Let’s start with “what’s a bullet?” The bullet is the copper coated lead projectile that goes out the barrel and towards your target. You don’t load bullets in your gun, you load cartridges that have a brass casing, a small primer in the middle of the rear of the casing, some smokeless gunpowder then finally the “bullet”, pushed in the open end of the shell casing with a small crimp to hold it in place until you fire it.
“How many” depends on the type and model of gun. Most, but not all, revolvers for instance carry 5 or 6 rounds of ammunition. Some models now carry 7 to 9 rounds to save a little time reloading at the target range.
Other exceptions are the iconic Colt “six shooter” … which usually isn’t. It’s more common, and has been since 1873 when Colt first introduced it’s “Peacemaker”, to only load 5 rounds and let the hammer with the firing pin rest on an empty chamber.
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That way if the Cowboy/Lawman/Hollywood actor dropped it, the firing pin won’t hit a live round and shoot anybody or their horse. The story is … most cowboys would keep a $5 or $10 bill rolled up in the empty chamber to remind them to leave an empty chamber … and in case they died on the trail to pay for a funeral and marker for themselves.
Semi-auto pistol capacity is only limited by the magazine that feeds the gun and how much weight you’re willing to carry. The classic 1911 carries 7 to 8 rounds of large, heavy hitting .45 ACP in it’s magazine, but 10 round extended magazines are available too.
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The Beretta 92, currently a standard issue US military sidearm, carries 15 or 17 rounds of 9mm, depending on the magazine, but 20-rounders are available. Most of the Glocks our police carry today hold 15+ rounds of .40 caliber, a compromise between the stopping power of a. 45 ACP and the higher velocity and extra capacity of a 9mm.
7. Is it loud? Does it “kick”?
Yes it is loud, no matter what gun, caliber and size. That’s why, when you go to any target range one of the first questions will be; “Eyes and ears?” In other words; “Do you have eye and hearing protection, or do you need to rent them?”
Safety glasses and hearing protection, whether simple foam plugs or full ear-muff style, are required at any range. Rentals are only a buck or two. Some folks with sensitive hearing might want to use both plugs and earmuff style.
Does it “kick”? Newton’s laws of physics says that “for any action has an equal and opposite reaction”. The larger and heavier the bullet you fire and the lighter the gun (inertia) the more of a recoil it will have.
A heavy Olympic style target pistol (yes they have handgun competitions in the Olympics), with a little .22 Long Rifle has almost no recoil at all.
A lightweight Smith & Wesson revolver. made with ultra-lightweight Scandium for concealed carry, can fire a hard hitting .357 magnum. But … after a few rounds your hands will sting and your ears will probably be ringing. But if it’s in defense of your family, you won’t notice until the adrenaline wears off.
8. How far will the bullet go?
This is an easy one … miles and miles. Even that puny little .22 can travel for well over a mile and BTW … those rounds fired straight up by drunken boneheads on New Years Eve and the 4th of July … come down just about as fast as they go up and will hit you like being shot at point blank range.
Rifle rounds like the venerable 30.06 are good for 2 miles or more. That’s why the 4th rule is so important: “Know your target and what it beyond”
9. Will it go through a … car/wall/building/tree etc.?
Most handgun rounds will go through a car door or drywall. The exception is some “hollow points” will slow down and stop penetration when the cavity in the front fills up with plaster.
Rifle rounds will go through and through a car, except for the engine. On TV when you see the cops hiding and shooting at the bad guys from behind the open door of their Ford Crown Vic, you can point and laugh, knowing that a well thrown rock will pretty much go right through the lightweight door and all the interior cardboard and vinyl trimmed panels.
Rifle rounds will go through several interior and some exterior walls (drywall, siding etc.) with no problem. That's why being careful about choosing a home defense weapon is important.
If you are curious, there’s a odd little web site called “The Box of Truth” where they test fire all kinds of guns and ammunition through all kinds of things like car doors, drywall, (several layers), cinder blocks, red brick, 3 layers of denim, hams etc.
Next: What about kids in the house?
