I don’t know if anyone has done the math about how much force a falling bullet would be at.
We know after apogee it is just a freefalling weight and at some point hits terminal velocity. A penny hits terminal velocity at about 50 feet (lots of google results on “penny terminal velocity”).
A bullet masses about 10 g and falls at (9.8 m/sec)^2
50 feet is about 15 meters
so we have (someone check me)
(9.8^2)*15 =1440.6
1440.6 * 10 = 14,406 g of force = about 14 KG of force or about 6.5 pounds.
*OUCH*
If it hit point side down (unlikely) It could probably penetrate the skin and maybe ding the skull.
This seems consistent with answers to the old “will a penny dropped from the Empire State Building kill you>” question.
You brainy folk can check my math.
Note: Poor kid — hadda hurt.
about 14 KG of force or about 6.5 pounds