The formula for an object thrown straight up is v2/2g, where v is the initial velocity of the bullet and g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.81m/s2).
The muzzle velocity of a 9mm handgun is roughly 380m/s, so this works out to 7,360m (about 4.5 miles).
The 5.56mm NATO round used in British Army rifles has a bit more oomph and would reach over 43,000m (27 miles). But that’s in a vacuum.
Air resistance drastically reduces (and complicates) this calculation, so maximum heights might be no more than a fifth of these figures.
This article is an answer to the question (asked by Tammy Giles, via email) 'If you shot a bullet straight up, how far would it travel?'
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