What is Compound used as primer in weapon is and explain in detail?
Ans. is 'a' i.e., Potassium chlorate Cartridge (round)* Cartridge is the ammunition used in firearms. Cartridge consists of (i) Cartridge case, (ii) Propellant (gun powder), (iii) Projectile (missile) and (iv) Wads (only in shotguns.).1) Cartridge case# It is the outer shell or covering of the cartridge. In shotgun it is cylinderical. Base is of brass and rest of it is of cardboard or plastic. In rifled weapons, it is tapering and whole of it is made of brass or steel.# Center of base has percussion cap (detonator cap) which has sensitive composition, i.e. primer, consisting of potassium chlorate, antimony sulphide, mercury fulminate, barium nitrite, lead peroxide or tetrazene.# In all weapons, after firing, the cartridge case remains in the barrel and it is to be taken out manually (shotgun, revolvers, rifle) or it is ejected out automatically, e.g. in pistals.2) Propellent (gun powder)# It propels the projectile (missile) forward. It is composed of black powder or smokeless powder in the form of grains, pellets, thin cylindrical cords or flakes. Its ignition results in formation of expanding hot gases under pressure which (gas pressure) propels the projectile (missile) by providing it necessary muzzle velocity and striking energy.# The classical gun powder is known as black powder, consists of charcol (15%), Sulphur (10%), and potassium nitrate (75%). Depending on fineness, the black gun powder is designated as FG, FFG, FFFG. etc. (F = fineness). Pyrodex is another gun powder with same components, but with different ratios.# Black gun powder produces smoke, i.e. It is smoke producing powder. Smokeless powder, in addition to black powder, has nitrocellulose (single base), or nitrocellulose plus nitroglycerine (double base), or nitrocellulose plus nitroglycerine plus nitroguanidine (triple base). Semi smokeless powder has 80% black powder and 20% smokeless powder (nitrocellulose).3) Projectile (missile)# Projectile is an object propelled by force of rapidly burning gases. In shotgun these are lead shots and pellets (recently steel is also used instead of lead) and in rifled weapons (pistal, rifle, revolver), these are bullets. Tip of the bullet is knwon as nose.4) Wads# Wads are present only in the cartridge of a shot gun. Wad can be made of paper, left, card board, or plastic. These are circular disc of various thicknesses, used to adjust the contents of a shotgun cartridge.# Felt wad (wad made of felt) is imprignated with grease and this lubricates the bore (inside of barrel).