Module 4

Ammunitions

Objectives:
1. Define ammunitions.
2. Identify the various types of ammunitions used in the different type of
firearms.
3. Determine the different parts of an ammunition.

Ammunitions

A cartridge or ammunition, is a single unit of ammunition. For a modern

small arms cartridge this is the combination of bullet, propellant, primer, and
cartridge case in a single unit. It refers to loaded shell for rifles, muskets, carbines,
shotguns, revolvers, and pistols from which a bullet, ball, shot, shell and other
missiles maybe fired by means of gunpowder or other explosives. This term also
includes ammunition for air rifle as mentioned elsewhere in this code. (Sec. 877.
Revised Administrative Code)

Technically speaking:

A round of ammunition refers to a single, live, unfired cartridge comprising

the missile, cartridge case, propellant and some form of primer. The term is also
applied to live blank and tear - gas ammunition. The primer is basically the means
used for igniting the propellant.

Ammunition refers to a group of cartridge or to a single cartridge. Cartridge is a

complete unfired unit consisting of bullet (ball), primer, Cartridge case (shell), and
gun powderi.

• In rimfire ammunition, the explosive priming compound is spun into the hollow
rim of the cartridge case.

• In center fire ammunition, there is a small cup, called a primer cap, containing
the priming compound. This priming cap is inserted into a recess in the center of
the cartridge case.
• In percussion weapons, there is a small cup, very similar to the primer cap,
which contains the priming compound and fits onto a hollow nipple screwed into
the breech end of the barrel.

Parts of Ammunition:
1. Bullet- the projectile/missile propelled through the barrel of the firearm by
means of the expansion of hot gases/force of gasses caused by the burning
of gunpowder.
2. Cartridge case- the tubular metallic container which holds the gunpowder,
the primer cap and the bullet.
3. Gunpowder- A chemical or mixture of chemicals which, when ignited,
produce a very large quantity of gas. This gas, when confined within a
barrel and behind a missile, provides the propulsion to drive the missile
down the bore and out of the barrelii.
The powder charge which, when ignited by the primer by the primer flash,
is converted to heated gas under high pressure and propels the bullet of
shots charge to the barrel and to the targetiii.
Also define as the propellant or powder charge is the mixture of chemicals
of various compositions designed to propel the projectile by means of its
expansive force of gases when it is burnediv.
4. Primer- Basically the means for igniting the propellant
The metallic cup containing the highly sensitive mixture of chemical
compound, which when hit or struck by the firing pin would ignite.
Is the ignition system containing a highly sensitive chemical compound that
would easily ignite or burst into flame when struck by the firing pin.
 Cartridge Components
• Primer - volatile compound that ignites
when struck by the gun’s firing pin.
– detonates the propellant in the cartridge.
• Propellant = gunpowder
– forms gases, which push the bullet out of
the cartridge and the gun barrel.
• The casing is left behind and does not
propel with the bullet.

General Types of Ammunition

1. Dummy Model- a replica of a genuine cartridge, a type of cartridge which
merely resembles the genuine.
2. Blank Ammunition- a type of cartridge without a bullet, containing
gunpowder that is designed to generate a loud noise to indicate firing.
Usually used for Ceremony, film making, theatrical performance or
trainings.
3. Live Ammunition- this term is application for complete unit of unfired
cartridge.
Types of Ammunition According to the Location of the Primer
a. Pin Fire- a type of cartridge in which the ignition cap is concealed in the
cartridge case and has a pin resting upon, the pin protrudes through the
side of the case.
Introduced to the United Kingdom at the Great Exhibition in London in
1851 by Lefaucheux, the pinfire weapon was one of the earliest true breech
- loading weapons using a self - contained cartridge in which the propellant,
missile and primer were all held together in a brass case. In this system, the
percussion cup was inside the cartridge case whilst a pin, which rested on
the percussion cup, protruded through the side of the cartridge case.
Striking the pin with the weapons hammer drove the pin into the priming
compound causing it to detonate and so ignite the main propellant charge.
 b. Rim Fire- a type of cartridge in which the primer is located at the hollow
rim of the case, it can be fired by the firing pin hitting the rim (cavity rim).
Cartridge with a thin - walled base flange containing the priming
compound.
c. Center Fire-a type of cartridge in which the primer is located at the center
of the base of the cartridge case, the priming mixture exploded by the
impact of the firing pin on the primer cap.
Cartridge with a cup containing the priming composition located in a cavity
in the center of the cartridge head.
In rimfire ammunition, the explosive priming compound is spun into the
hollow rim of the cartridge case. •
In center fire ammunition, there is a small cup, called a primer cap,
containing the priming compound. This priming cap is inserted into a recess
in the center of the cartridge case.
In percussion weapons, there is a small cup, very similar to the primer cap,
which contains the priming compound and fi ts onto a hollow nipple
screwed into the breech end of the barrel.

AMMUNITION COMPONENTS
A live cartridge case has a live, unfired, primer, but there is no propellant or
bullet present.
 Activity #6
1. Define Ammunition;
a. Legally

b. Technically

2. What are the different parts of ammunition?

3. Discuss the function of the different parts of ammunition.

4. What are the general types of ammunitions?

 Module 5
Cartridges Case
Objectives
1. Define cartridge case.
2. Determine the functions of a cartridge case.
3. Identify the different type of cartridge case.

Cartridge Case
A cartridge case refers to the shell and primer and does not include the
bullet; it can be either a fired cartridge case or a live cartridge case. A live
cartridge case has a live, unfired, primer, but there is no propellant or bullet
present. The case holds a bullet, a small amount of exploding primer powder, and
the gunpowder. The cartridge case formed over to hold the components
together.

Cartridges cases/shell functions as follows;

 It holds the bullet, gunpowder and primer
 It serves as a waterproof container for the gunpowder
 It prevent the escape of gases to the rear
Parts of a Cartridge Case

a) Base-the bottom portion of the cartridge case which contains the head
stamp marking on the base of the shell/cartridge case which comprises the
caliber, manufacturer, and some cases including the date, trade name, and
batch number.

b) Rim- the part of the cartridge case designed to limit the forward movement
of the cartridge to the chamber.
c) Extracting grooves- the circular groove near the rim of the shell designed
for automatic withdrawal of the case from the chamber.
d) Primer pockets-that part of the cartridge case which provides the means
for the primer to be in place. It hold the primer in place and provide means
to prevent the escape of gases and provide support for the primer anvil.
e) Body- the cylindrical part of the cartridge case which houses the
gunpowder.
f) Shoulder-the part of the cartridge case which supports the neck, this is
evident in bottle neck type of cartridges.
g) Cannelure- the cylindrical groove in the outer surface of the cartridge case
designed to secure the cartridge case to the chamber and to prevent the
bullet from being pushed down inside the case.
located on the portion of the bullet inside the cartridge case.
A groove round the bearing surface of a bullet for either crimping the
mouth of the cartridge case or to hold bullet lubricantv.
h) Neck-the part of the case which is occupied by the bullet.
i) Crimp- the cylindrical groove on the mouth of the case designed to hold the
bullet and prevent it from being pulled out from the cartridge case and
Secondly, it is designed to offer resistance to the bullet out of the neck to
ensure the burning of the gunpowder.
j) Vent or Flash Hole-the hole of the bottom of the primer pocket that serves
as the passage way for the priming mixture to impart an ignition to the
gunpowder.
The cartridge case can be subdivided further into five categories according to the
configuration of its base

(i) Rimmed. These have a flange at the base which is larger than the diameter of
the body of the cartridge case. This flange is to enable the cartridge to be
extracted from the weapon in which it is used. When describing rifle ammunition
and the metric method of designating the ammunition is used, these are often
identified by an ‘ R ’after the case length measurement, that is, 7 × 57 mmR. The
vast majority of revolvers are designed for use with rimmed ammunition.

(ii) Semi - rimmed. These have a flange which is slightly larger than the diameter
of the cartridge case and a groove around the case body just in front of the
flange. When describing rifle ammunition and the metric system is used, these
are identified by SR in the cartridge designation.

(iii) Rimless. In these, the flange diameter is the same as the case body and there
is, for extraction purposes, a groove around the case body just in front of the
flange. There is generally no letter system to designate this cartridge base type.
Self - loading pistols are almost invariably designed for use with semi - rimmed or
rimless ammunition.

(iv) Rebated. This has an extractor fl ange which is less than the diameter of the
cartridge case. The designation used in the metric system is ‘ RB ’ . This type of
cartridge case configuration tends to be reserved for high - powered cannon
ammunition.

(v) Belted case. These have a pronounced raised belt encircling the base of the
cartridge. This belt is for additional strength in high - pressure cartridges. The
metric designation is ‘ B ’ . This type of cartridge case is generally only found in
very high - powered rifle cartridges or military cannon ammunition.
Types of Cartridge Case
Cartridge Case Types Cartridge cases generally come in one of three Shapes:

1. Straight cased, where the case diameter is approximately the same along its
length. This type of cartridge case are usually found on cartridge used in
automatic weapon

2. Bottle -necked, where a wide - bodied case is, just before the case mouth,
reduced in diameter to that of the bullet. This permits a very much larger volume
of propellant to be used, and consequently higher velocities to be obtained, than
in straight - sided cases. These types of cartridge are commonly found in
ammunitions for rifles.

3. Tapered case, where a wide - based cartridge case is gradually reduced in

diameter along its length. These tend to be in old European sporting rifle caliber
and are seldom encountered. These types of cartridge case are similar to a flower
vase. Usually found in caliber .22 magnum-jet
Tapered type
 Activity #7
1. What is a cartridge case?

2. What are the functions of a cartridge case?

3. What are the different types of cartridge case according to shapes?

 Module 6
Bullet

Objectives
1. Define a bullet.
2. Determine the different type and classification of bullets.
3. Identify bullet compositions and design.

Bullet
Bullets are hard projectiles propelled by a firearm, sling or air gun and is
normally made from metal. Most bullet does not contain explosives, but damages
the intended target by tissue or mechanical disruption through impact or
penetration. The term bullet is sometimes erroneously used to refer to a
cartridge, which is the combination of bullet, casing (case or shell), gunpowder
and primer.
"Bullet" is derived from the French word "boulette" which roughly means
"little ball". The original musket bullet was a spherical lead ball two sizes smaller
than the bore, wrapped in a loosely-fitted paper patch which served to hold the
bullet in the barrel firmly upon the powder.

The word "bullet" is sometimes erroneously used to refer to a cartridge,

which is the combination of bullet, casing (case or shell), gunpowder and primer.
The history of bullets far predates the history of firearms. Originally, bullets were
metallic or stone balls used in a sling as a weapon and for hunting.
 Sling bullets with a winged
thunderbolt engraved on one side and the inscription “take that” on the other
side. Lead, 4th century BC. From Athens.

A bullet refers to the missile alone. It can be either a fired bullet or an

unfired bullet. Pellets can be either the individual lead or steel balls found in
shotgun ammunition, or the lead pellets for use in air weapons. The term bullet
derived from the French word “boullette” which means a small ball.

Lead slug is also sometimes used to describe air gun pellets, but this is not
the correct term for this type of missile. Shot is another term for the lead or steel
balls in shotgun ammunition, that is, lead shot. This is an acceptable alternative to
pellet.

Bullets are the projectile being discharge or propelled from a firearm, it

usually comes in a cartridge case or shell, which contains the bullet, primer and
gunpowder. Bullets are composed of a variety of metals they are molded
primarily from lead, a soft and pliable metal other used such as copper, lead,
brass, bronze, steel, aluminum. To harden the components manufacturer used
metal jacket with steel or copper.

Steel-jacketed bullets are coated with copper, a softer metal, so that the harder
metal does not scratch the rifling. The process of Jacketing a bullet increases the
man-stopping power of the bullet upon hitting the target. A hollow-point bullet
has a small hole drilled into its nose, causing the projectile to tear into a sharp-
edged flower shape when fired. Unlike the Dumdum which is less penetrating,
less lethal round which also expands upon impact. On impact, the lead cracks its
hard metal shell and bows out in a mushroom shape.

Design

 Bullet designs have to solve two primary problems. They must first form a
seal with the gun's bore.
 The worse the seal, the more gas, generated by the rapid combustion of
the propellant charge, leaks past the bullet, reducing the efficiency. The
bullet must also engage the rifling without damaging the gun's bore.
 Bullets must have a surface which will form this seal without causing
excessive friction. What happens to a bullet inside the bore is termed
internal ballistics. A bullet must also be consistent with the next bullet so
that shots may be fired precisely.
Materials

 Bullets for black powder, or muzzle loading firearms, were classically

molded from pure lead. This worked well for low speed bullets, fired at
velocities of less than 300 m/s (1000 ft/s).
 For slightly higher speed bullets fired in modern firearms, a harder alloy of
lead and tin or typesetter's lead (used to mold Linotype) works very well.
 For even higher speed bullet use, jacketed coated lead bullets are used.
The common element in all of these, lead, is widely used because it is very
dense, thereby providing a high amount of mass — and thus, kinetic energy — for
a given volume). Lead is also cheap, easy to obtain, easy to work, and melts at a
low temperature, making it easy to use in fabricating bullets.

Bullet Caliber
The caliber of a bullet refers to the diameter of the inside of a firearm’s
barrel it also matches the diameter of the bullet, usually expressed in hundredths
of an inch (0.22 cal.) or in millimeters (9 mm).

General Classification of Bullets

a. Lead Bullet- a type of bullet which are composed of lead or alloy. Simple cast,
extruded, swaged, or otherwise fabricated lead slugs are the simplest form of
bullets.
A cup made of harder metal, such as copper, placed at the base of the
bullet and called a gas check, is often used to decrease lead deposits by
protecting the rear of the bullet against melting when fired at higher
pressures, but this too does not solve the problem at higher velocities.
b. Jacketed Bullet- a type of bullet consisting of the regular lead core, coated
with a copper alloy to prevent the lead from fouling of the barrel and usually
used in pistols and other high powered guns. Jacketed bullets are used for a
variety of reasons, that is, to grip the rifling more in high - velocity bullets, to
prevent bullet damage and feeding jams in weapons with a self - loading
mechanism and to prevent bullet break up in hunting ammunition when used
on heavy or thick - skinned game.
These are bullets intended for even higher-velocity applications generally
have a lead core that is jacketed or plated with cupronickel, copper alloys, or
steel; a thin layer of harder metal protects the softer lead core when the bullet
is passing through the barrel and during flight, which allows delivering the
bullet intact to the target. There, the heavy lead core delivers its kinetic energy
to the target.

Bullet Shapes
"Round-nose" - end of the bullet is blunted for
maximum penetration.
"Hollow-point" - a hole in the bullet creates more
damage, inhibits penetration, and spreads or
mushrooms on impact.
"Jacketed" - soft lead is surrounded by another metal,
usually copper, that allows the bullet to penetrate a
target more easily.
"Wadcutter" - front of the bullet is flattened
o used exclusively as a practice load
o rips a hole in target paper which is visible by the
shooter.
Types of Bullet According to their Maximum Effect on their Target

1. Ball Bullet- a type of bullet having soft cores inside a jacket and designed
for used against personnel or general used.
2. Armored Piercing – a type of bullet designed to penetrate light steel armor,
it have a hardened steel cores and are designed to be fired against vehicles
and other armored targets. These are type of ammunition designed to
penetrate armor.
Jacketed designs where the core material is a very hard, high-density metal
such as tungsten, tungsten carbide, depleted uranium, or steel. A pointed
tip is often used, but a flat tip on the penetrator portion is generally more
effective.
Armor-piercing ammunition is used to penetrate hardened armored
targets such as ballistic vests, vehicle armor, concrete, tanks, and other
defenses, depending on the caliber of the firearms. Armor-piercing
ammunition consists of a penetrator constructed of hardened steel,
tungsten carbide, or depleted uranium, enclosed within a softer jacket,
such as copper or aluminium. Armor-piercing ammunition can range from
rifle- and pistol-caliber rounds all the way up to tank rounds.

1 Light weight ballistic cap

2 Steel alloy piercing shell
3 Desensitised bursting charge (TNT, Trinitrophenol, RDX...)
4 Fuze (set with delay to explode inside the target)
5 Bourrelet (front) and driving band (rear)

 These have a hollow back, filled with a flare material. Usually this is a
mixture of magnesium perchlorate, and strontium salts to yield a bright red
color, although other materials providing other colors have also sometimes
been used.
3. Explosive Bullet (fragmentary)- a type of bullet which contained a charge
of explosives that detonates on impact usually limited to 20 mm and above.

This type of projectile is designed to explode upon hitting a hard surface,

preferably the bone of the intended target. Not to be mistaken for cannon
rounds or grenade with fuze devices, these bullets have only a cavity filled
with a small amount of low explosive depending on the velocity and
deformation upon impact to detonate.
4. Incendiary Bullet- a type of military bullet used to cause fire in a target,
generally designed for used by an aircraft armament to ignite fuel tanks.
These bullets are made with an explosive or flammable mixture in
the tip that is designed to ignite on contact with a target. The intent is to
ignite fuel or munitions in the target area, thereby adding to the
destructive power of the bullet itself.

5. Tracer Bullet- a type of military bullet which is capable of leaving a visible

mark or traces while in flight giving the gunner a chance to see its path
while shooting and make adjustments in the event of a miss.
Other types of Bullet
Blank Bullet
These are bullet made of Wax, paper, plastic, and other materials used to
simulate live gunfire and are intended only to hold the powder in a blank
cartridge and to produce noise.
The 'bullet' may be captured in a purpose-designed device or it may be allowed
to expend what little energy it has in the air. Some blank cartridges are crimped
or closed at the end and do not contain any bullet.

Dumdum bullet
Is a bullet designed to expand on impact, increasing in diameter to limit
penetration and/or produce a larger diameter wound. There are many expanding
bullet designs, though the most commonly encountered are the hollow point
bullet and the soft point bullet.
The use of the term "Dum-dum", applied to expanding bullets other than the
early .303 designs, is considered slang.[3] Manufacturers have many terms to
describe the particular construction of the various types of expanding bullets,
though most fall into the category of soft point or hollow point designs.
Grenade launcher cartridges are only encountered in military rifle calibers and, as
the name indicates, are designed for the discharge of a grenade from a normal
service rifle. The case mouth is invariably crimped, and some color code, for
example, the case painted black, distinguishes this type of cartridge from
standard blank ammunition.
Caseless ammunition consists of a bullet with the propellant formed around the
bullet as a single solid piece, and there is no cartridge case. The primer is
generally located at the rear of the propellant and is not enclosed in any metallic
cup. This type of ammunition has not found any real favor due to problems with
making the propellant strong enough to withstand rough treatment.
Tear - gas cartridges are the same as blank ammunition except they contain a
small quantity of a lachrymatory/sternutatory substance which is either
chloracetophenone( CN ) gas or o - chlorobenzalmalonitrile (CS) gas. In tear - gas
ammunition, the case mouth is never crimped, but is closed either with a card
disc, wax plug or plastic cover which is invariably red or yellow in color. The most
common caliber of tear - gas ammunition encountered is 8 mm. This is intended
for use in small self - loading pistols specifically designed for the discharge of this
type of ammunition. Tear - gas ammunition of 0.22 ″ caliber is also quite common,
but this is generally intended for use in revolvers. Cartridges for use in 8 mm ‘ gas
guns ’have also been encountered which were loaded with talcum powder of
various colors (for theatrical purposes), scent (for room freshening) and even fly
killer!
Snap caps are for the practice of firing a weapon without damaging the firing pin
and lock mechanism by fi ring it without a cartridge case in place. This is generally
called dry firing ’ . Snap caps usually have a piece of rubber or hard plastic in place
of the primer, and the case is chromium -or nickel - plated for identification
purposes. Although snap caps are available in all calibers, the most commonly
encountered are in shotgun calibers.

Handgun Bullets
FMJ (Full Metal Jacket)

 Lead core is enclosed by a strong metal jacket on this non-expanding, deep-

penetrating, general-purpose bullet. Provides smooth, reliable feeding in all
types of semi-auto handguns.

(Bullet) JHP (Jacketed Hollow Point)

 The exposed lead at the tip of the jacketed hollow point rapidly initiates
uniform, controlled expansion that progresses to the depth of the hollow
point cavity. Penetration is also controlled for maximum energy transfer to
the target, assuring its suitability as a hunting bullet. Excellent accuracy and
bullet integrity.

SJHP (Semi-Jacketed Hollow Point)

 With more exposed lead at the tip, the SJHP expands a little more rapidly
than a jacketed hollow point bullet. Penetration is also controlled for
maximum energy transfer to the target, assuring its suitability as a hunting
bullet. Excellent accuracy and bullet integrity.
FMC (Full Metal Case, Truncated Cone)

 The lead core of this bullet is enclosed in a light copper jacket, which has a
cone shape and a flat or cupped point. The results is less expansion than a
JHP bullet, more than an FMJ, and deeper penetration than an SP bullet.
The shape of this bullet also has the effect of reducing ricochet and has
shown increased reliability in penetrating auto glass compared to FMJ.
SP (Soft Point)

 Exposed lead soft point initiates reliable expansion, provides deeper

penetration than hollow point bullets. Precisely engineered copper jacket
and swaged lead core provides the necessary concentricity and balance
required for top-level accuracy.
LWC (Lead Wadcutter)

 The full wadcutter profile of this solid lead bullet cuts clean signature in
paper targets for precise scoring. Consistent accuracy results from
formation by swaging process, which eliminates balance-destroying voids
often found in cast bullets. Excellent choice for competitive shooters.
LSWC (Lead Semi-Wadcutter) Solid

 lead bullet with semi-pointed nose. Formed by swaging process with sharp
shoulder for clean hole punching in paper targets. Good choice for target or
general purpose shooting.
RNL (Round Nosed Lead)

 Solid lead bullet with rounded ogive for down-range accuracy. Hard-hitting,
economical, general purpose bullet for all revolvers.
Rifle Bullets

FMJ (Full Metal Jacket)

 The lead core of this bullet is enclosed in a heavy copper jacket, which
results in little or no expansion and deep penetration. Not recommended
for hunting, the primary uses of the FMJ are military and target shooting.
FMJBT (Full Metal Jacket Boat Tail)

 The lead core of this bullet is enclosed in a heavy copper jacket, which
results in little or no expansion and deep penetration. Boat tail heel further
reduces drag to improve downrange velocity.
HPBT (Hollow Point Boat Tail)
  Extremely accurate hollow point bullet with pointed, aerodynamic design.
Boat tail heel further reduces drag to improve downrange velocity.
Precision balance and exceptional concentricity greatly increase bullet
stability to assure superb accuracy.
SP (Soft Point)

 Exposed lead tip on this bullet and broader point diameter provides rapid,
controlled expansion at somewhat lower velocities. Broad wound channel
results from expansion up to 200% of original bullet diameter.
Shotgun
 Activity #8
1. What is a bullet?

2. What are the types of bullet according to the general classification?

3. What is a dumdum bullet, what is the use of it?

4. Can blank bullet cause injury?

5. What is the bullet propelled by shotgun?

6. What is the distinction between the following;

a. Jacketed and Lead bullet

b. Incendiary and Explosive

 Module 7
Gunpowder
Objectives
1. Know the distinction between Black powder and Smokeless powder.
2. Determine the composition of various types of gunpowder.
3. Evaluate the characteristics of the various types of gunpowder

Gunpowder
This is the powder charged in a cartridge responsible for the propulsion of
projectiles through the action/expansion of burn gases.

The propellant is a chemical or mixture of chemicals which, when ignited,

produces a very large quantity of gas. This gas, when confined within a barrel and
behind a missile, provides the propulsion to drive the missile down the bore and
out of the barrel.
Modern smokeless gunpowder and black powder contain nitrate compounds.
Black powder is a mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur. The charcoal
component causes the production of dense smoke. Single-based gunpowder
usually contains nitrocellulose (cellulose hexanitrate). These powders are “smoke
free” but still leave deposits. Double-based powder is a mixture of nitrocellulose
and nitroglycerin (glyceral trinitrate). Triple-based powders may contain
nitroguanidine in addition to a doublebased mixture.

Nitrates. Nitrates are the oxidizing material in black powder. Potassium nitrate
can be mined as a mineral or created by chemical processes. Even though the
powder is burned in the firing process, nitrate deposits will be found in GSR.

Lead. Lead residues can be lead styphnate from the primer or minute amounts of
lead vapor and particulates from the melting of the bullet during firing.
Particulate lead, tiny balls of metal, will travel farther than vaporous lead.
However, the dense lead vapor can “raft” on gunpowder particles and travel to
the target.

Antimony and Barium. Some primers contain barium nitrate and antimony sulfide,
though newer primer formulations avoid these metals and lead.
Classification and Composition

a. Black powder- considered as the earliest form of gunpowder or propellant

used in firearms. Mechanically is a mixture of potassium nitrate, sulfur and
charcoal. It consists of jet black and rather shiny grains. Had been used for
about six centuries its composition has remained practically the same in all
countries;
1. Potassium nitrate - 75%
2. Charcoal - 15%
3. Sulphur - 10%

 “Black powder”, is a relatively mild explosive. This type of gunpowder does

not explode when ignited in the open, it only burns violently. However,
when ignited in a closed vessel it produces moderate pressures. Because of
the impurities in the basic composition, upon firing, black powder produces
a lot of flames and sparks and a dense cloud of grey smoke.
 The expression “the fog of war” comes from the enormous amounts of
smoke that used to hang over the battlefields. The residue of burning black
powder is very corrosive and weapons that are left unattended after firing
black powder will very quickly develop extensive rust.
 Initially black powder was used to make noise, like with firecrackers.

b. Smokeless powder- the term used for gunpowder used in modern

ammunitions, it is considered as the most powerful propellants. It usually
composed of nitrocellulose base and is commonly known as smokeless
powder. Nitrocellulose is nitrated cellulose which forms the basis of all
modern propellants. Smokeless powder is a mixture of nitroglycerine 35
percent and vaseline of 5 parts. The powder is said to be smokeless only
because this does not give off huge cloud of white smoke like black powder.
 Two main classes of smokeless powder are;
 Single based propellant or nitrocellulose
 Double Based Propellant (nitrocllulose and nitroglycerine as
their major ingredients
 Activity #9
1. What is the difference between black powder and Smokeless powder
propellants?

2. What is the basic component of Black powder propellant?

3. What is the basic component of smokeless powder propellant?

 Module 8
Primer
Objective
1. Define primer.
2. Identify the composition and used of primer.
3. Determine the different type of primer.

Primer
The primer serves as the ignition component used for igniting the
propellant/gunpowder. Primer may be placed either in the rim of the case
(rimfire) or in the center of the base of the case (centerfire). Mainly primers are
composed of;
 Potassium chlorate - 45%
 Antimony Sulfide - 23%
 Fulminate of Mercury - 32%
Primer Ignition methods for center fire cartridges

The Berdan primer (sinlge flash hole type) was designed in 1866 by Colonel
Berdan of the US Army Ordnance Department. In this system, the anvil is actually
part of the cartridge case in the form of a small peg in the primer pocket. Around
the anvil are a number of small flash holes to permit the passage of the ignition fl
ame from the primer to the propellant. Due to the ease and low cost of
manufacture, Berdan primers are used mainly in military ammunition.
The Boxer primer (double flash holes type) was developed in 1866 by Colonel
Boxer of the Laboratory at the Royal Woolwich Arsenal, England. In this type of
primer, the anvil is a small bent disc of steel which fi ts into the cup making the
primer completely self - contained. The fl ash hole in the cartridge case is centrally
located and as it is of a relatively large diameter (approximately 1.5 mm in pistol
ammunition), it is thus quite easy to push out the fi red cup with a thin rod for
reloading purposes. Boxer - primed ammunition is almost exclusively used in
commercial ammunition.
The battery cup system consists of a plain cup with no anvil, which fi ts into a
slightly larger inverted flanged cup containing its own anvil. The flanged cup
provides a rigid support for the primer cup and anvil. This self - contained
assembly fits into a recessed pocket in the base of the cartridge case. Battery cup
primers are used exclusively in shotgun ammunition
i
Manlusoc, A. (2016) Forensic Ballistics, Wiseman Trading
ii
Heard, B.J.(2008) Handbook of Firearms and Ballistics, Examining and Interpreting Forensic Evidence 2 nd Ed. John
Wiley & Sons Ltd
iii
Manuel, G.C.((2016) Forensic Ballistics: The science of Firearms Identification and Practices
iv
Manlusoc, A. (2016) Forensic Ballistics, Wiseman Trading p24
v
Heard, B.J.(2008) Handbook of Firearms and Ballistics, Examining and Interpreting Forensic Evidence 2nd Ed. John
Wiley & Sons Ltd