how fast is a bullet

A bullet's speed varies widely depending on the firearm and ammunition type, generally ranging from about 500 feet per second (fps) to over 4,000 fps. Typical handgun bullets travel from around 700 fps to about 1,400 fps, while rifle bullets can exceed 4,000 fps. Some of the fastest rifle bullets, like the .22-250 Remington, can travel at about 4,000 fps, which is nearly Mach 3 (three times the speed of sound). The speed of a bullet decreases as it travels downrange due to air resistance and gravity. For context, a 9mm handgun bullet might travel at roughly 1,300-1,400 mph (about 1,900-2,000 fps), while rifle bullets can reach speeds around 2,700 mph (about 4,000 fps) or more near the muzzle.