In the beginning...
It all started in China, where gunpowder was first created. In the ninth century, alchemists blended charcoal, saltpeter and sulfur into a powder called huo yao, which was used to treat skin infections. Armies quickly learned the powder could be used in bombs, mines and other weapons. Gunpowder was transported to Europe in the 13th century, over trade routes through central Asia. Other nations changed the gunpowder recipes before arriving at the perfect mixture: about 75 percent saltpeter, 15 percent charcoal and 10 percent sulfur. Historians recognize the Chinese fire lance, which was invented approximately in the 10th century, as the first guns. These bamboo tubes projected flames and shrapnel at their targets through a “touch hole” at the top. Cannons appeared in Italy around 1320, where they were modified as European nations had more wars. By the 16th century, European firearms had become far more advanced and far more deadly than their predecessors in the East.
...Then came the Civil war era....
In 1820 the flintlock mechanism became outdated and the percussion cap was born. The difference between the two is that a percussion cap is a piece of brass covering a hole leading the the pan (which the gunpowder was loaded into). The benefits of having a percussion cap rifle over a flintlock rifle is simply the weather condition. When it's raining outside you can't just call of the battle! The battle will press on rain or shine but if gunpowder gets wet it won't ignite. So the percussion cap was born! Another grate addition to the percussion cap was less maintenance to worry about and less parts to replace once they break. On a flintlock rifle the firing mechanism contains the cock flint frizzen pan lock plate and trigger. The percussion cap firing mechanism only had a couple parts and were more versatile Also when the flintlock rifles were tilted the gunpowder would fall out creating misfires witch were sometimes life threatening. With the percussion cap the gunpowder would have no way to spill out therefore making the rifles more reliable.
....Bullets have come a long way since the Civil war...
Hollow point-FMJBT-Soft point-Round nose
There are so many different types of bullets from explosive and incendiary rounds to less-lethal and blank rounds. The different types of materials are used in a variety of different situations from practice and riot control to incineration and taking out that wall because your HVT (high value target) is on the other side.
the different types of bullets are as followed:
the different types of bullets are as followed:
- Lead
- Jacked lead
- Blanks
- Practice
- Less-lethal
- Incendiary
- Exploding
- Tracer
- Armor piercing
- Nontoxic shot
- Blended-metal
- Frangible
- Solid