Fwm 407: Training in Firearm
and Ballistics
Course Code FWM 407
Course Title Training in Firearms and Ballistics
Units 2 Units
Duration 3 hours a week
Coordinator Dr. O.A JAyeola
Address Room E 204 COLERM Building
SCOPE
•Why study firearms
•Type and specification of firearms and ammunition
•Maintenance of firearms
•Types of shooting ranges
•Animal hunting method
•Sociology of hunting
TEN COMMANDMENTS OF FIREARMS SAFETY
• Treat every gun with the respect due a loaded gun
• Be sure of your target before pulling the trigger
• Always be sure that the barrel and action are cleared of obstruction
• Never point your gun at anything you do not want to shoot
• Never leave your gun unattended unless you unload it first
• Avoid alcoholic beverage both before and during shooting
• Never climb a tree or cross a fence with a loaded gun
• Never shoot at the hard / flat surface or surface of water. Make
sure you have a safe back stop
• Carry only empty guns, taken down or with the action open into
camp, or home
• Store gun and ammunitions separately beyond the reach of
children.
HUNTING ETHICS
• Hunting has 2 laws; one is the written law .
• The other is the unwritten law; it is an ethical code of
conduct that the fire sportsman places on himself.
• Ethical hunters knows his skill and respect is welcome
• Improves his shot and learn about his game and range
• Respect his game and hunt fairly
• He does not waste a game
• Hunts only a mature game
• Present live game in prime condition to the kitchen
•
HUNTER-LANDOWNER RELATION
• Few hunters are lucky enough personally to own land that abound with game. So for the most part when
today’s hunters enter the field, he becomes someone’s guest, welcome or unwelcome. H
• But no matter who the host is, the “welcome” aspect is important to the hunter because it helps
determine how much land will remain open for hunting.
• There are three (3) separate approaches which a hunter can take to cope with this problem: Preventive,
Protective and Corrective
• 1. THE PREVENTIVE APPROACH involves nothing more than doing your best not to harm the
welcome you now have to hunt on someone else’s property. Care not to hunt your welcome on farmland,
• Drop by to say hello.
• Never hunt where he didn’t indicate
• Never disturb his peace (“property”)
• On State Government land
• Respecting field, forest facility on corporate land
• Avoid fire
• Respect tree and facilities
• The PROTECTIVE approach means making sure that the land owner knows that you
appreciate his allowing you to hunt.
• The CORRECTIVE approach can be the most difficult because it involves changing a land
owners mind.
Method of Hunting
• 1. STALKING • 8. TRAPPING
• • 9. DOG PACKS
• 2. STILL HUNTING •
• • 10. TRIBAL HUNTING AND
• 3. HIDE SHOOTING RING BURNING
• •
• 4. TRACKING • 11. NIGHT SHOOTING
• •
• 5. DRIVE BEAT • 12. SPECIAL HUNTING
METHOD FOR CROPPING
• 6. VARIETIES OF BEAT
• (a) Loud Beat.
•
• (b) Still beat –
• 7. CHASE HUNTING
•
• GENERAL REMARKS • PROPER PLACES TO AIM AT
WHEN SHOOTING
• (a) Do not shoot more animals • Target classified as follows:
than necessary i.e. do not butcher – • Brain shot
shooting rate must not exceed • Spine shot (Neck)
natality rate of the animals. Thus •
certain species that can be Crest shot (Neural crest)
endangered or extincted must not be • Heart shot
shot. • Lung shot
• (b) Do not shoot for pleasure • Shoulder shot (affect heart, lungs and
• (c) Only shoot at an animal scapula)
you have fully recognized to be an • Girth shot (kidney, liver and
animal intestine)
• (d) Only shoot when sure of • Leg bone shot (dislocate bone of leg)
shooting • Flesh shot (does not damage bone or
• (e) Spare the animal from pain vital organ, but either grazes muscles
– shoot to kill as quickly as possible or goes right through)
•
AMMUNITION
• These are the materials used for charging firearms e.g. missiles and propellants. The powder
charge consists of the following:
• a. Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) 73%
• b. Charcoal 15%
• c. Sulphur 10%
• There are two types of bullets
• Soft nose (copper coated)
• Hard nose (silver coated)
•
• Soft nose bullets are used for thin skinned animals like Hartebeest, gazelles and
Oribi because of the mush rooming ability.
•
• Hard nose is used for shooting thick skinned animals like Elephant, buffalo, hippo
and Rhino because of their ability to penetrate deeper.
•
• Shooting Ranges
• Firearm Range
• 0 – 22 riffle 1.25 mile (2km)
• 30.06 riffle 5km = 3 mile
• Shot gun pellet 457 metre (500 yards)
• Shot gun slog 2.4km, 1½mile
DEFINITION OF BALLISTICS
• This the study of Ballistics, firearms and the movement of projectiles within and
outside the firearms, the structure of the working mechanism of firearms
behaviour of flying projectiles both in and outside firearms and the effect on the
target.
• IMPORTANCE OF BALLISTICS
• game control, capturing to check for diseases and for marking in wildlife
management technique.
• Conservation
• Protection by law enforcement (anti-poaching)
• Research and Education
• Treatment of Zoo animals include: translocation, routine medical
examination and administering vitamins, antibiotics, hormones or any
other liquid drugs from a safe distance.
• For sport hunting.
Division of Ballistic
FIREARMS DESIGN AND OPERATION RIFFLE
It is the shoulder firearm that fires a single projectile or bullet.
Types of Action
Bolt action riffles are still the most common type for hunting through out the
world.
Bolt action is efficient, reliable and easy to manufacture.
Disadvantage
The total overall length for any given barrel is greater than brake open (shot
gun) action with one or more barrel.
There are three kinds of sporting riffle.
•Semi automatic riffle
•Lever action
•Slide or pump action weapon
The diameter of the balls (pellets) in metres or millimeter (mm) is generally
called the CALIBRE. Caliber 30-06 indicate a 3 inches and an original cartridge
box standardized in 1906. the new caliber 6x47 means a bolt 6mm in
diameter or 0.235 inches and cartridge case 47mm.
THE GUN, ITS PARTS AND FUNCTIONS
A gun is a tube sealed at one end, designed for discharging a missile known as
bullets or pellets. It is so designed to provide maximum safety. Its accuracy is
determined by measurement of the diameter of the typical; grouped fire under
ideal condition.
This measurement is expressed in a Minute of Angle (MOA).
A weapon that can consistently group shots within an inch circle or 2.5cm
diameter at 9 metres or 100 yards MOA or a bit less is considered excellent and
can be used for long range. To have a Minute of Angle (MOA) accurately, a
number of factors are required:
1. The bolt must fit properly and hold the cartridge correctly in the
chamber
2. The bolt must be very straight,
3. The barrels must be properly bedded into the stock i.e. best well fed
When fired, if the weapon set a vibration in the barrel and the pressure is
wrongly placed, it may cause them to go astray and this affects the velocity and
accuracy of the weapon.
4. Sight must be firmly mounted and well aligning with the ball
5. The trigger pull must be cleaned in order to attain fast lock time i.e.
the interval of time from the gear release until the impact of firing pin on the
primer.
Types of ammunition
• The shot guns are shoulder firearms that fire a cluster of shots or pellets as
opposed to a single bullet by a riffle.
• A Hand gun is a small firearm that can be held in one hand. It usually fires a single
projectile or bullet.
• Many sportsmen throughout the world carry a small pistol with them when
hunting or fishing generally Cal. 22mm fire weapon not practiced for use on games
larger than hare or rabbit.
• Pistol have been manufactured as secondary weapons even against dangerous
animals.
• Typical ones are the heavy revolver that takes magnum ammunition of cal. 44.
Further Reading
• Sanford, D.S eds [Link] Management
Techniques Manual. The Wildlife Society
Washington DC
