Why Doesn't A Bullet Fall Out Of A Loaded Gun When The Gun Is Pointed Down?

Answer 1

The casing of the cartridge is seated in the chamber of the firearm, preventing it from falling out the barrel, also the bullet diameter is slightly larger than the bore of the barrel in order for the rifling to do its job.

Answer 2

The bullet, that is the projectile or that part that gets fired down the barrel, is held in the case of the bullet. When the bullet is put (seated) into the case the case is then crimped or pinched to the sides of the bullet and that holds it in the case. The case itself is held in the chamber of a revolver by the rim on the bottom of the case. That rim is larger than the chamber opening.
With semi auto rounds it is done a bit differently. The bullet is still crimped but not quite a tightly. The case of a semi auto round has a rim that is the same size of the case, it does not hold the round in place. The round stays in the chamber of a semi auto round because the chamber is cut to the length of the semi auto round. The top of the case butts up against the front of the chamber and that holds the round in place.
With muzzle loaders, there is no case at all. Loose powder is poured into the gun from the muzzle, followed by the projectile and a patch. The whole mess is tamped down to be tight in the back of the barrel. The patch is what keeps the ball and powder in the barrel and also provides some protection from the elements.

That's pretty rough overview, hope it helps.

Answer 3

A rifled barrel is a tube with grooves in a spiral pattern cut lengthwise down its length. In a muzzleloading rifle, the bullet is either made to the diameter of the distance across the grooves, which is about 0.008" larger than the bore diameter as measured across the "lands" (the part that is uncut) or wrapped in a patch that does the same thing, so it's stuffed in very tightly. Modern firearms load a self-contained cartridge from the breech. The bullet is held either by tight friction or by a small crimp in the mouth of the case. Try one. You won't be able to pull it out by hand. Even if you could, the bullet's still about 0.008" larger than the hole it has to go through. It takes a lot of energy from the burning propellant to force the bullet down the barrel, swaging the bullet into the shape of the rifled barrel as it goes.

Answer 4

The shell casing has a small lip to hold it in the chamber.
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/404174/2/istockphoto_404174_bullets.jpg
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/57733/2/istockphoto_57733_bullets.jpg
At the Base you can see how this is Machined into the casing. Without it, the Shell would most likely side down and lodge somewhere it the barrel.

I should add. In a Muzzle Loader a person may use a Packing to hold the Ball or the ball itself actually is a little tight fitting. It binds the Bullet from moving.

Answer 5

It's held in the chamber. There has to be force to make the bullet come out.

Thank god, guns dont work that way where they just fall out.

Answer 6

Because lead is anti gravity! Sorry!
The bullet is pressed into the neck of a cartridge plus its diameter with the barrel of gun.

Answer 7

whenever you seat the bullet in the gun the shell has a lip on it so that they dont....they also are slightly larger than the chamber so that they spin coming out of the chamber...ps dont drink and take guns out or smoke crack....some of these people scare the hell out of me with their answers

Answer 8

Look at the round. You have a bullet encased in a shell. This thing isn't moving. In fact, you can shoot that under water. The firing pin will hit the center of the round like you crashing into a pillow. This sets it off. If you had a long rifle, like Dan'l Boone, those don't fire under water. In that case, you have to perform extra steps to get it to fire but even then, it won't fall out. Tightness is the key. If it weren't tight, it wouldn't explode.

Answer 9

The bullet is slightly larger than the bore of the gun, this is so it spins on the rifling when fired.

Answer 10

For rimless rounds, friction is designed into the system, and friction is what holds the cartridge against the bore, preventing the cartridge and bullet from falling out.

For rounds with a rim (.22 LR for example), both the rim and friction holds the cartridge/round in place.