I need help with this please.

[pinkrubberhippos]

Ok, for my thesis, I am having people choose between flight or invisibility.  My thesis is based off a program on NPR, and a few questions have come up.

1)  What is the air speed velocity of a bullet from a general, medium sized handgun?  (The flight people want to know if they can dodge bullets)  
2)Would you think they could dodge most bullet types if they could fly 1,000 mph?

If you want, you can email your response directly to my email:  pinkrubberhippos@aol.com, or you can just respond to this via posting.

Thank you all for your time,
Anne

[Mikey]

pinkrubberhippos:  Most medium bore handguns, with noted exceptions, are within the 1000'/sec level.  This would include 32s, 380s, 38s, some 9mms but not most, 40S&Ws, to name a few.  Medium bores that travel faster than 1000'/sec most of the time are most 9mms, 38 Supers, 9x23s, 357 Sigs, 357 Magnums, 10mm.  I consider the 10mm calibers, the 40 S&W and the 10mm to be at the upper limit of medium bores.

Dodge the bullets.  I wouldn't bet on it or risk it.  That is pure hollywood, although the original author of the James Bond novels was supposed to have been involved in a live fire situation in which a British agent either ducked out of the way or provided a very difficult target when fired on with a 38 snubnose, for 6 of 6 shots.  I still think it's pure hollywood and would simply not recommend it to anyone.  Mikey.

[Savage]

As 1000mph translates to 1466fps (I hope). It appears your flight subjects would have almost a 50% speed advantage. So, yes it theory they could evade the bullet, or just flat outrun it. That is assuming of course, they could see it. But this is your thesis, bet you already know that.
Savage

[jsirm]

I listened to this episode of "This American Life" and thought it was very entertaining, especially the discussion of the psychology involved. I believe the ability to dodge bullets would be a superhuman capability independent from flying. And even if the flyer could accelerate faster than the bullets fired at them (wouldnt the G-force turn them to mush?) they would still need the senses to see the bullet coming therefore, they could dodge the bullet by moving out of the way easier than zooming off. And another fact that may be worth thinking about, the person outrunning pistol bullets would likely create a sonic boom.