Bullet
A bullet is a small metal projectile fired from a gun or rifle.
How big is it?
2,880 km/h · speed
Also 1,790 mph
Speed · example
A little perspective
Bullet vs Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird: speed comparison
The cruise speed of the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is about 1.23 times the speed of a bullet.
DISTANCE IN ONE SECOND
800 m in 1 s
The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is a long-range, high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft developed for the United States Air Force during the Cold War.
980 m in 1 s
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
Bullet
Speed: 2,880 km/h; example.
A chosen 800 m/s muzzle-speed example. Projectile, firearm, ammunition and distance affect speed.
Defined examples — our methodology
The marked speed is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
Representative cruise speed: 3,528 km/h; specified; range 3,240 km/h–3,600 km/h.
A rounded SR-71 reference: 32.7 m long, 16.9 m span, about 78 t maximum takeoff mass and roughly 980 m/s at high-speed cruise. Mission profile changes speed and mass.
NASA Armstrong — SR-71 Blackbird
The marked representative cruise speed is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Use the visual comparison to explore its scale, then check the measurements and sources.
Change your perspective
Put it next to…
Choose a suggestion to redraw the comparison, or open its page to learn what it is.
Why this measurement?
Why we use 2,880 km/h
We compare the speed of a bullet. This is an illustrative comparison value, not a claim that every example is the same.
A chosen 800 m/s muzzle-speed example. Projectile, firearm, ammunition and distance affect speed.
The picture identifies the subject; the diagram compares the recorded values. How calibrated comparisons work →
Recorded properties
Dimensions and measurements
| Property | Selected value | Recorded range | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,880 km/h | Not recorded | example |
Around this scale
Explore nearby values.
Compare examples with lower, similar and higher values. Each card names the measurement being compared.
Nearest lower valueVehicles and transportConcorde2,160 km/hCruising speedConcorde was a supersonic passenger airliner developed by British and French manufacturers that could travel faster than the speed of sound.
Around the same scaleVehicles and transportLockheed SR-71 Blackbird3,528 km/hRepresentative cruise speedThe Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is a long-range, high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft developed for the United States Air Force during the Cold War.
Nearest higher valueMotion and speedMoon orbital speed around Earth3,679 km/hMean orbital speedMoon orbital speed around Earth is the average velocity at which the Moon travels along its orbit around our planet.Sources and method
Want to check the number?
The source records and measurement method remain available for inspection.
There’s always another scale
Follow your curiosity.
MotionWalking1.389 m/sWalking is a form of human locomotion where one foot is always in contact with the ground.MotionSound in air1,235 km/hSound in air is the propagation of pressure waves through the atmosphere, which can be heard by humans and animals.
MotionInternational Space Station28,160 km/hThe International Space Station is a large habitable satellite that orbits Earth and serves as a research laboratory.MotionLight in vacuum100% of c (1c)Light in vacuum is electromagnetic radiation that travels through empty space without any material medium.TransportLockheed SR-71 Blackbird32.7 mThe Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is a long-range, high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft developed for the United States Air Force during the Cold War.
MotionEarth equator rotational speed1,674 km/hEarth equator rotational speed is the velocity at which a point on the equator moves eastward due to Earth's rotation.TransportConcorde62.1 mConcorde was a supersonic passenger airliner developed by British and French manufacturers that could travel faster than the speed of sound.
SpacePluto2,377 kmPluto is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt, composed of rock and ice and orbiting the Sun.