Theoretical method for determining aerodynamic drag coefficient based on similar bullet samples

Abstract

When a bullet moves in the air, due to the mutual impact between the bullet and air elements, aerodynamic drag is generated, reducing the bullet's range. The drag value depends on many factors and is determined through testing. In calculating exterior ballistics, the drag value is often estimated through the bullet shape coefficient. That leads to many errors compared to reality. With the desire to determine exterior ballistics problem to optimize the design, the paper presents a theoretical method to determine the drag value using the finite element method through a similar bullet type that has been tested. The paper has calculated and determined the exterior ballistic parameters of the newly designed bullet for design calculations. The calculation results deviate no more than 5%  from the test results.