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Balistics, or ballistics, is the science that studies the motion, behavior, and effects of projectiles. The field is commonly divided into internal ballistics (what happens inside the firearm before the projectile leaves the barrel), external ballistics (the flight of the projectile from muzzle to target), and terminal ballistics (the impact and aftermath after contact with the target). Related subfields include forensic ballistics, which investigates connections between weapons, ammunition, and projectiles, and computational or experimental ballistics, which use models and tests to predict outcomes.

Internal ballistics analyzes chamber pressures, burn rates of propellants, ignition, and how these factors influence muzzle velocity and barrel wear. External ballistics focuses on the trajectory, considering gravity, aerodynamic drag, wind, spin stability, and other environmental factors. The ballistic coefficient is a key parameter that describes a bullet’s resistance to drag and is used to compare flight performance across designs. Terminal ballistics studies wound formation, penetration, fragmentation, and energy transfer, often using surrogate materials to simulate tissue and armor.

Historically, ballistics evolved from the study of missiles and archery to the development of gunpowder weapons, artillery, and modern firearms. Measurement tools such as chronographs, rifles with rifled barrels, and standard testing procedures underpin data collection. Ballistics data are compiled in reference handbooks and standardized test protocols, enabling designers to optimize ammunition and firearms and allowing forensic analysis to match bullets to weapons.

Today, ballistics integrates experimental testing with computational methods, including computational fluid dynamics and finite-element analysis, to model performance under diverse conditions. The field informs military, law enforcement, sporting, and scientific applications while remaining a core topic in the study of projectile motion.