Most people have seen a bullet or shotgun shell, but have you ever wondered “What Are The Basic Parts Of Ammunition?” It may be surprising, but even some very experienced hunters and gun enthusiasts overlook the material construction of the ammunition they load into their weapons. Whether you handle ammunition often, or have a passing curiosity, knowing how ammunition is made can be valuable information.

Knowing how ammunition is constructed can help you to better assess a potential purchase. Inferior chemicals, materials and processes can contribute to a loss of performance and safety when firing weapons. Understanding the value of quality components can help you understand the price differences in the ammunition market and guide your choice appropriately. While there are often exceptions to any particular rule, in essence there are five basic components of ammunition manufacturing.

What Are The Basic Parts Of Ammunition?

Propellant

The propellant is the combustible component that, when ignited, creates a sudden, but contained detonation. The expansion of the gases created by the detonating propellant push the projectile forward and out of the barrel. They chemical make-up and amount of propellant has a direct result on the speed and velocity of the projectile.

A compound, known as smokeless powder, is the most common propellant used in today’s ammunition. There is no single propellant formulation known as “gunpowder,”rather every ammunition manufacturer, including people who reload their own bullets, choose a particular combination of chemical compounds they believe to produce the best results.

The difference between black powder and smokeless powder:

Primer

Ammunition propellant is typically a very stable substance that can be stored almost indefinitely if left undisturbed. Some method to cause the initial ignition of the propellant is required. This is the role of the primer.

Primers are explosive chemicals that ignite when compressed. In order to perform their role in a most efficient manner, the primer is located at the bottom end (the side opposite of the projectile). The primer is activated either by a pin striking the outer rim of the case (as a rimfire), or in a specially designed compartment in the center of the case (as a centerfire).

Related: What Is The Main Difference Between Centerfire And Rimfire Ammunition

Wad

In order for a firearm to take full advantage of the rapidly expanding gas inside the chamber and barrel, it is essential to ensure that the full volume of escaping gas is fully expelledin only one direction. To prevent stray gasses from finding an alternate path, a paper or plastic seal is placed between the propellant and the projectile.

This “wad” is projected forward with the expanding gas and seals the barrel so that there is little to no gas escaping the barrel before the projectile exits.“Blanks,”is a name given to ammunition without a projectile.

This type of ammunition still uses a wad at the end of the case to hold the propellant in place until it is fired. When a “blank” discharges, the wad presents a real danger for several feet outside the barrel of a firearm, thus never assume that blanks are “safe.”

Projectile

An ammunition projectile is the component that leaves the barrel as a result of the expelled gas. Often referred to as a “bullet,” ammunition projectiles can take on several different forms. Projectiles can also take to form of several small balls, or shot, which leave the barrel and spread into a wide pattern. This shot is typically made from steel, tungsten, bismuth or lead.

Lead is also the common material used in making bullets. These lead projectiles can be formed into one of many different shapes depending upon the purpose they are designed for. Aside from lead, bullets are also made from special plastics or rubber bullets for use as non-lethal (or less-than-lethal) projectiles.

For more on bullet designs see this video:

For more on shotgun projectiles see this video:

The Case

The ammunition case is the central part of ammunition that holds all of the individual parts together. They may appear to be simple in their appearance, but the ammunition case may likely be the most underrated component of the entire assembly.

There is much said about different bullet designs and characteristics as well as the amount of propellant used to send the projectile down range. What goes often overlooked is the amount of time invested in designing the perfect case for a given type of ammunition.

Firearms are designed to exacting precision when it comes to the size of the ammunition they use, thus the size of the case is limited to the particular projectile and firearm it is intended for. The case must be properly designedto withstand the force of the expanding propellant and ejection mechanisms of different firearms.

A poorly designed case may cause weapon malfunction or injury to users. Weight and corrosion are additional factors that play an important role in the design of ammunition cases. As a result, the material most typically used in manufacturing ammunition cases iscopper, brass, or steel. Due to their own unique characteristics, shotgun shells are made from plastics or specialized paper material.

Knowing how your ammunition is made can help you better understand the proper safety procedures to use when storing, transporting, and using it. Brass and copper constructed ammunition stores much better than steel since steel will corrode and rust when exposed to moisture or humidity.

Steel is still used though because of its exceptional strength under pressure. This means that a higher power cartridge may benefit from steel construction, but such an item would not be recommended for long-term storage.

Watch how Creedmore Sports makes their ammunition:

Rather than purchasing store-bought ammunition, many people chose to load their own cartridges. If this is something you may be interested in, it would be wise to do your research into the different shapes, sizes, and materials available for this purpose. Stick with tried and tested methods that provide consistent, safe results.

The more experience you gain in loading your own ammunition, the more you will understand the various areas where you can experiment and other areas that must adhere to strict safety protocols.

FURTHER READING

➜ How Far Can A Bullet Travel? How Far Does A Bullet Travel

➜ A Comprehensive Guide on How to Make Exploding Targets

➜ Where To Shoot A Deer – Top 5 Best Places To Shoot A Deer

Conclusion:

There are many great reasons for the popularity of handling and firing ammunition. Just make sure that you understand the variables, potential dangers, and benefits of proper ammunition construction.

Knowing how ammunition is constructed will prepare you to handle and store ammunition in a safe manner. You may be in a position now that you may have even more questions and that is okay too. There are some wonderful resources online that can provide you with the answers you seek.

Transporting firearms in a boat or any sea vessel is not a tricky business. It goes especially for those who are attuned with the prescribed laws in their states or country. But for those who are oblivious to this fact, a huge trouble could be looming for them. Whether it will cost them their safety or worse, some hefty legal charges, one should be adept in knowing how should firearms be transported in a boat.

This article will focus solely on answering that question. And as this query requires some specifics like your destination, your current location, and which type of boat you’re on, we’ll attempt to respond to this as generally as we can. And right before our closure, we’ll give you some simple tips on how to board your firearms in your boat.

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Quick NavigationThe General Law On Transporting Firearms In Your BoatCarrying Rifles And The Accompanying ReasonsSailing Overseas With FirearmsSafest Ways To Transport Firearms In A BoatFinal Thoughts

The General Law On Transporting Firearms In Your Boat

We’re treating the question under this discussion generally as specifics are not readily available. As such, if you want to know the real deal on the laws that govern on transporting firearms in a boat, you may refer to the corresponding law in your state.

Now, the laws that apply to possessing firearms in boats are similar if not exact to those that are being regulated when you’re on land. As a starter, ensure that you look first for the very purpose as for why you’re carrying or transporting that firearm whenever you decide to do it when you sail or run your motor on water or even on internal waterways.

On the other hand, if your firearm in your boat is used en route to a deer country, that activity may be deemed legal. However, some states still have varying modifications on this, so it is crucial that you determine this first before embarking on this. If it is truly legal, the next thing you need to make sure of has something to do with the firearm’s security in your boat. It is easy as it should be similar to how you carry a firearm in a car.

Carrying Rifles And The Accompanying Reasons

Fishing while carrying a rifle on a boat is another story. This one warrants you to possess a license for this kind of endeavor. As such, you need to confirm a legitimate reason for possessing a firearm on a boat. Similarly, this can be done right when you’re on a motor vehicle as you procure the requirements for its storage.

The established, legitimate reasons that are accepted vary depending on the laws in a country or a state. For example, self-defense can be a valid reason in some countries, but in nations like Australia, it’s a whole new, different angle. For hunting purposes, when a property is owned by someone, you’re going to have to get that permission to hunt first.

There are instances too in which the country’s customs department should have to be alerted when passing through their location via a yacht or any motorized vehicle. Whenever they obtain the firearm’s possession, this country may likely require you to have a one-week notice of your departure to return it accordingly. Some foreign countries would even go to great lengths like arresting you or seizing both your firearm and the boat should you get caught with a firearm in your sea vessel.

Sailing Overseas With Firearms

When you go a​broad with a firearm in a boat or any other sea vessel, it is advisable that you acquaint yourself first with the laws in each country that you intend to visit. Also, ensure that these firearms are disclosed to their Customs respectively, right when you have arrived in the locale. As some countries are stricter, you have to make certain that there is a disclosure for these firearms. Otherwise, you’ll be charged for smuggling firearms.

Ultimately, an utter disclosure still won’t save you in other countries. There are still locations that will prosecute you regardless of this. The only way to get out of this is clearly to prevent it from happening in the first place. A thorough research on the laws in these countries is one.

And now that we’re equipped with some of the general law for transporting firearms in a boat, let’s get into the ways on how to properly carry them in a boat.

Safest Ways To Transport Firearms In A Boat

Just like the laws that are associated with firearms in a boat or a motorized vehicle, the means to transport your guns in both cases are also similar. Simply, unload and case the firearms before you place them in any sea vessel. Moreover, the action has to be open, or the gun should be broken down as long as they are its safest.

Right before you board the boat, you need to put the unloaded gun in the bow or front of the boat. The firearm’s muzzle should be pointing forward.

You also need to consider the position of your firearm when you’re not hunting alone. When you’re accompanied, the first person (yourself, for example) has to settle in the bow position while facing forward when the first gun is put on. After that, the other person’s unloaded firearm right in the boat’s rear has to have its muzzle pointed rearward. Only then, this person can settle in the stern with a position that faces rearward, too. The unloading part also has to repeat the procedure.

Final Thoughts

The laws that surround the transport of firearms on sea vessels such as boats are complicated. They come varying from state-specific laws, national laws, and international laws. And as what I’ve emphasized earlier, there are instances in which these laws are stricter than the other. You may have come around dodging a charge from this country, but that doesn’t mean that you can do that to another. The key is to ensuring that you research these laws thoroughly before circling in on these locations.

Meanwhile, transporting firearms in a boat is very easy in terms of doing it. Those simple steps must be followed for everyone’s safety.