Washington State Hunters Ed Practice Exam

What effect does rifling have on a bullet when fired?

1. Spin

2. Detonate

3. Drop

4. Stabilize horizontally

The correct answer is: Spin

Rifling refers to the spiral grooves cut into the interior of a firearm's barrel. When a bullet is fired through a rifled barrel, the grooves engage with the bullet, causing it to spin rapidly around its axis. This spin is crucial because it imparts gyroscopic stability to the bullet during its flight, helping it maintain a straight trajectory and improving accuracy. The spin generated by the rifling allows the bullet to cut through the air more effectively, reducing wobble and drift, which can be caused by wind or other factors. This increased stability is essential for accurate long-range shooting, as it allows the shooter to hit targets more precisely. The other options do not accurately describe the effects of rifling. While a bullet may drop due to gravity as it travels, that is not directly related to rifling. Detonation is not relevant here, as rifling does not cause the bullet to explode; it merely influences its flight path. Similarly, while stabilization is a factor, it is not typically referred to as horizontal stabilization in the context of rifling; it refers to overall flight stability rather than a specific direction. Therefore, the main effect of rifling is to create spin, enhancing the bullet's accuracy and stability in flight.