For a beginner about shotgun cartridges. Purpose, general structure and classification of live ammunition for small arms, armored personnel carrier (BMP) weapons, rounds for grenade launchers

In our reviews, we often touch on the topic of choosing or servicing decommissioned cold weapons, but until now we have avoided consumables for them. Namely, cartridges.

The vast majority of owners of SO weapons shoot from them. Much or little is a separate question. In any case, the owner purchases cartridges.

From a legislative point of view, they can be divided into 2 parts: those that an adult Russian citizen can purchase freely and those that a Russian citizen can purchase with a permit to store and carry rifled hunting weapons of the appropriate caliber.

As of the beginning of 2017, only three calibers belong to the first type: 10 TK, 10x31 and 10x24.

The first two cartridges are produced only by Izhevsk Tekhkrim.

10x24 is produced by Nizhny Novgorod Fortuna, but these cartridges are still difficult to find on sale. 10 TK and 10x24 have standard cartridge sizes of 9x18 Makarov and 9x19 Luger. Accordingly, these cartridges are used in cooled weapons for the last two calibers. The longer 10x31 cartridge is used in cooled weapons that previously used 7.62x25 TT ammunition.

Any light-sound cartridge consists of an igniter primer and a powder (or imitation) charge, combined in a steel sleeve.

For 10 TK and 10x31, a trimmed cartridge case from a 5.45x39 cartridge for a Kalashnikov assault rifle is used. Both cartridges have a star twist.

The 10x24 cartridge has a rolled top of the case with a plastic plug that opens along a cross-shaped seam when fired. For self-loading and automatic weapons, in terms of feeding from the magazine into the chamber, a star-rolled cartridge is more optimal. However, the manufacturer is not always able to achieve a uniform rolling angle, just as not all magazines are able to flawlessly feed a cartridge into the chamber. As for the 10x24 cartridge, there are no statistics on it yet.

The second type is also represented by four calibers: 9 mm Luger, 5.45x39, 7.62x39 and 7.62x54, but there are noticeably more manufacturers. In Russia, these are three cartridge giants: Barnaul Cartridge Plant (BPZ), Novosibirsk Cartridge Plant (NPZ) and Tula Cartridge Plant (TPZ). As follows from the name of the calibers, these are ordinary “blank” cartridges for cartridges in service with the RF Armed Forces and used as hunting and sporting cartridges in civilian weapons. All 4 gauges are star-rolled.

To date, only one variant of the CX weapon has been created under the 9 Luger - the Nagant revolver produced by TOZ.

Automatic and rifle cartridges do not have any problems with feeding from the magazine into the chamber due to the length of the cartridge and the obvious tapering of the cartridge case.

The main feature of the second type is the possibility of purchasing them only with a permit for hunting weapons of these calibers.

It is quite possible that in the near future there may be certificates for these cartridges, which will also indicate the possibility of their use in decommissioned quenched weapons. In this case, these cartridges can be purchased freely, but for now they are sold by various online stores at a price 4-5 times higher retail price in stores.

The reason lies in the possibility of receiving a fine, since the sale, as well as the storage of blank cartridges of the specified calibers, will be a violation of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation in the field of circulation civilian weapons and cartridges for it. The reason is not only the absence of a bullet. In fact, blank cartridges use gunpowder for smooth-bore weapons, or a composition different from the slow-burning gunpowder of a rifled cartridge. The use of fast-burning gunpowder or powder mixture is due, among other things, to the fact that almost all cooled weapons operate on the principle of blowback reloading.

In the absence of a bullet (throwable equipment), it is impossible to implement automatic operation on the principle of a short barrel stroke (TT or PM), and in the case of gas engine quite feasible.

In any case, the blank cartridge is required to create a sharp surge in pressure necessary to initialize the operation of the automation. What else should you know about cartridges for cooled weapons? Firstly, they are not airtight. The primer socket is not sealed (this applies to almost all cartridges for the civilian market) and the varnished “star” rolling is also not sealed. It will be difficult for moisture to overcome these obstacles, unless, of course, the cartridges are drowned in water. However, having a high surface tension, oil will easily penetrate inside and ruin the powder charge.

Therefore, you should not lubricate the cartridges under any circumstances, otherwise this is an almost 100% guarantee of their failure.

You should also not disassemble the cartridges for the purpose of modifying them - this can lead to the destruction of the cooled weapon and cause injury to the owner.

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Hunting is a truly masculine activity that allows you to excite the blood and get an adrenaline rush. Weapons are loved not only by hunters, but also by many people who have never participated in this bloody sport. Still, the ability to shoot well is never superfluous. It would be useful for both categories of these people to know the composition of the cartridge.

What does a gun cartridge consist of?

The composition of the 12 gauge cartridge is quite simple; in general, it is no different from any other cartridges for smoothbore weapons, be it 16 or 410 caliber - the only difference is in size and weight.

So, the cartridge consists of the following components:

• sleeve;
• capsule;
• powder;
• projectile;
• wad (or wad container).

As you can see, there are only five components. True, each of them has several modifications that every hunter or shooter should know about, especially if he plans to load the cartridges himself.

Which sleeve to choose

The largest and most noticeable component that makes up a hunting cartridge is what a person sees when looking at the cartridge - all the other components are inside.

Today, two types of sleeves are produced - plastic and brass. Several decades ago, cardboard sleeves were also produced, but plastic analogues quickly replaced them almost immediately after their appearance due to their greater moisture resistance.

Therefore the choice modern shooters limited to two options. Which one should you give preference to? It depends primarily on what weapon you are using. For example, if it is a semi-automatic weapon (Saiga, MP-153, MTs-21-12 or another), then after the shot the cartridge is simply thrown out. Finding it in dense grass, bushes or water is quite difficult. Bright plastic ones (usually red or blue) are found much faster. But it will take a lot of time to find dark yellow brass, and it is almost impossible to find it in water. Therefore, for lovers of semi-automatic machines, plastic ones are suitable - it’s not such a shame to lose them.

But for shooters who prefer classic or brass cartridges, they will serve well - they remain in the barrel after the shot, and there is no need to look for them.

Yes, metal sleeves are more expensive than plastic ones. But they can withstand several hundred shots, while plastic rarely survives 5-10 shots. Decide this question yourself.

A little about gunpowder

Speaking about the composition of the cartridge, one cannot fail to mention the most important component - gunpowder. It is this that, when ignited, pushes out the charge, creating the shot itself.

Today, three types of gunpowder are used: “Bars”, “Falcon” and “Sunar”. They differ in weight and cost. Moreover, the first completely compensates for the second. For example, Bars costs almost twice as much as Sokol. But at the same time, it needs to be poured into the sleeve twice as much. Thus, it will not be possible to obtain any benefit when switching from one gunpowder to another.

But none of these gunpowders has any objective advantages over others, although there have been disputes among hunters for many years.

What you need to know about the capsule

The capsule acts as an igniter. Today you can see more than half a dozen varieties on sale, but essentially they are all variations of two capsules: “centrifuge” and “jevelo”.

The composition of the cartridge primer is quite simple, but varies slightly.

So, with a “centrifuge” it is a small metal cylinder, at the bottom of which there is an explosive substance - one blow is enough for it to detonate. The outside is covered with aluminum foil, which protects the substance from moisture.

"Zhevelo" has a more complex device, so it costs more. The cylinder here is elongated, and there is also mercury fulminate at the bottom. But there is also an anvil here, against which the explosive hits when the striker hits. The high cost is offset by more powerful ignition.

Due to the different design of the primers, they are suitable for different cartridge cases.

Which charge is better

So, the shot occurs as follows. The firing pin of the gun hits the primer. It explodes and ignites the gunpowder. It pushes the charge out. What could he be like?

The choice is quite large - starting from shot number 12 (its diameter is 1.25 mm) and ending with buckshot 0000 (diameter 5 millimeters). Bullets stand out separately - there are dozens of modifications (Poleva, Brenneke, Foster, Vyatka, Sputnik, Kirovchanka and many others).

It is stupid to talk about advantages, since each type of charge is better suited depending on the purpose. For example, it is foolish to ride a woodcock while loading cartridges with buckshot or bullets. A hit will simply tear the bird apart. And it will also be much more difficult to hit it with a bullet than with small shot. Here would be better suited small shot from No. 10 to No. 12. When going to kill a wild boar, it is better to take large buckshot. A hit is almost guaranteed, since the buckshot will scatter and cover a fairly large area. A large diameter ensures serious wounds and fairly quick death.

Well, going bear hunting with small shot is simply suicide. Such a shot (even a “successful one”) will only damage its skin and cause sharp pain, which will provoke the animal to attack. Only a bullet with a huge stopping effect is suitable here.

It is also worth considering that the bullet hits a much greater distance. The smaller the charge, the shorter the effective shot distance. This is also worth remembering when hunting.

Each also has certain advantages. Some can boast of a good combat range, another provides excellent accuracy (all fired bullets hit one point), and the third inflicts the most serious wounds, killing a large animal on the spot.

Do you need a container?

When talking about the composition, it is worth talking about the container. This is a special plastic container that is inserted into the cartridge case immediately after the gunpowder and filled with shot or buckshot.

Its use allows you to increase the combat range, as well as accuracy - the spread of the shot will decrease and all of it will hit a relatively small target. But if a hunter needs a large spread (for example, when shooting with small shot at a flock of woodcocks at a short distance), then it is better to abandon the container. In this case, the shot range will decrease, but you can shoot down several with one cartridge. small birds.

Therefore, a hunter, when going hunting, must choose the optimal composition of the cartridge himself in order to increase his chances of success.

All types and types of cartridges available in ARMA3 with the RHS mod are described here, and not all kinds of variations in reality.

AK74/105 series:5.45×39 mm - low-pulse Soviet intermediate unitary cartridge of central ignition. Developed in the early 1970s(By Wikipedia)

• 5N7 —
• 7N6 — 5.45 mm automatic cartridge with a PS bullet with a steel core.
• 7N10 — 5.45 mm automatic cartridge with a PP bullet of increased penetration.
• 7N22 — 5.45 mm automatic cartridge with an armor-piercing bullet.
• 7T3M — 5.45 mm automatic cartridge with a tracer bullet.
• 7У1 — 5.45 mm automatic cartridge with a reduced velocity US bullet.

Series AKM/103/104 7.62x39 mm1943 model cartridge(7.62×39 mm) - an intermediate cartridge with a non-protruding rim designed by N. M. Elizarova and B. V. Semin. Considered the third most powerful machine gun cartridge in the world.(By Wikipedia)

• 57-N-231 — 7.62 mm automatic cartridge with a PS bullet with a lead core.
• 57-N-231P — 7.62 mm automatic cartridge with a PS bullet with a steel core.
• 57-N-231(89) — Since 1989, to increase the penetrating effect of bullets, a heat-strengthened core of increased hardness began to be used. The penetrating effect of bullets with a new core on solid obstacles has increased by 1.5-2 times.
• 57-N-231U (Subsonic) — a reduced-velocity cartridge with a weighted bullet with a steel core, designed for firing with the PBS-1 silent and flameless shooting device.

AS VAL, VSS and 9×39 mm cartridges for them - a number of special cartridges, including modifications SP-5, SP-6, PAB-9. Initially, the series included only the main modification SP-5 and the armor-piercing SP-6; later a cheaper version of the PAB-9 was developed. Cartridges of these modifications are used in VSS Vintorez, AS Val, AK-9, VSK-94, SR-3 Vikhr, OTs-14 Groza, etc. (By Wikipedia)

• SP-5 — Sniper cartridge for the VSS rifle - manufactured with high precision, has a bullet weighing 16 grams with a steel core. Ensures the destruction of targets protected by body armor of level 1-2 protection.
• SP-6 — Armor-piercing modification of the cartridge. It is a cartridge with a semi-jacketed bullet with a core made of high-carbon steel U12A. Allows you to confidently hit targets protected by body armor up to protection class 2 inclusive at a distance of up to 50 meters, penetrating 5-6 mm of soft structural steel grade 3 at a distance of 10 meters and 2.5 mm of the same steel at a distance of 100 meters. Penetrates with a 60% probability 3rd class body armor with armor plates made of pressed UHMWPE at a distance of up to 50-70 meters due to the weakly deformable armor-piercing core. Level 3 titanium, steel, aluminum and ceramic armor plates provide guaranteed protection against this bullet at any range.

Submachine gun PP-2000(By Wikipedia) 9×19 mm and cartridges for them:

• 7N21 — 9×19 mm cartridges with a steel core.
• 7N31 — 9×19 mm cartridges with PP (increased penetration) armor-piercing bullet.

PKM and PKP machine guns and 7.62 × 54 mm cartridges for them:

• 57-Н-323С — cartridge with a light LPS bullet with a steel core and a bimetallic sleeve.
• 7T2 — cartridge with a tracer bullet.
• 7N13 — cartridge with a bullet of increased penetration PP and a bimetallic sleeve.
• 7N26 — cartridge with an armor-piercing bullet BP (7BM4).
• 7BZ-3 — cartridge with an armor-piercing incendiary bullet B-32 and a bimetallic sleeve.

5.56×45mm NATO cartridge series - a low-impulse intermediate cartridge with a bottle-shaped wafer sleeve, adopted by NATO countries in the 1980s. Created on the basis of the .223 Remington cartridge.(By Wikipedia)

• Mk318 - cartridge with a 62 grain expansive bullet. Specially designed for the M4A1/HK416 series.
• Mk262 - cartridge with an expansive bullet of 77 grains.
• M855A1 - cartridge with a 62 grain bullet with a 19 grain steel tip and a copper core. (Be spec-naz.org)
• M200 - blank cartridge.

Barrett M82 and its modern modification M107 12.7 x 99 mm aka .50 BMG - American self-loading large-caliber sniper rifle, manufactured by Barrett Firearms Manufacturing and in service with a number of countries around the world. (By Wikipedia)

• M33 - General purpose cartridge.
• Mk211 - the cartridge's bullet weighing 671 grains (43.5 g) has a brass shell, a steel cup, a pointed tungsten core, around which there is a jacket made of zirconium powder, an explosive charge and an incendiary composition are located in the head part, the tip of the bullet is painted green color with a white stripe.

Series assault rifles G36 and cartridges for them:

• EPR - “Green” cartridge. Greenpeace rejoices. The cartridge does not contain lead, replaced by copper. (proof link)
• SOST - (from the English Special Operations: Science and Technology - an early designation for special combat units of the US Armed Forces operating under the auspices of the CIA to carry out experimental tasks) - a type of small arms cartridges of standard NATO calibers with a bullet having a solid core and a hollow head part. The same as the Mk318. To put it simply, the bullet’s characteristics are similar to those of an expansive bullet, but does not fall under the Hague Conventions.
• EPR-IR-DIM, again, to put it simply, it’s a bullet that leaves light in the IR spectrum (using night vision devices).

Ammo 4.6x30 mm for submachine gun MP7:

• FMJ — Full metal jacket bullet
• JHP — Expansive bullet
• APSX — Armor-piercing cartridge.

M590 pump-action shotgun and cartridges for them:

• .00 — common fraction. 11 holes provided
• 12g Doosmday Buckshot (eng. Doomsday) - large shot, the same 11 holes will go into the body like hot knife into oil.
• 12g single bullet, “good bearing” if you will
• HE-EP high-explosive ammunition, capable of destroying light enemy equipment (for example, wheels, engine block)
• FRAG absolutely the same as HE-EP. There are no differences in Arma 3.

Sniper rifle M40A5, M24, M14 and types of 7.62x51mm cartridges for it:

• M118 — army sniper cartridge.
• M993 — army cartridge with an armor-piercing bullet.
• M62 - military cartridge with a tracer bullet.

On the shelves of any more or less efficient gun store, smooth-bore weapons are always presented in a significant assortment. Of course, smooth-bore weapons are more common among citizens, and especially hunters, than any other. Shooting from a “smooth” is comfortable, simple and interesting, especially at clay pigeons. By the way, this is why sporting and hunting cartridges occupy the lion’s share of production and sales among all other types of smoothbore cartridges. And these types are a carriage and a small cart. Let's go through them briefly.

So, all cartridges for smooth-bore weapons can be divided into and. The second category includes signal cartridges, non-lethal ammunition for self-defense and such special police needs as the relatively safe destruction of door locks, car tires, electrical wiring and other things for others. All these special ammunition are of rather narrow interest, and we will not consider them here, but rather let’s talk about.

There are three main types of them - slug cartridges, shot cartridges and buckshot cartridges. Buckshot is a charge of round bullets with a diameter usually from 5.6 to 8.5 millimeters. A shot with buckshot is qualitatively different from a shot with shot; its parameters strongly depend on the method of placing the buckshot in the cartridge, and when using buckshot without a plastic container, also on matching the diameter of the buckshot with the muzzle of the gun. However, the use of buckshot in hunting is very limited. In fact, buckshot is widely used only when hunting wolves and roe deer. Shooting buckshot at wild boars at distances further than 30 meters too often leads to wounded wounds; on beavers, buckshot is excessive; on lynx, too; shooting geese with buckshot is, in general, a topic more likely for psychiatric research J. In general, buckshot cartridges today are used much less frequently than bullet cartridges and shot brothers. To which, then, we move on.

Bullet hunting cartridges are used for hunting medium and large animals - wild boars of all sizes, elk, deer. In terms of safety, bullet cartridges are definitely preferable to buckshot cartridges for any collective hunts (except for wolf hunting - it has its own specifics). Currently, the range of bullet cartridges is very wide and is represented not only by Russian manufacturers (Vetter cartridges, SKM cartridges), but also by numerous foreign ones (Rottweil, Italian, Bornaghi and others). Using a bullet in a smooth barrel requires zeroing. You just need to know where, at what distance, bullets of a specific design in a cartridge from a specific manufacturer will fly from your barrel. Indeed, depending on the dynamics of the acceleration of the bullet in the barrel, the weight of the bullet and the geometry of the barrel itself, the throwing angle - the angle between the geometric axis of the barrel and the direction of departure of the bullet from it - can change significantly. As a result, the MTP (average point of impact) for different cartridges with different types of bullets, even at 35 meters, can vary by more than 30-40 centimeters. In hunting, this is a pure miss.

Shot cartridges are much less susceptible to this effect. Although before the hunt it’s a good idea to fire a couple of shots with them to calm yourself down, especially if the cartridge is new to you. The variety of shot cartridges is impressive, especially on a large scale, but everything is simple here - 12 gauge is the most common today, and all manufacturers focus primarily on it. However, the whole variety of shot cartridges can be fairly confidently divided into hunting and sporting. And the point here is not only that the latter have smaller fractions - 24-28 grams for 12 gauge. There are special requirements for the quality of components and assembly. They most often use high-hardness shot, which significantly improves the parameters of the shot. As a result, despite the fact that sporting cartridges are loaded with shot numbers 7, 7.5, 8 and 9, they perform excellently on many hunts. Sporting cartridges do an excellent job not only when shooting small birds (from woodcock to woodcock), but also wood pigeons, partridges, black grouse and pheasants, and even most species of ducks, including in late autumn. And these results are quite at odds with the tables of correspondence of shot numbers to shooting distances and types of game, generally accepted in Soviet literature. There is no need to be surprised here - those tables were compiled when there were no polyethylene wad containers, no modern gunpowder, no modern shot casting installations. In terms of their capabilities, cartridges for smoothbore guns have stepped far forward since those tables.

As for hunting shotgun cartridges, most of them in 12 gauge have shot weights from 32 to 36 grams, and from 42 to 56 grams. Most hunters adhere to the following division - they distinguish between container and non-container cartridges. It is believed that in the former, the shot flies almost like a bullet, and they can only be shot at medium and long distances. This is wrong. In fact, the scree of any container cartridge with shot number 5 when shooting from the narrowing of the “half-shots” at a distance of 10 meters has a diameter of about 12 centimeters, approximately the same... as the scree of a non-container J cartridge. However, at distances of 20, 30 and further meters the scree a cartridge without a container will still be wider than the scree of a cartridge with a container - by 8-10 percent, no more. So what is the difference and meaning? And the difference most often (with good, high-quality cartridges) is observed in the uniformity of the scree. A cartridge with a container will have a thickening of the scree towards the center, which allows, with proper shooting skills, to hit game at longer distances. But cartridges without a container will not have such thickening, but on the contrary, there will be slightly better uniformity throughout the entire field of scree. In practice, this means that with a containerless cartridge, an average shooter in terms of skill will have fewer wounded wounds at medium and close distances - hits even with the edge of a scree will more often produce a cleanly broken trophy.

The “dispersant” cartridges stand out especially for short-range shooting – from under a pointing dog, a woodcock on a pull, or a duck in the thick twilight. Such cartridges are most often loaded with shot numbers from 7 to 10 with special wad containers or inserts in the shot shell, scattering the shot immediately as it exits the barrel. The undoubted advantage of industrial “dispersant” cartridges is that the width of their scree practically does not depend on the size of the muzzle constriction; they work equally stably in both “leisure” guns and so-called “cage” guns, with strong chokes and compact firing.

In addition to the above, there is also a division of shot cartridges by type of game. Moreover, there are entire lines of cartridges (, say), where the type of game is listed directly in the name on the packaging. But, despite the variety of objects of feathered and furry hunting fauna, shotgun cartridges for hunting them can be divided into three types. The first is cartridges for hunting small game: field, meadow, marsh, as well as partridges, pigeons and teal. They are equipped with shot numbers from 10 to 7 and have weights from 20 to 32 grams for 12 gauge. Cartridges with shot number 6 are also more likely to be cartridges for hunting small things, although they quite successfully catch not only partridge, but also mallard duck and pheasant throughout the hunting season.

The second type is cartridges for duck hunting (medium game). These are cartridges with 5, 4 and 3 shot and 32-36 gram weights for 12 gauge. In addition to all types of ducks, such cartridges are effective against black grouse, as well as hare and fox at distances of up to 35 meters. However, with a “five” at 20-30 meters, if you hit the center of the scree, you are guaranteed to get both a capercaillie and even a greylag goose. The main thing to remember is that 30 meters is when such a large bird has not only its paws and beak visible, but also the details of the coloring of its plumage. Although, if you specifically hunt large game birds, then it is better to use appropriate ammunition - let’s call them “cartridges for goose hunting.” These are cartridges with shot numbers 2, 1 and 0 with weights from 32 to 38 grams for 12 gauge. They are effective for shooting geese, wood grouse, and hares at all distances at which you are, in principle, able to hit a fast-moving object with the center of the shot.

However, many hunters still believe that to shoot geese you need to take , or better yet 000 (if you don’t have 0000 J). In fact, cartridges with such large shot have a very narrow range of application. Oddly enough, they are often used for sports, namely practical shooting - where large shot copes with popper-type targets more confidently. But when it comes to bird hunting, the effectiveness of such a large shot is low. At medium and close distances, the energy of the pellets is excessive, and the shot spoils the trophy, and at distances of 40+ meters, too few pellets hit the target (there are only a few of them in the cartridge), which leads to wounded wounds. But according to European roe deer at distances up to 50 meters, shot 00, 000 or 0000 is very good, the main thing is to choose a cartridge that will give a stable, compact and uniform fire on your gun.

Humanity has been using small arms for more than 8 centuries - the first mentions of Chinese “fire spears” appeared in the 1200s. During this time, from a bamboo stick filled with homemade gunpowder, the “firearm” turned into a perfect weapon capable of hitting a target at a distance of more than 2 km. The characteristics of our civilization have led to enormous progress in the field of weapons, and some engineering solutions unusual and beautiful in their own way. The variety of bullet designs is especially impressive - gunsmiths have found thousands of possibilities for imagination in a small piece of metal.

(29 photos)

A cartridge with a flying casing.

The caseless 9mm AUPO cartridge was developed and tested in the first half of the 1980s by Italian designer Bruno Civolani. Benelli Armi has designed the Benelli CB-M2 submachine gun specifically for this ammunition.

The 9mm AUPO cartridge consisted of an all-metal head and a hollow, thin-walled rear part, shaped like a cylinder

Diagram of the operation of the impact mechanism and cartridge design of the Benelli CB-M2 submachine gun.

The rear part of the cartridge, made in the form of a “glass,” served as a sleeve; inside it were located a propellant powder charge and a charge of igniting substance located in a circle (capsule charge). The open rear part of the cartridge case was closed with a burning diaphragm, which protected the charge from spillage and moisture during storage.

Cartridges with compressed charge.

In the early 60s of the last century, the German Ministry of Defense funded a research program to develop and study caseless ammunition of intermediate calibers. Development work was carried out by Dynamit Nobel.

From top to bottom: experimental 4.3x21 DAG and 4.7x21 DE11, final 4.73x33 HK.

Another similar cartridge was developed in the USA by AAI Corporation in the early 1980s, for the Advanced Infantry Weapon System (AIWS) program aimed at finding a replacement for the M-16 rifle.

Several modifications of it have been developed. The main option was a 4.3-mm sub-caliber bullet with a lead core in a drop-down segment tray.

Jet Gyrojet.

Perhaps the most famous caseless circuit is the jet cartridge for the American MBA Gyrojet pistol

Gyrojet jet bullets (13x50 mm), made of stainless steel, had a low initial speed and were stabilized only by rotation due to the deflection of part of the powder gases in the radial plane, but the shot was almost silent, and at a distance of 55 m the energy of the accelerated bullet was almost doubled exceeded the energy of a bullet fired from a Colt M1911 pistol.

In 1960, the MBA company developed and launched the production of very unusual bullets - rocket bullets. Inside the hollow bullets there was a charge of gunpowder and a primer, that is, a cartridge case was not required. Of course, pistols were also produced for these jet bullets: 13-mm multi-shot Gyrojet. This weapon had unique characteristics thanks to its unusual bullet. First of all, it had the simplest design, a minimum of moving parts and minimal recoil. In addition, the Gyrojet fired much quieter than conventional pistols and produced less muzzle flash.

However, the bullet also had its drawbacks. The jet bullet flew out of the barrel with a minimum initial speed, and it required time to accelerate to a maximum of 260 m/sec, which at short distances reduced the already not very high lethality and BP of the Gyrojet. In addition, making the bullet was labor-intensive: it was necessary to drill rocket nozzles into the bullet with high precision, although the main material of the bullet (steel) was cheap. Also, the developers were unable to achieve acceptable accuracy at distances greater than 20 m. As a result, the Gyrojet was too expensive and had too narrow a range to be widely used.

Collectors of rare weapons say that shooting Gyrojet pistols and carbines is a special pleasure.

Among the mass of unusual design solutions, Gyrojet has the best chance of revival. Modern grades of gunpowder and 3D laser printing technology make it easier to produce high-quality rocket bullets that potentially have higher accuracy than the Gyrojet developed in the 1960s. A rocket bullet can radically simplify, lighten and reduce the cost of small arms - an assault rifle chambered for rocket cartridges can weigh only 1.5-2 kg and cost at least 2-3 times cheaper than modern analogues chambered for a regular cartridge. It is impossible to achieve such a result using modern cartridges: even the most advanced and expensive solutions using plastic cartridges and titanium alloys within the framework of the LSAT program can reduce the weight of weapons with ammunition by only 30-35%.

Underwater active-reactive cartridge 7.62 mm caliber

In 1967, the USSR Navy ordered TsNIITOCHMASH to develop a complex of underwater weapons for combat swimmers.

The development of an underwater pistol and ammunition for it began in February 1968 by D.I. Shiryaev. together with Matveykin S.I. – engineer in the field of development of solid fuel engines. The project was based on open patent documentation for the Gyrojet pistol.

The cartridge consisted of a long steel tube with a sharp and heavy tip. The tube housed a solid fuel bomb. The bottom of the tube was covered by a jet engine nozzle and a steel pan. A tin leading belt guided the rocket along the rifling of the barrel, providing the initial spin of the bullet. The rocket was mounted in a brass sleeve with an expelling charge and a Zhevelo primer.

The first samples of the pistol and ammunition were ready by July 1968 and tested in Feodosia.

One is good, but two is better. Multi-bullet cartridges.

The SSB (Salvo Squeeze Bore) bullet was first patented in the late 1960s.

The SSB is a complex of several submunitions, conical hollow or conventional bullets, which are mounted on each other and secured in a cartridge case. This design makes it possible to combine submunitions, for example, the front one can be made of heat-strengthened steel, and the subsequent ones can be made of soft copper or with the addition of a tracer compound. SSB has a high stopping effect (SA) because it affects a larger target area than a conventional bullet.

The disadvantages of SSB stem from its advantages: increased dispersion of submunitions at long range can lead to a miss. To solve this problem, gunsmiths have developed several variants of SBB, for example, with submunitions flying strictly one after another in a vacuum bubble. But initially, the expensive SBB bullets were not widely used due to the fact that they do not have radical advantages in armor penetration (AP) and stopping effect over conventional bullets. However, this bullet is interesting because it can increase the density of machine gun fire - the submunitions create a denser cloud, increasing the likelihood of hitting the target. Currently, SBBs are used by shooting enthusiasts and special forces soldiers.

Hollifield Target Practice Rod

The Hollifield Target Practice Rod is one of the strangest rounds in firearms history. It was developed by General George Wingate in the 1870s. The Hollifield Target Practice Rod, or Hollifield "DOTTER" for short, consisted of a 2mm rod, 4mm tube and a cartridge with no primer or powder charge. The tube was inserted into the barrel, a spring-loaded rod was inserted inside the tube, and the rifle was loaded with a cartridge, inside of which another spring-loaded rod moved instead of a bullet. During the “shot,” the firing pin hit the cartridge rod, and the cartridge rod, in turn, hit the rod inside the barrel tube. As a result, the barrel rod “jumped” out of the rifle barrel by 15 cm and pierced a special paper target simulating a distant target.

Hollifield Target Practice Rod allows you to simulate shooting at long distances

Thus, with the help of the Hollifield “DOTTER” it was possible to practice shooting even indoors, without firing live ammunition. Moreover, the shooter could learn how to quickly operate the bolt of a rifle, load it, put it on/off the safety, that is, bring the handling of the weapon to automaticity, using safe training ammunition.

Today, against the background of modern Hollifield laser simulators, “DOTTER” looks like a funny anachronism, but, nevertheless, from time to time there are enthusiasts who reinvent the Wingate device.

Arrow cartridges

According to historical sources, they tried to load smooth-bore weapons with arrows back in the 17th century, and even these hand-made charges placed in wooden cylinders gave some advantage in firing range.

The peak of research in this area occurred in the 60s of the twentieth century. In the USSR, this topic began to be studied at NII-61 (later TsNIITOCHMASH). The result of the work was the OPS cartridge (feathered sub-caliber rifle) and the AO-27 assault rifle

Arrowhead alternative

In search of ways to improve the accuracy and lethality of bullets, gunsmiths have repeatedly turned to the idea of ​​​​using arrow-shaped bullets - small feathered “arrows”. One of these ammunition was the .330 Amron Aerojet cartridge (8.38x69 mm). It was developed in 1969 and, unlike most similar ammunition, carries not one “arrow”, but 3 or 4. With a speed of each arrow-shaped bullet of more than 1400 m/s, they reached a target at a distance of 500 m almost instantly, which made it easier to hit moving targets and did not require any adjustments for range, wind, etc. The lethality and armor penetration of the “arrows” turned out to be high, but the shortcomings of the arrow-shaped bullets were also revealed, which could not be eliminated.

The 8.38x69 mm cartridge had several bullet options: solid all-metal, sub-caliber with one or more “arrows”

Thus, during tests within the framework of the American SPIW project, low shooting accuracy was noted, especially for cartridges with several arrow-shaped bullets. Besides, small fragments cartridges that hold the bullets in the casing posed a potential threat to people near the shooter. Also, the “arrows” were good at making holes in metal, but quickly got stuck in sand and wood, and this, by the way, is the main material for light field fortifications.

So while arrow-shaped bullets are not truly widespread, but gunsmiths believe that due to the development of personal armor protection, “arrows” will sooner or later become the main type of bullets for military small arms.

The .30-06 caliber bullet (7.62×63 mm) Marsh Coulter Flare is designed... for illuminating the area. Yes, in 1960, in such a small caliber, a real illumination ammunition was made, which was fired from a conventional rifle to a height of up to 150 m and illuminated the surrounding area for several seconds. The cartridge was loaded with a small charge of black powder, which ignited the bullet's cord when the firing pins were fired. Some time after the bullet left the barrel, the retarding cord ignited a small charge of gunpowder, bursting the brass cup and igniting the cloud of mixture.

An illuminating rifle bullet is now needed, perhaps, only by hunters and recreational shooting enthusiasts

Illumination bullets were not very effective, since they contained too little pyrotechnic composition and did not produce very much light, but they could be used in large quantities. Marsh Coulter Flare bullets were sold in the 1970s, but their time has passed - much more effective means battlefield lighting, as well as night vision devices. However, such cartridges could still be useful to hunters, tourists and other people who, with the help of a lighting cartridge, could, for example, send a distress signal, especially in the dark.

S&W Self-Lubricating Bullet

In 1893, S&W received a patent for a bullet that had a built-in oiler, that is, as it passed along the rifling, it lubricated the barrel of the weapon. According to the developers, this was supposed to increase the initial speed of the bullet and reduce barrel wear.

Bullet with built-in oiler. The photo shows a .44 caliber cartridge S&W Russian

Inside the bullet there was a tube with four branches. The tubes were filled with lubricant, which during the firing process was squeezed onto the side walls of the bullet through 4 holes in its shell. Theoretically, an additional beneficial effect of this design is also an increase in AP due to the fact that the hollow bullet is deformed at the moment of impact.

The built-in oiler apparently did not provide any particular advantages, so the bullet did not go into mass production. Well, today there are simpler and effective ways reduce friction between the bullet and the barrel wall.

Training plastic

Plastic cartridges (with a plastic case and bullet) have become particularly popular in recent years. They are available in a variety of popular calibers, including 7.62x51mm and Mosin 7.62x54mm.

Plastic bullets come in a variety of designs, but they all have a reduced powder charge.

Cheap plastic cartridges are used by the military for training, but they are also in demand on the civilian market for recreational shooting. Such cartridges are loaded with a small charge of gunpowder, and the plastic bullet does not penetrate even an ordinary PET bottle, which makes shooting relatively safe. If you follow the rules for handling weapons, the risk of accidentally injuring someone beyond the line of sight, at a distance of several hundred meters, is practically zero, although there are also more “armor-piercing” plastic bullets coated with a metal jacket, as well as plastic tracer bullets with a small steel core inside .

Thanks to plastic cartridges, even children can shoot from “adult” calibers - the recoil of the same 7.62x54 mm in the plastic version is subjectively 2-3 times weaker than that of a conventional all-metal cartridge. Plastic training cartridges have only one significant drawback - low accuracy of fire. With plastic bullets it is difficult to assemble a group smaller than 10 cm at a distance of 50 m, so they are only suitable for recreational shooting at a distance of up to 100 m. Also, when using plastic cartridges in most self-loading rifles and pistols, you will have to fire the next cartridge manually - automatic due to the reduced weight of gunpowder and low bullet mass does not work reliably.

Cartridges of non-classical layout.

Round cartridge.

In August 1958, David Dardick patented a “Dardick open chamber gun” - a kind of hybrid of a pistol and a revolver and a so-called tround cartridge.
It was made of aluminum and then of high-strength plastic, and was initially produced in calibers .38 (9 mm), .30 (7.62 mm) and .22 (5.56 mm), with characteristics corresponding to the 38 SW Special cartridges , .32 SW long and .22 LR, and the dimensions of the plastic sleeves were the same for all calibers.

Round cartridges could be reloaded repeatedly using standard pistol primers with a diameter of 5 mm, and bullets of the appropriate caliber. The case had internal annular grooves that limited the seating of the bullet and provided boost pressure sufficient for complete combustion of the gunpowder.

In 1965, Frankford Arsenal design engineer Andrew Grundy patented a very unusual shape. Key element new concept there was a rejection of the classical form of the cartridge case and its replacement with a plastic capsule containing a powder charge on the side of the bullet.

This unorthodox configuration of the cartridge made it possible to reduce its dimensions and implement a frontal combustion scheme for the powder charge, which made it possible to reduce the erosive effect of powder gases on the barrel bore. Also, in theory, reducing the length of the weapon's chamber reduces the range of the moving parts of the weapon, which allows for a higher rate of fire at a lower speed of movement of the moving parts, reducing shock loads and the weight of the weapon.

From 1965 to 1983, U-shaped cartridges were tested in various calibers: 4.32 mm, 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm, 12.7 mm and 30 mm, but were never found for its military or civilian use.

AIWS cartridge.

In 1970, Maury Goldin, a designer at the American Hughes Tool Company, patented a cartridge design with a parallelepiped-shaped three-chamber case and a boltless weapon system.

The bullet in the AIWS cartridge is located in the central chamber, and the powder charge is placed in two side chambers. This cartridge configuration allowed for 54% more ammunition to be stored in a given volume compared to conventionally designed cartridges of the same caliber, and also provided significant weight savings that were comparable to the benefits provided by caseless ammunition. At the same time, the plastic sleeve provided the necessary obturation of powder gases, protection of the propellant charge and primer composition from environmental influences. The rectangular profile of the cartridge case made it possible to develop a high-capacity magazine and a simpler system, compared to conventional weapons, for feeding cartridges into the chamber and extracting the spent cartridge case.

Perforated cartridges

Two types of ammunition fall into this improvised category.

The first one is Comp Bullet.

In this pool, several interconnected holes are made using high-precision machines.
When firing a Comp bullet, powder gases pass through holes in the walls of the bullet and reduce friction on the rifling of the barrel. According to the developers, the holes also play the role of a kind of muzzle brake and reduce the recoil of the shot.

The second ammunition is 7x56 Broadway Trust with a perforated case.

In 1941, Sir Dennis Burney proposed to the British Minister of Supply a project to develop portable recoilless anti-tank rifles. With the support of the state, a joint company, Broad Trust Company (BTC), was founded.

At first, developments were carried out in the field of designing ammunition with a caliber ranging from 20-88 mm. The use of “perforated” cartridges was supposed to reduce the recoil of a shot to levels allowing hand-held shooting and to develop a sufficiently powerful and lightweight anti-tank gun. Gradually, the focus of development shifted to the design of smaller caliber guns.

Silent cartridges

7.62x63 Snake is one of the special cartridges for silent and flameless shooting with cut-off of powder gases.

In the 50s, at NII-61, by order of the KGB of the USSR, work began on the creation of a special silent two-shot pistol and cartridges for it. The complex consisted of a special C4 pistol and a silent PZ cartridge (Snake cartridge).

The 7.62-mm PZ cartridge consists of a steel sleeve with a slight taper, inside of which are located: a KVM-3 igniter primer in a sleeve with a movable firing pin (screwed into the bottom of the sleeve and ensuring obturation of the powder gases from the side of the capsule), a powder charge of grade P -125 and piston-pusher. The cartridge is loaded with a 7.62 mm PS bullet.

When fired, the cartridge's movable firing pin pierces the primer, which ignites the powder charge. The pressure of the powder gases drives the piston, which pushes the bullet into the barrel, giving it an initial flight speed of 170 m/s. When the uppermost position is reached, the piston rests against the narrowing of the walls of the cartridge case and stops, ensuring that the powder gases are locked inside the cartridge case and the shot is silent. The length of the spent cartridge case with the piston emerging from it is 82.3 mm.

Training and practice cartridges

Wooden cartridge 6.5x55 mm Mauser. Of course, it is not capable of hitting the target - the bullet is completely destroyed when exiting the weapon's barrel.

Modern training cartridges are often made of plastic.
Training cartridge L14A1 caliber 7.62x54 mm with a tracer bullet. In this cartridge only the bottom of the case and internal element bullets are made of metal.

Plastic cartridges are used by the military in training exercises; they are also in demand on the civilian market for recreational shooting. They are equipped with a small charge of gunpowder, which makes shooting relatively safe.

The only significant drawback of this ammunition is that in most self-loading rifles and pistols you will have to chamber the next cartridge manually—automation does not work reliably due to the reduced weight of gunpowder and the low mass of the bullet.

G2R RIP - new expansive.

Hollow bullets aren't all that unusual in and of themselves, but G2 Research's latest design certainly earns its place in this piece.

According to press releases, the small teeth on this bullet create a turbulent flow in flight, help stabilize the bullet and make it more accurate, and when hit, they cut like a hole saw through clothing, glass, drywall and even sheet metal, allowing the bottom of the bullet to more confidently hit the target.

G2R RIP is a lead-free, all-copper bullet, weighing 96 grams, divided into 9 triangular teeth. starting speed bullets - 386 m/s. Muzzle energy - 660 J.

The G2 Research company in the near future expects to begin producing .380 ACP, .357 SIG, .40, .45ACP cartridges, as well as rifle cartridges equipped with such a bullet.

The cost of such cartridges will reportedly be about $2 each. In addition to the high cost, the disadvantages of this ammunition include the potential for premature opening of the teeth.

Guided bullet

Sandia National Laboratories product demonstrated general public in November 2011.

At the tip of the bullet is a tiny optical sensor that detects a laser beam that illuminates a distant target. A microcomputer processes the signal from the sensor and deflects miniature stabilizer planes, changing the flight path. The bullet is capable of independently correcting its flight 30 times per second throughout the entire flight time at speeds of more than 600 m/s. In flight, the bullet is stabilized not by rotation, but by aerodynamic planes, which makes it possible to more accurately orient the optical sensor and control the flight.

Unfortunately, new information about this development on this moment No.

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