muzzle velocity

American  

noun

Ordnance.

1. the speed of a projectile, usually expressed in feet or meters per second, as it leaves the muzzle of a gun.

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muzzle velocity British  

noun

1. the velocity of a projectile as it leaves a firearm's muzzle

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Etymology

Origin of muzzle velocity

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

A shorter barrel will reduce some muzzle velocity.

From Washington Post

A paintball pellet may have a muzzle velocity of about 300 feet per second, about one third that of many pistols.

From Washington Post

By comparison, a .50-caliber round fired from a sniper rifle has a muzzle velocity of less than 900 meters a second.

From Washington Post

Gabor has proposed a more realistic definition of assault weapons that takes an objective, scientific approach based on lethality - as well as relevant factors like caliber, muzzle velocity, rate of fire, capacity and design flexibility.

From Washington Times

In his Dec. 21 op-ed, “Speaking my mind on guns torpedoed my appointment,” Dean L. Winslow stated that it is hard for civilians to control assault-style weapons because of the “high muzzle velocities.”

From Washington Post