Ammunition
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Ammunition. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
a term applied to the ordnance stores used in the firing of guns of every sort and caliber. The term includes gunpowder, primers, and accessories. " fixed ammunition " is condition when powder, primer are combined in the so as to be ready for firing in the gun. It is also case of ammunition for which the powder is inclosed PERCUSSION FUSE TIME FUSE SHRAPNEL BLACK POWDER BLACK POWDER SE BRASS CARTRIDGE CASE BRASS CARTRIDGE CASE SMOKE LESS SMOKELESS POWDER POWDER BRASS PRIMERS A B GUN SHELLS. A. French 75 mm. Shrapnel B. British 13 Pounder Shrapnel C. United States High Explosive lic case which is primed, separately from the type of ammunition is now The ammunition used in almost always fixed for than 4 inches. The metallic case employed for fixed usually made of brass of ity stamped from sheets varying thickness. The 1,50 rim or groove around the base which is projectiles, seized by the extractor in removing the The term empty case after firing. applied to the projectile, or single piece, when placed employed in the large guns, in in a metal- PERCUSSION FUSE SHRAPNEL HARD STEEL SHELL SHRAPNEL EXPLOSIVE CHARGE (T.N.T.) or (AMATOL) BLACK POWDER SMOKELESS POWDER 个 BLACK BLACK POWDER BRASS CARTRIDGE CASE POWDER BRASS CARTRIDGE CASE (GRANULATED) ← (NITROCELLULOSE) SMOKE LESS POWDER SMOKELESS POWDER SMOKELESS POWDER (STICKS) ↑ BRASS PRIMERS C A B GUN SHELLS A. United States 3" Shrapnel Shell Shell B. Russian 3" Shrapnel Shell Shell C. German 3.30 Shrapnel Shell Shell For guns of larger caliber, the propelbut is loaded ling force, which is gunpowder, is inprojectile. This closed in bags made of cloth. The seldom used. charges are divided into sections when heavy guns is the weight of the complete charge is calibers of less more than 100 pounds. cartridge The charges are ignited by primers ammunition is which are of four types: percussion, the best qualfriction, electric, and percussion and or plates of electric combined. The ammunition supcases have a ply for the army of the United States includes ammunition for small arms including rifles, machine guns, and pistols, and ammunition for the Field Artillery. In the United States the ammunition for the Field Artillery, prior to the World War, included the following calibers: 2.95-inch mountain gun, 3-inch company bodies of infantry and cavalry, and caissons which accompany artillery to the immediate neighborhood of the battle. Ammunition trains are held in the rear to insure a re-supply of combat trains. The initial advantage obtained by Germany in the first years of the World HEAVY STEEL JACKET EN STEEL CORE HOLLOW BULLET SMOKE PRODUCING POWDER FILLING NICKEL JACKET A B HOLLOW BULLET CONTAINING EXPLOSIVE C D RIFLE AMMUNITION A. Armor-Piercing.30 Caliber Rifle Cartridge B. Tracer .30 Caliber Rifle Cartridge C. Incendiary .30 Caliber Rifle Cartridge D. Ordinary .30 Caliber Rifle Cartridge field gun, and 3.8-inch field howitzers. In the case of these arms fixed ammunition is used. The problem of continual and sufficient supply of ammunition is one of the most serious factors in war and was an especially difficult solution in the World War in which vast quantities of ammunition were expended. The supply is maintained by combat trains composed of ammunition wagons which ac- War were to a large extent due to the been prepared and held in reserve. Thus immense store of ammunition which had as well as a military combat between these years resulted in an industrial Germany and the western Allies. The Entente Powers soon recovered from this disadvantage and by 1916 possessed This preponderance was even the advantage in artillery and ammunition. more marked in 1917 and continued NICKEL JACKET STEEL CORE throughout the war. The French output of projectiles for the 75 mm. field pieces had increased, by 1917, 40 times, compared with the output at the beginning of the war. The production of large-caliber projectiles had increased 90 times. The case of Great Britain was even more remarkable. The output in a single day of shells for heavy guns and in a week for field howitzer and 3-inch guns in 1917 equalled the production of these shells during the entire first year of the war. At this time there were nearly 5,000 Governmentcontrolled ammunition plants in Great Britain, with over 2,000,000 employees. The largest shells thrown during the World War were those fired from the long range cannon with which the Germans bombarded Paris. This gun had a range of 73 miles. The shell thrown weighed 330 pounds and had a bursting charge of 33 pounds. This was placed in two compartments separated by a metal diaphragm. The walls of the shell were very thick in order to withstand the shock of discharge. The total length was 4 feet, 2 feet 5 inches of which were ballastic cap to offset air resistance and cause the center of pressure to fall in advance of the center of gravity. For discussion of the types of ammunition used in various types of ordnance, see ARTILLERY, MACHINE GUN, EXPLOSIVES, PROJECTILES, etc.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
a term used to designate the various articles used in loading a gun or cannon; as powder, ball, cap, wad, bullet, shot, or cartridge. In early days a gun was loaded with a charge of powder followed by a wad of tow or paper; then a spherical bullet or a charge of shot, and in the latter case a second wad to keep the shot in place. The first wad enabled the powder to force the load out. Percussion caps ignited by a blow of a hammer were invented about 1830. The metallic cartridge in which the powder and lead are contained, as well as a percussion priming by which the powder is fired, is credited to French invention in 1831. Elongated or Minie bullets were used in the Crimean War. A much longer steel bullet is used in a modern Winchester. Bullets that flatten or explode in the body are forbidden by the ethics of modern warfare. They are called "dum-dum" bullets. The last United States census gives the following statistics as to manufacture of ammunition for the year 1900: Number of manufactories, 35; number of workmen, 2,267; wages paid, $1,110,482; value of materials used, $4,645,850; value of ammunition, $6,538,482. See Lead ; Gunpowder ; Firearms ; Torpedo ; Dynamite