Because of the complexity of the physics of ballistics, the concept may be intimidating and you may have come to rely on common misconceptions. After reading this Sacramento Ammo Store article you might decide that it may be time to reevaluate some of your old, commonly held misconceptions about firearms. Below we have compiled a list of 6 of the most commonly held misconceptions about shooting.
Ballistics Myth Number 1: Short barrels are less accurate than long barrels. The widely accepted idea that short barrels are less accurate than long barrels is actually untrue and the reverse is more close to the truth. In fact, short barrels are actually more stiff and as a result, provide less barrel flex or vibration. However, note that with iron sights, long barrel guns can be more accurate because of their longer radius making the margin of error with aiming less.
Ballistics Myth Number 2: Bullets rise as they leave the muzzle. This is definitely a myth; a bullet starts to fall as soon as it leaves the muzzle. However, there are caveats. First, a bullet rises relative to the line of sight. Second, a bullet does, in fact, rise slightly when leaving the muzzle, however, it is a very small amount and is purely academic.
Ballistic Myth Number 3: Having enough gun power means being able to drop an animal immediately. Too many hunters hold the belief that if an animal doesn’t drop immediately after being shot, that they need more gun power. “I must need more gun power because that was a perfect shot.” Really? The truth is your typical hunter has too much gun power.
Ballistics Myth Number 4: There really are mystical ballistics. In the 1950s and 1960s, specious stories of Weatherby Magnum gun cartridges were ever-present. The story went that you could hit an animal in the leg with a Weatherby and it would fall over immediately because of shock. That myth isn’t as popular anymore because there is too much contradicting evidence.
Ballistics Myth Number 5: Factory loads are less accurate than handloads. Nowadays, considering the high-quality control standards and precision of machinery, it is hard to match the performance of premium factory loads. It requires a great deal of effort to customize and develop a handload for a specific rifle that will outperform a premium factory load.
