Preview: Ammunition, Demystified

by
posted on May 19, 2024
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
Ammunition, Demystified

Billed as “Hatcher’s Notebook for the 21st century,” Ammunition, Demystified: The (Non) Bubba’s Guide To How Ammo Really Works is intended for both advanced shooters and reloaders, as well as industry professionals.

Jeff Siewert, the author, worked as a ballistics engineer since 1979 and has focused on virtually every chambering from .17-cal. airgun pellets to 8" howitzer shells. Sections and sub-sections of the book drill down into individual components and concepts, covering topics such as case geometry, interior ballistics, ammunition/weapon interactions and gun barrel considerations.

Highly technical information in each section is softened through the inclusion of helpful, entertaining anecdotes from Siewert’s professional career, lightening what otherwise is a dense text intended for those seeking a better understanding of ammunition and how it interacts with firearms.

MSRP is $43. Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Latest

firing a musket rifle
firing a musket rifle

Today’s Makers of Yesterday’s Firearms

Original firearms from the American Revolution era are valuable and best preserved for posterity. For those who want to shoot them, several modern makers offer quality reproductions.

Left Turn (Bolt): Tikka's New Left-Handed T3x Ace Rifles

Lefties of the world unite and rejoice, as Tikka has announced left-hand versions of its award-winning T3x Ace chassis rifles.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 14, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Skills Check: Rifle Standard Delta 2

Carbine performance is all about maintaining control. The Rifle Standard Delta 2 is a drill that pressures recoil control, visual discipline and cadence as distance decreases and time compresses.

Gun Sales Up for the 7th Month in a Row in 2026

The National Shooting Sports Foundation’s (NSSF) estimate of last month’s gun sales was up 2.2 percent compared to August 2025.

Caring For & Feeding Your Cap-and-Ball Revolvers

Compared to pistoleros of the 19th century, today’s handgunners have it easy. It's not enough just to get an old-school, cap-and-ball revolver. You also need to acquire everything to shoot and clean it.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.