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33 votes

Would a gunshot echo in a cave?

It turns out that gunshots can be used to map caves, The decade-long search might have gone a little differently, though, if soldiers had access to a new system that can use sound waves from a ...
Charlie Brumbaugh's user avatar
26 votes

How effective are Air Pistols and AIr Rifles, bought in Canadian retailers, against dangerous animals?

Air guns are effective against small animals such as rodents. The more powerful air weapons can take down larger animals such as deer, but these are hunting weapons. Never use any weapon (or even ...
Weather Vane's user avatar
  • 4,619
25 votes
Accepted

What is the difference between a rifle and a shotgun?

The term 'rifle' comes from the fact that the barrel of a rifle has spiral grooves (called rifling) cut into the inside. When the bullet is fired it is forced into these grooves which in turn cause ...
Chris Johns's user avatar
  • 6,202
22 votes

What is the responsible way to sell a firearm?

One possible solution, if you find a buyer that is willing to wait for it, i have heard of people taking a copy of the buyer's drivers license to the police station and asking them to run it to check ...
Nate W's user avatar
  • 2,624
17 votes
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How effective are Air Pistols and AIr Rifles, bought in Canadian retailers, against dangerous animals?

Not at all, Canadian regulations define any air gun with a bullet energy greater than 6J(oules) to be a firearm. For comparison a .22 Short bullet, which is the least powerful mass-produced caliber ...
Eugene's user avatar
  • 294
16 votes
Accepted

Is it safe to fire 38 caliber rounds in a 357 magnum pistol?

Absolutely safe. The .357 Magnum cartridge was literally designed as a high-pressure .38 Special: Max pressure on a .38 Special is 17kpsi (with the +P specification allowing for 18.5kpsi). Max ...
feetwet's user avatar
  • 1,437
16 votes
Accepted

What does it mean for a caliber to be flat shooting?

Bullets follow a parabolic arc as seen below, Image Source As you can see the yellow line is a bullet fired from a longer barrel which results in a higher velocity and thus less drop over distance. ...
Charlie Brumbaugh's user avatar
15 votes

What is the difference between a rifle and a shotgun?

In the U.S. there are legal definitions provided by code (18 USC 921) and regulation (27 CFR 478.11), which are somewhat derived from the customary definitions. A shotgun is designed to shoot shot (i....
feetwet's user avatar
  • 1,437
14 votes

What is the responsible way to sell a firearm?

There are three ways that I am aware of, as a private seller to sell your guns to someone else correctly. Keep in mind that correctly is very jurisdiction-driven, and in some ways dependent on opinion....
coteyr's user avatar
  • 2,800
11 votes
Accepted

Gunfire in US national parks

In your first example (a lost hiker firing shots into the air) at minimum a citation should be issued, firing into the air is a violation of basic gun safety; you don't know where that bullet is going ...
requiem's user avatar
  • 8,438
10 votes

What is the responsible way to sell a firearm?

I live in a state that doesn't have universal background checks, unfortunately. Universal background checks are simply an elimination of private sale, so the lack of such a policy simply means you ...
Catgut's user avatar
  • 201
10 votes
Accepted

Can a gun spontaneously fire?

No, a gun will not spontaneously discharge It's an object that won't do anything without external input. A better term for this is negligent discharge because the human was negligent and messed up and ...
Charlie Brumbaugh's user avatar
9 votes

Where is the Benelli R1 made?

Benelli's plant is in Urbino (Italy). It's the only manufacturing site where the final products (so, of course also the R1) are assembled and the final QA takes place. https://goo.gl/maps/...
OddDeer's user avatar
  • 23.4k
8 votes

Is there a handgun or rifle target practice set-up for the home?

There are a number of aspects you need to train for shooting a gun. The specific scenario you are training for will change your choice of gear and approach. I have trained a number of people for ...
David's user avatar
  • 1,766
7 votes
Accepted

Is a .22 air-rifle powerful enough for a clean kill of a rabbit?

It looks like because you are in the UK, there is a power restriction, which means that you can either go high velocity, lightweight pellet or a low velocity heavy pellet. If that restriction wasn't ...
Charlie Brumbaugh's user avatar
7 votes
Accepted

In the absence of lead, what can I use for a projectile in a flintlock rifle?

In the absence of lead, it is possible to use gravel or pieces of metal, as was done by various tribes in the American West, but it will damage the flintlock. As recorded by Capt. Meriwether Lewis (...
Charlie Brumbaugh's user avatar
7 votes

What is the responsible way to sell a firearm?

You can require the purchaser to fill out a Form 4473 that the BATFE requires FFL holders to file. Make sure the purchaser fills out the form and signs it. Even though you're not an FFL holder, the ...
B540Glenn's user avatar
  • 1,847
7 votes

Shooting into tree

Tree can die of lead poisoning from bullets, On the morning of July 3, Confederate forces launched the second of two attacks on Union troops occupying Culp's Hill. The Rebels, though, were ...
Charlie Brumbaugh's user avatar
6 votes

Is a .22 air-rifle powerful enough for a clean kill of a rabbit?

I have used a .177 caliber air rifle with a 1200 fps muzzle velocity to kill rabbits. It is a very quick and clean kill if you hit them in the kill zone. Their hide is incredibly weak compared to ...
Kyle's user avatar
  • 711
6 votes

Would a gunshot echo in a cave?

From my experience in caves, I'd say you could expect the gunshot to reverberate for just a second or two in passages that are barely more than walking size. In larger passages, maybe longer. Around ...
Andy's user avatar
  • 163
6 votes

In the absence of lead, what can I use for a projectile in a flintlock rifle?

One could use many natural things as a projectile, but I will limit my answer to two items and the lethal possibilities would depend on how close you are to the victim. This is such an expansive ...
Ken Graham's user avatar
  • 9,609
6 votes

Is there a handgun or rifle target practice set-up for the home?

My point of view will come from training for competition (eg, Olympics) since that is what I did. You won't find any non-cartridge BB/pellet gun that will simulate real recoil so I wouldn't bother. ...
topshot's user avatar
  • 2,012
6 votes
Accepted

How do you remove a bullet from a cartridge?

If you can't break it free with pliers where you've added some kind of protection against the teeth (rags, etc) gouging the bullet, you are left with either a collet puller (top) that goes in your ...
topshot's user avatar
  • 2,012
6 votes
Accepted

What are the advantages/disadvantages of octagonal barrels?

A octagonal barrel has several advantages, They look really cool and historic. The historical reason they were made that way is, Practically all are barrels are now turned to a round circumference ...
Charlie Brumbaugh's user avatar
6 votes

Shooting into tree

By puncturing the cambium of the tree with bullets you are on the way to girdling it. Girdling a tree happens when enough of the circumference of the tree has been damaged just beneath the bark so as ...
cr0's user avatar
  • 3,981
6 votes
Accepted

Storing hunting firearms and ammo in a safe not designed for them?

Most firearms regulations (and certainly best practices) require the firearm itself and its ammunition to be protected by separate, independent locks. Gun safes typically help you meet this ...
Chromatix's user avatar
  • 404
6 votes
Accepted

What is a cartridge’s point-blank-range?

As the answer to the question about flatter shooting cartridges states: "you don't have to get the range to the animal as accurately because the bullet is dropping less". The concept underlying this ...
canadianer's user avatar
6 votes

Can a gun spontaneously fire?

About the only way I could imagine a firearm discharging on its own accord would be some kind of failure in the primer/powder that caused a spontaneous combustion. Perhaps some kind of large electric ...
topshot's user avatar
  • 2,012
5 votes
Accepted

What features should I look for in a scope for a .308?

Here are some characteristics that I can give you for a good scope, selecting the individual one will be up to you Variable Magnification for both short and long distances. Nitrogen filled to prevent ...
Charlie Brumbaugh's user avatar

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