Manual Ballistics: Components

Introduction

During its flight from muzzle to target, our bullet interacts with many forces - some seeming commonplace, with others appearing quite technical. Gravity, the spin of the planet, air density, firing angle and much more all alter the pathway of our bullets. When learning to navigate the many variables of a ballistic solution, care should be taken to remember that marksmanship is a goal-oriented practice. In other words, effects on target are the sole metric that determine how to best approach a situation.

Squad designated marksmen, who engage at moderate distances and are afforded follow up shots without consequence will find much more utility in rapid corrective shots than solving for the Coriolis effect. SF sniper teams, who must be able to guarantee an impact on a mission-critical target, will find solving for the finest of variables a necessity. Learning to navigate these ballistic variables in a practical and field expedient fashion, regardless of marksmanship application, is the distinguishing mark between a textbook ballistician and the highest echelon of effective marksmen.

Ballistic Components