[LMB] OT: Talking of Rocket Ship Galileo

[Mark Allums]

Joel Polowin wrote:
> Mark Allums  wrote:
>> 9. rifling of barrel causes bullet to spin, like
>> a well-thrown football, stabilizing bullet in flight
> 
> Is *that* of any great benefit, in a vacuum?  Apart from making
> sure that the bullet hits the target pointy-end-first?  And is it
> sufficient even for that, in a vacuum?  (Not too sure about the
> Dynamics of an Asteroid, or even of a rapidly-spinning slug.)

In vacuum?  Hmmm.... I believe yes.  The bullet will kind of bounce back 
and forth in the barrel without rifling, and this would mess up the 
aiming.  Gyroscopic stability can't *hurt* anything, and it might help.

--MArk Allums