Quote: comic

   To quote a comic I recently saw,

“…and I saw the lizard leap out of his pocket as his hamburger exploded”

Minor Fluid Dynamics

   Ever since I’ve gotten back into airgunning, I’ve had a few questions over the nature of pellets.  Considering how long they have been around, obviously their design is as much advanced as  possible, the general shape of them remaining constant.  Beginning with .177 caliber, I am curious as to how much the air can affect it’s flight in still conditions.

   Imagine, you have two vehicles that will drive over a stretch gravel road that is newly laid and graded smooth.  Driving a go-kart with a tire outer diameter of 12 inches will provide a rougher ride than that of a large, heavier vehicle with a tire outer diameter of 30 inches, both vehicles having no suspension.  I believe this analogous to a small diameter lightweight pellet plowing through the air molecules and being buffeted around more than that of a larger projectile.  To the pellet, the gaseous molecules are large and it has to fight it’s way through them even though it has a smaller diameter.

   Also consider air is made up of multiple gasses, so it may also be prone to deflection in much the same way a larger stone would slew the go-kart tire off track.  Air will contain humidity as well. 

   This is all speculation, especially since the size of the pellet is still enormous compared to air (78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, .9% Argon, trace amounts other gasses).  Along these lines is the question of how small can you make an airfoil that still works on the same principle (once you get past the design obstacles of weight/strength).  Still, since I’m curious, I intend to study when I get the chance.  I’ll post what I find.

Hollywood Logistics

I paid a visit to a friend I met in California last week.   He calls himself “Joe from DC” (no, not Washington, and not the comics, although in that respect you are getting closer).  I’ve known this guy for awhile, but only recently found what he actually does.  Perhaps the relatively older generations would remember Tim Burton’s production of Batman.  One line in the movie comes to mind: “Where does he get those wonderful toys?’

He gets them from Joe.  Joe’s company specializes in special items manufacture, as well as a couple other services.  Here’s a prime example of his work.

HLW-9Kr Assault Weapon:  This comes in an extreme variety of models and accessories, but most have the same capabilities:

1.  Weapon is easily smuggled, hidden, and undetectable.

2.  Magazine holds 9000 rounds of “Super-Boom” ammunition.

3.  “Super-Boom” ammunition is a self-variable ballistics load.  Manufactured in any caliber and configuration of weapon.  Common effects vary from simple projectiles to extended range and explosive capacity.  For example, the same round used for killing an “extra” will also ignite a fuel tank and destroy the vehicle despite being a non-tracer/non-explosive load.  Grenades are manufactured specifically to yield explosions equal that of 40 sticks of TNT and make a very impressive fireball.

4.  Weapon features included are self-setting sight mechanisms for always on-target precision shooting (no training required), full warranty flawless operation (warranty expires for dramatic effect), futuristic “cool” appearance, heat proof even during extended firing, and muzzle flash enhancer for overall effect.

He doesn’t sell to any of the usual governments or agencies, but deals only with super-secret operations and questionable characters with elaborate schemes of destruction in mind.  So the question you might have is, “How come I’ve never seen one of these guns?”  I can assure you that you have encountered them: have you been to the movies in the last 20 years?

Flat Tire

Just a quick update, I won’t be plinking for a short time due to having acquired a new job and I simply don’t have time to litter the internet with pictures of hole-punched targets. I’ll get back on it as soon as I get my guns back.

Weapons Training for Children

As I mentioned in my Weapons Handling post, I would cover the subject of why I would teach children how to handle weapons properly.  Many people do not feel teaching children about guns is right, but I see no difference between a gun, a bicycle, automobile, lawnmower, or any other implement the human species employs. Granted, the reason a gun was invented was to be more efficient in killing, but it is still just a tool (Rule 2 of Weapons Handling).

There are some who disagree, as well as those who would ban guns if possible, but each of their reasons come down to what I call “The Basic 4 Causes”.  These 4, or any combination of them, are responsible for every gun related incident ever, and are the reason I have 6 principals for weapons handling rather than the usual 4 I’ve heard all the time.  If you think about it, they are actually responsible for a lot more than weapons-related incidents.

Here they are

 1:  Partial or total ignorance for what you are dealing with.  Remember Rules 1 and 3?  If you don’t know what you are doing, you’re asking for trouble.

2:  Careless use in handling and operation.  Rules 2, 4, 5, and 6.  Follow procedures, and know what is around you.

3:  Malicious use.  Anyone attempting to ban guns due to crime rates is a fool: a gun left to it’s own will not murder anyone.  Even if you don’t want anything to do with guns, you should realize that even if they were completely banned, there are still enough guns and machinery capable of thier manufacture to ensure their proliferation into society, thus ensuring that “only a criminal would have a gun”.  However, if you allow people to own guns, a burglar or would-be assailant rolls the dice on which person or house has the capability to put a shot in his ashtray, thus giving him more to consider.  Also, the movie Red Dawn comes to mind.

4:  Complete accidents.  Weapon or ammunition malfunction from an unknown defect; bird flew into the range causing the bullet to ricochet into a rock and bounce back, etc.  These are incidents that occur from completely odd circumstances that are unpredictable.  You do what you can to prevent them, but odds are that something will eventually happen sometime.

   Our species has always invented.  Everything we invent operates by it’s own rules.  Injuries and deaths from anything we invented stem from any or all of these 4 listed.  Guns could be used for recreation or as a requirement of the situation.  Just as it is my duty to teach them how to ride a bicycle AND know how to ride in and out of traffic, I feel it my duty to ensure my children KNOW how to handle a gun.  Once they are old enough to understand my principals, and what they mean, I will begin training them.  Whether they want to later in life is their decision, but I will ensure they know.