What is the purpose of rifling in a rifle?

The purpose of rifling in a rifle is to create a series of grooves along the barrel that causes the bullet to spin as it travels down the bore. This spinning motion stabilizes the bullet in flight, similar to how a thrown football spins to maintain a straight trajectory. The spin is critical for enhancing the accuracy of the shot because it helps the bullet resist external forces like wind and gravity, allowing it to maintain a straighter path toward the target.

In contrast, options that suggest increasing bullet speed, adding weight, or lowering the velocity do not accurately reflect the function of rifling. While bullet speed and weight are important factors in ballistics, they are not directly related to rifling’s primary role of improving accuracy through stabilization.