Letter - R |
Page Updated:
06 March 2003
|
RAIL INTERFACE
SYSTEM (RIS): Attachment system used to accommodate the use of
various devices on a firearm. The RIS is comprised of a series of
rigid grooved rails, integrated into a hand guard that replace the stock
hand guards on a rifle, carbine or sub-machine gun. The grooved
rails are of the Picatinny type or Mil Spec 1913. These rails are
created with tremendous rigidity to improve zeroing capabilities.
All SOPMOD accessories, except for
the sound suppressor, are designed to fit the RIS. The Rail
Interface System (RIS) is designed and manufactured by KAC (Knights
Armament Company). The term RIS is a trademark of KAC. The generic
term and military noun nomenclature for this family of attachment systems
is type classified as
Modular Weapons System or
MWS.
RAM: The main shaft of a metallic cartridge reloading tool.
RAM ROD: Wooden or
synthetic shaft used to ram or load a ball, mini-ball or other projectile
type into a muzzle loading firearm. The term is also used to refer
to the boss or person in charge.
RANCH RIFLE: A carbine length
saddle or field rifle that is easy to handle and operate on horse back or
in confined spaces. Also know as a saddle gun. Several
companies make a Ranch Rifle or Carbine including Ruger, Savage and
Winchester as well as many AR15 variants in carbine length. They are
typically center fire autoloaders or center fire lever action models.
Ranchers and outdoorsmen have long recognized the advantages of these
small, reliable autoloaders. Ideal for carrying in a saddle
scabbard, pickup truck, camper, or afoot. The Winchester Model 94 is
a lever action saddle or ranch rifle that has been used by farmers and
ranchers for over 100 years.
Ruger Ranch Rifle
RANGE: The distance
measured from the firing point of the firearm to the target. Also a
place where rifle and pistol shooting is conducted.
RANGE OFFICER(S):
A person or the persons who are in charge of the safe operation
of a range or a shooting competition. Also know as Range Safety
Officer(s) Abbreviated RO.
RANGE SAFETY OFFICER(S):
A person or the persons who are in charge of the safe operation
of a range or a shooting competition. Also know as Range
Officer(s). Abbreviated RSO.
RANGER:
A member of a group of U.S. soldiers specially trained for making raids
either on foot, in ground vehicles, or by airlift.
For more information on U.S. Army
Rangers - Click Here -
RANGER SPECIAL OPERATIONS VEHICLE
(RSOV): The Ranger Special Operations Vehicle is a Land Rover
Defender design that was introduced after the Persian Gulf War. Produced
by Land Rover's SVO (Special Vehicle Operations), the SOV was designed as
a rapid defensive fighting platform. The RSOV is used not as an assault
vehicle, but as a method for rapidly applying forces to key locations in
the Ranger's fast-paced battlefield. These modified Land Rover Defender
vehicles are used by U.S. Army Rangers for enhanced mobility, especially
during airfield seizures and emergency medical evacuations. Medical
variants of the RSOV Defender known as Medical Special Operations Vehicles
MEDSOV have fold-down racks capable of carrying six litter patients.
By Scott R. Gourley -
July 2001
|
One of the lesser-known mobility
platforms for U.S. Army special operations missions is the
Ranger Special Operations Vehicle (RSOV).
Originally fielded in 1992 as a replacement for the M151-series
"gun jeeps," the RSOV design is based on the Land Rover Defender
Model 110. Currently fielded in multiple configurations, the
vehicles provide each of the three battalions in the U.S. Army's
75th Ranger Regiment with a versatile tactical transportation
platform capable of moving Rangers and their equipment in a
variety of operational environments.
In citing the advantages of the RSOV systems over the old M151s,
Rangers identify improvements in a number of areas. For example,
while the RSOV meets the same mission parameters and
requirements as the M151 -- it fits on all aircraft that might
be used in Ranger operations -- the vehicles are more
dependable, have superior suspensions, carry larger numbers of
Rangers "to the fight" and provide a superior firing platform
for accommodating the Rangers' larger gun systems.
As summarized by one RSOV
operator, "The most important asset that the RSOV provides us is
the capability to move combat power [Rangers and heavier
weapons] around the battlefield quickly."
The RSOV chassis measures 173.8 inches long, 70.5 inches wide,
76 inches high (without gun mount) and possesses a ground
clearance of 10 inches. When fully loaded, the vehicle weighs
7,734 pounds. A four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine
provides the RSOV with a fully loaded range of 200 miles,
extended by 50 miles per extra five-gallon fuel can.
Stowage and configuration features include a Mk19 or .50-caliber
main weapon, M60/M240G mount, Stinger missile stowage rack,
multiple storage compartments and straps, concertina mounts,
vehicle lashing points and a 7,000-pound-capacity winch.
In addition to being transportable by all U.S. Air Force
tactical cargo aircraft, the RSOVs are internally transportable
in both MH-47 and MH-53 helicopters.
The basic RSOV crew configuration includes a driver/team leader,
a truck commander (TC) and a top gunner. However, capacity can
range up to seven Rangers depending on mission requirements.
Additional positions might include an antitank operator,
radiotelephone operator or a dismount team typically consisting
of an M249 squad automatic weapon gunner, M203 gunner and
rifleman.
Ant armor capabilities can come from the M3 84 mm Carl Gustav
rifle, Javelin, AT-4 or light antitank weapons.
In addition to the advantages cited above, in the RSOV's seating
configuration Rangers face out in all directions, providing
greater security than any other platform currently in the Army's
inventory.
In terms of tactical signature, operators note that the RSOV's
four-cylinder turbo diesel engine runs more quietly than other
similarly sized platforms. "Force-on-force engagements have
proven that the enemy normally does not hear the RSOV coming
until it's too late to set up an ambush," adds one operator. "As
a result, most of our engagements using RSOVs could be
considered 'chance contacts' with an unprepared enemy force."
There are 12 RSOVs in the "Alpha Company" of each of the three
ranger battalions. The vehicles are fielded in three platoons,
each platoon encompassing two sections of two RSOVs and two
Kawasaki KLR 250 motorcycles.
For a typical operation, both vehicles in an RSOV section would
be equipped with M240-series machine guns at the forward TC
station with one vehicle carrying a .50-caliber machine gun and
the other sporting a Mk19 grenade launcher at the top gunner
position. In the words of one RSOV TC, "It certainly is a lot of
firepower rolling up on the enemy."
Yet in spite of the firepower capabilities, Ranger tactical
planners are quick to clarify the vehicle's combat limitations:
"The RSOV is not a fighting platform," explains 1st Lt. Chris
Ayers, an RSOV platoon leader in Company A, 1st Ranger
Battalion. "It's a means of transportation. It's a means of
moving people around quickly with crew-served weapons. The whole
idea is to move out quickly and put the equipment in position to
defend somewhere with those heavy weapons."
In addition to the RSOVs with their crew-served weapons, each
Ranger battalion has two medical variants of the Defender known
as medical special operations vehicles (MEDSOVs). Instead of the
weapon mounts found on standard RSOVs, the MEDSOV variant has
fold-down racks capable of carrying six litter patients. Along
with its transported casualties, a typical MEDSOV crew would
include a driver, a TC and two or three medics to treat the
wounded.
A third variant of the RSOV is used by the Ranger battalion
mortar platoon. Known as MORTSOVs, the platoon's two Defenders
-- they also have three Hummers -- replace the top-gun
configuration with storage boxes and guy wires that allow the
vehicle to carry thirty 120 mm mortar rounds along with the
extra equipment required by the platoon. In addition to its
onboard carrying capacity, the MORTSOVw can be used to tow the
platoon's 120 mm mortars.
Ranger fleet planners indicate that RSOVs have a projected
20-year life cycle. Battalions plan to keep the vehicles in
their inventories throughout this period. To ensure their
continued tactical viability, the systems will likely undergo a
near-term upgrade to improve the suspension, to equip them with
a wider tire for a more stable ride and to reposition the spare
tire on the front of the vehicle.
Longer-term consideration for a future replacement vehicle has
already started, but planning remains in its early stages. No
specific designs have been released at this time.
|
Copyright © 2002
by The Association of the U.S. Army - Used with Permission. |
|
RAPID FIRE: is a type of pistol match or a stage of the National
Match Course of fire where a string of five shots are fired consecutively
during a period of ten seconds. A Rapid Fire Match is a series of four
such strings and the National Match Course includes two strings.
RAPID FIRE PISTOL: is a special design of competitive 22
caliber short weapon for firing in international rapid fire competition.
It's outstanding characteristics are minimum recoil, dependability and
fast semi-automatic operation.
RECEIVER: The housing for a
firearm's breech (portion of the barrel with chamber into which a
cartridge or projectile is loaded) and firing mechanism.
Receiver 2. The portion of a firearm
that contains the operating parts and into which the barrel is fitted.
Also know as the FRAME and sometimes referred to as the firearm's
"action."
RECOIL: The rearward motion or
"kick" of a gun upon firing. Recoil in shooting, is the practical
effect of Newton's Third Law of Motion: for every action there is and
opposite and equal reaction. Recoil is typically explained in 3 separate
terms: Generated Recoil; Physical Recoil; and Anticipated Recoil.
For more information on recoil see the information block below.
Generated Recoil: The
amount of force exerted on the firearms action, stock or grip.
The factors affecting this force are the charge or amount and type
of powder in the cartridge and the weight of the projectile. The
internal pressure is created by the rapidly expanding gasses that
are created when the solid propellant or gun powder ignites and
turns into a gas. The only way to modify the amount of force is to
reduce the charge or the bullet weight. Generated recoil is a
constant if all variable are left unchanged.
Physical Recoil: The
amount of force exerted through the firearms action and stock or
grip to the shooter. This force is also referred to as Felt
Recoil or Perceived Recoil. Though the amount of Generated
Recoil is constant, there are several factors that effect the forces
on the shooter, if the variables of the chambered load are left
unchanged. Additional information on the factors that can be used to
reduce felt recoil are listed below.
Anticipated Recoil:
Probably the most dangerous form of recoil, is anticipated recoil.
In firearms as with most things in life, 90 percent of the battle is
fought and won in the mind. If you are psyched out and nervous about
or fear the recoil, you are going to have a bad experience. If you
use the proper shooting stance and apply the steady hold
factors, the shooting experience will be fun and you will normally
ask for more. Nervous and fearful shooters often do not employ a
proper shooting stance and may be brutalized by the recoil of a Big
Bore Rifle or Large Caliber handgun as they are not mentally and
physically prepared to take a shot.
Recoil Reduction:
Physical, Felt or Perceived Recoil can be moderated by the shooters:
Grip, Stance, Mindset and Reduction or Absorption systems installed
in the stock or in the action. Muzzle Breaks and Compensators are
often used on Rifles and for Sporting handguns. Breaks and
Compensators vent some of the gasses using a cut or vent added to or
cut into the end of the barrel. Other muzzle breaks screw onto the
end of a threaded barrel and feature vents, cuts or holes that allow
the gas to expand and therefore not have as much time in the barrel
to push back against the action and the shooter.
Butt Pads placed on the butt
stock of a rifle are the cheapest and probably the most effective
means of reducing the force exerted on the shooter. Modern Recoil
Reduction Systems in rifles are typically installed in the stock and
use a dampening system with mercury or another heavy metal that
moves inside a tube to dampen and reduce recoil. In addition to the
reducer tubes, adding weight to the stock can help but are generally
less effective that the dampers. In handguns, a dual spring guide
rod and stiffer weight recoil springs are often used to reduce the
amount of energy transmitted to the shooter. The Harts Recoil
Reduction System uses a mercury insert in the guide rod similar to
those found in rifles, while the Sprinco Recoil Reducer uses a dual
spring guide rod.
Synthetic or rubberized grips on
a handgun can reduce the amount of Physical / Felt / Perceived
Recoil. Other factors that can effect Physical / Felt / Perceived
Recoil are the style and composition of the stock, with a straight
line stock, absorbing more energy. The total weight of the firearm
is also an important factor in the amount of force transmitted to
the shooter. Many large caliber handguns have heavy weight frames to
absorb some of the transmitted energy.
Big Bore Rifles are typically 10
to 12 pounds and adding additional weight to the stock can further
reduce the amount of force. Many people feel that composite laminate
wood or synthetic stocks absorb more of the Physical / Felt /
Perceived Recoil than do traditional wooden stocks. My personal
experience does not prove this to be true if the wooden stock is of
solid material and the proper weight for the chambered load. Most
custom and expensive Big Bore Rifles still use a solid wooden stocks
with the traditional dampening tube installed in the stock. |
416 Rigby, Brevex Magnum Mauser, 20" Stainless Steel Barrel - Ryan
Breeding - Rifle maker
A Word About
Recoil
Written by
Dave Estergaard -
Father of the .470 Mbogo
Web URL:
http://www.470mbogo.com
Everyone has his or her
own tolerance to recoil both generated and anticipated. I've found
that most people are worried more about the anticipated recoil but
once they have tried to shoot a large bore rifle, they are surprised
and would like another try. This is of course with a firearm that is
designed properly with a straight-line stock, good balance, a decent
recoil pad area and a good weight.
The Pachmayer Triple X
Recoil Pad is a wonderful addition to any large bore rifle. It slows
down recoil velocity and absorbs foot pounds of recoil like a sponge
in water. Most guns that generate recoil in the 85 to 90 ft. pound
range should weigh in the ten and a half to eleven and a half-pound
range. I've put together a short video to show the impact of the 470
Mbogo and also to show that the cartridge is very shootable.
It starts with three
rapid fire shots from the shoulder to show the real muzzle jump and
recoil of the 470 Mbogo. The next two shots are 500 grain Barnes
Solids at 2480 feet per second, the third is a Barnes 500 grain X
bullet at 2485 feet per second. The balance of the clip shows that
the cartridge is very manageable and it's all a matter working up to
or loading down to your own comfort zone. I hope you find this both
interesting and helpful. Reading articles by people that judge big
bore rifles as unmanageable above a 375 H&H Magnum are misleading to
a lot of people that could be better served with a larger caliber
firearm whether for a trip to Africa or just for fun.
Magazine article
descriptions and pictures of shooters with their firearms pointing
to the sky in recoil put out a pretty scary image. Now you can see
for yourself that it's very manageable with practice.
Off Net Link to .470 Mbogo Recoil Videos.
Click on the thumbnail images to see or download the video. The
video files linked below are in MPG format.
3 Shots - Rapid Fire |
Big Bore Cartridges |
3 Barrel Shots |
Barrel Shot 1 |
Barrel Shot 2 |
Barrel Shot 3 |
|
RECOIL OPERATED: A firearm that uses Recoil Operation to cycle
the action.
RECOIL OPERATION: Method
of operating an automatic of semi-automatic firearm by making use of the
force of recoil due to firing a bullet from the barrel. The barrel
recoils under this force, and this rearward movement can be used to cycle
the action, ejecting the spent cartridge and reloading the firearm.
RECOIL PAD: A
butt plate, usually made of rubber, to reduce the recoil or "kick" of
shoulder firearms.
RECONNAISSANCE: A
military mission undertaken to obtain information by visual observation,
or other detection methods, about the activities and resources of an enemy
or potential enemy, or about the terrain characteristics of a particular
area.
REFLEX
SIGHT: Type of Compact Advanced Combat Optical Gun
sight or ACOG. The Reflex is a day and night optical sight designed
for Close Quarters Battle. Trijicon’s Reflex projects an amber
aiming dot for clear and precise target acquisition in any light, even
total darkness, on to an optically correct 24 millimeter lens.
The Reflex aiming dot is powered by a combination advanced fiber-optic and
Tritium lamp power supply that works continuously with out an external
power source or battery. Combat is not the time for battery failure.
Reflex and Reflex II Compact ACOG's Mounted
The tactical advantage of Trijicon’s Reflex is
realized by maintaining the human sense of balance for two-eye-open
target acquisition, critical for focusing and acquiring moving
targets. The Reflex sight is housed in lightweight aluminum
and weighs only 4.2 ounces. Various mounts and attachment
systems are available for most weapons platforms and rifles.
Reflex ACOG information
and images courtesy of Trijicon, Inc.
|
RELEASE TRIGGER: A
trap shooting trigger that fires the gun when the trigger is released.
RELOAD: A
cartridge that has been prepared using brass or metal cases that has been
previously fired.
Hand Loading &
Reloading Terminology
BELL
To flare a case mouth to
receive a bullet easily.
BULLET
A piece of metal formed into
a projectile. Available in a variety of shapes and weights.
BULLET SWAGING
The forming of a bullet using
pressure in a die instead of casting molten lead in a mould.
CALIBER
The approximate diameter of a
bullet or gun bore.
CARTRIDGE
A completely loaded,
ready-to-fire round of ammunition.
CASE
A metal cylindrical container
which holds the primer, powder and bullet. Also called brass.
CASE FORMING
To form cases of one caliber
into a different caliber.
CHAMFER
To bevel the inside of a case
mouth. The bevel allows bullets to start into the case mouth without
crushing the case.
CHRONOGRAPH
An instrument used to measure
the velocity of a bullet.
COMPONENTS
The parts that make up a
cartridge. The case, primer, powder and bullet.
CRIMP
To bend inward the mouth of a
case to grip the bullet. Used only with bullets having a cannelure
or crimping groove.
DEBURR
To remove the small metal
burrs from inside and outside of a case mouth.
DECAPPING
Removal of the spent primer
from a fired case.
DECAPPING PIN
The slim needle-like rod in
the sizer die which pushes out the spent primer.
EXPANDER
The part of a die that
expands the case mouth to receive the bullet.
FLASH HOLE
The hole through which the
primer ignites the powder charge in a case.
HAND LOADING
Another term for reloading.
HANG FIRE
Slang term for any detectable
delay in cartridge ignition.
IGNITION
The action of setting a
powder charge on fire.
JACKET
The cover or "skin" of a
bullet.
MISFIRE
The failure of a cartridge to
fire after the firing pin strikes the primer.
NECK
That portion of a case which
grips the bullet. In a bottlenecked case, that portion of the case
in front of the shoulder.
NECK SIZER DIE
A die used to resize only the
neck portion of the fired case back to approximately its original
dimensions.
POWDER
The substance that ignites in
the cartridge and propels the bullet.
POWDER CHARGE
The amount of powder loaded
into a case.
PRIMER
The small cap containing a
detonating mixture used to ignite the powder charge in the case.
PRIMER POCKET
The cavity in the bottom of a
case into which the primer is seated.
PRIMER POCKET SWAGING
The "smoothing out" of the
crimped primer pocket found in military cases.
PRIMING
Installing a new primer into
a case.
RAM
The steel rod running through
the center of the press that holds the shell holder and drives the
case into the die.
RELOADING PRESS
The tool which performs the
major tasks of reloading.
RESIZE
To restore a fired case to
approximately its original size.
ROUND
A military term for one
complete cartridge.
SEATER DIE
The die that seats the bullet
into the mouth of the powder charged and primed case.
SEATING DEPTH
The depth to which a bullet
is seated in the case mouth.
SHELL HOLDER
The part that holds the case
in proper alignment while the case is being run into the die.
SIZER DIE
A die used to resize a fired
case back to approximately its original dimensions.
SPENT PRIMER
A primer that has been fired.
|
RELOADING PRESS: The tool which
performs the major tasks of reloading.
RELOADER: Term
used to describe the press used to load or reload ammunition cartridges.
2. Someone who load or reloads ammunition cartridges. There are several
types of reloading presses, they include the turret press, the progressive
type and the single stage reloader.
Dillon RL 550B
Progressive Reloader |
Dillon RL 550B Reloader
Accommodates Over 120 Calibers
Interchangeable Tool Head Assembly
Auto Powder/Priming Systems
Loading Rate: 500-600 Rounds per hour
More RL 550s have been sold than any other progressive machine in
the world. And for good reason. The RL550B's versatility is almost
unlimited. It will load over 120 different rifle and pistol
calibers. Its quick change tool head allows the user to change
calibers without having to readjust dies. More competition
ammunition is loaded on Dillon progressives than on all other
loading machines combined.Dillon
Precision Products, Inc.
8009 East Dillon's Way
Scottsdale, AZ 85260 U.S.A.
Web Site:
http://www.dillonprecision.com
Call Toll Free 1-800-762-3845 |
RELOADING: The act of hand loading or creating ammunition
from components to include new and used brass or cartridges. Brass
cases can be reloaded (within safety limits) shooters frequently look to
reloading as a way to save money. Many shooters load their own
ammunition to get custom or peak performance and competition loads.
However, professional loaders (and even ammunition factories) also sell
ammunition prepared with used brass. Some professional reloaders
will provide a discount to shooters who provide their own used brass. Some
firearm warranties may be voided or made invalid by the use of reloaded
ammunition.
REMAINING ENERGY: A projectile's
energy typically measured in foot pounds at a given range.
REMF: Military slang for
Rear Echelon Mother Fugger. A "REMF". pronounced Rem ph` is a
non-combatant or administrative / logistic & other command & staff weenie
type who is not engaged in direct combat with the enemy or positioned on
the front lines. The term originated in World War 2 (WW II).
REPEATING RIFLE:
A rifle that may be discharged repeatedly without recharging by means of
deliberate, successive mechanical actions of the user. Antiquated
term for a semi-automatic rifle.
RESIZING DIE: The
reloading die that resizes fired cartridge cases and removes spent primers
by means of a decapping pin.
RETICULE: A form
of Graticule (see above) which incorporates markers which are a specified
distance apart and can thus be used in range finding. The word is
often wrongly used interchangeably with "graticule".
REVOLVER: A gun, usually a
handgun, with a multi-chambered cylinder that rotates to successively
align each chamber with a single barrel and firing pin. Revolver
is a term used to describe one type of handgun. A revolver has a central
cylinder that typically will hold five or six cartridges. One pull of the
trigger will rotate the cylinder, bringing a cartridge into the firing
position and immediately firing it. Your finger supplies all of the energy
needed to operate the mechanism. A revolver will only fire one cartridge
for each pull of the trigger. A revolver cannot fire faster than the user
can pull the trigger.
Basic Anatomy of a
Revolver
|
- Cartridges
- Chamber
- Cylinder
- Trigger
- Hammer
- Hammer Cocked
- Firing Pin
- Barrel
- Grip
- Cylinder Release
|
Revolvers are handguns which
store extra cartridges (1) in multiple chambers (2) within a
rotating cylinder (3). When the trigger (4) is pulled, the hammer
(5-uncocked position) falls from its cocked position (6-phantom),
striking the firing pin (7) which impacts the cartridge (contains
primer, powder, and bullet) causing the bullet to discharge out
through the barrel (8). Other features include the grip (9), and the
cylinder release lever (10). Revolvers can be designed with many
intrinsic safety features including:
A. Grip Safety - B. Drop Safety (transfer bar)
- C. Built-in Lock. |
RIB: A raised sighting plane affixed to the top of a barrel.
As in Vent Rib Barrel.
RIDER ACTION: Single shot
rifle action, designed in the U.S. and widely used in early Remington
arms. More commonly called the
ROLLING-BLOCK action, the breechblock. actuated by a lever, rotates
down and back from the chamber. The firing pin is contained in
block and is activated by the hammer fall. Also know as Remington
Rider Action.
RIFLE: 1. A shoulder
fired gun with rifled bore. 2. To form the rifling in a
gun barrel.
RIFLE ACTION: The
working mechanism of the rifle. This determines the process by which the
rifle is cocked, fired, and reloaded. Common types are; bolt action, lever
action, slide or pump action. For more details see the definitions
on specific types of Long Gun
Actions.
RIFLE ACTION LENGTH:
There is also a defined length to rifle each action, specified as long or
short action, in standard and magnum chambering. The chart below shows
rifle actions by length by caliber. Note: There are certain
exceptions and a few caliber that are available in both long and short
action.
Rifle Action Length by
Caliber
Short Action
|
Short Action Mag. |
Long Action |
Long Action Mag. |
.17 Rem. |
.350 Rem. Mag.
|
.25-06 Rem. |
.264 Win. Mag.
|
.22 Hornet |
|
6.5x55 Swedish
|
7mm Rem. Mag.
|
.220 Swift |
|
7x64mm Brenn.
|
7mm STW |
.222 Rem. |
|
7mm Mauser |
7mm Wby. Mag.
|
.223 Rem. |
|
.270 Win. |
.300 H&H Mag.
|
.22-250 Rem.
|
|
.280 Rem. |
.300 Win. Mag.
|
.243 Win. |
|
.30-06 Sprg.
|
.300 Wby. Mag.
|
6mm Rem. |
|
8mm Mauser |
.300 Ultra Mag.
|
.25-20 Win. |
|
.35 Whelen |
.338 Win Mag.
|
.250 Savage |
|
|
.338 Ultra Mag.
|
.257 Roberts
|
|
|
.375 H&H Mag.
|
.260 Rem. |
|
|
.416 Rem. Mag.
|
7mm-08 Rem. |
|
|
.458 Win. Mag.
|
.30 Carbine |
|
|
|
.30-30 Win. |
|
|
|
.300 Savage |
|
|
|
.308 Win. |
|
|
|
.303 British
|
|
|
|
7.62x39mm |
|
|
|
.32 Win. Special
|
|
|
|
.35 Rem. |
|
|
|
.44-40 Win. |
|
|
|
|
|
H&H = Holland
& Holland - Mag. = Magnum
- Sprg. = Springfield
STW =
Shooting Times Western - Rem. =
Remington
Wby. =
Weatherby - Win. = Winchester |
|
RIFLE AMMUNITION: For Rifle's ammunition is generally referred
to as a "cartridge" or a "round" as in a round of ammunition. The
commonly used term "bullet" actually refers to the projectile itself, and
not the complete cartridge that is loaded into the rifle or firearm. A
complete rifle cartridge consists of four parts : the bullet, the case,
the powder and the primer.
Rifle Ammunition 2:
Generally refers to the assembled components of complete cartridges or
rounds i.e., a case or shell holding a primer, a charge of propellant
(gunpowder) and a projectile (bullets in the case of handguns and rifles
multiple pellets or single slugs in shotguns. Sometimes called "fixed
ammunition" to differentiate from components inserted separately in
muzzleloaders. For specific Rifle Ammunition Specifications, see the
detail block below.
Factory Rifle
Ammunition Specifications
Bullet Weights
in Grains - Muzzle Velocity indicated in Feet Per Second (fps) |
Rifle Cartridge
SAAMI Spec. |
Bullet Weight |
Bullet Type |
Bullet
Manufacturer |
Muzzle
Velocity |
Barrel Length |
.17 Rem. |
25 |
HP |
Rem. |
4040 |
24 |
.22 Hornet |
45 |
PSP |
Rem., Win. |
2690 |
24 |
.22 Hornet |
46 |
HP |
Win. |
2960 |
24 |
.222 Rem. |
50 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
3140 |
24 |
.222 Rem. |
55 |
HP |
Rem. |
3140 |
24 |
.222 Rem |
55 |
FMJ |
Win., Fed. |
3020 |
24 |
.223 Rem |
53 |
HP |
Win. |
3330 |
24 |
.223 Rem |
55 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
3240 |
24 |
.223 Rem |
55 |
HP |
Rem., Fed. |
3240 |
24 |
.22-250 |
55 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
3680 |
24 |
.220 Swift |
50 |
PSP |
Rem. |
3780 |
24 |
.224 WBY
Mag. |
55 |
PSP |
WBY |
3650 |
24 |
.243 Win. |
80 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
3350 |
24 |
.243 Win. |
85 |
BTHP |
Fed. |
3320 |
24 |
.243 Win. |
100 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
2960 |
24 |
6mm Rem. |
80 |
PSP |
Rem., Win. |
3470 |
24 |
6mm Rem. |
100 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
3100 |
24 |
6mm BR Rem. |
100 |
PSP |
Rem. |
2550 |
15 |
.25-20 Win. |
86 |
SP |
Rem., Win. |
1460 |
24 |
.250 Savage |
100 |
ST, PSP |
Rem., Win. |
2820 |
24 |
.257
Roberts |
117 |
PSP |
Rem. |
2650 |
24 |
.25-06 Rem. |
100 |
PSP |
Rem. |
3230 |
24 |
.25-06 Rem. |
117 |
PSP |
Fed. |
2990 |
24 |
.25-06 Rem. |
120 |
PSP |
Rem., Win. |
2990 |
24 |
.257 WBY
Mag. |
117 |
PSP |
WBY |
3300 |
26 |
.270 Win. |
100 |
PSP |
Win. |
3340 |
24 |
.270 Win. |
130 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
3060 |
24 |
.270 Win. |
150 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
2850 |
24 |
.270 WBY
Mag. |
130 |
PSP |
WBY |
3375 |
26 |
7mm BR Rem. |
140 |
PSP |
Rem. |
2215 |
15 |
7-30 Waters |
120 |
BTSP |
Fed. |
2700 |
24 |
7mm Mauser |
140 |
PSP |
Rem., Fed. |
2660 |
24 |
7mm-08 Rem. |
140 |
PSP |
Rem. |
2860 |
24 |
.280 Rem. |
140 |
PSP |
Rem. |
3000 |
24 |
.280 Rem. |
150 |
PSP |
Rem., Fed. |
2890 |
24 |
7mm Rem.
Mag. |
150 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
3110 |
24 |
7mm Rem.
Mag. |
160 |
BTSP |
Fed. |
2950 |
24 |
7mm Rem.
Mag. |
175 |
PSP |
Rem., Win. |
2860 |
24 |
7mm WBY
Mag. |
175 |
PSP |
Rem. |
2910 |
24 |
30 Carbine |
110 |
SP |
Rem., Fed. |
1990 |
20 |
.30-30 Win. |
150 |
SP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
2390 |
24 |
.30-30 Win. |
170 |
SP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
2200 |
24 |
.300 Savage |
150 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
2630 |
24 |
.308 Win. |
150 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
2820 |
24 |
.308 Win. |
165 |
BTSP |
Fed. |
2700 |
24 |
.308 Win. |
180 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
2620 |
24 |
.30-40 Krag |
180 |
PSP |
Rem., Win. |
2430 |
24 |
.30-06
Sprg. |
125 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
3140 |
24 |
.30-06
Sprg. |
150 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
2910 |
24 |
.30-06
Sprg. |
180 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
2700 |
24 |
.30-06
Sprg. |
220 |
SP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
2410 |
24 |
.300 H&H
Mag |
180 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
2880 |
24 |
.300 Win.
Mag. |
150 |
PSP |
Rem., Win. |
3290 |
24 |
.300 Win.
Mag. |
180 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
2960 |
24 |
.300 WBY
Mag. |
180 |
PSP |
Rem. |
3120 |
24 |
7.62x39mm |
123 |
SP |
Win. |
2365 |
20 |
.303 Brit. |
180 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
2460 |
24 |
.32-20 Win. |
100 |
Lead |
Rem., Win. |
1210 |
24 |
.32 Win.
Sp. |
170 |
SP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
2250 |
24 |
8mm Mauser |
170 |
PSP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
2360 |
24 |
8mm Rem.
Mag. |
180 |
PSP |
Rem. |
3080 |
24 |
.338 Win.
Mag. |
250 |
PSP |
Rem., Fed. |
2780 |
24 |
.340 WBY
Mag. |
250 |
PSP |
WBY |
2850 |
26 |
.348 Win. |
200 |
ST |
Win. |
2520 |
24 |
.35 Rem. |
200 |
SP |
Win., Fed. |
2080 |
24 |
.350 Rem.
Mag. |
200 |
PSP |
Rem. |
2710 |
20 |
.358 Win. |
200 |
ST |
Win. |
2490 |
24 |
.35 Whelen |
200 |
PSP |
Rem. |
2675 |
24 |
.35 Whelen |
250 |
PSP |
Rem. |
2400 |
24 |
.375 Win. |
250 |
PSP |
Win. |
1900 |
24 |
.375 H&H
Mag. |
270 |
SP |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
2690 |
24 |
.38-55 Win |
255 |
SP |
Win. |
1320 |
24 |
.38-40 Win. |
180 |
SP |
Win. |
1160 |
24 |
.416 Rem.
Mag. |
400 |
SP |
Rem. |
2400 |
24 |
.416 Rigby |
410 |
SP |
Fed. |
2370 |
24 |
.44-40 Win. |
200 |
SP |
Rem., Win. |
1190 |
24 |
.444 Marlin |
240 |
SP |
Rem. |
2350 |
24 |
.45-70 Gov. |
300 |
HP |
Win., Fed. |
1880 |
24 |
.458 Win
Mag. |
500 |
FMJ |
Rem., Win.,
Fed. |
2040 |
24 |
.460 WBY
Mag. |
500 |
FMJ |
WBY |
2700 |
26 |
|
Ammunition
Abbreviation Key |
Brit. |
British |
Mag |
Magnum |
BTHP |
Boat
Tail Hollow Point |
mm |
millimeter |
BTSP |
Boat
Tail Soft Point |
PSP |
Pointed Soft
Point |
Fed. |
Federal |
SP |
Soft Point |
FMJ |
Full
Metal Jacket |
Sprg. |
Springfield |
H&H |
Holland & Holland |
SWC |
Semi Wad Cutter |
HP |
Hollow Point |
Rem. |
Remington |
JHP |
Jacketed Hollow Point |
WBY |
Weatherby |
LWC |
Lead
Wad Cutter |
Win. |
Winchester |
|
|
|
RIFLE TRAJECTORY CONVERSION
Converting Rifle Trajectory Tables |
Think of how many
times you've examined a cartridge manufacturer's tables and
found the trajectories calculated only for, say, a 100-yard
zero, but because you intend to hunt out West, all this data
is irrelevant - your hunting needs demand trajectory
information for a 200-yard zero. What can you do?
The beauty of this technique is that it at last gives all my
fellow rifle shooters the means to calculate trajectory
changes without the need for a computer or special software
programs - and certainly this data will help them be more
precise shooters and better hunters.
The key is understanding MOA. If you can grasp what a Minute
of Angle is, you will master this technique before the end of
this article.
We describe shot groups in Minutes of Angle because this thin
angular width almost exactly equals one inch at 100 yards,
then widens so nicely that it becomes two inches at 200 yards,
three inches at 300, and so on, resulting in a ten-inch width
at 1000 yards. When you say your rifle is shooting a one-inch
group at I 00 yards, you could just as well say it's a one
Minute of Angle (MOA) rifle, and by expressing it this way you
would see instantly that this same group would be two inches
at 200 yards, four inches at 400, etc.
And what about when your rifle generates a two-inch group at
100 yards? Simple, the ratios are all the same. You are just
starting with a wider group. This two-inch rifle would,
therefore, yield a four-inch group at 200 yards (twice as
wide, get it?); then a ten-inch group at 500 yards since that
is five times the distance as your 100-yard, two-inch group.
By expressing your groups in Minutes of Angle, you'll enable
yourself to understand how your rifle will perform at any
distance. And with study, it will allow very precise
adjustments of sights or scope.
So that this relationship between distance and MOAs is clear,
I am plotting it on Table One. If later you get confused, come
back and check it. And now we are ready for the simple
technique for converting trajectories.
How to convert
a trajectory without a computer. The difficulty with
converting a bullet's trajectory is that when you switch from
one zero distance to another - say, from 100 yards up to 200
yards - the trajectory changes are a little different at each
distance. Because a bullet starts flat and straight, then it
slows and plunges, your trajectory will shift modestly at
short-range but dramatically at long-range whenever you change
your scope or sight setting. You cannot conclude, "I am now
going to shift four inches high, so there will be a four-inch
change at all other ranges." - No way. This raising of sights
will cause little changes at close ranges, and great big
changes at longer distances; at each 100-yard increment, the
effect will be different.
The key is predicting HOW MUCH it will change and - get ready
to shout "Eureka!" - how much it changes is pure and simple,
an IDENTICAL AMOUNT AT EACH DISTANCE, when expressed as a
Minute of Angle.
My technique uses a simple, two-step process. STEP ONE: Learn
how much change is needed for the new zero, and restate it as
Minutes of Angle for that distance; then, STEP TWO: Apply
these same Minutes of Angle changes at each distance, for a
completely new trajectory table. That's all.
We'll demonstrate this for the Federal Supreme 30.06, 165
grain, Boat Tail Soft Point, using "book" data from Art
Blatt's Extended Ballistics for the Advanced Rifleman. (Of
course, you can use manufacturer's ballistic tables, too.)
Look at the chart we've labeled, "STEP ONE." Just to make sure
that you keep the MOA measurements correct at each distance, I
suggest that you "write this" above the respective yard
ranges.
TABLE ONE - Relationship Between One (1) MOA and Distance
Step One: Learn
how much MOA to convert by noting you will have to raise
sights 5.4 inches to zero at 200 yards. Since one MOA equals
2" at 200 yards, that 5.4 inches at 200 yards equals 2.7 MOA -
which is exactly what we will apply in Step Two to all other
distances.
Now, since we're converting from a 100 -yard zero trajectory
to a 200-yard zero trajectory, we begin by looking at how much
we must adjust to re-zero to the new distance. In this case,
our "book" data says this round impacts 5.4 inches low at 200
yards when a rifle's zeroed for 100 yards, so to hit dead-on
(and be zeroed at 200 yards), just raise your sight 5.4
inches. That should be simple and obvious. And here's where
the MOA comes into plan. Since one MOA equals two inches at
200 yards, this 5.4 inches equates to 2.7 MOA, a figure we'll
use in STEP TWO.
Ready? This is really very, very easy. Use that same 2.7 MOA
in STEP TWO to compute the necessary changes at all the other
distances, too. For example, at 100 yards, where one MOA
equals one inch, its exactly 2.7 inches; since that was the
old zero distance, the trajectory will now be 2.7 inches high.
STEP ONE:
Converting Federal Premium 30.06, 165 Grain BTSP from
100 yards to 200 yards
Step Two: Apply
this 2.7 MOA at all distances, then add or subtract to yield
the new trajectory data.
And at 400 yards, 2.7 MOA equates to 10.8 inches of change -
2.7 MOA x 4 = 10.8, right? We subtract this from the old
figure to yield the new trajectory, which is 23.2 inches. And
so on.
To test how accurate our computations are, took at Table Two,
which compares "book" data to our results: Right on the mark,
with only a minor deviation at 400 yards, but it's still
within 1/4 MOA. But is there a danger this technique could
generate enough deviation from "book" that cumulative error
may cause problems when shifting the zero to longer ranges?
STEP TWO:
The only
notable variance is at 400 yards - but even there we are
within 1/4 MOA.
To test this, look at Tables Three and Four, where we again
use Blatt's data for this same Federal Supreme round, this
time converting the trajectory from a 100-yard zero to a
500-yard zero.
TABLE TWO
Comparing the Results of Our Calculations to 200 Yards
"Book" Data
TABLE THREE
Converting Trajectory of Federal Premium 30.06, 165-Grain
BTSP to 500 Yards
Eureka! The only
variance whatsoever from "book" data is 1/10th of one inch at
300 yards and 4/10ths at 200 yards, proving accuracy and
reliability of technique. Despite this extreme leap in
elevation 61.4 inches or 12.28 MOA - the resulting are
amazingly on-the-mark, with only the tiniest of variations
from "book" data. If there's any danger of cumulative error,
this should have shown it.
The only caution I would pass along is to ensure the initial
"book" data you convert from was calculated for a sight the
same height above the bore as your own. Most ammunition
manufacturers now assume you will be using a scope, so they
calculate trajectories for a sight 1.5 inches above the bore,
although some sources may still use the old 0.9 inches to
reflect the height of an open metallic sight.
After reading this article, sit down with the manufacturer's
data for your favorite load and calculate all the trajectories
for 100- through 500-yard zeroes, then keep the resulting
table in your rifle case so you will always have it with you.
And don't disparage the computer, but neither underestimate
the power of a stubby pencil when matched with common sense.
TABLE FOUR
Applying 12.28 MOA Changes to Convert Trajectory for
500-Yard Zero
|
|
RIFLING: The spiral grooves in the bore of a rifled firearm. The
rotation they impart to a projectile stabilizes in a flight and imparts
accuracy. Rifling is present in all true rifles, in most handguns and in
some shotgun barrels designed for increasing the accuracy potential of
slugs (a slug is a single projectile rather than the more common "shot").
A rotating projectile has a gyroscopic stability which causes it to resist
any force tending to deflect it from the direction it takes as it departs
from the muzzle of the rifle. The longer the bullet and the lower the
velocity, the faster the twist must be to cause the bullet to travel with
point to the front. Rifling may be cut, swaged, or forged into the
barrel. Also the process of forming the rifling in the bore.
RIM FIRE: A rimmed or flanged
cartridge with the priming mixture located inside the rim of the case. The
most famous example is the .22 rim fire. It has been estimated that
between 3-4 billion .22 cartridges are loaded in the U.S. each year.
This type of cartridge in which the primer is located along the outer rim
of the casing's base. To fire this type of cartridge, the firing pin must
impact on this outer rim. Abbreviated RF. Also written as "RIMFIRE"
RIOT GUN: A
popular term for a short barreled repeating or slide action shotgun as
frequently used in law enforcement and personal protection.
RKBA:
Abbreviation for Right to Keep and Bear Arms. The inalienable right
of the people, stated in the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights, to
possess and use personally owned firearms for sport, recreation, personal
protection, and the defense of the nation. Contrary to many claims
by uneducated individuals it has been proven from historical documents
that this is an individual right and not restricted to any organized body
of citizens.
RMEF: Abbreviation for the
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Remington makes a "Special Edition"
Model 700 BDL™ SS RMEF rifle. See
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
below.
RO:
Abbreviation for Range Officer.
ROCKET: A
projectile weapon carrying a warhead that is powered or propelled by a
rocket or rockets. A vehicle or device propelled by one or more rocket
engines, especially such a vehicle designed to travel through space, as in
the case of the Ballistic Missile. All Ballistic Missiles are powered by
rocket motors.
ROCKET GUNNERY: On the modern
battlefield, the Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) are employed as
tactical artillery. Smaller Anti-Tank rockets like the Swedish designed
AT-4 is employed by American, NATO and other military forces, as a light
weight, man portable, shoulder fired Anti-Tank Rocket. The AT-4
replaced the LAW (Light Anti-Armor Weapon) a 73mm disposable rocket with a
shaped charge warhead that was shoulder fired from a light weight
disposable, collapsible, fiberglass tube. Russian federation and former
Warsaw Pact Armies employ the infamous RPG - Rocket Propelled Grenade. The
RPG has been used in dozens of conflicts all over the world. It is a very
cheap and very effective easy to employ weapon and was used by Afghan
Harakat ul-Mujahedin or Mujahedin forces to shoot down Soviet Mi-24
Hind helicopters to great effect. This type of rocket (the RPG) was later
used in Mogadishu Somalia to shoot down MH-60 "Black Hawk" helicopters as
depicted in "Black Hawk Down".
See
Rocket Propelled Grenade - below.
Rockets: History &
Theory
Sometime during the 11th century the
Chinese discovered how to make a simple rocket using gunpowder for
fuel. It didn't take the military leaders long to realize that the
rocket could be used in defense of the great China wall. They
strapped the rockets to their arrows and greatly extended the range
of the bow and arrow.
Centuries later at White Sands
Missile Range rockets are used to push guided missiles to their
targets. Rocket engines are also used to propel test instruments and
experiments into the upper atmosphere over Southern New Mexico.
These rocket engines used today work on the same principles that
made the Chinese fire arrows so effective.
In the 20th century the term "rocket"
has become a household word. Huge rockets carried man to the moon
and back. Because of rockets, Americans enjoy instantaneous
world-wide communication via satellite. We even get a daily
cloud-cover picture of our area taken from a satellite which was
launched into space by a rocket. Soon people may be riding in
rockets on a regular basis to get to work in a space station. In
short, the rocket is the key to the exploration of the other worlds
in the universe.
Early Rocket Development
According to historians, the Chinese
built the first working rockets. They were also the first to use
them for military purposes. In A.D. 1232, some ingenious military
leader used arrows powered by small gunpowder rockets to
successfully defend the city of K'ai-Fung-Foo against the invading
Mongols.
From that time until the 20th
century, the rocket had its ups and downs. It was quickly introduced
in Europe in the 13th century as a firework and as a weapon. During
the Renaissance every army had a rocket corps. But artillery
improvements eventually made the cannon more effective because of
increased range and accuracy. Occasional improvements in the rocket
would bring it back into popularity, but usually not for long.
During this time one Chinese official
hit on the idea of using rockets to propel a man through the air. It
was around 1500 that Wan Hu rigged a pair of kites together with a
chair attached in between. He then tied a series of military rockets
to the kites and drafted a group of coolies to light the rockets.
Not wanting to miss out on the chance for fame, Wan Hu decided to be
his own test pilot. According to reports, he sat in the chair and
gave the order to light the rockets. There was a lot of noise and a
great burst of flame and smoke which blocked everyone's vision. When
the smoke cleared, Wan Hu was gone. The story ends there and the
reader is left to his own conclusions.
Used as a barrage weapon the rocket
often proved effective for military purposes. In the late 1700's,
Haider Ali, Prince of Mysore, India, used iron rockets to defeat a
top British unit in battle. The British, in turn, used the rocket
against the United States.
"O Say, Can You See...."
In the War of 1812, the British used
rockets developed by William Congreve, one of the few men who worked
to improve early rocket design. In "The Star Spangled Banner" the
reference to the "rockets' red glare" is a description of the
British bombardment of Fort McHenry with Congreve rockets.
Congreve and an American, William
Hale, did a lot during the l9th century to force armies to
reactivate their rocket corps. Congreve's success came in his
ability to extend the range of his military rockets to as much as
3,000 yards. Hale attempted to solve the problem of low accuracy by
spin stabilization, a technique still used today. As the century
progressed, artillery technology again by-passed the rocket and in
the beginning of the 20th century, rockets were more a matter of
speculation than reality.
Authors Jules Verne and H. G. Wells
wrote about the use of rockets and space travel and serious
scientists soon turned their attention to rocket theory. Knostantin
Tsiolkovsky, a Russian, worked on rocket design and theory in the
early 20th century. In his numerous writings he proposed space
exploration by rocket, liquid propellants, the multistage rocket and
space stations.
Hermann Oberth, a German scientist,
also contributed to the theory and design of rockets. In 1923 he
published a work in which he proved flight beyond the atmosphere is
possible. In a 1929 book called "The Road to Space Travel" Oberth
proposed liquid-propelled rockets, multistage rockets, space
navigation, and guided and re-entry systems. He also advanced the
idea of a transatlantic postal rocket for quick mail delivery. It
was taken seriously at the time but never attempted.
From 1939 to 1945 he worked on German
war rocket programs with such notables as Wernher von Braun. After
the war he came to the United States where he again worked with von
Braun. During the war one of the weapons the scientists were
designing was reminiscent of Oberth's postal rocket. The German's
wanted to build a rocket which would carry a bomb from Europe to
strike New York City.
Most historians call Oberth and
Tsiolkovsky the fathers of modern rocket theory. If that is so, an
American, Dr. Robert H. Goddard, can be called the father of the
practical rocket. His designs and working models eventually led to
the German big rockets such as the V-2 used against the Allies in
World War II. All three men are enshrined in the International Space
Hall of Fame in Alamogordo, N.M.
Goddard started working with rockets
in 1915 when he tested solid fueled models. In 1917 when the U.S.
entered World War I, he worked on perfecting rockets as weapons. One
of his designs turned out to be the forerunner of the bazooka, a
tube launched, recoilless missile, 18 inches long and one inch in
diameter. It was actually tested in 1918 but the war ended before it
could be used against German tanks.
Space Flight Possible
In 1919 he published a paper entitled
"Method of Reaching Extreme Altitudes." In it he concluded that a
rocket would work better in a total vacuum than in our atmosphere.
This was against the popular belief of the day that a rocket needed
air to push against. He also suggested that a multistage rocket
could reach very high altitudes and even reach the escape velocity
of the earth.
The press scoffed at his ideas and
public reaction was poor. Goddard went on experimenting and on March
16, 1926 he flew the first liquid fueled rocket. After the initial
success, he flew other rockets in rural Massachusetts until they
started crashing in his neighbor's pastures. The local fire marshal
declared his rockets were a fire hazard and ended his tests. Charles
Lindbergh came to Goddard's rescue by helping him get a grant from
the Guggenheim Foundation. With it Goddard moved to Roswell, New
Mexico, where he could experiment without endangering anyone. There
he developed the first gyro-controlled rocket guidance system and
was eventually flying rockets faster than the speed of sound and at
altitudes up to 7,500 feet. It was a huge improvement over the first
liquid-fueled rocket which went 220 feet and was in the air only 2.5
seconds.
View
photo of Dr. Goddard in his workshop
During World War II, the U.S.
military saw little use for rockets. The Army did use bazookas but
it was the Germans who took Goddard's ideas and turned them into
real weapons. Goddard died in 1945 just as he started to receive
some recognition for his work. One of his biographers said, "It is
virtually impossible to design, construct or launch a rocket today
without utilizing same idea or device originated by Goddard."
Under von Braun, the Germans
perfected the large liquid-fueled rocket which culminated in the V-2
long range ballistic missile. It was the largest rocket vehicle at
the time, being 46 feet long, 5.5 feet in diameter and developing
56,000 pounds of thrust or push. At the close of the war the allies
captured V-2 components and the German development team surrendered
to the Americans. The team and components were sent to White Sands
Missile Range, New Mexico.
A V-2, assembled and launched on the
range, was America's first rocket to carry a heavy payload to high
altitude. A V-2 set the first high altitude and velocity record for
a single stage missile, and a V-2 was the first large missile to be
controlled in flight.
Jointly, the American and German
scientists at White Sands worked to develop missile and rocket
systems. From their work came such missiles as the Corporal,
Redstone, Nike, Aerobee and Atlas.
Rockets have been around for
centuries but no one has really understood how they worked until
just recently. It was only 70 years ago when Goddard proposed that a
rocket does not need air to push against. This is now obvious with
the manned flights to the moon. But how do they work then?
How Rockets Work
Rockets obey Issac Newton's Third law
of motion which says for every action there is an equal and
oppositely directed action. When a hunter pulls the trigger on his
rifle, a small gunpowder explosion occurs in the shell. One reaction
to this explosion is the bullet and smoke being pushed out the end
of the barrel. At the same time there is an equal reaction or push
in the opposite direction which is the recoil into his shoulder. He
doesn't feel much because the force or action is trying to push the
whole rifle as opposed to the small bullet on the other action.
If the hunter was on roller skates
when he pulled the trigger, the recoil might be enough to push him
backwards. And if he kept up a rapid rate of firing, he might pick
up speed and continue to move backwards.
The same thing happens in a rocket.
The rocket is the same as the rifle and instead of firing bullets,
the rocket shoots out a stream of hot gases at supersonic speeds.
The gases are pushed out as a result of the burning of a fuel in the
combustion chamber.
Another way to look at this is to
think of a long tank, shaped like a short pencil. If the tank is
filled with compressed air and sealed, nothing happens. The gas is
inside pushing against the walls, but the pressure is equally
distributed. If one end of the tank is opened, the air pushes
through the opening very quickly. According to Newton there should
be an equal action in the opposite direction. There is. The air
pushes on the front inside of the tank and if it is great enough the
tank will move forward.
In a rocket engine the combustion
chamber is very much like a rifle barrel or an air tank with one end
open. In the rocket, a fuel, which can be a liquid like kerosene or
a solid like gunpowder, is burned. The burning releases gases and
heat which build up pressures in the chamber. The pressure pushes
the gases out the exhaust nozzle. The reaction or push in the
opposite direction drives the rocket forward.
The nozzle or exit hole for the
pressurized gases is not just any opening. It is specially designed
to open outward like an ice cream cone. This makes the gases exit
even faster, which in turn, gives more push at the other end of the
combustion chamber.
Rockets do best in outer space where
the gravitational forces are less and there is no air resistance to
overcome. But, there is also no air to keep the rocket fuel burning.
Rockets work in space because they are completely self-contained.
The rocket carries a fuel and an oxidizing agent like oxygen so it
needs no outside air.
This explains why Polaris missiles
can be fired from submarines while they are underwater. The fuel and
oxidizer can be in solid or liquid form.
The huge rockets which hurl the
astronauts and satellites into space use liquid fuels like kerosene
or super-cold, liquid hydrogen and oxidizers like liquid oxygen.
When the two liquids are sprayed into the combustion chamber, they
ignite and burn with explosive force.
Use of Rockets at White Sands
At White Sands Missile Range, most of
the missile systems under test use solid fuels and oxidizers. In a
solid propellant, the fuel and oxidizer are mixed together and
placed right in the combustion chamber. This makes the missile
smaller than one using liquid fuel because there are no storage
tanks for the fuel. Some solid propellants like nitroglycerine don't
even need an oxidizer mixed in with it.
The solid-fueled rocket engine has
many advantages for the military. It is smaller which makes it very
portable. The solid fuels are much easier to handle than the caustic
and sometimes super-cold liquids. Also, solid fueled rockets are
always ready to fire. They do not require the preparation which a
liquid fueled rocket would need.
Today's missile systems are much more
than a rocket engine with a supply of fuel and oxidizer. There is
usually some sort of payload. This can be a test package or a bomb.
The missile will have some sort of guidance system to get it to its
target and it has an airframe to hold all the parts together.
The Missile Park at White Sands
Missile Range has a wide range of missile airframes on public
display. They include a V-2 along with missiles used by the U.S.
Army, Navy and Air Force.
For the future scientists are looking
for other types of rocket engines to replace the chemical ones now
used. Any self-contained system which can push matter out an opening
will produce push or thrust. Therefore, even a balloon could be
considered a rocket.
One idea researchers are looking at
is using a nuclear reactor to heat a gas so it expands and becomes
pressurized. The gas can then be forced through a nozzle which would
create the necessary opposite action to drive a vehicle forward.
Scientists also have contemplated
using an ion beam to push a spacecraft. This system calls for
accelerating charged molecular particles in magnetic fields and then
beaming them out the nozzle end of the engine. Another plan calls
for thrust to be provided by ejecting photons or light from the
engine.
These devices are theoretically
possible but they lack the powerful thrust necessary to escape
earth's gravity pull. Since the turn of the century, the rocket
motor has gone from being a firework and little used weapon to being
the key to man's dreams. The rocket has made space exploration
possible. Men have already walked on the moon and exploratory
spacecraft have flown past the planets in the solar system, sending
back valuable information. The rocket is the key to open up new
worlds for Man to explore. |
ROCKET PROPELLED GRENADE (RPG):
ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION:
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is a non-profit The Elk Foundation is an
international, mission based, nonprofit wildlife habitat conservation
organization. With more than 116,000 members, the Elk Foundation has
conserved and enhanced more than 3 million acres of wildlife habitat
throughout North America. Founded in 1984, the Elk Foundation is
headquartered in Missoula, Montana with Canadian headquarters in Rocky
Mountain House, Alberta.
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is
represented in all 50 states, plus an international membership in
Canada and 26 foreign countries. The Elk Foundation's notable
success stems largely from it's dedicated and enthusiastic
membership, particularly the Foundation's local volunteer committee
members who organize annual fundraising Big Game Banquets in their
communities. Other forms of fundraising include the Habitat
Partnership Program; Supporting, Sponsor and Life memberships; the
annual convention; and merchandise and royalty programs. The
commitment to wildlife conservation and love of America's rich
wildlife legacy are at the heart of what the founders of the Elk
Foundation glimpsed when they established this organization.
The mission of the Rocky Mountain Elk
Foundation is to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife & their
habitat. In support of this mission the Elk Foundation is
committed to:
- Conserving, restoring and enhancing natural
habitats;
- Promoting the sound management of wild,
free-ranging elk, which may be hunted or otherwise enjoyed;
- Fostering cooperation among federal, state
and private organizations and individuals in wildlife management
and habitat conservation; and
- Educating members and the public about
habitat conservation, the value of hunting, hunting ethics and
wildlife management.
The Elk Foundation meets it's
mission by funding the following types of efforts:
-
Habitat enhancement projects
such as prescribed burns and water developments;
-
Wildlife management projects
such as elk transplants and cooperative initiatives among elk and
livestock interests;
-
Research on elk and their
habitat to provide wildlife managers with information needed to
manage elk;
-
Conservation education programs
to increase the awareness of the importance of wildlife and their
habitat with people of all ages;
-
Land conservation projects such
as acquisitions and conservation easements; and
-
Hunting heritage projects to
promote ethical hunting and ensure future hunting opportunities.
RMEF Online
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is on the web at URL:
http://www.rmef.org |
ROLLING BLOCK ACTION: Single shot rifle action, designed in
the U.S. and widely used in early Remington arms. Also known as the
REMINGTON-RIDER action, the breechblock. actuated by a lever, rotates down
and back from the chamber. The firing pin is contained in
block and is activated by the hammer fall.
ROTTWEIL: Name of a former
Dynamit Nobel-RWS production plant in the city of the same name in the
German Black Forest. The term is today synonymous with quality world
wide. Rottweil is also the city where the breed of famous Rottweiler
dogs were bred back from near extinction.
ROUND: Synonym for a cartridge.
A military term meaning one single cartridge. As in a round of
ammunition.
ROUND NOSE (RN): A bullet design which features a rounded
nose.
RSO:
Abbreviation for Range Safety Officer (s).
RWS:
Abbreviation of Rheinisch Westaflische Spregstoff-Fabriken which joined
Dynamit Nobel in 1931. Typically used as Dynamit Nobel - RWS or RWS ammo &
reloading components.
S |