or 
flash for new items.The Q&A section contains answers to a lot of shooting related questions as requested or suggested by correspondents. With currently over 170 different questions listed you may find the answer here to that nagging question you've had, so scroll through the listings below. I am constantly adding new questions so check back frequently.
Look for
the or
flash for new items.
If you have a question that you have been trying to find an answer to (keep 'em ballistics or shooting related--see your minister for the mysteries of life) and it isn't on these pages, email me by clicking here and I'll do my best to find the answer for you, and, if it is of general interest, publish it on these pages. If you can contribute additional input to one of the answers I'd would appreciate hearing from you too.
Remember--the only dumb question is one not asked!
Topic Categories
| Accuracy, Ranging, Sights, & Zeroing | Ammunition | Ballistics | The Biggest, The Most, etc. |
| Bullet Casting | General Topics | Gun Care and Maintenance | Reloading | Training / Practice / Safety |
Accuracy, Ranging, Sights, & Zeroing
What makes one barrel more accurate than another?
How much power do I really need in a telescopic sight?
What is the best reticle to use?
At what range should I zero my (supply your own caliber) rifle?
How effective are those "laser" sights seen in all
the movies?
Won't having a more accurate firearm make me a better
shot?
Won't using a higher power "scope" make me more
accurate?
What are "mils" and "minutes of
angle?"
How do you use a collimator to zero your
rifle?
What effect does canting the rifle (not holding it
vertically) have on the point of impact?
What affects the mechanical accuracy of a
rifle?
Just how much accuracy is "enough?"
What does the target measurement
"mean radius" mean?
Is there anything that can be done to improve the
accuracy of standard commercial .22 rimfire ammunition?
How long will my barrel last?
What is meant by "point
blank" range?
What is the best procedure to
zero a
rifle?
What is and what is the best method to measure
your sight height (line of sight)?
What is parallax error?
How do I adjust the eye piece focus of my
scope?
What color front sight insert is
best?
What would happen to the point of impact if a
rifle was held upside down?
How is group size measured?
What does group placement on a target tell the shooter?
How much does using a Ransom Rest decrease
group size when testing handguns?
Is blank ammunition really dangerous?
What do the various bullet tip colors on military ammunition
mean?
What is a SABOT round?
What are the ballistics of modern US
military rifle cartridges?
How do you identify military
explosive or incendiary ammunition?
What are the bore diameters of the various shotgun gauges?
When I buy surplus ammunition how do I know it is really NATO
specification ammunition?
Are the 7.62 x 51 mm NATO rounds and the
.308 Winchester really the same round?
Are the 5.56 mm NATO rounds (and M193 types) and the
.223 Remington really the same round?
How do they get blank ammunition to work the action of semi
and fully automatic firearms?
How long will ammunition last in storage?
What is the difference between "Boxer" and "Berdan"
primers other than their size.
What are the differences between the
various cartridge case base designs
What is a balloon head case?
What are the ballistics of modern Soviet Bloc
military rifle and SMG cartridges?
What are the color codes used on Soviet Bloc ammunition?
What is the difference between all of those .30 caliber
"magnum" cartridges?
Just how effective were the 16" guns on the Iowa
class battleships?
What is the performance of the "silver bullet"
120 mm rounds used on the Abrams M1A1 and A2 tanks?
What is the performance
difference between lead, steel and bismuth shot?
What is +P and +P+ ammunition?
What are the current SAAMI pressure specifications for
ammunition?
How are proof pressures determined?
How does tracer ammunition work?
What is "magnum" ammunition?
Who invented
the first jacketed bullet?
What were "guard cartridges?"
Why are some primers crimped into the
primer pocket?
How hot does ammunition need to get to
"cook-off?"
What is a
flechette?
Who really invented
gunpowder?
What is
"subdued" or "dim" tracer ammunition?
Is the super hot 9 mm "submachine gun
only" ammunition
dangerous to use in pistols?
How do the various .38 cal/9 mm duty rounds
compare to each other?
Why are some
cartridges loading to a lower pressure than others when the same gun is
chambered for both high and low pressure rounds?
Why are there so many
different cartridges with effectively the same performance?
What were the ballistics of the pistol
cartridges commonly used in the "wild west?"
Why does the caliber designation of many
cartridges differ from the actual bullet diameter?
Is there issued US military shotgun
ammunition?
Who invented the Foster shotgun slug?
What happens when a
bullet is fired straight up?
Shouldn't I always use boat tailed bullets so I get a flatter
trajectory?
What is the maximum range of my (user supplied caliber)?
How do I calculate muzzle energy and sectional density?
Why do some barrels give higher velocity than others of the
same or longer length?
What effect does shooting at an up-hill or down-hill angle
have on bullet trajectory?
What is the maximum range of shot from a
shotgun?
How do you determine the rifling twist needed to
stabilize a given bullet?
What are
the "standard conditions" used in ballistic computations?
Do bullets tumble in flight?
How do I get a job in the field of
ballistics?
What is the "Coriolis
Effect" and do I have to worry about it?
How
fast is a bullet rotating?
What is the penetration of bullets fired into
water and underwater?
What is the Hatcher Formula?
How accurate are the
velocity and performance specifications given in manufacturers ammunition
brochures?
How effective would the armor worn by knights be
against gunfire?
What kind of bullets are best in the brush?
Is there a way to compute the weight of
lead round balls?
How can I reliably test bullet
performance? (Gelatin and wet pack
preparation information)
How effective was the Blunderbuss?
How accurately do "tissue simulants"
relate to bullet penetration?
What velocity is needed
for a projectile to penetrate skin?
What are the standards for body armor and
other ballistic protection?
How effective is the P90 "submachinegun" used
on Stargate?
At what point is the bullet traveling the
fastest?
What is a vented test barrel?
What affect does a cannelure have on the
ballistic coefficient of a bullet?
How fast is the speed of sound (Mach)?
What
does detonation mean and does it happen with small arms ammunition?
What are the
ballistic coefficients for lead round ball projectiles?
The Biggest, The Most, etc.
What is the most powerful handgun?
What is the highest
velocity firearm?
What was the largest gun in history?
What is the worlds most accurate rifle?
What was the longest deliberate rifle shot by a sniper
that hit its intended target?
Bullet Casting
What is the
composition of the various alloys used for casting bullets?
How do you measure the Brinell hardness of lead
alloys?
Are there any ways to improve the hardness of my
cast bullets?
What temperature do you recommend for casting
bullets?
Is there any way to determine the bullet
hardness needed?
I have several lots of different alloys. How
can I mix them to obtain a desired hardness?
Do cast bullets harden or soften with age?
What does leading in
pistols or revolvers tell you about your loads?
General Topics
What are some common conversion factors for shooting
related measurements?
Why do some guns of the same caliber seem to kick harder than
others?
What about muzzle brakes? (In relation to recoil.)
If you were limited to just one rifle for use on all
kinds of game, what would you recommend?
Can you recommend a
good basic library of books relating to shooting?
Why are some barrels fluted (grooved)
on the outside?
Just how effective is a riot gun?
What are, and what are the advantages
of, the various methods of making a gun barrel?
What is the difference between short, medium, and
long triggers on the Colt 1911 .45 pistol?
What is the
advantage of the full length spring guide rods I see on many current .45 autos?
What are your favorite calibers and favorite firearms?
"Shottist" or "Shootist?"
How effective was the ancient sling
compared to a firearm?
What is the difference between the "Picatiny"
(M1913) mounting rail and the "Weaver" mounts?
Is there an easy way to photograph
cartridges?
Is there any way to give brass different
colors?
Gun Care and Maintenance
What is the proper procedure to clean a barrel?
Is there a special procedure for "breaking
in" a new barrel?
Are oils and solvents
dangerous to ammunition?
Can you recommend any "homemade" gun cleaning
solutions?
What commercial cleaning, preserving, and
lubricating products do you recommend?
What kind of cleaning rod and accessories should I use?
What spare parts would
you recommend for my (supply your own brand name) gun?
What modification or
"custom" features do I really need on my defensive pistol?
What brand of magazines do you recommend
for autopistols?
What do you mean by "Manual of
Arms?"
Where can I get plans for a
reloading bench and a shooting bench?
Why is there such a difference between the data in
different loading manuals?
Can I use hollow point "match" bullets for
hunting?
Is tumbling loaded ammunition dangerous?
How do changing various components affect chamber
pressure and velocity?
What affect does screen spacing have in using a chronograph?
What is the difference
between a roll crimp and a taper crimp?
What are
"magnum primers" and when are they needed?
Can you suggest some
reduced charge practice loads for my hunting rifle?
How can I make blank ammunition for
my rifle.
What affects the
accuracy of ammunition?
How good are "moly" coated
bullets?
How good are those "digital" scales?
Why won't my reloads chamber
properly when factory ammo works fine?
What does the term
"standard deviation" mean?
Besides
a reloading press and dies what equipment do you recommend to get set up for
reloading.
How much adjustment in sizing is obtained when you back out a reloading die?
What is "headspace?"
How are the shotgun shot size
designations determined?
What is the proper diameter for flash
holes?
Besides
the shape of the grains what is the difference between ball and extruded (stick)
powders?
What
are "GO," NO-GO," and "FIELD" headspace gauges?
What are some of the common causes of
chronograph problems?
How do I duplicate US Military
ammunition when handloading?
How do you determine the overall
length to use for hollow point autopistol ammunition if you don't have factory
data?
How can I make "sub-sonic" ammo?
Training / Practice / Safety
What are some good general tests of someone's shooting
skills?
What safety precautions should be taken when shooting at
steel plate targets?
Just how damaging to hearing is the sound of gun fire?
What are "item" and
"option" targets?
Can you recommend any inexpensive target stands for
practical shooting practice or matches.
How
do I scale targets for practice at reduced distances
What are "major" and
"minor" calibers?
Are there any data available on the
statistics of gun fights?
What are the safe
ways to store ammunition, powder, and primers?
What are the qualification tests for
Federal Sky Marshals?
| Back to Fr. Frogs Home Page |
Please email comments to Fr. Frog by clicking here.
Disclaimer
As far as I know all the information presented on these pages is correct and I have attempted to insure that it is. However, I am not responsible for any errors, omissions, or damages resulting from the use or misuse of this information, nor for your doing something stupid with it. (Don't you hate these disclaimers? So do I, but there are people out there who refuse to be responsible for their own actions and who will sue anybody to make a buck.)
Updated 2008-06-08 (171)