Ammunition small arms

Antimony hardens the lead used in the manufacture of small arms ammunition. Antimony alloyed with lead is also used in cable covering, sheet and pipe, and collapsible tubes. In these appHcations, antimony is utilized to increase strength and inhibit corrosion. 

Gewehr, n. (small) arms, gun, rifle, -geschoss, n. bullet, -granate, /. rifle grenade, -mum-tioQ, /. small-arms ammunition, -pulver, n. rifle powder. 

Machine Gun. Automatic weapons which fire small arms ammunition. They are heavier than automatic rifles and are usually provided with a fized mount, such as a tripod, or wheels and a trail. These sustain the force of recoil and provide the means by which the gun may be positioned in the direction of fire. Machine guns utilize the discharging gas, or mechanical recoil of the gun to load, eject the cartridge, lock and unlock the breech. They are fed from either a belt, clip or magazine, and are cooled by either... 

Ibid, Vol 4, Ammunition Category Report Metal Parts and Small Arms Ammunition ... 

At the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, no other plant existed in the U.S. capable of making anything larger than small arms ammunition. There was no knowledge elsewhere there were no detailed plans for whole industries elsewhere. Without the industrial know-how developed at Picatinny, the rapid conversion of commercial concerns to mass ammunition manufacture would have been impossible... 

Stevenson, Pyrotechnics for Small Arms Ammunition , Frankford Arsenal Report R-1968 (1970) 34) R.H. Weldon et al, Evaluation... 

J.A. Carrazza et al, Development of a Safer Intermediate and First Fire Formulation for the M49A1 Surface, Trip Flare , PATR 4636 (1974), AD 784 066 / 3 GI 84) R. Kwatnoskl, Drag Reducing Fumer for Application in Small Arms Ammunition , FA-R-3003... 

One common method of designing propellent grains is to use a long annulus. This can burn on both the interior and exterior surfaces, so that as burning proceeds the outer surface decreases, but the inner suface increases in such a way that the total surface and therefore mass burning speed remains constant. Similar properties are also shown by thin flakes or discs of propellant which are suitable for use for small arms ammunition. 

Cap. A metal shell with pyrotechnic filling, such as is used in small arms ammunition for causing a mechanical blow on the outside of the shell to ignite the propellent charge inside. In the U.S.A. detonators are known as blasting caps. 

Swearengen, Thomas F. Tear Gas Munitions An Analysis of Commercial Riot Gas Guns, Tear Gas Projectiles, Grenades, Small Arms Ammunition, and Related Tear Gas Devices. Springfield, IL Charles C Thomas Publisher, 1966. 

Primer A term for the device used to ignite smokeless powder in small arms ammunition. An impact-sensitive composition is used. When struck by a metal firing pin, a primer emits a burst of flame capable of igniting the propellant charge. Several typical primer mixtures are given in Table 6.2. 

The items used for military purposes include those used for small arms ammunition, artillery ammunition, rocket ammunition, aircraft bombs, land sea mines, grenades, demolition devices and pyrotechnic devices. As some items (such as detonators, primers, etc) can be used in several kinds of ammunition our write-up might contain some repetitions... 

Machine Gun. A weapon that fires small arms ammunition of caliber. 60 or 15.24mm or under automatically and is capable of sustained rapid fire. It can be belt- or link-fed, airr or water-cooled, recoil or gas operated, and usually fired... 

Priming Composition. A physical mixture of materials that is very sensitive to impact or percussion and, when so exploded, undergoes very rapid autocombustion. The products of such an explosion are hot gases and incandescent solid particles. Priming compositions are used for the ignition of primary explosives, BkPdr, igniter charges and propellants in small arms ammunition (Ref 40a, p 112) (See also in Section 3, Part D and Section 4,... 

The complete round (cartridge) of small arms ammunition (except for the shotgun), employing one of the center-fire obturated type primers is represented in Fig 32... 

In Section 3 are described components used for initiating propellants in small arms ammunition and in artillery ammunition. Also included are some initiators for military demolitions and for pyrotechnic items. In order to understand more clearly the function of iniators in ammunition, cutaway views of complete rounds (which includes cartridges and projectiles) of "fixed" and "semifixed ammunition are given in Vol 1 of Encycl (Ref 43), p A385-L, under "AMMUNITION." Section 3 gives also description of initiation of propellant charges in mortars, together with cutaway views of 60-mm, 81-mm and 4.2-inch mortar rounds... 

Hangfire Primers. A hangfire in small arms ammunition (initiated by a blow from a firing pin) can be defined as that condition which exists when initiation of the usual chain of events following the release of the trigger in a loaded weapon, occurs at a rate slower than normal the definition of hangfire for electrically initiated ammo is similar... 

High and Low Temperature Tests for Small Arms Ammunition. The purpose of these tests is to determine the effect of high (as high as +165°F) or low temperature (as low as -70°F) storage upon the ballistic performance of ammunition, or components thereof... 

In the same time period, specialized fuzes for both artillery projectiles and bombs were developed. To designate differences in delay or weapon to be used with, artillery fuzes were color coded for rapid identification in the field In the early 1960 s, a concerted effort was undertaken by the NATO countries for the establishment of a standardized color code for the identification of ammunition of all types except small arms ammunition below 20mm in caliber. The following color code was adopted and is being used by most NATO countries. The colors adopted and their significance are as follows ... 

Small Arms Ammunition Identification Guide, December 1966... 

Although aircraft was introduced as an auxiliary warfare weapon by various countries as early as 1910, their actual combat use did not begin until WWI. By this time, incendiary materials were used in the following devices a) small arms ammunition b) shells c) trench mortar projectiles d) grenades and other hand weapons e) aircraft bombs f) flame projectors (described separately) and g) rockets... 

Small arms ammunition. Incendiary small arms ammunition, while carrying only a very small amount of material, has proved to be of the greatest value in effectively attacking highly flammable targets, such as aircraft, which might be filled with hydrogen or carry tanks... 

During WWI I, the following incendiary and tracer small arms ammunition were used by the US Armed Forces ... 

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