Bullet

the leaden projectile of small arms. Bullets were originally spherical. It is in this sense that the term bullet-headed is applied to a person with a short, round head. The elongated minie bullet was introducd by the French in 1846, and has been succeeded by still more elongated bullets. The modern bullet of the cartridge for a breech-loader, as of the Mauser, is about three inches long, with a diameter about one-tenth of the length, and a weight of 216 grains. It is usually coated with steel, copper, nickel, or german silver. The dum-dum bullet, condemned by rules of modern warfare, has an unprotected lead point that flattens on striking, and produces a ragged wound.