Intro to Ballistics

Intro to Ballistics is a classroom-only course designed to provide students with a strong foundational understanding of external ballistics—the behavior of a projectile after it leaves the muzzle and before it reaches the target. The course emphasizes how velocity, drag, gravity, wind, and environmental conditions influence bullet flight and overall accuracy.

Students will learn how projectile design, ballistic coefficients, muzzle velocity, and distance affect trajectory and consistency. Instruction breaks down how wind calls, elevation adjustments, and atmospheric variables such as temperature, altitude, and humidity impact point of impact. While internal and terminal ballistics are briefly covered to establish context, the primary focus remains on understanding and predicting projectile flight in real-world conditions.

This course equips students with the knowledge needed to better interpret ballistic data, understand dope, and make informed adjustments—whether for training, competition, duty use, or personal proficiency. All instruction is conducted in a classroom environment with no live-fire component.

Course Topics Include:

Principles of external ballistics and projectile flight
Gravity, drag, velocity decay, and trajectory
Ballistic coefficient and bullet design considerations
Wind effects, wind reading fundamentals, and drift
Environmental influences on bullet flight (density altitude, temperature, pressure)
Elevation and windage concepts, data interpretation, and adjustment theory
Overview of internal and terminal ballistics (context only)