The sporting rifles and their ammunitions are not common in India. There are, however, tremendous variations in the jacketting of the sporting rifle ammunition. Now complete jacketting is common in all the service rifle ammunition. Previously there were ample variations in the jacketting patterns of the projectiles. The commonest material for the jacket even today in copper.Ĭopper alloys and mild steel are also used as jacket materials. The coverage and the materials for the jacket varied tremendously. To remedy this, the bullets were covered with a jacket. It was found that lead bullets did not function properly at these velocities. The bullets for some revolvers, for example, are still made of lead alloy by some manufacturersĪs seen above, smokeless powder increased the temperature and the velocities of the projectiles. The lead bullets however continue to be used in weapon firing law or medium velocities. The ballets consequently were not used in high velocity or semi-automatic or automatic weapons. Lead bullets, though made from hardened alloy, started getting deformed under the conditions. The smokeless powder generated higher velocities and higher temperatures. The lead bullets held the field till the induction of smokeless powder. The first projectile to be fired from a rifled firearms was made of lead. However, these non-lead projectiles are not common in India. Some pellets have also been made from bismuth and other materials. Flechettes, arrow-like projectiles, and the pellets are also being made of steel rather than that of lead. For example, in Russian rifles (AK 47 and AK 743 the main pan of the core is made of steel but a small amount of lead is also part of the core, Other rifles structured on the Russian pattern have also similar core composition. Lead, as core material, has been placed in some of the modem rifles though not completely. The percentages of the metals alloyed with lead have always been small. Other alloys of lead and mercury, lead and antimony have also been used. These alloys are quite hard and are being used where the projectiles have low and medium velocities. The metal is, therefore, alloyed with other suitable metals, particularly with antimony. However, the pure state, it is quite soft and gets deformed easily. It can be molded into various shapes easily. Lead, almost everywhere used for the projectiles was found indispensable, though for high velocity projectiles it was covered with a harder metal jacket. Arrow like projectiles are also being reintroduced. Further developments revealed that a spherical shape was not efficient ballistically. But ultimately these initial projectiles gave way to spherical projectiles, which held the field for a long time and still continue to be used in smooth bore firearms. The next logical development probably was an imitation of an arrowhead. The first projectile for the firearm was probably a stone of convenient size. The projectiles used in firearms have undergone the usual evolution. They vary in constructional materials, shapes and sizes and in their ballistics. They are hurled out by the gases produced by the propellants on discharge of a firearm. Projectiles are pellets, buck shots, balls, bullets, etc., intended to cause injuries. (7) Such ingredients of ammunition as the Central Government may by notification in the official gazette specify in this behalf.Ī firearm cartridge has the following components:

(6) Parts of and machinery for manufacturing ammunition. (4) Charges for firearms and accessories for such charges. (3) Other articles containing or designed or adapted to contain explosive, fulminating or fissionable material or noxious liquid, gas or other such thing whether capable of use with firearms or not (2) Articles designed for torpedo service and sub-marine mining. (1) Rockets, bombs, grenades, shells and other like missiles. According to Indian Arms Act, 1959, Ammunition means: “Ammunition for any firearm” and includes.The discussion, therefore, is limited to the ammunition of small arms only. In crimes small arms are involved almost exclusively. For the purposes of forensic ballistics, however, ammunition in common language means cartridges, propellants, primers and projectiles commonly used in small firearms. A m munition in law includes a host of items.

Bullet projectile