When you pull a trigger on a gun, how does that ignite the gun powder?

Question

Curious

Answer 1

Simply put, cartridges are a combination of a projectile (the bullet), a propellant (gunpowder, for example) and a primer (the explosive cap), all contained in one metal package.

hen you pull the trigger on a revolver, several things happen:

1. Initially, the trigger lever pushes the hammer backward.
* As it moves backward, the hammer compresses a metal spring in the gun stock (the handle).
* At the same time, the trigger rotates the cylinder so the next breech chamber is positioned in front of the gun barrel.
2. When you pull the trigger all the way back, the lever releases the hammer.
3. The compressed spring drives the hammer forward.
4. The hammer slams into the primer at the back of the cartridge, igniting the primer.
5. The primer sets off the propellent.
6. The exploding propellent drives the bullet out of the gun at high speed.

Answer 2

There are some chemical compounds which explode when struck; these are built into the back of the cartridge bullet, either in the folded crease of a rim-fire bullet or in the primer cup of centerfire bullets. The working gun-powder that is going to propel the bullet is against this primer area, held in place slightly compacted by the wadding (a bit of cloth, paper, cardboard or plastic). It is necessary that the powder be compact in the bullet; loose powder on the ground will just burn with a bit of fizzzle. The primer squirts a bit of fire into the propellant powder, which contains oxygen releasing compounds, and so it explodes.

If you would visualise the action with a very rubberry barrel, the heavy gas pressure in the barrel would bulge behind the bullet and travel down to the open end, slightly reducing as it goes, but still quite powerful when it leaves the rifle--aside from making loud noise, this can be put to work. In an actual steel barrel, a small hole can be drilled near the end, connecting through a forging to a gas chamber and thus pushing back an operating rod which unlocks the bolt, ejecting the spent round and cocking the action for the next firing, then sliding a new bullet into place (other parts work together to accomplish all this). This is called the gas operated system, used on most of the military arms developed in the 20th century: M1Garand and carbine, M14, M16, Browning Auto Rifle, etc and especially, by overwhelming numbers, the AK47.

Answer 3

Thus far you have good answers. I would add the primer is a contact-type propellant -- that means it burns because of an impact. So the hammer or firing pin strikes the primer, the primer ignites, which ignites the powder. The powder then burns at an incredibly fast rate to produce A LOT of gas. It is the pressure of the gas which moves the projectile out of the barrel -- the pressure in a gun, whether a Colt 45 or a 16" 50 caliber gun on a battleship, can reach 50,000 pounds per square inch (which is why even a blank can kill at close range).

Answer 4

The trigger is like a doorbell, which goes off when pulled. It alerts the tiny gun gnome to get up, go across the way, and light a match and put it to the fuse. The fuse burns quickly, giving the gnome just enough time to hide before it lites the firecracker which propels the bullet out the barrel and down to the ground 5 feet from the gun.

Or else it creates a spark that ignites the powder.

Answer 5

The trigger spring cocks and releases the hammer and the hammer firing pin dents the rear of the shell casing. The tiny dent in the shell casing cases a spark within the shell of the bullet igniting the explosive inside which explosion propels the bullet tip out of the gun barrel toward the target leaving the shell casing behind. Hope this helps.

Answer 6

the trigger releases a hammer, which is propelled by a spring, into the back of a rod. the rod is called a firing pin. the front of the rod hits the back of the shell casing for the bullet. there is a "primer" in the back that is set off by precussion, like the powder in a cap pistol. the primer burns hot and fast, igniting the main charge of gunpowder.

Answer 7

The trigger propels the firing pin which strikes something called the primer in the end of the cartridge. It's flammable and sparks, this ignites the cordite (propellant) in the cartridge which fires the bullet along the barrel of the gun.

Answer 8

Pulling the trigger causes the gun to fart inside the barrel and behind the bullet... the expanding gas forces the bullet from the barrel of the gun...
The "burp" gun works on pretty much the same principle......

Answer 9

the trigger releases the hammer whitch hits the primer of the cartrige and the so produced spark ignites the gun powder...

Answer 10

Possibly it creates a spark in the gunpowder chamber and ignites it