Ballistics

This work provides comprehensive, practice-oriented coverage of ballistics. It explains the principles and calculation methods for the main four areas of ballistics, regardless of calibre, drawing on numerous facts, observations and examples from the author’s decades of experience. Interior ballistics: The characteristics of explosive materials (detonating agents and propellants), methods for calculating gas pressure and the velocity of projectiles and rockets during the acceleration phase, alternative systems for accelerating projectiles and the acceleration of fragments. Intermediate ballistics: The dynamics of the moment at which the projectile leaves the muzzle and propellant gas is ejected from the barrel, effects on the person or structure supporting the weapon and approaches to resolving questions regarding shots from close range in criminology and forensic medicine. Exterior ballistics: The forces acting on a projectile and methods for calculating them, models for calculating trajectories (including the ballistic coefficient), gyroscopic projectile stabilization theory and aerodynamic optimization of projectiles. Terminal ballistics: Empirically-derived facts and data. The principles of ballistic protection design, ballistic testing problems and possible solutions and a comprehensive discussion of ricochets – a matter of considerable importance in forensics. The book is intended for ballisticians, military personnel, police officers, criminologists, shooting range specialists, sport shooters, hunters and anyone else with an interest in ballistics. Beat P. Kneubuehl holds a PhD in forensic science and a master’s degree in mathematics. For 33 years he was head of the Ballistic Science Unit at the Ballistics, Weapons and Ammunition Test Centre of the Swiss Ministry of Defence. He developed key ballistics software and frequently played a leading role in range tests involving every calibre of munition. He devoted himself to the problems of ballistic protection and the effects of projectiles under the auspices of the European Committee for Standardization and of NATO. After completing a doctorate in forensic science, he added forensic ballistics to his field of activity. His earlier publications include the standard work Wound Ballistics: Basics and Applications (also published by Springer-Verlag).