There are plenty of guns and ammunition enthusiasts who know a few things about their weapon. A precious few know truly how ammunition operates within the context of the weapon. Especially if you’re considering entering the world of hand reloading or are considering purchasing reloading supplies, you should know how your ammunition operates. We’ve put together this quick and handy guide to show you just how ammunition fires and how that relates to your future (or present) in reloading!
Ammunition is composed of three parts that are all integral to the firing process—the primer, the propellant and the bullet itself.
At the back, the primer (filled with the priming compound) is the spark that ignites the whole show. The primer detonates the chemical explosive known as the propellant (or the powder charge). This is the power that propels the bullet from the weapon to the target. The head of the actual bullet is a cylinder made of metal that tapers to a point to reduce air resistance, allowing the bullet to go faster and go further and also penetrate the target.
When you pull the trigger of a gun, the spring hammers a metal firing pin into the rear of the bullet, igniting the small explosive charge in the primer, which ignites the propellant, which propels the bullet. The gas from the propellant shoots from the back of the bullet, increasing the pressure behind it, and forcing it down the barrel of the gun at tremendously fast speeds (1000 feet-per-second being typical for a handgun).
As the gas from the explosion shoots the bullet forward with force, the whole gun kicks backward with an equal force in the opposite direction. As the bullet fires from the barrel, the pressure of the explosion is suddenly released, causing the well-known BANG! Think of it like opening a bottle of champagne, but with much more pressure and much faster.
If you find this brief description of the chemical and physical reactions taking place inside a cartridge as fascinating as we do, then perhaps you should consider reloading! You’ll never regret knowing how to assemble your own ammunition and it all begins with quality reloading supplies!
For further information or inquiries please contact Titan Reloading at 262-397-8819 or visit www.TitanReloading.com.