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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
17
votes
Accepted
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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
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....
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....
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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/...
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 ...
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 ...
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 (...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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