From http://www.straightdope.com
Datum 2. Then someone sent me an article from the Los Angeles Times about the problem of falling bullets in L.A. around New Year's and the Fourth of July. According to the article, doctors at King/Drew Medical Center, a major L.A. trauma center, published a report in a medical journal (Journal of Trauma, December 1994) saying that between 1985 and 1992 they treated 118 people for falling bullet injuries around New Year's Eve or the Fourth of July. Thirty-eight of the victims died.
yes, if you fire at less than a straight up angle falling bullets are deadly, and even then can be injurious. If you wan t to fire a gun on new years do it with blanks! easy to make if you reload and the idea is just to make noise right? So why have live ammo that can cause injury. This was ok when we all lived in houses that were miles apart from each other but isn't ok now. And before you start jumping me let me say I own several firearms, have a carry permit, hunt, target shoot and reload also. I believe in the 2nd amendment but I also believe we have to be responsible about it.
Now allowing that the edge of the buttend might strike the skin initially we can see a greater PSI but still we have less that the usual 150psi for skin penetration generally used as a standard.
I will question any garbage coming out the MLK Drew Med Ctr after some of the discussions I have had with JCAHCO investigators.