The US ranks number one in gun ownership worldwide, with over 200 million owned in America. When comparing gun ownership across states, it was found that Montana was the highest, with 66.3% of adults owning a firearm.
Gun ownership comes with a lot of responsibility. One important factor is understanding more about the ammunition your firearm uses. Bullets are one of the most important firearm components. While there are several styles of bullets to choose from, they all share common parts.
Keep reading if you’re interested in learning more about gun ownership and ammunition. We’re discussing the different parts of a bullet, so you can increase your firearm knowledge base.
Styles of Bullets
With so many styles of firearms available, it’s understandable if you don’t know how ammo works and feel overwhelmed when buying bullets. Your choice of bullet will depend on the type of gun you have and the style of shooting you want to do. For example, if you want to hunt big game, you’ll need a different bullet than if you were target shooting. Here are some of the most popular types of bullets available:
- Plated bullets
- Full metal jacket bullets
- Lead bullets
- Round nose bullets
- Hollow-point bullets
- Boat tail bullets
- Rifle bullets
- Armor-piercing bullets
- Soft point bullets
- Hunting bullets
- Heavy bullets
The Four Parts of a Bullet
When looking at firearm bullets, most cartridges will share the same four primary components. These four components are the casing, primer, projectile, and gunpowder. Each component is necessary for the round to work as intended, and we’ll look at each in more detail here.
Casing
The bullet casing is arguably the most well-known bullet part, as this is the part that you see on the outside of the bullet. The bullet casing is what holds the rest of the bullet parts together to make a working round. Bullet casings can be made from a variety of materials but commonly are made from steel or brass, like this primed 9mm brass, for example.
Primer
The primer in a bullet is what contains the explosive charge that sends the bullet on its trajectory. It’s found at the base of the bullet casing, and it contains three parts: the cup, anvil, and ignition compound. When you pull the trigger, the firing pin strikes the cup, which ignites the ignition compound by crushing it between the cup and the anvil.
Not all bullets contain the same amount of ignition compound. For example, small pistols can contain 20 mg in contrast to a large rifle with 36 mg.
The Projectile
The projectile part of a bullet is the bullet itself. Several types of projectiles exist and are made from varying materials. For example, some are made from lead, and others may be steel or have a copper jacket. When the primer is ignited, the explosion propels the bullet out of the gun.
Gunpowder
Finally, the fourth part of a bullet is gunpowder. This is the compound that produces the explosion after the primer is ignited. Gunpowder is commonly made from a combination of sulfur, potassium nitrate, and charcoal. Always handle your gunpowder very carefully to avoid accidental detonations.
Bullet Parts: Explained
The type of bullet your firearm uses may differ from the next, but ultimately all bullets are made up of the same four components. Understanding how the parts of a bullet (the casing, projectile, primer, and gunpowder) work together and how to handle them is an essential part of being a responsible gun owner.
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