup Opener

Justin Marsh edges Jake Stine by one point to win the Canadian NRA Smallbore Silhouette Nationals and first stage of the 2025 Lapua Monarch Cup.

Interests



Get the best of Shooting Sports USA delivered to your inbox.