▁charge ▁( o ften ▁black ▁pow der ▁or ▁cord ite ) ▁in ▁the ▁base ▁of ▁the ▁shell . ▁This ▁charge ▁f ract ures ▁the ▁matrix ▁holding ▁the ▁balls ▁in ▁place ▁and ▁exp els ▁the ▁nose ▁of ▁the ▁shell ▁to ▁open ▁a ▁path ▁for ▁the ▁balls , ▁which ▁are ▁then ▁prop elled ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁shell ▁without ▁ru pt uring ▁the ▁cas ing ▁( which ▁falls ▁to ▁earth ▁har ml ess ly ▁and ▁can ▁be ▁retrieved ▁and ▁re used ). ▁These ▁balls ▁continue ▁on ward ▁to ▁the ▁target , ▁spread ing ▁out ▁in ▁a ▁cone - sh aped ▁pattern ▁at ▁ground ▁level , ▁with ▁most ▁of ▁their ▁energy ▁coming ▁from ▁the ▁original ▁velocity ▁of ▁the ▁shell ▁itself ▁rather ▁than ▁the ▁less er ▁force ▁of ▁the ▁secondary ▁charge ▁that ▁fre ed ▁them ▁from ▁the ▁shell . ▁Since ▁the ▁cone ▁of ▁impact ▁is ▁relatively ▁small , ▁no ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 0 ▁to ▁ 1 5 ▁times ▁the ▁diameter ▁of ▁the ▁shell , ▁true ▁sh rap nel ▁shell s ▁needed ▁to ▁be ▁carefully ▁sight ed ▁and ▁jud ici ously ▁used ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁maxim ize ▁their ▁impact ▁on ▁the ▁enemy . ▁ ▁In ▁contrast , ▁a ▁high - expl os ive ▁shell ▁contains ▁a ▁relatively ▁large ▁and ▁ener get ic ▁secondary ▁charge ▁of ▁high ▁explos ive ▁( known ▁as ▁a ▁bur ster ▁charge ) ▁which , ▁when ▁ign ited ▁by ▁the ▁f use , ▁produces ▁a ▁powerful ▁su person ic ▁shock ▁wave ▁that ▁sh at ters ▁the ▁entire ▁shell ▁cas ing ▁into ▁many