Ammunition & Ballistics Flashcards
7 cards from real FBI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ammunition & Ballistics flashcards as text
What critical lesson did the 1986 FBI Miami Shootout teach regarding ammunition selection?
Answer: It revealed that inadequate bullet penetration and terminal performance can leave an armed subject able to continue fighting even after being hit
In the 1986 Miami Shootout, agents hit their adversaries but inadequate penetration and terminal performance failed to stop the attack, directly prompting the FBI's rigorous ammunition testing protocol.
What is 'ballistic gelatin' and why is it the FBI standard for ammunition testing?
Answer: A calibrated 10% gelatin block that replicates the density and resistance of human soft tissue for standardized penetration testing
Ballistic gelatin at 10% concentration mimics the mechanical properties of human muscle tissue, providing a reproducible, standardized medium for measuring penetration depth and bullet expansion.
What does 'muzzle energy' measure in firearms ballistics?
Answer: The kinetic energy of the projectile as it exits the barrel, measured in foot-pounds
Muzzle energy is the kinetic energy (KE = ½mv²) of the bullet at the moment it leaves the barrel, expressed in foot-pounds and used to compare the raw power of different cartridges.
What is 'windage' in the context of long-range shooting and external ballistics?
Answer: The lateral displacement of a bullet's path caused by a crosswind
Windage is the horizontal deflection of a bullet from its intended path caused by crosswind; at longer distances, even moderate winds can push a bullet significantly off target.
What specifically distinguishes a 'jacketed hollow point' (JHP) from a standard hollow point bullet?
Answer: The metal jacket ensures reliable feeding in semi-automatic firearms while the hollow point cavity promotes controlled expansion
The metal jacket of a JHP solves the feeding reliability problems of plain lead hollow points in semi-automatic pistols, while the hollow cavity still drives reliable, controlled expansion upon impact.
In FBI ammunition protocol testing, what conditions are used to evaluate 'barrier blind' performance?
Answer: Bullets are tested after passing through standard barriers such as auto glass, wallboard, plywood, and heavy clothing before entering gelatin
The FBI protocol tests ammunition through six barrier types—heavy clothing, steel, wallboard, plywood, auto glass, and bare gelatin—to ensure reliable performance in real-world scenarios.
What is the relationship between a bullet's ballistic coefficient (BC) and wind deflection at long range?
Answer: A higher BC reduces wind deflection because the bullet resists air resistance more efficiently and retains velocity
A bullet with a higher BC resists air drag more efficiently, retains velocity longer, and therefore spends less time in flight—resulting in less cumulative wind deflection at any given distance.