Citation: (Help was generated using Unregistered Version S2.0 of WhizNotes(TM))


ACP

An abbreviation for Automatic Colt Pistol.


InSight/Ballistics

version 2.1 copyright 1993-1995 R White


action

The actual working parts of any firearm; handles, the loading, firing, and unloading of cartridges.


airspace

The amount of empty space in a loaded cartridge.


angle of departure

The angle at which the projectile the the barrel of a firearm; determined by the height of the sight above the bore and the angle of the bore when the bullet leaves the barrel.


annealing

Making brass more workable by heating and rapidly cooling. Also makes brass tougher and less brittle.


Apply

Saves the current settings to ISWIN.INI.


Arrow

Changes the number of cartridges the list jumps when you click on the arrow at the end of the scroll bar in the Cartridge List Window.


assault rifle

A military arm equipped to provide either semi or fully automatic fire; generally a small bore weapon.


automatic safety

A safety which is automatically engaged by loading or cocking the firearm.


automatic weapon

A firearm which fires continuously as long as there is pressure on the trigger.


backstop

A mass of dirt or metal stop placed behind a target to prevent projectiles from passing outside the range area.


ballistic coefficient

A factor telling how a bullets weight, diameter, and design affect it's ability to overcome air resistance.


Ballistics Chart

For the curious among you, this program uses information from the ballistics charts in Hatcher's Notebook, which are the Arberdeen 'G' tables.


Ballistics Definitions

ACP

action

airspace

angle of departure

annealing

assault rifle

automatic safety

automatic weapon

backstop

ballistic coefficient

bedding

belted case

berdan primer

black powder

bore diameter

breech

breech loading

bullet

bullet pull

buttstock

caliber

cannelure

cant

carbine

cartridge (definition)

centerfire

center of impact

chamber

chronograph

clip

collimater

cook-off

creep

crowning

cylinder gap

disconnector

double action

ejector

elevation

expansion ratio

extractor

feed

feed ramp

field of view

firing pin

flanged

flash suppressor

floating barrel

floor plate

forcing cone

freebore

gain twist

gas check

gas cutting

gauge

hammer

hammerless

hangfire

headspace

intrumental velocity

land

load density

lock time

machine gun

machine rest

magazine

magnum

mean radius

minute of angle

obturation

ogive

patch

point blank

projectile

range

recoil

rifling

rimfire

safety

sear

sectional density

sight radius

single action

submachine gun

time of flight

trajectory

trigger

v-ring

velocity

wadcutter

wildcat

windage (sight adjustment)

windage (smoothbore firearms)

x-ring


Ballitics Tutor

Overview

Ballistics, in general, can be divided into three catagories - Interior, Exterior, and Terminal.

Interior ballistics is the study of what happens between the time a cartridge is fired and the projectile leaves the barrel of a firearm. The primary concern of interior ballistics is chamber pressure, and the goal is to predict, with a high degree of accuracy , what chamber pressure will be produced by firing a certain cartridge with given powder and bullet weights. The critical factors are those of cartridge volume, powder volume, bullet weight, and powder burn rate. There are programs designed for handloaders which can predict the chamber pressure for a given cartridge using a certain powder and bullet weight.

Terminal ballistics is probably the least understood and least experimented with area of ballistics. This concerns the action of the projecitile once it hits the target. There are many varying theories on what happens after the bullet strikes, with come schools of thought believing the size of the resultant hole is most critical, others the amount of energy disapated, and others the amount of fluid shock, or other factors.

Finally, we have exterior ballistics. This field is the most throughly investigated and documented, being a primary concern of physics and science in general. This is the study of the path a projectile takes between the firearm and the target.

Basic Theory

The basic theory of all ballistics is that a projectile, once fired, travels in a parabolic path determined by initial velocity, angel of fire, and the pull of gravity. In a world with no air, the projectile's path would be a perfect parabola, and it's path could be calculated with a simple formula. The problem is firearm projectile are so small, and travel at such great speed relative to their speed, that air resistance has a great impact on their path.

Many people have tried to quantify this impact, but there tend to be too many variables; the shape of the nose and tail, the initial speed, and the sectional density (a ratio of the bullet's weight to its cross-sectional area). There is no single formula which can take all of the factors into account, but there have been many attempts.

One of the more important was the experiments of the Gavre Commission, which carried out a series of test firings from 1873 to 1898 using a one pound projectile fired at various speeds from a cannon. While earlier such studies had published thier findings as a set of formulas good for a range of velocities, the Gavre Commission published thier findings as a chart or table; this was to become the norm.

The steps involved in using one the various tables to predict the path of a trajectory are:

1. Measure the velocity of the projectile at various distances from the firing point (usually with a chronograph).

2. Find the ballistic coefficient for the projectile by calculating backwards from the table. The ballistics coefficient of a projectile is a measure of the projectile's ability to overcome air resistance. It is important to note that the ballistic coefficient for a projectile will be different for each table; this is because of the differences between the 'standard' projectile used to take the measurements and the one you are measuring.

3. From this number, the bullet's remaining velocity and time of flight at each point on its path may be calculated.

4. Once the time of flight has been calculated for each point, the path the bullet takes (or its trajectory) may be calculated (using simple trigonometry and physics).

I could give you all the formulas, but I've gone one better, and given you a program to do the calculations!

For further reading, I can highly recommend Hatcher's Notebook, by Julian S. Hatcher. I believe the latest edition is by Stackpole Press in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1962. Library of Congress Card Catalog Number: 62-12654.


bedding

The process of mating the wood of the stock forearm to the barrel; pressure from the wood can affect accuracy in many ways, from dampening barrel vibrations to warping the barrel.


belted case

A case which has a protruding belt above the rim. This belt serves to correctly headspace the cartridge when fired while retaining the feeding advantages of a rimless design. The first belted cartridge was developed by Holland and Holland in 1905.


berdan primer

A primer in which the anvil is a seperate piece.


black powder

The earliest known firearms propellant; a mechanical mixture of charcoal (15 parts), sulfur (75 parts), and saltpeter (potassium nitrate - 10 parts).


blind magazine

A magazine which does not protrude beneath the stock of the firearm.


bore diameter

The diameter of a barrel as measured across the tops of the lands.


breech

The non-moving portion of small arms which supports the cartridge during firing.


breech loading

A firearm which loads from the breech end of the barrel rather than the muzzle.


bullet

That portion of the cartridge which actually leaves the firearm as a projectile; not the entire cartridge.


bullet pull

The amount of pull required to remove a bullet from the cartridge case.


Button Bar

Click on the area of the button bar about which you need help:

See Also:

Editing Quicksearches


buttstock

The portion of a firearm protruding rearward past the breech; for rifles, this usually rest on the shooter's shoulder.


Calculator

The calculator allows you to convert English measurements to Metrc (and vice versa), as well as computing energy, optimum game wieght, IPSC power factor, and various other ballistics related figures.

To use the calculator:

1. Choose a conversion or calculation you would like to perform from the drop down list box.

2. Fill in the numbers requested.

3. Press the Calculate button.

The results will appear in the list box on the right side of the calculator, allowing you to scroll through past calculations for comparison.

Notes:

Please note that the list box holding the results will eventually fill up. If results stop appearing in this list box, try pressing the Clear All button.


caliber

The diameter of the bore of a firearm (land to land).


Cancel

Resets the current settings to those in ISWIN.INI.


cannelure

A groove on a bullet into which the case neck may be crimped.


cant

Any deviation of a firearm's barrel from true vertical. Leaning a firearm to one side or the other while shooting is 'canting.'


carbine

A short rifle.


Cartridge

Allows you to edit the cartridge information for the currently selected window. Does not affect the cartridge database.


cartridge (definition)

A cartridge is a complete unit of ammunition; contains the bullet, case, powder, and primer.


Cartridge List Preferences


Cartridge List Window

The Cartridge List Window is a list of the cartridges currently in the cartridge database. If you create a new window (either from the Menus or the Button Bar), it will be created using the information from the cartridge selected here.

Notes:

1. You may drag and drop cartridges from this window to any open window.

2. You may change the number of cartridges the list moves when you click on the scroll bar and which type of new window is created when you double click on an entry (see User Preferences).

3. The all capital letters in fromt of each cartridge name are not included in searches; these refer to the maker of the cartridge or source of information on that particular load.

EST - Estimated from available information

FEDER - Federal

HAND - Handload (from other source)

HIST - History only

HORNA - Hornady

NORMA - Norma

REMIN - Remington

RWS - RWS (European)

SEL - (European)

SPEER - Speer Reloading Manual

WINCH - Winchester

WTHRB - Weatherby


center of impact

The center of a group of shots. Mesaure the horizontal and vertical displacement of each shot from a reference; compute the average displacement; plot the point from the reference.


centerfire

A cartridge whose primer is in the center of its base.


chamber

That portion of the firearm which holds the cartridge during firing.


Chart Line Color

Changes the color of the chart on which the plots are drawn.


Chart Window

A chart window shows you the range, velocity, energy, trajectory, and time of flight for a given cartridge in a given load in tabbed text format.

Notes:

1. Dragging a different cartridge from the Cartridge List Window will replace the current information with information for that cartridge.

2. Double clicking on the window or choosing 'Cartridge' from the 'Edit' menu will let you view and edit the information used to make the chart calculations for that window.

3. Clicking on the Sight in Range or End Range boxes at the bottom of the window brings up a short list of ranges, allowing you to change these two without opening the edit dialog box.

4. Widening the window has no effect; lengthening it increases the number of ranges displayed (but not the end range).


chronograph

A device which measures the amount of time it takes a projectile to travel between two points and computes its velocity from that information.


clip

A metal device used to hold cartridges for easy insertion into a firearm's magazine.


Close

Closes the InSight/Ballistics Controls dialog.


collimater

An optical device used to bring a firearm's optics into alignment with the bore.


Contents

Welcome to InSight/Ballitics version 2.1 for Windows 3.1!

Copyright 1990-1995 by R White

Overview

Menus

Button Bar

Cartridge List Window

Finding a Cartridge

Ballitics Tutor

Ballistics Definitions

Notes


cook-off

The firing of a cartridge caused by absorption of heat from the barrel or chamber of a firearm.


Copy

Copies the contents of the currently selected window to the Windows clipboard. If a Chart window, this will copy tabbed text to the Clipboard; otherwise, this will copy a Windows Metafile to the Clipboard.


creep

Excessive motion of the trigger between full finger pressure and sear release.


crowning

Rounding or chamfering a barrel's muzzle to insure the mouth of the barrel is square with the bore.


cylinder gap

The distance between the front of the cylinder and the barrel breech.


Default Measures

The default measurements which will be filled in when you create a new multiple plot window.


disconnector

Disconnects the trigger from the sear after firing to prevent automatic fire.


double action

A firearm with the ability to cock and fire with a single trigger pull.


Double Click

Changes which type of new window InSight/Ballistics creates when you double click on a cartridge naem in the Cartridge List Window.


Edit Cartridge

This window allows to edit the information used to calculate the ballistics information in the currently selected window. This does not change the information in the cartridge database.


Editing Quicksearches

Quicksearches are predefined searches through the cartridge database that execute when you click on one of the Quicksearch buttons on the Button Bar.

Notes:

It is best to leave the make these simple searches so you can proceed to general areas in the cartridge database and then scroll to the exact cartridge you wish to work with.


Editing the Cartridge Database

This option allows you to edit the basic information for any cartridge stored in the database. You can also add new cartridges and delete cartridges. I would recommend making a backup copy of the original database before making any radical changes. You cannot add the history information for any new cartridges, or attach different history information to a cartridge. There is no way (at this time) to ensure the referential integrity between the cartridge database and the history database.


ejector

That part of a firearm which flings fired cartridge cases free from the breech.


elevation

Adjustment to a sight to compensate for bullet drop.


energy

The ability of a bullet to do work; a measure of a bullet's kinetic energy. Generally measured in kilogram meters or foot pounds.


Energy Line Color

Changes the color of the energy plot line.


Exit

Exits InSight/Ballistics.


expansion ratio

The ratio of the volume of the bore to the volume of the cartridge case.


exterior ballistics

The study of the natural laws governing the path of a projectile. See the Ballistics Tutor.


extractor

That part of a firearm which removes fired cartrtidges from the chamber.


feed

Transferring a cartrtidge from the magazine to the chamber.


feed ramp

The part of the breech which guides the cartridge from the magazine to the chamber.


field of view

The area which can be seen through a telescopic sight mesaured by its horizontal diameter at 100 yards.


Finding a Cartridge

When you choose the 'Find Cartridge' option from the 'Program' menu or the find button from the Button Bar, you will be presented with a small dialog box with a text entry field. If you type in the cartridge you are looking for and press 'OK,' InSight/Ballistics will come as close as possible to finding that cartridge in the Cartridge List Window.

Notes:

1. InSight/Ballistics does not include the capital letters in front of a cartridge name in the search (these indicate the maker of the cartridge).

2. You may have better luck searching for more general names than specific ones.


firing pin

That part of a firearm which strickes the primer, which in turn fires the cartridge.


flanged

British terminology for a rimmed case.


flash suppressor

A device attached to the muzzle of a firearm to disrupt, hide, or reduce the amount of flame produced by burning gasses upon firing.


floating barrel

A barrel which bedded so it does not touch the stock at any point.


floor plate

In a firearm with an internal (or fixed or box) magazine, the metal or plastic piece which closes off the bottom of the magazine.


Force Sight In Range

Whether the 'Force Sight In Range box is checked by default when you create a new multiple plot window.


forcing cone

The part of a shotgun barrel directly ahead of the chamber where the relatively lage chamber size is reduced to the smaller bore diameter.


freebore

A portion of the barrel ahead of the chamber where the rifling has been cut away, leaving smooth, untapered walls.


gain twist

A form of rifling in which the rate of twist increases from breech to muzzle.


gas check

A small brass or copper cup attached to the base of a lead bullet to reduce leading and increase accuracy.


gas cutting

Gas escaping from the chamber (through the bore) between the time of firing and the time the bullet obturates and seals the bore.


gauge

The number of balls suitable for a firearm with a given bore size which may be made from one pund of lead.


hammer

The part of the firearm which strikes the firing pin; usually driven by spring force.


hammerless

A firearm with no external hammer.


hangfire

A condition in which the firing of the primer is delayed for a short time after the firing pin strikes it.


headspace

The amount of space between the face of the breech or bolt to that part of the chamber which prevents the cartridge from moving forward.


Help

Pushing this button takes you to the contents screen of InSight/Ballitics Help.


History Window

A history window shows a brief history of the chosen cartridge (if available).

Notes:

Dragging a different cartridge from the Cartridge List Window will replace the current information with information for that cartridge.


intrumental velocity

Velocity as measured by a chronograph. Muzzle velocities are calculated from this value.


land

The raised portion of rifling in a rifel or handgun bore.


Line 1 Color

Changes the color of the plot for the first cartridge dragged into the multiple plot window.


Line 2 Color

Changes the color of the plot for the second cartridge dragged into the multiple plot window.


Line 3 Color

Changes the color of the plot for the third cartridge dragged into the multiple plot window.


Line 4 Color

Changes the color of the plot for the fourth cartridge dragged into the multiple plot window.


load density

The relation of volume of a cartridge's charge to the volume of the chamber in which it is fired.


lock time

The amount of time between the release of the sear and the firing pin striking the primer.


machine gun

A heavy caliber fully automatic weapon.


machine rest

A clamping system which holds a firearm when being fired; generally used for accurizing and testing firearms.


magazine

An enclosed container used for carrying ammunition that is forced under spring pressure into a position from which they can be fed into the chamber.


magnum

A cartridge with 'extra' power or a firearm chambered for a magnum cartridge.


mean radius

A measure of group size; measured by first finding the precise center of impact of a group of shots, then averaging the distance of each shot from that point.


Menus

Program Menu

Options concerning the general operation of InSight/Ballistics

Exit

Finding a Cartridge

User Preferences

Edit Menu

Options for editing cartridge values and bookmarks

Cartridge

Editing the Cartridge Database

Editing Quicksearches

Copy

Window Menu

Options for creating new windows in the InSight/Ballistics work space.

Chart Window

Plot Window

Target Window

Multiple Plot Window

History Window


Metric Measures

Whether the above measurements are in metric or englich units.


minute of angle

1/60th of a degree (1.047 inches at 100yds)


Multiple Plot Colors


Multiple Plot Dialog


Multiple Plot Preferences


Multiple Plot Type

Determines which type of multiple plot window will be created; multiple plot windows can show only one type of information at a time - trajectory, energy, or velocity.


Multiple Plot Window

When you create a new Multiple Plot Window, a dailog box will appear providing you with options for the new window (see Multiple Plot Dialog). After pressing the 'OK' button, a new Multiple Plot Window will appear in the InSight/Ballistics work space. You may fill in four cartridges by dragging them from the Cartridge List Window into the new Multiple Plot Window.

Notes:

You can edit the defualts for each item in the setup dialog box and the colors of the plot lines through User Preferences.


Multiplot End Range

This determines the total range shown by the plot.


Multiplot Force Sight In

If this button is checked, each cartridge will be plotted using the same sight in range. Otherwise, each may have it's own sight in range.


Multiplot Height

Determines the height range of the plot if you are creating a trajectory plot, the energy range if an enegry plot, or the velocity range if a velocity plot. This determines the measure of the vertical (Y) axis.


Multiplot Metric

Determines whether the multiplot window will display metric or english system measurements. Note that this also effects the measurements shown in this dialog box.


Notes

Ballistics Chart

Rights


obturation

The action of the bullet expanding due to gas pressure and heat during firing; selas the bore of the gun off, forcing the gas pressure to drive the bullet out at high velocity.


ogive

The cureved or rounded front bearing portion of a bullet.


Overview

Have you ever wondered what happens to your bullet once you've pulled the trigger? Is there any way to predict where it will go?

InSight/Ballistics was designed as an easy-to-use exterior ballistics program for the Windows 3.1 environment. Its primary purpose is to provide you with the information you need to make basic decisions on cartridges and loads for any shooting situation you might encounter. Of course, I hope you learn something about exterior ballistics (if you don't already have a good grasp on this subject).

Along the way I hope to encourage you to spend more time learning about firearms and the shooting sports, and maybe even encourage some people who are not involved in these sports to become involved. Gaining an understanding of any subject is the first step away from fear.

Russ White


patch

Paper or cloth applies around a bullet to either prevent leading in the barrel, ease loading, or to increase contact with the rifling.


Plot Colors


Plot Type

The default plot type created when you select the MPlot button from the button bar or 'New Multiple Plot' from the 'Windows' menu.


Plot Window

A plot window shows you the velocity, energy, and trajectory, for a given cartridge in a given load plotted over a chart of range and height above/below the line of sight.

Notes:

1. Dragging a different cartridge from the Cartridge List Window will replace the current information with information for that cartridge.

2. Double clicking on the window or choosing 'Cartridge' from the 'Edit' menu will let you view and edit the information used to make the chart calculations for that window.

3. Clicking on the Sight in Range or End Range boxes at the bottom of the window brings up a short list of ranges, allowing you to change these two without opening the edit dialog box.

4. Widening or lengthening the window it increases the detail displayed (but not the end range or total height).

5. You can edit the colors used when drawing the plot window through the User Preferences.


point blank

That range at which a firearm fires to the point of aim; for a firearm sighted in a 100 yards, 100 yards is 'point blank.'


projectile

Any object moving at a high rate of speed.


Quicksearch

Quicksearches are predefined searches through the cartridge database. See Editing Quicksearches.


range

The distance, usually measured in meters or yards, between the firearm (and shooter) and some point ahead (the target , the sight in point for the firearm, or the backstop).


recoil

The reward thrust produced when a firearm is fired.


rifling

A spiral of grooves cut into a rifle barrel; causes the bullet to spin, which stabalizes it and improves accuracy.


Rights

Why should Americans continue to own firearms in this day and age?

This is, of course, a valid question - and you deserve a valid answer.

First, forget crime. Firearms do not cause crime. They may facilitate certain types of crimes, or even perhaps allow some crimes to become deadlier; but they do not commit or cause crime! If you believe firearms can commit or cause crime, quit reading - I am not dumb enough to believe inanimate objects cause anything. Even which types of crimes firearms may or may not facilitate is under serious question, and I'm sure you can find all sorts of statistics to prove any argument you wish on this issue. Which leads me to my second maxim:

Second, forget statistics. You do not make any other major or political desicion using statistics (or at least I hope you don't decide which type of toothpaste to buy because of it's popularity). Statistics are for politicians and statisticians, and can be used to prove anything.

Third, forget the Second Amendment. Yes, it does exist. Yes, you may interpret it in one several different ways. But there must be a reason for it in the first place. Do you really think Thomas Jefferson said 'Gee, I really love guns, so I'm going to make owning them a Contitutional right.'? I don't think Thomas Jefferson was a member of the National Rifle Association. There must have been some reason to protect the private ownership of firearms.

Okay, so what gives? What gives is this - government opression. Don't laugh, I'm serious. It couldn't happend here, right? Well, it couldn't happen in Russia, China, Japan, or Germany, either, right? I mean, we live in the modern world, and people just don't do these things anymore. We can trust our governments to do what is best and what is right, right?

Just a little over two hunderd years ago, we here in America oppressed Native Amercians. It wasn't too long ago when the Third Reich was putting Jews in death camps (unless you've forgotten), and the Japanese were destroying Korea (and the Korean people). The 'purges' in China, Russia, Cuba, and various other countries have killed millions. And there is evidence (mass graves of over 200,000 bodies) of 'slave labor' camps operating in Afghanistan under Russian rule as late as ten to fifteen years ago. Not to mention the starvation of millions of Russian farmers after the Communist revolution. Is it really all behind us?

There is one common thread running through each of these mass killings - registration, then confiscation, of personal weapons. Hitler passed restrictive firearms laws (to control crime) just before beginning his Jewish extermination campaigns. Russia passed restrictive firearms laws (to control crime) just after the Revolution, and just before killing millions in purges and starvation. Gun control is method of consolidating government power, not crime control. History has taught us this again and again, yet we refuse to listen.

But we can trust the United States Government, right? In 1994, we have the following new laws being proposed:

1. Total government control over health care; this includes when you may or may not see a doctor, for what reason, etc. And what happens if your name just conveiently drops out of the database of your health care plan (remember, our Government is controlling this thing)?

2. Government control over all electronic media. The so-called 'Hush Rush' law really places Government control over all non-printed media. If the Government decides you are not 'fair' in your reporting or coverage of political opinions/figures, you are shut down. Beyond this, there is the 'Clipper Chip' contrevoursy; the US Government will decide when it may pry into your private (encrypted) communication and why. All it would take is a decleration of martial law to obliviate the key escrow system, and leave all private communication open to Government prying. Add to this the push to license all programmers (if you write a new, non-Government approved encryption system, your license is revoked - all in the name of public safety).

3. Government control over our local police force. Notice how the Federal Government is including funding for a large number of new police officers in Federal crime control legislation. Local police are currently funded by local tax dollars, and the Federal Government has little control over how local police departments are run. Where Federal tax dollars flow, Federal control flows.

4. A database of qualified workers within the United States (to curb our problems with illegal aliens). What happens if your name somehow disppears from this database?

I'm not saying these things, evaluated individually, cannot be justified; I'm not saying all of this will come to pass. I am simply saying the elements are all there for the United States Government to take control of every aspect of our every day lives. Once that happens, it could happen here.

Power corrupts; absolute power corrutps absolutely.

Our main reason to own firearms is to protect against absolute power.

Think about it.


rimfire

A cartridge in which the primer is dispersed around the rim (at the base); the cartridge is fired by striking (crushing) the rim.


safety

The device on a firearm which disconnects the sear from the hammer.


sear

The part of the firearm which prevents the hammer from falling; generally, the sear is released by the trigger.


sectional density

The ratio of the mass of a bullet to it's length.


sight radius

The distance between the front and rear sights of a firearm.


single action

A firearm in which the hammer must be cocked before firing; in revolvers, this generally means manual cocking, in autoloaders, the hammer is generally cocked by the action during ejection.


Space

Changes the number of cartridges the cartridge list jumps when you click on the space between the arrow and the selection indicator.


submachine gun

A short, compact, fully automatic weapon chambered for a cartridge in the handgun class.


Target Window

A target window shows you the path of a bullet as plotted on several targets at various ranges.

Notes:

1. Dragging a different cartridge from the Cartridge List Window will replace the current information with information for that cartridge.

2. Double clicking on the window choosing 'Cartridge' from the 'Edit' menu will let you view and edit the information used to make the chart calculations for that window.

3. Clicking on the Sight in Range or End Range boxes at the bottom of the window brings up a short list of ranges, allowing you to change these two without opening the edit dialog box.

4. Resizing the window allows a different number of targets to appear, but does not change the total height or total range displayed.


time of flight

The time it takes a projectile to cover a given range.


trajectory

The path of a projectile.


Trajectory Line Color

Changes the color of the trajectory plot line.


trigger

The part of a firearm against which finger presure is placed to fire.


User Preferences


v-ring

The inner, tie-breaking scoring ring inside big-bore rifle targets.


velocity

The speed of a projectile at a given time; please note that this is not the pure physics definition, but the definition used in common practice.


Velocity Line Color

Changes the color of the velocity plot line.


wadcutter

A lead bullet with a flat nose; used in many short range pistol competitions where cutting a perfectly round hole in the target is desirable.


wildcat

A cartridge not standardized within the shooting industry.


windage (sight adjustment)

The lateral adjustment of sights to bring trajectory and line of sight into vertical alignment or to adjust for wind drift.


windage (smoothbore firearms)

The gap beteween the bore and the projectile; the escape of gasses through this gap.


x-ring

The tie-breaking ring insisde the bullseye on targets used for small bore rifel and handgun competitions.