Editing Cartridge (firearms) (section)

{{Short description|Pre-assembled firearm ammunition}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}

[[File:Cartridge cross section.svg|thumb|A modern round consists of the following:<br />''1.'' ''Bullet'', as the [[projectile]]; <br />''2.'' ''Cartridge case'', which holds all parts together; <br />''3.'' ''[[Propellant]]'', for example, [[gunpowder]] or [[cordite]];<br />''4.'' ''Rim'', which provides the extractor on the firearm a place to grip the casing to remove it from the chamber once fired; <br />''5.'' [[Centerfire ammunition#Centerfire primers|''Primer'']], which ignites the propellant]]

A '''cartridge''',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://saami.org/saami-glossary/?letter=C |title=Glossary – SAAMI |publisher=[[Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute]] |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804173256/https://saami.org/saami-glossary/?letter=C |archivedate=4 August 2020 |accessdate=2 April 2021 |quote=CARTRIDGE: A single round of ammunition consisting of the case, primer and propellant with or without one or more projectiles. Also applies to a shotshell. }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cip-bobp.org/homologation/uploads/ciptexts/definition-calibrage-en.pdf |title=DEFINITIONS OF C.I.P. TERMS |publisher=[[Commission internationale permanente pour l'épreuve des armes à feu portatives]] |date=2001 |accessdate=2 April 2021 |quote=Cartridge – Cartouche: A means to fire a propellant charge by means of a percussion device, with or without a projectile, all contained in a case. |archive-date=29 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629122420/https://www.cip-bobp.org/homologation/uploads/ciptexts/definition-calibrage-en.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> also known as a '''round''', is a type of pre-assembled firearm ammunition packaging a [[projectile]] ([[bullet]], [[shot (pellet)|shot]], or [[shotgun slug|slug]]), a [[propellant]] substance ([[smokeless powder]], [[black powder substitute]], or [[black powder]]) and an ignition device ([[primer (firearm)|primer]]) within a [[metallic cartridge|metallic]], [[paper cartridge|paper]], or [[polymer-cased ammunition|plastic case]] that is precisely made to fit within the [[gun barrel|barrel]] [[chamber (firearms)|chamber]] of a [[breechloading]] gun, for convenient transportation and handling during shooting.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Sparano, Vin T.|chapter=Cartridges|title=The Complete Outdoors Encyclopedia|publisher=Macmillan|year=2000|isbn=978-0-312-26722-3|page=37|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iTX3BYBnOTcC&pg=PA37}}</ref> Although in popular usage the term "bullet" is often used to refer to a complete cartridge, the correct usage only refers to the projectile.

Military and commercial producers continue to pursue the goal of [[caseless ammunition]]. Some [[artillery]] ammunition uses the same cartridge concept as found in [[small arms]]. In other cases, the [[shell (projectile)|artillery shell]] is separate from the propellant charge.

A cartridge without a projectile is called a ''[[blank (cartridge)|blank]]''; one that is completely [[inert munitions|inert]] (contains no active primer and no propellant) is called a ''[[dummy round|dummy]]''; one that failed to ignite and shoot off the projectile is called a ''[[dud]]''; and one that ignited but failed to sufficiently push the projectile out of the barrel is called a ''[[squib load|squib]]''.

[[File:Cartridge Sample 2.jpg|right|thumb|upright=2|A variety of rifle cartridges: ('''1''')[[.17 HM2]] ('''2''')[[.17 HMR]] ('''3''')[[.22LR]] ('''4''')[[.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire|.22 Win Mag R/F.22 WMR]] ('''5''')[[.17/23 SMc]] ('''6''')[[5mm/35 SMc]] ('''7''')[[.22 Hornet]] ('''8''')[[.223 Remington]] ('''9''')[[.223 WSSM]] ('''10''')[[.243 Win]] ('''11''')[[P.O. Ackley#Wildcats and Ackley Improved Cartridges|.243 Win Improved (Ackley)]] ('''12''')[[.25-06 Remington]] ('''13''')[[.270 Winchester]] ('''14''')[[.308 Winchester]] ('''15''')[[.30-06 Springfield]] ('''16''')[[.45-70|.45-70 Government]] ('''17''')[[.50-90 Sharps]]]]
[[File:Big caliber cartridge comparison withDATA.jpg|thumb|upright=2]]