Ballistics

The field of ballistics divides itself naturally into three subcategories: interior ballistics, exterior ballistics, and terminal ballistics. This book explains the theory and science of these three disciplines. It considers combustion and thermal processes within the projectile, aerodynamics and flight, and impact behavior.

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Even the earliest weapon developers faced the need to understand how and why guns and ammunition work in order to improve their effectiveness. As weapons became more sophisticated, the field of ballistics naturally divided into three main areas of specialization: interior, exterior, and terminal ballistics. Providing unique coverage of all three areas, Ballistics: Theory and Design of Guns and Ammunition offers a seamless presentation of the complex phenomena that occur during the launch, flight, and impact of a projectile.


Reader-friendly in style and format, the book explains the fundamental physics, terminology, theory, engineering aspects, and design techniques for each area in gradually increasing detail and complexity. Starting with interior ballistics, the authors examine the analytical and computational tools used to predict a weapon’s behavior in terms of pressure, stress and velocity, demonstrating their applications in ammunition and weapons design. The book continues with coverage of exterior ballistics, exploring the physics behind trajectories, including linear and nonlinear aeroballistics. The final section focuses on the effects of projectile impact, including details on shock physics, shaped charges, penetration, fragmentation, and wound ballistics.


Enhanced with insights drawn from the authors’ extensive experience in government laboratories, industry, and academia, Ballistics provides an ideal vehicle for encouraging superior design and innovative applications in the field.