Gun Questions for a Newb

[Sarcon]

I'm saving up my pennies to get my first weapon, I am looking to get a Hunting rifle.
I do not wish to posses any firearm without first being informed about it and it's functionality. it would be very stupid/un-wise/dangerous for me/others to purchase a weapon blindly and expecting to be able to use it off the bat.

so all the following questions i have i know will have different answers for the various application of the firearm (i.e. big-game hunting, small-game/pest control, self-defense, target shooting, caliber size, etc.) so if you could answer the question with a "hunting rifle" application. or if you know of an article(s) that i could read that will answer any of these questions or any other questions that I did not think of or know to ask that would also be very appreciated.

Caliber/Bullet Questions:
- what is the difference in caliber vs. mm and what exactly do they measure

'caliber' is measured in hundredths of an inch, mm is millimeters, and generally they measure the diameter of the interior of the barrel.

- I see rounds such as the "5.56 x 39"... 5.56 is the caliber (I think) what is the second part and how does it affect the round?

First part is diameter, second is length of the cartridge in mm.
There are things like 7.62x39, 7.62x51 and 7.62x54 - same bullet diameter but very different cartridges.

essentially the difference is the longer cases provide for additional powder producing a higher pressure/velocity?

- for big-game hunting application what rifle caliber would you consider as being highly versatile.

Consider Springfield 30'06 - 220grain, British .303 - 180grain, Winchester .308 - 180grain --Based on information I gathered from http://homestudy.ihea.com/ammo/10chooseforgame.htm--

- what are the differences in steel vs. brass?
- in reference to the power, what is grains what types/sizes are there?
- how do the different grains affect the trajectory of the bullet?
- why would you select a higher vs lower grains in the bullet?

Barrel Questions:
- what type of barrels are out there? and what is the difference between them?
- I see ratios in reference to barrels 1:6 - 1:12 I think this is the twist ratio? what does it do and how does it affect the round?

1twist:#inches affects the stability of the round and is based on the weight of the cartridge (in grains) and effective range of the gun per usage (hunting vs target shooting) --based on information I gathered from http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifle_barrel.htm--

- why would one want a higher or lower twist rate what advantage/disadvantage does this have?

the twist rate is a faster twist the lower the ratio(1:10) and a slower twist the higher the ratio (1:14) the faster spin is necessary to stabilize a heavier round, a slower round, and/or a round that is longer (pointy) as compared to a shorter (round nosed) bullets. a standard 30'06 with a 1:10 will be a good stable bullet through 600-1000 yards however for hunting application 1:12 may be more preferable to give it lower pressure and slightly better accuracy at 200-400 yard ranges (yet poor performance at the 600-1000yd range) --based on information I gathered from http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifle_barrel.htm--

- would you select twist ratio depending on the individual round you are firing, or depending on the material the barrel is? or the length of the barrel?

Selected based on the individual round you are firing and practical application range. a .24cal 70-90grain bullet would be good with a 1:12twist however with the heavier .24cal 100grain bullet the 1:9twist is necessary for accuracy/bullet stabilization --based on information I gathered from http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifle_barrel.htm--

- if you have two barrels with the same material and twist ratio, is the one that is 1" longer really have a better accuracy?
- what factors influence your selection of length? (hunting rifle application)

Body/Action Questions:
- what different types of coatings are there and how do they affect the performance of the weapon.
- what is the difference in bolt-action, semi-auto, pump action,single action, and lever action.
- how does the different actions affect the shot of the weapon, what advantages/disadvantages do they each posses (hunting application)
- what is a single vs. double stage trigger? is it a preference thing or does it affect other properties about the gun
- if so, (to the question above) what properties does it affect and the advantages/disadvantages

these are all I can think of right now... I might end up posting more later as I learn more. Thanks in advance!

btw, I have terrible spelling sorry if I got anything wrong, I try to be diligent about this, especially online, but sometimes I miss over things

[Librarian]

Oh my - big list.

Good of you to ask - there has to be a better place to give the whole set, but a couple...

- what is the difference in caliber vs. mm and what exactly do they measure

'caliber' is measured in hundredths of an inch, mm is millimeters, and generally they measure the diameter of the interior of the barrel.

- I see rounds such as the "5.56 x 39"... 5.56 is the caliber (I think) what is the second part and how does it affect the round?

First part is diameter, second is length of the cartridge in mm.

There are things like 7.62x39, 7.62x51 and 7.62x54 - same bullet diameter but very different cartridges.

Try this web page: http://homestudy.ihea.com/glossary_fa.htm

In fact, probably could benefit from reading through the course - http://homestudy.ihea.com/contents.htm. Didn't know that was out there...

ETA Wikipedia, as Uriah02 suggests: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossar...ms_terminology

MidwayUSA glossary linked from Wikipedia

American Firearms Institute

Cornered Cat

Ruger has some videos available for free

And since you note you're in Silicon Valley, a class from Bayprofs might be a good idea

[Uriah02]

At least half of those questions could be adequately explained by wikipedia. The others are complex enough that it would be easier to date quadruplets without them finding out than it would be to accurately discuss each issue on the same thread.

[Mad Jax]

Holy cow Batman, lots of good questions and there are plenty of answers to go with them. Maybe break the questions up a little to prevent an overflow of answers it could get confusing....Have you ever been shooting before? When you say purchase a weapon for hunting, what is it that you plan on hunting? These little questions could help give you simple answers then build up to the more complex ones. Ammo questions can be answered after you have narrowed down the to firearm you select. Hang on tight this is going to be a long ride. And welcome to calguns....

[tonelar]

What game are you thinking of hunting? Do you want your new rifle to fill other roles? Or do you
want it to be able to take a variety of prey?

[newglockster]

This site has a TON of pretty good info about hunting rifles! http://www.chuckhawks.com/index2.guns.htm

[stix213]

Here's some short answers:

Start here for many of the ammo questions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caliber

Grains is a measure of bullet weight. You'll need to take a college physics class for a complete explanation of how that affects bullet performance. Why you would choose a different weight bullet depends on what you are trying to accomplish with your firearm.

Barrel length is important to allow the powder behind the bullet to fully burn before the bullet exits the barrel. A 9" barreled AR in .223 for example would be an awesome size for going into and out of vehicles, but would have lower bullet velocity out of the muzzle due to the fact not all the gun powder was able to burn before leaving the barrel.

Rifle twist rates are important for bullet stabilization. Different twist rates can stabilize different size bullets. Research your specific firearm and bullet type for the optimal twist rates for it. This is a common topic in the centerfire forum, so you should just start searching through old threads there instead of asking people to explain it again.

what is the difference in bolt-action, semi-auto, pump action,single action, and lever action.

- Dude, start doing some google searches. This is really easy information to find. Its kinda like hopping onto a car forum and asking people to explain the difference between an automatic and manual transmission when you just need to type it into google once.

Really for any other questions the answers are already posted either on calguns or elsewhere. Start doing your homework. Good luck

[chim-chim7]

Weird, by the lingo he is using to form questions sounds like he is aldeady well informed. Those are usually not noob questions.

[Sarcon]

What game are you thinking of hunting? Do you want your new rifle to fill other roles? Or do you
want it to be able to take a variety of prey?

Big game. Deer, Elk, Bear, and Hog don't think I'll get into antelope, big horn sheep, or caribou.


as far as the different types of actions, i understand the differences between them, it was a poorly worded question for the answer that i was trying to find. it's not necessarily about the difference in functionality, it's more of a why are almost all hunting rifles I see mostly bolt action and fewer semi auto, and rarely do i see or hear about the other action types being used for hunting.

[Sarcon]

Weird, by the lingo he is using to form questions sounds like he is aldeady well informed. Those are usually not noob questions.

I try to do homework before I asked questions here, the information I found was informative to a point.
take the barrel twist ratio question. I understand that a rifle has rifling that will spin the bullet as it flies through the air to keep it stable and fly in a relatively straight path, as opposed to a civil-war musket for example.
what i didn't find an answer to was what is the ratio comparing? is it 1in:9twists? 1twist:9inches? 1meter:9litres? what is the ratio comparing and why would two 30'06 rifles have different twist ratios when they use the same bullet/case?

[Librarian]

Generally, bolt-actions are very accurate, and for many kinds of hunting a really fast follow-up shot isn't necessary (presuming the hunter hits point of aim), because most things hunted are not threats at usual hunting distance.

Lever actions are pretty common deer hunting guns in the midwest, don't know about CA.

Bear and hog? Those are (or can be) threats, for sure!

[Sarcon]

Generally, bolt-actions are very accurate

do you know what properties about the gun make it more accurate?

[Librarian]

Now THAT is a question for the centerfire rifles forum!
(not my area - I sort of know but I'd have to go there and read for myself; you might as well get the info from folks who already know )

[joelogic]

Shooter makes the most difference. Gun only, barrel and trigger. But dont forget ammo is important too.

do you know what properties about the gun make it more accurate?

[GrizzlyGuy]

I try to do homework before I asked questions here, the information I found was informative to a point.
take the barrel twist ratio question. I understand that a rifle has rifling that will spin the bullet as it flies through the air to keep it stable and fly in a relatively straight path, as opposed to a civil-war musket for example.
what i didn't find an answer to was what is the ratio comparing? is it 1in:9twists? 1twist:9inches? 1meter:9litres? what is the ratio comparing and why would two 30'06 rifles have different twist ratios when they use the same bullet/case?

See here:

The rates of twist below are expressed as "one complete turn in so many inches" (i.e. 1 in 9", 1 in 10", etc.).

do you know what properties about the gun make it more accurate?

For a new shooter, YOU will be the #1 property that determines accuracy (i.e. your technique). I think that you'll find near universal agreement on that point. As to the properties of the rifle itself... lots of factors and varying opinions as to what is more or less important. The basics include quality of the barrel, trigger, type of action, bedding, ammo type and quality, etc.

The good news about being a new shooter is that you have an opportunity to learn the fundamentals (of your technique) correctly from day 1, as opposed to later having to break bad habits. This article at Snipershide is a good one on the basics. Their online training is worth subscribing to once you have a rifle and can at least practice via dry firing.