Part 3 of A Ballistics Guide for Geeks, Writers, and Geeky Writers: Stability and Recoil

Posted on July 2, 2012 by The Clockwork Doctor

Welcome back all! In last week’s episode we talked about external ballistics, and the forces that affect a projectile in flight. We also talked about those same projectiles flying around on Mars, in outer space, and on planets made of bubblegum. This week we’ll discuss stability of a projectile, and the things we can do to limit the effect those forces have on the projectile’s flight.

So what can we do to help them out? obviously we want to hit our target and Mother Nature (or other resident natural deity on whatever sci-fi world you’re writing) is doing her damnedest to make sure we miss. We have to find some way stabilizing our projectile, to make it less susceptible to outside forces. Here’s what would happen if we fired a projectile with no means of improving stability, as it flies, minute disturbances and inequalities in forces applied cause it to tumble. This video comes from YouTube user vidaday, and is awesome.

Continue reading →

An Introduction to Ballistics for Geeks, Writers, and Geeky Writers: Part 2 of Many

Posted on June 29, 2012 by The Clockwork Doctor

Welcome back! Today, let’s talk about external ballistics.

Bullet coming from S&W by Niels Noordhoek

Anything and everything on earth is affected by gravity. Objects fall towards the earth at a constant rate, known as the gravitational constant (9.8 m/s²) . I hear those sci-fi writers again. Yes, if we were on the moon, or Mars, or somewhere else, that constant would be different, and the ballistic flight will be different, but let’s get there in a bit shall we? Impatient Sci-Fi writers! As a quick reference, Moon Gravity is roughly 1/6th that of earth, and Mars is roughly 1/3. Newton tells us that an object in motion remains in motion unless acted upon by an outside force. So in a theoretical, gravity free environment, the projectile would just keep going straight, in the last direction it was propelled. Of course, Gravity isn’t the only thing that affects a projectile. The medium it flies in also plays a big part, by adding drag. The air itself slows the projectile down. In a vacuum there would be no aerodynamic drag, and the projectile would keep its velocity, until acted upon by something else.

That Newton guy is everywhere isn’t he?

Continue reading →

An Introduction to Ballistics for Geeks, Writers, and Geeky Writers: Part 1 of Many

Posted on June 28, 2012 by The Clockwork Doctor

Photo by BWJones (Bryan Jones) on flickr

So what is ballistics, and why should I care, right? What could this possibly have to do with me, you ask? It is an interesting science, and one that I have devoted many hours to studying. My goal in writing this down is simple: To keep learning as I write, and to share what I’ve learned with you all. I’m not trying to turn you all into ballisticians or long-range shooters, merely to give you nuggets of knowledge to tuck away in the back of your brain. I’m also not claiming to be the be all and end all expert on all matters related to physics, guns and ballistics. I’m merely your guide on this journey, through a topic I happen to study passionately. I’ve spent years studying and working in this field, and have learned a lot, with decades of learning still ahead of me. As a teacher of mine once said after a long, hard course, “Congratulations, you now know enough to be dangerous.”

Plus, you never know when in your next story/book/audio drama one character might pick up a gun, and one of these little nuggets of knowledge will shove their way to the front of your brain and help complete a scene in a believable way. Or at the very least, maybe your next game of trivial pursuit will ask you some physics question and you win! Let’s dive into it then, and see where we end up.

Continue reading →

The Clockwork Doctor: An introduction.

Posted on June 23, 2012 by The Clockwork Doctor

Greetings Nutcases, this is the Clockwork Doctor. Nuchtchas has been kind enough to grant me some space on her blog, so this will act as my quaint little home, nestled in between the tubes of the Internet; My little oasis in the digital aether.

A brief introduction then, yes? I’ve been known on the internet as Tek for over a decade now. I’m happily married to the Mighty Nuchtchas herself, and live in New Brunswick Canada in my geeky paradise of a house. Computers, models, NERF guns, real guns, more computers, a ~lot~ of video games, and a growing collection of steampunk accessories fill the house and threaten to take over more than a few rooms. Honestly, who knew a mechanical Italian doctor would come with so much luggage?

I am a Sergeant (E6 for the Americans in the audience) Weapons Technician with the Canadian Armed Forces. I’ve served for 14 years, had 2 tours to Afghanistan, and have worked on everything from pistols to tanks to gatling guns, and almost everything in between. Deep in my heart though, I’ll always be a geek. I love machines, I love guns, and I love talking about machines and guns. This is what I hope to share with you all in these little posts: My passion.

So what am I going to talk about exactly? I don’t know yet, I haven’t thought that far ahead. My first thought is to write a bit of a beginner ballistics guide. I’ll discuss some terms, some myths, and show you all some neat math, I hope. I certainly don’t expect this to be everyone’s cup of tea. Discussing ballistics, or physics or engineering is a dry topic at the best of times, so I’ll try to keep it light, and fun.

Hopefully you’ll stick around and watch what happens, Stay tuned!

Nutty Bites 29: Favorite Apocalypse

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Nuchtchas

Where in which I gather the usual crew and a special guest star “Prof. Brainfever” to discuss what’s on everyone’s mind for 2012, the Apocalypse. Somehow the conversation gets derailed and taken over by Tek and Brainfever…. the last ten minutes make me laugh so much. Enjoy!