|
Firearms
Facts
WHY
IS IT CALLED A 'BARREL"?
Recorded history is unclear as to when the first firearm was invented.
We know that it was probably a cannon. We also know that the Chinese
developed the first form of gunpowder but there is no record that
they ever used it as a propellant to shoot anything out of a tube.
It's
likely that firearms were a European idea, probably in the early
13th century, using the Chinese idea as a base. There are records
of early cannon barrels being cast, but in the 1200s and 1300s
that was an expensive and slow process demanding skilled artisans
and scarce metal -- out of the question when building enough cannons
for warfare.
"Early
cannons were fashioned by coopers -- barrel makers," said
shooting expert Joe Ventimiglia, president of Shooter's Choice
gun care products. "The similarity between a cylindrical
cannon and a cylindrical barrel probably suggested coopering --
building a gun from strips of metal bent around a former, heated
and hammered to weld them together, then bound together with hoops.
"Early
cannons were actually metal barrels, which is probably how they
got the name."
>>
Return to Top of Page
WHAT
IS A "MINUTE OF ANGLE"?
Most of us have heard of rifles that will shoot a "minute
of angle." But how many of us know what it means or how the
term came about?
"Technically
a minute of angle is 1/60th of a degree or 1.047 inches at 100
yards," says benchrest marksman Joe Ventimiglia, president
of Venco Inc., makers of Shooter's Choice gun care products. "But
most people refer to a minute-of-angle rifle to be one that shoots
one-inch groups -- measured center-to-center -- at 100 yards."
"The
name still applies if it will shoot two-inch groups at 200 yards,
three inches at 300 yards, and so on."
Commercial
field grade guns will rarely shoot a minute of angle right out
of the box. But a simple tune-up by your gunsmith -- check headspace,
the squareness of the bolt face, adjust the trigger, polish the
crown and lap the locking lugs -- can often turn a mediocre new
gun into an exceptional shooter.
>>
Return to Top of Page
THERE
ARE THREE TYPES OF BALLISTICS:
Today shooters study three types of ballistics: interior, exterior
and terminal.
Interior
ballistics comes first - that's the study of chamber pressure,
velocity and temperature. That starts with primer ignition and
ends with the projectile exiting the barrel. At that point exterior
ballistics takes over -concerning the flight of the bullet thorugh
the air before it hits the target. Terminal ballistics are the
study of that projectile's performance after it hits the target
until the point when it stops moving.
"Hunters
and shooters should be aware of all three types of ballistics,"
says shooting expert Joe Ventimiglia, president of Shooter's Choice.
"But they are especially concerned with exterior and terminal
ballistics.
"They
have to be aware of bullet trajectory and velocity in order to
aim accurately and they must know how the bullet will react when
it hits the target. Shooters are merely ripping paper but hunters
need to know if the bullet will fragment on impact, which varmint
bullets do, or will penetrate and expand -the characteristics
of a good hunting bullet."
>>
Return to Top of Page
WHAT
IS A 'WILDCAT' CARTRIDGE?
Winchester, Remington and their predecessors have designed and
developed the majority of the commercial rifle and pistol calibers
available today -- but not all of them.
The
remainder of the calibers on the market often started life as
"wildcats" -- factory cartridges reformed or fireformed
by enterprising amateur ballisticians into a different version
of itself. The wildcat cartridge is not, by definition, produced
commercially. The primary reason for its invention and continued
existence was to obtain higher velocity and more striking energy
than a conventional cartridge.
"Many
very popular commercial cartridges actually started life as wildcat
loadings," notes shooting expert Joe Ventimiglia, president
of Shooters Choice gun care products. "The .35 Whelen, for
example, is a .30-06 case resized to accept a .357 bullet and
the .22-250 is a Savage .250-3000 necked down to .224 caliber.
"In
fact, one of the more popular smallbore centerfire cartridges
today, the .243 Winchester, started out as a 6mm bullet that gun
writer Warren Page modified into something called the .240 Page
Super Pooper."
>>
Return to Top of Page
SINGLE,
DOUBLE, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
You've undoubtedly heard the terms "single-action" and
"double-action" in reference to handguns and "single-stage"
and "two-stage" when applied to triggers. But how many
of us know what the descriptions mean?
"The
single-action pistols are very simple early designs that have
since evolved into a quicker, more efficient means of operating
a firearm," says shooting expert Joe Ventimiglia, president
of Shooter's Choice gun care products. "The single-action
revolver is one whose hammer must be manually cocked for each
shot, a single-action autoloading pistol must be manually cocked
for the first shot with subsequent cocking accomplished by slide
motion.
"Most
of today's guns are double-action, which means they may be fired
repeatedly without manually cocking them, or they can be manually
cocked and fired -- the latter means being more accurate because
it reduces the weight of the trigger pull substantially."
"With
a single-stage trigger movement, resistance increases smoothly
in one process until firing results. Two-stage triggers have a
soft 'take-up' when pressure is first applied until it reaches
a point where the second stage, or normal trigger pull, is encountered."
>>
Return to Top of Page
THAT
67.5 GAUGE DOESN'T KICK MUCH:
Ever wonder what the terms "12 gauge", "16 gauge"
or "20 gauge" referred to?
The
system of grading shotgun bore sizes was developed long ago when
a gun's size was determined by the weight of the largest lead
ball that would fit into the bore.
"If
it took 12 of those balls to weigh one pound, you had a 12-gauge
gun," said Frank Ventimiglia, vice-president of Shooter's
Choice gun care products. "If the ball that fit the bore
was smaller and it took 20 to make a pound, your gun was a 20-gauge."
The
exception to this is the .410, which is named after its nominal
bore diameter of .410 inches. Had the .410 been named in the same
way as its larger cousins, you could go squirrel hunting with
a 67.5 gauge gun.
>>
Return to Top of Page
"DRAM"
MEASUREMENT OBSOLETE YET COMMON:
The current labeling system for shotgun shells came into being
years ago when shot shells were still loaded with black powder.
For instance, a box labeled 3 1/4--1 1/8--8 contained shells loaded
with 3 1/4 drams of blackpowder and 1 1/8ths ounce of No. 8 shot.
Blackpowder is now obsolete yet the labeling process remains.
"Today
shotshells are loaded with smokeless powder and boxes are marked
to show what a given charge is equivalent to in the old blackpowder
dram rating," explains shooting expert Joe Ventimiglia, president
of Shooter's Choice gun care products. "Shooters still use
it to evaluate the effectiveness of a specific load.
"But
remember, smokeless powder is measured in grains and that a very
small amount is equal to a much heavier charge of blackpowder.
To load a shell with 3 1/4 drams of smokeless powder would be
catastrophic."
ATTRACTIVE
DOESN'T MEAN EFFICIENT:
"Short" and "fat" are not desirable terms
when referring to humans but it's a different story when they
are applied to bullets. While there might not be a clear cut ballistical
explanation, it is generally considered that relatively squatty
bullet shapes are more efficient than long, slender ones.
"If
efficiency is measured by how well a particular cartridge performs
compared to how much is loaded into it, the "short"
and "fat" bullets invariably score better," said
shooting expert Joe Ventimiglia, president of Shooter's Choice
gun care products. "Take the .308 Winchester, for instance.
There are much more powerful 30-caliber loads available, like
the .300 Winchester Magnum or the .300 H&H -- even the .30-06
is more powerful than the .308.
"But
the .308, which is shorter and fatter than the others, is by far
the most efficient. It can be made to top 3,000 feet per second
on as little as 50 grains of power. But the .300 H&H needs
almost 80 grains to develop that kind of velocity. The bullet
configuration and efficiency of the load make it the most accurate
30-caliber cartridge."
>>
Return to Top of Page
WHAT
DOES BALLISTIC COEFFICIENT MEAN?
Do terms like "ballistics coefficient" leave you cold?
Think of it as a technical term that's over your head and useless
to anyone but an expert?
Actually,
knowing the ballistics coefficient of specific bullets can be
a real help when making a choice - even if you don't know the
exact meaning of the term.
"The
higher the b.c. the better the velocity retention and wind-bucking
ability of the bullet," explains shooting expert Joe Ventimiglia,
president of Shooter's Choice. "A short, stubby bullet that
sheds velocity quickly has a low b.c. while a long, slender bullet
built for long-range shooting will have a high b.c."
For
example, a .30-caliber, 180-grain Sierra flat-base bullet has
a b.c. of .501 while a slightly less pointed 180-grain round-nosed
Speer bullet has a b.c. of only .288. The trajectory is far more
looping, but that's unimportant because such a bullet is designed
for relatively close-range and brush-shooting conditions.
>>
Return to Top of Page
CONFUSING
BULLET TERMS NOT IN DICTIONARY:
We talked in the past about intimidating firearms terms such as
ballistic coefficient, sectional density and terminal ballistics.
As consumer grade firearms and loads get more and more sophisticated
we are faced with an increasing number of strange terms in articles
that describe them.
Terms
such as "ogive" and "meplat" are sending readers
sprinting to the dictionary (which is probably of little help)
when they show up in descriptions of high performance bullets.
Anyone who doesn't have access to a firearms encyclopedia probably
won't find an answer.
"Ogive
is the curved area toward the nose of a bullet extending from
the tip to the main cylindrical portion or bearing surface,"
explains shooting expert Joe Ventimiglia, president of Shooter's
Choice gun care products. "Meplat is the flat or blunt area
at the tip of a bullet that is measured by its diameter.
"The
difference in the shape of ogive on various bullets of the same
caliber can make a difference in how deeply the bullet can be
seated and still touch the rifling lands."
>>
Return to Top of Page
NAMING
RIFLE CARTRIDGES:
The .30-30 and the .30-06 may well be the two most popular rifle
calibers in American history. But how many shooters know how the
venerable loads got their names?
Both
are .30-caliber bullets. The .30-30 was a 30 WCF (Winchester Center
Fire) that was originally loaded with 30 grains of smokeless powder
just as the .30-40 Krag was a 30-caliber Army round loaded over
40 grains. Neither load today necessarily digests the same powder
charge weights that these numbers once signified.
"The
.30-06 was a 30-caliber military round that actually originated
in 1903 as a 220-grain bullet," said champion shooter Joe
Ventimiglia, president of Shooter's Choice. "But in 1906
it was modified to better handle a more efficient 150-grain bullet
and the year of the modification was used so that people would
know the difference. The Army listing was "ball cartridge,
caliber 30, Model of 1906."
Other
rifle and pistol cartridges are generally named for their diameters,
but those numbers aren't necessarily exact, either.
>>
Return to Top of Page
WHAT
DOES 'CALIBER' MEAN?
The word "caliber" simply refers to the rough diameter
of a rifle or pistol bore measured in divisions of an inch or
in millimeters.
Technically,
in the United States and England, a caliber is 1/100ths of an
inch. A 30-caliber bore, therefore, is 30/100ths of an inch in
diameter. A 270-caliber bore measures 27/100ths, etc. Decimal
points are commonly used when referring to calibers (.30 caliber,
.270 caliber), but are technically incorrect. In all other countries
caliber is measured in millimeters. Some metric measurements are
very close to their Anglo counterparts.
Generally
speaking you can match the size of a metric caliber to one measured
in inches by multiplying by four. For example a 6-millimeter bore
equates to 24-caliber, which is the American .243, the 7-millimeter
equates to our .280. The Japanese 7.7 matches our 308 but the
Russian-Chinese 7.62 is slightly larger than our 30-caliber when
multiplied by 4.
>>
Return to Top of Page
WHAT
IS "CHOKE" IN A SHOTGUN BARREL?
Shotgun barrels originated in the early 16th century and remained
remarkably the same for nearly 300 years. They were basically
straight tubes that produced unpredictable patterns and were effective
for very short range. The only means of extending the effective
range was by adding more shot.
It
wasn't until the middle of the 1800s that someone found that a
slight constriction at the muzzle tightened the pattern considerably
and increased the shotgunner's options. The shot charge was constricted
or "choked" as it left the barrel and the effect is
dramatic.
"Through
the years gunmakers found that barrels could only be constricted
a maximum of about .040 inch before things became too crowded
and the pattern started to deteriorate," says shooting expert
Frank Ventimiglia, vice president of Shooter's Choice gun care
products. "That's what was termed full choke. The industry
standard for full choke was that it would put 70 percent of the
pellets in its pattern within a 30-inch circle at 40 yards.
"Today,
of course, guns can pattern much denser than 70 percent even though
they aren't necessarily choked any tighter. Some turkey guns put
all of their pellets in the circle -- 100 percent at 40 yards.
But that's more a function of shotgun shell design. The introduction
of plastic shotcups, harder shot and buffering has so improved
shotshells that old standards no longer apply."
>>
Return to Top of Page
DETERMINING
CHOKE SIZE:
For years manufacturers have determined shotgun barrel choke measurements
- full, modified and improved cylinder and variations of those
- by what percentage of the shot charge printed in a 30-inch circle
at 40 yards.
But
in actuality the degree of choke in a barrel is simply a measure
of constriction from the bore to the muzzle. Since virtually all
interior barrel dimensions are different, often ranging up to
20 thousandths of an inch gun-to-gun, there is a better way of
determining your choke.
"The
choke is determined by the difference between the diameter of
the bore relative to the diameter of the choke," says shooting
expert Joe Ventimiglia, president of Shooter's Choice gun care
products. "By subtracting the diameter of the choke from
that of the bore you will be able to determine the amount of constriction
(choke) you have regardless of the roll-stamp on the barrel. That
measurement is what really counts.
"For
instance, if you have a choke tube that is cylinder bore, relative
to your 0.728 bore, the choke will be modified if used in a barrel
of 0.742. But if your barrel's interior diameter measures 0.732
that same choke tube would represent cylinder bore."
>>
Return to Top of Page
WHY
DO RIFLING TWIST RATES DIFFER?
When gunmakers first started cutting rotation grooves inside barrels
in the 1500s they did so because the spin that those grooves imparted
on the projectile stabilized it for longer distances. The phenomenon
is called the "gyroscope effect."
The
rifling's rate of twist in today's rifles, pistols and even shotguns
is figured in terms of what distance it takes for the rifling
to make a full 360-degree revolution. A 1-in-10 twist rate, for
example, would mean that the rifling makes one complete revolution
in 10 inches. If all rifles and pistols shot accurately with the
same rate of twist in the rifling, it would be very convenient.
But the laws of nature grant us no such favor. Firearms of different
calibers and using different shaped bullets require different
rates of twist in order to achieve gyroscopic stability.
"As
a general rule long slender bullets require a faster spin than
do short, fat ones," said shooting expert Joe Ventimiglia,
president of Shooter's Choice gun care products. "For example
a patched round ball, which is short and fat, fired from a muzzleloader
is best stabilized by a 1-in-66 inch rate of twist while a longer,
sleeker conical bullet needs a 1-in-48 or faster twist rate.
"The
same effect is seen in centerfires. The long, slender bullets
fired from a 6.5mm rifle likes a rifling rate of about 1-in-7.5
inches while the shorter, fatter .458 Magnum is better stabilized
in a barrel rifled at 1-in-14 and the short .22 rimfire bullet
seems to like 1-in-16."
>>
Return to Top of Page
HOW
IMPORTANT IS VELOCITY?
There are several factors that have an effect on the performance
of a bullet, ball or pellet, but the velocity of the projectile
may well be the most critical factor.
Velocity
affects two critical issues. The faster a projectile flies the
more reliably it expands upon contact and the more energy it has
to dump into the intended target. Without expansion and energy
transfer you're missing two key elements in the equation of "stopping
power."
"Some
relatively recent military calibers can be used as a good example
of the effect of speed on bullet performance," said shooting
expert Joe Ventimiglia, president of Shooter's Choice gun care
products. "The round-nosed .45 caliber hardball used in autoloading
pistols during World War II was a massive caliber but generally
passed right through without expanding because it was so slow.
"In
Vietnam the standard rifle caliber was actually a high-powered
.22 -- the .223, and despite the small caliber the high velocity
assured good expansion, which made it far more effective than
the lumbering .45."
>>
Return to Top of Page
SOUND
WAVE EFFECTS BALLISTICS:
War time reconnaissance spotters could often determine the distance
to an enemy force by counting the number of seconds between the
time they saw a gun fire and the time they heard the report. They
knew that a five-second lapse meant that the shooter was more
than a mile away.
Sound
waves are defined as "progressive longitudinal vibratory
disturbances." The speed of sound varies slightly with air
temperature, but it's basically accepted that sound waves travel
at 1,129 feet per second at 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
"Most
people have witnessed that delay between sight and sound and realize
that the sound waves travel relatively slowly," said shooting
expert Frank Ventimiglia, vice president of Shooter's Choice gun
care products. "But not many realize that the actual sound
wave can effect the stability of a bullet in flight.
"Bullets
with very poor ballistic coefficients, like shotgun slugs, lose
stability -- and of course, accuracy -- when they go sub-sonic.
That means when they slow to the point that they've dropped beneath
the speed of sound they are actually buffeted by the sound wave
catching up to them from behind."
>>
Return to Top of Page
SEVERAL
FACTORS EFFECT WIND DRIFT:
Generally speaking, a slower velocity, bulky projectile will be
more drastically effected by the wind than a sleek, fast bullet.
For
example, a one-ounce shotgun slug fired at 1,500 fps at a 100-yard
target will be pushed nearly seven inches off-line by a 10 mph
crosswind. That's just a gentle breeze. By the same token, a 130-grain
.270 bullet fired at the same time at the same target will move
about a half-inch off line under the same conditions.
"Interestingly,
a .22-caliber rimfire bullet and a 12-gauge shotgun slug -- certainly
opposite ends of the mass and weight scale -- react to wind the
same way, but for totally different reasons," said shooting
expert Joe Ventimiglia, president of Shooter's Choice gun care
products. "The rimfire bullet's extremely small weight combined
with its slow velocity make it very vulnerable to the wind. The
slug's slow velocity and considerable surface area make it just
as vulnerable."
Regardless
of the bullet and firearm, the effect the various factors have
on flight can be corrected by using the age-old common sense techniques
of Kentucky windage (moving the point of aim off-target to the
windward side of the target) and Arkansas elevation (holding above
or below the target, based on range). But one must know several
factors or have sufficient hands-on experience to efficiently
apply these techniques.
Of
the many factors mentioned above, only a few have enough effect
to make a considerable difference in drift. Velocity, bullet aerodynamics
(ballistic coefficient), distance traveled and wind velocity and
direction are the factors needed to compute wind drift.
>>
Return to Top of Page
DOUBLE-PULL
TRIGGERS FOR YOUR PROTECTION:
Shotguns and older rifles, particularly those designed with military
applications, have soft trigger pulls that require that "slack"
be taken up before the trigger's firing stage is reached. Originally
called "double-pull" triggers, the phenomenon today
is commonly called "creep".
"Triggers
are designed that way to make the firearm more difficult to discharge
accidentally," says firearms expert Frank Ventimiglia, vice-president
of Shooter's Choice gun care products. "Pump and autoloader
shotguns are made that way to avoid the gun accidentally being
discharged by recoil. Military rifles were designed for general
use, not necessarily by experts, and required a longer pull to
avoid discharge by mistake or through rough handling of the rifle.
"Experienced
shooters, however, are experts and want crisp, relatively light
triggers so that the pull doesn't effect their sight picture while
shooting."
>>
Return to Top of Page
A
FOULED BORE CAN BOOST PRESSURE:
As the bullet enters the rifling and seals off the bore, the chamber
pressure is at or approaching maximum.
Your
brass is showing telltale signs of increased chamber pressure
-- a potentially disastrous situation. What's causing it? Where
peak pressure occurs is most dependent upon the type of powder
used. Other factors, however, enter the picture.
"It
could be very simple. A badly fouled or leaded barrel will definitely
boost chamber pressure," said champion rifleman Joe Ventimiglia,
president of Shooters Choice gun care products.
Only
after the bore has been cleaned with a quality solvent, such as
Shooter's Choice MC-7 bore cleaner or Shooter's Choice Copper
Remover, can it be determined if other factors are effecting chamber
pressure. In a clean gun rifling's rate of twist or the amount
of freebore (non-rifled area) ahead of the chamber may also be
factors in chamber pressure.
>>
Return to Top of Page
SHOOTING
SPORTS IN THE 21ST CENTURY:
With "lead" already a four-letter word to environmentalists
and the increasing support for anti-gun legislation worldwide,
is there a future for shooting sports in the coming century?
The
answer is yes, but they probably won't take the form they do today.
There are several technologies that the Pentagon is researching
that have true potential in the future for making shooting sports
more "neighbor friendly." The military is already doing
space-age things with lasers and the end of that research is not
yet in sight, but research on acoustic and vortex devices is most
likely to produce new versions of our shooting sports.
"Depending
on the frequency generated, acoustics can make you sick, dizzy
or dead," says shooting expert Joe Ventimiglia, president
of Shooter's Choice gun care products. "Vortex weaponry expels
doughnut-shaped rotating shock waves at incredible speeds capable
of knocking down people, vehicles, aircraft and weapons.
"Imagine
an acoustic shotgun device that could resonate flying clay birds
to pieces -- without worry of noise or lead pollution. And how
about a vortex handgun discharging a baby doughnut that punches
perfectly round holes in paper and is capable of toppling tin
cans, steel plates and bowling pins. Truly safe backyard shooting
ranges could be built virtually anywhere.
"We
probably won't see them in our lifetimes but by the middle of
the next century shooting sports could have a whole new look."
>>
Return to Top of Page
WHAT
CONSTITUTES "AIRLINE APPROVED" GUN CASES?
It's not uncommon to see a gun case or piece of baggage advertised
as being "airline approved", but just what does that
term mean?
Actually
neither individual airlines companies nor the Federal Aviation
Administration technically inspect manufacturers' products. In
fact, the FAA manual pretty much stipulates that after a piece
meets some very general guidelines for the transport of firearms
it is pretty much up to the discretion of the ticketing agent
whether or not a piece can be used to transport a firearm aboard
an airplane.
"The
FAA says that to transport a firearm on an airplane if the firearm
is not a shoulder-fired (rifle or shotgun) the case must be lockable,"
said shooting expert Joe Ventimiglia, president of Shooter's Choice
gun care products. "Of course all firearms checked as baggage
must be unloaded and any ammunition must be checked in separate
baggage. Other than that, the ticketing agent must agree that
the case is suitable.
"By
the way I know shooters that take the scopes off their guns before
checking the gun cases and bring the scopes as carry-ons because
they are afraid that pressure differences in baggage compartments
will effect the scopes. They shouldn't worry; the baggage compartments
on all airlines are pressurized to the same degree as the passenger
compartments."
>>
Return to Top of Page
HOW
SLICK IS TEFLON - A STICKY QUESTION:
The use and success of Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), widely
referred to as Teflon (tm) -- has been extraordinary and has provided
technological advancement in many areas.
Its
use, however, in gun care applications or as an automotive additive,
has caused controversy. Surface preparation is crucial to the
effectiveness of PTFE - it must adhere to the surface if it is
to protect. The surface preparation includes an involved and critical
process of vapor degreasing, grit blasting and a coating with
manganese phosphate.
This
can be achieved and is very effective in coating pans and tools.
But even then PTFE is not recommended if the treated surfaces
will experience high loading or extreme pressure conditions -
two major factors in firearms use and internal combustion engines.
"In
a case where PTFE is added directly to an existing oil, there
is no surface preparation, which is critical to the effectiveness
of the polymer," said lubrication engineer/chemist George
Fennell, developer of Shooter's choice FP-10 Libricant Elite.
"When
PTFE and other solid-film lubricants are used in their proper
manners along with the proper surface preparation and application,
they can be of enormous tribological benefit," Fennell said.
"When misused or misapplied, they can either do nothing or
become a real detriment to the system, probably resulting in the
latter."
>>
Return to Top of Page
ALL
ABOUT PRIMERS:
Virtually all commercial and military loads today use boxer-style
primers, which are much more efficient; and cleaner-burning than
their predecessors, Berdan primers.
"Berdan
primers, which feature two flash holes and are very corrosive,
are still used occasionally in Europe and often find their way
to these shores in old military surplus ammunition," says
shooting expert; Joe Ventimiglia, president of Shooter's Choice.
"Reloaders should know that: conventional dies can be ruined
attempting to deprime Berdan-primed cases. Specially designed
depriming tools must be used."
Joe
also notes that boxer primers are manufactured in two different
sizes and eight different magnitudes: small pistol, large pistol,
small rifle, large rifle and magnum versions of each. Magnum primers
produce more intense heat, which is useful in burning larger quantities
of powder. Under no circumstances should one use a magnum primer
on a load developed with a standard primer. Dangerously high pressures
may result.
"Several
manufacturers also produce "match" or "benchrest"
primers for use in competitive shooting," says Ventimiglia,
a competitive shooter. "The difference between these and
standard primers is the degree of testing and quality control
used in their manufacturers."
>>
Return to Top of Page
WHY
ARE BOLT-ACTIONS AND SINGLE-SHOTS MORE ACCURATE?
"There is little doubt that bolt-action and single-shot rifles
and slug guns are inherently more accurate than other actions.
If you don't believe it, take a look around at a bench rest shoot
- there likely won't be any other actions represented there, where
margin of victory is often measured in 1/100ths of an inch.
But
why are they more accurate?
"Because
in the simple bolt or break-actions guns, everything that happens
when you squeeze the trigger is in a straight line," said
shooting expert Joe Ventimiglia, president of Shooter's Choice.
"There is no up-and-down movement at ignition like there
is with an autoloader - which uses the ignition to blow open the
bolt to eject the spent case and feed the next round into the
chamber."
"Even
a pump gun is less accurate than a bolt or single-shot because
of the unavoidable vibration caused by the slide hanging off of
the barrel."
>>
Return to Top of Page
SOUND
BARRIER AND ITS EFFECT ON ACCURACY:
When a bullet leaves a barrel the initial velocity will have a
considerable bearing on inherent accuracy. While increased velocity
is generally considered to be good, the most prominent obstacle
to accuracy is the sonic barrier.
"At
sea level, in dry 65-degree air, the speed of sound is reached
at 1,089 feet per second," says shooting expert Joe Ventimiglia,
president of Shooter's Choice gun care products. "When test
pilots originally got close to the sound barrier, they had trouble
keeping the aircraft flying straight. After passing the barrier,
steering ability returned.
"The
same thing happens to bullets in that velocity range. Bullets
that greatly exceed the speed of sound are quite accurate as long
as their velocity decay does not bring them into transonic range
before impact. That explains why the former standard .308 round
was accurate out to 800 yards. After that its velocity dropped
into the transonic range and it was not unusual to find the bullet
going end over end."
>>
Return to Top of Page
PAY
CLOSE ATTENTION TO POWDERS, BULLET STYLES:
Handloaders know that powders, when stored under proper conditions,
can last a very long time. But powders that have been exposed
to moisture, heat, high humidity, sustained vibration, solvents
or other contaminents can deteriorate dangerously.
"If
powders are compromised in storage, it can lead to a change in
burning rate, ease of ignition or other characteristics,"
says shooting expert Joe Ventimiglia, president of Shooter's Choice
gun care products. "Handloaders are also aware that bullets
of different diameters, styles, weights and materials should never
be mixed.
"Even
bullets of the same nominal diameter and weight are not safely
interchangeable for reloading purposes."
>>
Return to Top of Page
AMMUNITION
NOT DANGEROUS IN STORAGE:
Despite what you've seen in the movies, stocks of firearm ammunition
will not mass explode. According to the Sporting Arms and Ammunition
Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI) if a single cartridge or shotshell
in a carton or case is caused to fire, it will not cause other
or adjacent cartridges or shotshells to explode in a sympathetic
or simultaneous manner.
Firearm
ammunition is simply not an overly sensitive item. Ammunition
will not explode due to shock or excessive vibration and, if somehow
discharged in the open without the support provided by a firearm's
chamber or other close confinement, it does so very inefficiently.
"If
a cartridge explodes outside the chamber, the projectile or debris
particles from the case or hull have an extremely limited velocity
and range," says Frank Ventimiglia, vice-president of Shooter's
Choice gun care products. "The only debris likely to be flung
far are pieces of the primer cap, which may be propelled a short
range - usually under 50 feet.
"In
fact, firefighters should know that ammunition involved in fire
does not 'go off' or propel debris at a velocity sufficient to
penetrate garments and protective gear that they wear."
>>
Return to Top of Page
JUST
WHAT IS "GOOD WOOD"?
The concept of "good wood" is in danger of getting lost
in today's age of synthetic gunstocks, and that's a shame. Wooden
stocks offer a strength and beauty that one will never find in
composites. To have the very best strength and aesthetic characteristics
for a shotgun or rifle buttstock, the grain in the wood should
run lengthwise from the head of the stock through the hand or
grip area.
"On
inexpensive stocks the grain continues without any particular
features, except the dark and light lines of the wood," says
firearms expert Frank Ventimiglia, vice-president of Shooter's
Choice gun care products. "Higher-grade stocks have varying
degrees of fancy grain, such as feathering, and the direction
in which that grain runs is critical.
"The
vast majority of good quality wooden stocks are made of American
black walnut while high-dollar custom stock makers may go for
French or Circassian walnut, which has a harder composition and
deeper detail."
>>
Return to Top of Page
HOW
FAR WILL SHOTGUN PELLETS TRAVEL?
Getting sprayed with no. 8 pellets from 100 yards away in a dove
field is an inconvenience while a hail of No. 4s from that distance
can be more than uncomfortable. Just what is the maximum range
of shotgun pellets fired from a conventional shotgun?
"Pellets
from 12-gauge target loads fired at flying target will likely
fall to the ground inside of 200 yards," says shooting expert
Frank Ventimiglia, vice-president of Shooter's Choice gun care
products. "Larger shot used for hunting will probably carry
about 100 yards farther.
"Don't
confuse maximum range with effective range, however. The maximum
effective range of hunting-sized lead shot - that is the range
at which it patterns sufficiently and still carries lethal energy
-- is about 65 yards while the maximum effective range of steel
shot is about 50 yards."
>>
Return to Top of Page
WHAT
IS SKEET SHOOTING?
It's a little known fact that complaints from a neighbor in 1926
changed skeet shooting to the format that is followed today.
Charles
Davies of Andover, Massachusetts, is credited with devising the
original game of "Shooting Around the Clock" in which
one trap was used and shooters moved around it in a circle. When
a neighbor complained about direction of the shooting, Davies
cut the circle in half and added a second trap opposite the first,
which he eventually raised to add variety.
"The
National Sportsman magazine promoted the game but by 1926 it lacked
a good name and the magazine ran a contest to get it a name,"
says shooting expert Frank Ventimiglia, vice-president of Shooter's
Choice gun care products. "The $100 first prize went to a
woman who submitted the name 'skeet' which is a Scandanavian term
for 'shoot.' "
An
American skeet field has eight shooting positions, seven of which
are arranged in a half-circle facing the line between the two
traps. The eighth is directly between the traps. The left-hand
house is elevated much higher than the right.
At
each station contestants shoot one target from each house. On
stations No. 1, 2, 6 and 7 they also shoot at targets released
simultaneously from the two houses. Twenty-five targets is considered
a round. Unlike trapshooting, which is essentially a 12-gauge
game, skeet is contested in 12-, 20-, 28- and .410-gauge and doubles.
>>
Return to Top of Page
WHAT
IS TRAPSHOOTING?
How did trapshooting get its name? The game, which originated
in England, started with live pigeons as targets. The pigeons
were trapped under top hats and flew when the hats were tipped
by a string operated by the "puller".
As
the game grew, box traps replaced the top hats and glass balls
filled with feathers or soot replaced the pigeons. Eventually
brightly colored, easy-to-throw clay disks became the targets.
"Trapshooters
use moderate to tightly choked 12-gauge guns with raised barrel
ribs to make them shoot high, since the targets are rising,"
says shooting expert Frank Ventimiglia, vice-president of Shooter's
Choice gun care products. "All of the targets are going away
from the shooter at a longer distance than most skeet or sporting
clays targets."
Five
shooting positions are aligned parallel 16 yards behind the game's
single trap position. The traphead moves constantly side-to-side,
releasing birds at random angles at the shooter's command. Each
shooter fires a single shot in rotation until five shots have
been achieved, at which time the contestants move to the next
station.
The
handicap version of the game is the same as 16-yard trap except
that the contestants stand at varying distances from the trap
house, based on their ability, as determined by previous scores.
Handicap stances range from 20 to 27 yards. There is also a game
of doubles, which is contested at 16 yards when two targets fly
simultaneously.
>>
Return to Top of Page
WHAT
IS SPORTING CLAYS?
Sporting clays is a relatively new clay target game that is said
to combine skeet, trap and golf and is considered the shooting
game closest to actual bird hunting.
Courses
are laid out according to the terrain available with the clay
targets thrown at angles similar to what a bird would do when
flushed. In addition to crossing targets and straight-aways there
are also ground-hugging "rabbits" and vertical-vaulting
"teal" targets.
The
locations of the shooting stations and the selection of the targets
is largely dependent on the terrain and features of the course.
Shooters commonly shoot a single target, then one or two pairs
- either true or "report" pairs, where the second target
is not thrown until the gun's report on the first. Both 50- and
100-bird courses are common and 12-gauge guns with interchangeable
choke tube systems are the most popular.
Another
variation is called 5-stand clays in which shooters fire from
five positions at various targets familiar from regular courses.
Skeet fields are often converted to five-stand set-ups with the
addition of three or four more strategically placed traps.
>>
Return to Top of Page
WHAT
DOES 'SAAMI' STAND FOR?
The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI)
is the body that establishes standards for everything pertaining
to firearms and ammunition in the United States.
"The
standards set by SAAMI include chamber and bore dimensions, maximum
acceptable service pressures, proof-load pressures and items like
that," says shooting expert Joe Ventimiglia, president of
Shooter's Choice gun care products. "It's an industry-funded
organization that functions like a national proof house in other
countries. The only difference is that SAAMI does not test firearms
as foreign proof houses do. In America that responsibility is
left to the manufacturer."
>>
Return to Top of Page
WHERE
DID SORBOTHANE COME FROM?
One of the best energy-absorbing materials available today - and
thus a popular choice in the manufacture of firearms recoil pads,
is Sorbothane.
Sorbothane
is a lightweight synthetic material filled with tiny air pockets,
each of which is able to collapse individually or en masse to
cushion the surface to which it is applied from an outside energy
force. It was originally designed and used to protect military
fighter pilots from the severe impact with the cockpit rim when
ejecting from flying aircraft.
TAME
RECOIL AND SHOOT BETTER
When Sir Isaac Newton noted that for every action there is an
equal and opposite reaction, he could have used firearms recoil
as a classic example. Recoil is the rearward and upward movement
of a firearm as it is discharged and reacts to the force of the
explosion and charge running out the barrel.
"While
gun weight is a major factor in recoil, a gun that fits the shooter
well and a stock shaped to direct the force downward, away from
the shooter's face and into the shoulder will definitely reduce
the felt recoil," says shooting expert Joe Ventimiglia, president
of Shooter's Choice gun care products. "Autoloading guns
are designed to spread out the effects of recoil, making it seem
less. Things like muzzle brakes, recoil pads and weights added
to the buttstock or forearm also serve to lesson recoil."
>>
Return to Top of Page
HIGH
BRASS OR LOW BRASS?
Seemingly forever we've referred to more powerful or magnum shotgun
shells as "high brass" and less-powerful target or bird
loads as "low brass". A taller brass cup was needed
on heavier loads to handle the heavier explosive reaction.
"The
concept of high brass and low brass was accurate back when shotgun
shells were loaded with blackpowder and even in the early days
of smokeless powder," says shooting expert Joe Ventimiglia,
president of Shooter's Choice gun care products.
"But
today the height of the brass is entirely a matter of style or
manufacturing logistics - it makes no difference how much powder
or lead is in the hull. "
>>
Return to Top of Page
|
