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 06-19-2009, 10:57 PM | #1 | Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 2 |  Firearm beginner. I have some questions.
I took a look around the forum to figure out where I would even put this topic, and I wasn't exactly positive, so if I messed up, I apologize.
Well, I'm new to firearms. My father and mother both didn't approve of them, so I never grew up around them. I recently enlisted into the US Navy, and that's when I decided I'd want to learn about firearms.
I don't know a thing though, I have a few ideas here and there, but I'm not positive on anything.
So, what I was wondering was, if someone could help me out and give me some info on the following:
Bullet Size - What is caliber and mm?
What is a cartridge made of? - What is the physics of the bullet actually going off, what happens with the firing rod strikes the primer?
What kind of gun should I get? Where can I use it?
What is gas operated?
How does a typical weapon actually work? - The mechanics of it.
Any more information anyone else can throw at me would be nice, when I get done with RTC and get my orders from my detailer, I'm joining the NRA. | 
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| 06-19-2009, 11:34 PM | #2 | Sic Semper Tyrannis Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: , The Mother Lode Posts: 18,437 |
Welcome here and thank you for your service. The internet search engines are your friends. Search out any of your questions and you will be rewarded with more information than you can stand.
I'm sure some folks will be along to answer some of your questions. In the meantime, a rule of thumb is the larger the number of the caliber, the larger the bullet/projectile. IE. the .45 is larger than a .40 which is larger than a .38 and so on.  __________________
Ineptocracy (in-ep-toc’-ra-cy) - a system of government where those least capable of leadership are elected by those least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to succeed or provide for themselves are rewarded with goods and services paid for by wealth confiscated from a diminishing number of people who actually work and produce.
ΜΟΛ'ΩΝ ΛΑΒ'Ε | |
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| 06-19-2009, 11:44 PM | #3 | Supporting Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 4,754 |
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| 06-19-2009, 11:58 PM | #4 | I'm always 10-8 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: 150 miles NE of Sloppy Joe's Bar, in the "GunShine" State Posts: 19,200 Liked 7 Times on 6 Posts
Likes Given: 6
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WELCOME to the FTF community Troy, glad to have you aboard! 
All you need here is a thick skin and the ability to laugh at anything, including yourself!
Join the NRA FREE!! (Yep, FREE)
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Thank you for your service 
Try these:
Caliber - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartridge_(firearms) __________________ .
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"Given ten days for a project, a good engineer spends nine days figuring out how to finish it in one day."
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| 06-20-2009, 12:38 AM | #5 | Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Stafford, Virginia, The state of insanity. Posts: 14,049 |
Quote:
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Bullet Size - What is caliber and mm?
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Caliber is the measure of the bullets diameter or the diameter of the bore between the lands of rifling. This can be measured in either standard (Inches) or in metric (mm). A 5.56x45mm NATO is the same basic cartridge as the .223 Remington.
Rifling the spiral you seen when looking down the barrel. Lands are raised grooves are well grooves in the barrel.
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What is a cartridge made of?
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A cartridge is made of 4 main parts.
1. The case made of brass or steel.
2. Primer a cup filled with explosive mixture that ignite's the
3. Powder
4 Bullet
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What is the physics of the bullet actually going off, what happens with the firing rod strikes the primer?
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The trigger is pulled the firing pin is released traveling forward striking the primer the primer ignite's igniting the powder. As the powder burns it produces gas. The gas expands forcing the bullet down the barrel accelarating it to a very high velocity.
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What kind of gun should I get? Where can I use it?
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This is hard to say what do you want to do with it? You say your going in the navy. Where are you going to keep it while you are out to sea? For a first firearm I always say to get a rimfire which is a 22lr, 22mag, 17hm2, 17hrm. these are cheaper to buy and buy ammo for. If your property is big enough in your back yard. If not you can use BLM land or shooting ranges. Look at joining a range or club like a Izzak Walton League. There are also some public shooting ranges out there as well.
It is a semi automoatic or automatic that uses the expanding gas to operate the bolt. The M-16 is a gas operated firearm. This helps reduce recoil and other things.
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How does a typical weapon actually work? - The mechanics of it.
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Download the STI international screen saver and take a look at the functioning of a 1911 45acp pistol.
get some books. Go on line to midwayusa.com and amazon.com and look for firearms related books and read up on them also take a look at the local public library.
Oh BTW Welcome to the forum and our community. Gunnutits is really hard to break. I am been trying to quit for 10 years with no suck luck. | |
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| 06-20-2009, 12:54 AM | #6 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 141 |
I always like the "How Stuff Works" website.
HowStuffWorks "How Guns Work"__________________
‘‘Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest.’’
— Mahatma Ghandi, "Gandhi, An Autobiography", page 446 | |
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| 06-20-2009, 02:01 AM | #7 | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 326 |
Well, caliber is tricky because in the military its done by a different measuring system
a 5.56x45mm round (the standard assault rifle round) is the military equivalent of a .223 winchester, but they aren't the same. the 7.62x51mm is a Winchester .308 civilian hunting and target shooting round. .30-06 and 30-30 are both thirty caliber bullets, but different powder loads.
And for the real hard liners, the .30-06 was a military round during WWI and WWII. But that was before the modern system was put in place.
Shotguns are different, there are gauges. From smallest to heaviest: .410, 28, 20, 16, 12, 10, and 6 gauge shotguns. The 6 gauge is harder to find. 12 gauge is very popular. there are also different lengths of the shells, from 2 3/4 inches being the smallest to 3 1/2 inch magnum shells being the largest. Shotgun shells don't shoot one single projectile, but a many different balls at a target. They don't have the range of rifles. The shot size depends on your purpose, and the purpose is usually on the box (target ammo, duck loads, buckshot for deer and home defense, etc.) The gauge is determined bythe size of the pellets to make 1 pound of material. Thats why the lower the number the bigger the shell!
Gas action is when the gas from the bullet being fired is sent back through a tube to make the bolt go back, chamber the next round, and cock the firing pin.
When the primer is struck, it ignites the gunpowder, which in turn produces gunpowder that pushes the bullet out the end of the gun.
As a beginner, a bolt action rifle in .22 long rifle would be best.
A word of advice that helped me a lot when I started shooting, when these guys throw info at you write stuff down, especially all the specs like caliber, length of cartridge etc. Find a box of ammo with all the right markings that match the ones on your gun's barrel and you're ready to go. The info posted here is good and these guys usually know what they are talking about.
MOST IMPORTANTLY SAFETY FIRST! If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask no matter how stupid it may seem. Make sure the safety switch is on, handle the gun like its always loaded, and make sure the bullets you shoot match the writing on the barrel that says what your firearm can shoot.
Thanks for your service, good luck in the navy
Last edited by easterner123; 06-20-2009 at 02:11 AM. | |
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| 06-20-2009, 02:41 AM | #8 | Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 2 |
Woah, I wasn't expecting such detailed responses, thank you all very much.
Also thank you all very much for the appreciation on my services in the Navy. I almost went Marine Corps, because of my love of weapons, but that just wasn't enough to sway me over haha. God bless the Corps, but they're alot more than I can handle. Anyway, getting side tracked, thank you very much for your appreciation. God bless our troops! | |
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| 06-24-2009, 12:50 AM | #9 | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: , Northeast, AL Posts: 318 |
Quote:
Originally Posted by easterner123
Well, caliber is tricky because in the military its done by a different measuring system
a 5.56x45mm round (the standard assault rifle round) is the military equivalent of a .223 winchester,
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That should be .223 Remington. | |
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| 06-26-2009, 06:27 AM | #10 | Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 14 |
Quote:
Originally Posted by 50CalTroy
I took a look around the forum to figure out where I would even put this topic, and I wasn't exactly positive, so if I messed up, I apologize.
Well, I'm new to firearms. My father and mother both didn't approve of them, so I never grew up around them. I recently enlisted into the US Navy, and that's when I decided I'd want to learn about firearms.
I don't know a thing though, I have a few ideas here and there, but I'm not positive on anything.
So, what I was wondering was, if someone could help me out and give me some info on the following:
Bullet Size - What is caliber and mm?
What is a cartridge made of? - What is the physics of the bullet actually going off, what happens with the firing rod strikes the primer?
What kind of gun should I get? Where can I use it?
What is gas operated?
How does a typical weapon actually work? - The mechanics of it.
Any more information anyone else can throw at me would be nice, when I get done with RTC and get my orders from my detailer, I'm joining the NRA.
|
mm is millimeter-the diameter of the bullet itself. caliber is the american measure of bullet diameter while mm is the metric. more common in military weapons. a cartridge is a metalic shell housing the charge and powder and bullet. normally made of copper or other metals. when the fireing rod strikes the primer the primer detonates igniting the powder inside, the powder blocked by the bullet builds in pressure until the bullet is forced down the barrel by the explosive pressure. gas operated is a system that feeds this explosive gas back to the bolt forcing it back to eject the empty case and insert a new round into the chamber. as for the gun to get that is all preference. pistol and shot guns are great for home defense and urban combat up to 90 meters away, assault rifles are best for fighting from 50-300 meters and rifles are best from 500-3000 meters (depending on the rifle and shooter.) basically just figure out why you want a gun, for defense use a pistol or shotgun. for hunting, a rifle would work, if you expect a firefight in then the assault rifle is good. basic firearms 101, pull trigger (pending on weapon cock hammer/charging hammer first) hammer strikes fireing pin, fireing pin strikes primer, primer ignites powder, powder propels bullet down chamber (in gas operated gases travel back to bolt eject round and feed a new one. ex- M-16A1-4, M-2 browning machine gun, AK-47) recoil/piston system the bullet when fired pushes the bolt back ejects round feeds new one. ex-M206 (semi-auto type) bolt action has the shooter manuelly pull the bolt back ejecting the round and feeding a new one, ex- M109 berret, M206 bolt action. etc. those are the basic machanics. if you want to know more specifics just ask. | |
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