Notes

Case- the container that holds all the ammunition components together. It's usually made of brass, steel, paper, or plastic.

Primer- an explosive chemical compound that ignites the gunpowder when struck by a firing pin. primer may be placed either in the rim of the case (rimfire) or in the center of the base of the case (centerfire)

Gunpowder- a chemical mixture that burns rapidly and coverts to an expanding gas when ignited. Modern smokeless powder will burn slowly when ignited in the open (outside of the case). Black powder is less stable and can be explosive when impacted or ignited in the open.

Projectile- the object(s) expelled from the barrel. A bullet is a projectile, usually containing lead, fired through a rifle or handgun barrel. Shot is a group of lead, steel, tungsten alloy, or bismuth pellets fired through a shotgun barrel.

Wad- a seal and/or shot container made of paper or plastic separating the powder from the slug or shot in a shotshell. The wad prevents gas from escaping through the shot and holds the shot together as it passes through the barrel.

It's critical to select the correct cartridge for your gun. Carefully look at the data stamp on the barrel of the gun where it is stamped.

Common types of rifle bullets:

Pointed Soft Point: high velocity, accurate bullets with a flat ravel path (trajectory): excellent mushrooming

Rounded Soft Point: popular for low-velocity calibers; recommended for tubular magazines

Protected Tip: highly accurate with excellent expansion

Full Metal Jacket: maximum penetration without mushrooming; these bullets are ILLEGAL FOR BIG GAME HUNTING in most states

Common types of handgun bullets:

Roundnose Lead: good penetration, little expansion

Full Metal Jacket: high penetration, no expantion

Semi-Wad Cutter: balances penetration and expansion

Hollowpoint: designed for high expansion on impact

Wad Cutter: flat-ended, used for target shooting; creates clean hole in paper

Centerfire ammunition is used for rifles, shotguns, and handguns. In this type of ammunition, the primer is located in the center of the casing base. Most centerfire ammunition is reloadable.

Rimfire ammunition has the primer contained in the rim of the ammunition casing. Rimfire ammunition is limited to low-pressure loads. Rimfire cartridges are not reloadable.