Rating: 
Summary: Great book if you understand its limitations
Review: As an engineer, I bought this book thinking it would give me enough math and equations to make my own calculations. In that respect, it falls flat on its face. What few equations there are are so poorly typeset that they are rendered useless. Some of the equations include constants that require use of certain units, but these are not often made clear.This book, however, covers an amazing array of topics at a level that's good for someone without a desire to implement the math. The writing is in a very "folksy" style that makes some of the topics go down more easily, although the whole book is in need of editing. I would think that most gun enthusiasts would benefit from this book. It adequately answers many questions that I see raised again and again, such as why heavier bullets from a handgun hit higher on the target. The terminal ballistics section is a small part of the book and a very cursory discussion, although it was a large part of another reviewer's complaint. The subject of terminal ballistics is so full of debate and emotion that no treatment of the subject is going to go by without criticism. Many of the figures are poorly hand-drawn illustrations. I would like to see another edition with "to Advanced" dropped from the title, any attempt to introduce math dropped altogether, editing for spelling, grammar and clear presentation, and with illustrations by an artist. And in deference to the other reviewers, perhaps updated with the latest research in terminal ballistics. With these changes, this book would be an even better introduction that I would recommend to all gun owners who are not interested in implementing the math.
Rating:
Summary: Great book if you understand its limitations
Review: As an engineer, I bought this book thinking it would give me enough math and equations to make my own calculations. In that respect, it falls flat on its face. What few equations there are are so poorly typeset that they are rendered useless. Some of the equations include constants that require use of certain units, but these are not often made clear. This book, however, covers an amazing array of topics at a level that's good for someone without a desire to implement the math. The writing is in a very "folksy" style that makes some of the topics go down more easily, although the whole book is in need of editing. I would think that most gun enthusiasts would benefit from this book. It adequately answers many questions that I see raised again and again, such as why heavier bullets from a handgun hit higher on the target. The terminal ballistics section is a small part of the book and a very cursory discussion, although it was a large part of another reviewer's complaint. The subject of terminal ballistics is so full of debate and emotion that no treatment of the subject is going to go by without criticism. Many of the figures are poorly hand-drawn illustrations. I would like to see another edition with "to Advanced" dropped from the title, any attempt to introduce math dropped altogether, editing for spelling, grammar and clear presentation, and with illustrations by an artist. And in deference to the other reviewers, perhaps updated with the latest research in terminal ballistics. With these changes, this book would be an even better introduction that I would recommend to all gun owners who are not interested in implementing the math.
Rating: 
Summary: If you use firearms you need this book
Review: By way of background, I use firearms every day- for work, hunting and recreation. I thought I had a very considerable knowledge of ballistics-both "in flight" and terminal, but then I read this book. It has information on everything connected to the way a bullet behaves, and covers the most obscure topics imaginable. Want to know how a rain drop affects a bullet? Its here. Want to know how many revolutions pre second your pistol bullet is going? Its here. Want information on whether a light load for your 7mm magnum will cause a detonation? Its here (it does, actually). My only gripe is the type setting is extremeley dense, with poor paragraphing occasionally. In places this can make it hard to read, particularly with some of the more technical topics. Overall however, anyone who is interested in the technical side of shooting should own this. Its a gem.
Rating:
Summary: If you use firearms you need this book
Review: By way of background, I use firearms every day- for work, hunting and recreation. I thought I had a very considerable knowledge of ballistics-both "in flight" and terminal, but then I read this book. It has information on everything connected to the way a bullet behaves, and covers the most obscure topics imaginable. Want to know how a rain drop affects a bullet? Its here. Want to know how many revolutions pre second your pistol bullet is going? Its here. Want information on whether a light load for your 7mm magnum will cause a detonation? Its here (it does, actually). My only gripe is the type setting is extremeley dense, with poor paragraphing occasionally. In places this can make it hard to read, particularly with some of the more technical topics. Overall however, anyone who is interested in the technical side of shooting should own this. Its a gem.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't buy nor read this book...
Review: Don't buy nor read this book (if you didn't flunk math ofcourse, then it is valuable). It provides far less information than Robet McCoy's book on the subject. The only part I found at least amusing was the preface, it described ballistics in an almost erotic way. But if you want to know the details about the forces acting on an airborn projectile - forget this title!
Rating:
Summary: Not What It Purports To Be
Review: I bought this book based on the reviews on this site and what information I could glean from the sample pages. However it did not meet my needs in the following way :- There is insufficient information in the book to derive a basic trajectory table from a few given parameters which are normally available to a reloader i.e. ballistic coefficient, muzzle velocity, sight height and zero range. I have since found what I need, which is very simple set of formulae by Professor Pejsa. I am not saying this book is worthless, it has a wealth of interesting information. However it is described on the cover as "Basic to Advanced Ballistics" - I think the middle two words of that phrase are inappropriate. I am not sure what Mr Rinker's mathematical abilities are, but he certainly doesn't have much confidence in his readers' maths. I would have thought that most people with an interest in ballistics would have an interest in maths and physics, so am not sure who the target audience is.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing else compares in this field
Review: I don't know of another comparable text for laymen to advanced laymen to read on ballistics. It is marred by two things. Lots and lots of typo's. Most you see what was supposed to be printed, but you wonder during some explanations if there are typo's you aren't aware of being there. There are a few other errors.
The other is Rinker has a chip on his shoulder for large portions of the book. Don't get me wrong, the info, explanation and understanding conveyed to the reader are priceless. But the attitude is a detraction. Though I must say he is right for the most part about why he has that chip on his shoulder.
If you only have on book on ballistics, this is the one to get.
Rating:
Summary: Good Resource - Big Disappointment!
Review: I give Mr. Rinker and his book a double thumbs up for tackling such an unfathomable subject and doing so succinctly. Mr. Rinker does an excellent job of surveying the topic and going slightly below the surface to give the reader a peek into the complexity and controversy of ballistics. I believe every person who reloads their own ammunition should read this text at least twice before attempting to reload. Most reloaders understand the "process" of reloading (i.e. the "steps") but fail to comprehend the "dynamics" of what is going on inside the cartridge and chamber when they pull the trigger on one of their creations. Also those who hunt would be well served if they would learn about the principles of external ballistics as it would better facilitate less wounded game and more humane harvests. Once these concepts are understood a hunter would recognize both his/her limitations as well as their cartridge of choice. However, this treatise is a big disappointment namely in three areas: First, Mr. Rinker undermines his credibiity as an "expert" with his ignorance and misuse of the most basic of firearms nomenclature. For example on pages 372 & 373 he refers to a 9mm semi-automatic pistol's 'magazine' as a "clip." Not once but twice he calls it a "clip." There is a substantial mechanical and empirical difference between a 'magazine' and a "clip" and one would think that an expert like Mr. Rinker would know the difference. The differences are clarified in every basic handgun safety class taught across the country. So, if he is sloppy with such a simple "easy" reference here, then one must question where else is he sloppy in his work? Second, in the Terminial Ballistics section/chapters, he gives us some insight into his complete lack of understanding of defensive small arms tactics & training for law enforcement and what transpires on the street when someone is under extreme stress fighting for their lives. He also obviously hasn't attended a credible defensive handgun training course in recent years or he would have know what was being taught in 1999 (Third Edition) as far as judicious use of deadly force and what is required to "stop" a threat. For someone who has allegedly "displayed" a firearm to stop a threat one would think the author fully understands the Tachy-Psyche Effect and what happens to a person who is being violently attacked. For example on the one hand he explains, in detail, the ineffectiveness of handgun rounds in stopping a motivated human being who is threatening another. He invests almost a full page to a 1977 officer involved shooting when a rookie female police officer is killed by a drug crazed man who took 10 rounds from 38 Special +Ps from her revolver and her partners. During this altercation the threat kept fighting and fighting with her partner even though he had mulitple "life threatening" hits from the +Ps .38s. He comments about how ineffective handgun rounds are in stopping motivated human threats. Then he goes on to make an unsupported statement: "Now-days, it is commom for an officer to empty a 13 round clip (sic) toward someone generally spraying the area . . ." criticizing police officers for shooting multiple rounds (from an "ineffective tool") in order to stop a threat. Amazing! He just got done telling the readers how ineffective handgun are and then he critizes officers for shooting multiple times trying to stop a threat. Also, he should have backed his off the cuff statement with actual data! Had he consulted and quoted actual officer involved shootings such as is recorded in the NYPD SOP #9 to ascertain what is actually going instead of making blanket statements that officers are doing "this or that." Mr. Rinker would have served us better had he consulted an expert on the dynamics of a gunfight or had he attended a school such as Gunsite, Thunder Ranch, Defensive Training International, Oregon Firearms Academy, or Lethal Force Institute before writing this section. Finally, his often writes in riddles and circles causing serious frustration as one is trying to comprehend "weighty" forumlas or concepts. Several times he flat out contradicts himself in an attempt to make the concept easier to grasp. Part of the problem is he isn't consistant with his prose. He tries very diligently to introduce a concept then state it and re-state it to make it clearer. Often he just "muddys" thing up making it worse. For those of us who are not a "cranial powerhouse" it may take several readings of one page to fully grasp what it is he is trying to make clearer. Overall, this is an fine resource and is a handy text for those who reload or are curious about an indepth introduction into ballistics.
Rating:
Summary: Good Resource - Big Disappointment!
Review: I got three or four chapters into this text and had to stop. As an engineering student I am fairly well versed in physics and mechanics; Rinker takes leaps of faith and liberties with the laws of physics that he has no right to. I recall one passage where he simply asks us to ignore the fact that a velocity term is squared. How absurd. This, combined with the feeling that the book was never edited (spelling and grammar errors, as well as typos abound) forced me to stop reading
Rating: 
Summary: Newton would roll over in his grave
Review: I got three or four chapters into this text and had to stop. As an engineering student I am fairly well versed in physics and mechanics; Rinker takes leaps of faith and liberties with the laws of physics that he has no right to. I recall one passage where he simply asks us to ignore the fact that a velocity term is squared. How absurd. This, combined with the feeling that the book was never edited (spelling and grammar errors, as well as typos abound) forced me to stop reading
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