ok I shall explain- Arma configs use the 'inheritance' system you described. If you look at the main weapons configs, and follow this tree of inheretance back far enough, you will find that large amounts of default data are in the classes - riflecore, and bulletcore, including the default recoils amongst other things. Obviously in order to complete my database I need this default data. addon configs only specify ways in which their gun is 'different' from the class - rifle. i.e. ak47 = rifle, rifle = riflecore.
class cfgWeapons {
class Default; // External class reference
class PistolCore; // External class reference
class RifleCore; // External class reference
class MGunCore; // External class reference
class LauncherCore; // External class reference
class GrenadeCore; // External class reference
class CannonCore; // External class reference
external yes... but where?!