Although it might seem logical to mentally trace the history of bullets back to the Revolutionary War—because clearly, we know they had bullets at that point—their roots reach back much further than that. There’s some argument revolving around when today’s bullets truly got their start, with some stating it wasn’t until the 19th century and others claiming it was in the 1400s. In reality, by their definition as projectiles, bullets technically began seeing use thousands of years ago. With two millennia worth of details and history, where do you even start learning about bullets?
Contents
What was the first bullet?
Do Cannons fire bullets?
What are musket balls?
What is a Minie Ball?
What are bullets?
What are bullets made from?
What are the different kinds of bullets?
Bullet-related words you should know.
What was the first bullet?
It was 168 BC when the sling weapon was invented, and by 2nd century AD, the Romans were serious about using sling bullets. As their name suggests, sling bullets were projectiles flung—“fired”—primarily using slings.
According to Forvm Ancient Coins, these are some of the historical details about sling bullets:
The best sling ammunition was cast from lead. For a given mass, lead, being very dense, offered the minimum size and therefore minimum air resistance. Also, lead sling-bullets were small and difficult to see in flight. In some cases, the lead would be cast in a simple open mold made by pushing a finger, thumb, or sharpened stick into sand and pouring molten metal into the hole. The flat top end could later be carved to a matching shape. More frequently, they were cast in two-part molds. Sling-bullets were made in a variety of shapes including an ellipsoidal form closely resembling an acorn; possibly the origin of the Latin word for lead sling-bullet: glandes plumbeae (literally leaden acorns) or simply glandes (meaning acorns, singular glans). The most common shape by far was biconical, resembling the shape of an almond or an American football. Why the almond shape was favored is unknown. Possibly there was some aerodynamic advantage, but it seems equally likely that there was a more prosaic reason, such as the shape being easy to extract from a mold, or that it will rest in a sling cradle with little danger of rolling out. Almond-shaped lead sling-bullets were typically about 35 millimeters (1.4 in) long and about 20 millimeters (0.8 in) wide.
It didn’t take long before the Romans discovered the bullets could be engraved with symbols and words, which is why archeologists now find bullets with things like “dexai”—which translates to “catch”—engraved on the surface. Sling bullets were made from everything from clay to metals, and like anything, they experienced their own “technological” advances.
Approximately 1800 years ago, the Romans decided etching “dexai” onto their sling bullets wasn’t enough, so they started drilling holes in them. The holes were usually around 5mm and served to make the sling bullets whistle and buzz in flight as the air passed over the holes. That way not only did they have surprisingly fast-moving projectiles, but they also added a psychological warfare aspect to it. According to archeologist John Reid of the Trimontium Trust, this turned the sling bullets into “terror weapons.” Reid told Live Science, “You don’t just have these silent but deadly bullets flying over; you’ve got a sound effect coming off them that would keep the defenders’ heads down. Every army likes an edge over its opponents, so this was an ingenious edge on the permutation of sling bullets.”
Live Science reported:
The whistling bullets were also smaller than typical sling bullets, and the researchers think the soldiers may have used several of them in their slings — made from two long cords held in the throwing hand, attached to a pouch that holds the ammunition — so they could hurl multiple bullets at a target with one throw.
“You can easily shoot them in groups of three of four, so you get a scattergun effect,” Reid said. “We think they’re for close-quarter skirmishing, for getting quite close to the enemy.”
Sling bullets and stones are a common find at Roman army battle sites in Europe. The largest are typically shaped like lemons and weigh up to 2 ounces (60 grams), Reid said.
Smaller bullets shaped like acorns — a symbol the Romans considered lucky — have also been found at Burnswark Hill and other sites in Scotland.
Although the evolution of sling bullets isn’t always included in discussions of the development of modern-day bullets, it’s definitely relevant. Sling bullets began as rather misshapen lumps which morphed into specifically-shaped objects that were eventually carved and engraved before shrinking in size to create whistling bullets. They’re certainly applicable to the history of the ammunition we load into firearms today.
Do cannons fire bullets?
Artillery cannons first hit the wartime scene in the early part of the 14th century. This is another type of projectile that is often dismissed as irrelevant, but it’s a projectile loaded into a type of gun—albeit not a small arms weapon—and it is related to modern ammunition. In addition, cannons themselves experienced significant change and technological advances despite the far-past era. For example, in 1364, the hand cannon was invented.
Hand cannons were smoothbore weapons small enough to be held by a person, although they weren’t exactly tiny. They were also rather high-risk in their use since they had to be lit through a touch hole while the user continued to hold the weapon. Hand cannons were the first true small arms weapons and, in fact, were the original appearance of the handguns people carry today for self-defense use. The projectiles used were the same lead balls used in artillery cannons, only smaller.
A bullet by definition is a projectile, so it is technically accurate to include cannonballs in bullet history.
What are musket balls?
After the hand cannon, things advanced a little more quickly. The hand culverin and matchlock arquebus eventually gave way to muskets like the rather famous Brown Bess, and musket balls became a thing.
Musket balls date to the 15th century when “handgonnes” began to see more frequent use. When compared to modern projectiles, musket balls most closely resemble the pellets used in shotshells. According to Classroom.com, musket balls were formed as follows:
These early bullets typically were made of lead or lead-tin alloys, following this standard process: The lead is melted and poured into a two-part mold, down a channel in the mold called a sprue. After the lead solidifies and the ball is removed from the mold, the sprue is cut from the musket ball with a cutting tool, which leaves some of the casting sprue and a snip line in the lead, called a medial ridge, caused by the cutter. Usually the mold also leaves traces of the mold seam around the circumference of the ball.
After musket balls came the Minie Ball, which had a shape not unlike that of modern-day bullets.
What is a Minie Ball?
Minie Balls appeared on the bullet scene during the Civil War. The Minie Ball got its name from one of its designers, Claude-Etienne Minie. The bullets had a conical shape, just like modern bullets, and were used in muzzleloaders. They were cast from soft lead, which did lead to some deformity as one might imagine, but it also served a purpose.
When Minie Balls were formed they were made with either two or three grooves circling their base. Their diameter was slightly less than that of the bore diameter of the muskets they were made to fire from and their noses were conical. They were designed to expand under the pressure of being fired to increase velocity and accuracy, with mixed results. However, despite the downsides of Minie Balls, their invention did change the face of bullets as that era knew them by significantly increasing effective range and accuracy. Their creation was an enormous step forward in bullet design.
Although there were other developments along the road of bullet development, the Minie Ball signaled the beginning of modern-day bullets (it did still take some time for them to develop into being loaded into today’s cartridges, though).
What are bullets?
Bullets are the projectile portion of a round of ammunition. They’re seated in the open mouth of the brass or steel case and separate from that case during live fire. After being fired, the spent case is ejected automatically or manually from the firearm while the bullet travels down the barrel to exit the muzzle and travel to its intended target.
What are bullets made from?
Modern bullets are made from a variety of materials including copper, lead, tungsten, and steel. Less-than-lethal bullets are typically made from rubber. There are numerous bullet designs and materials on the market, and it can be a rather daunting task trying to sort through and memorize them all.
What are the different kinds of bullets?
In reality, there are far too many variations on modern bullets to create an exhaustive list here, but this list should give you a general idea of the more commonly used and available bullets. Some of the bullets used in modern ammunition include:
Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)
These are used in target rounds that are not designed to expand on impact. Full Metal Jacket bullets typically have a lead core and a metal jacket that entirely encloses the nose of the bullet. That jacket is usually made from cupronickel or gilding metal, but there are some other variations. Full Metal Jacket bullets usually are not covered by their metal jackets at their base, which is not visible once the bullet is loaded into a case.
Full Metal Case (FMC)
Although Full Metal Case bullets are extremely similar to Full Metal Jacket bullets, they are slightly different. A Full Metal Case bullet has a jacket that fully encloses it, base included, unlike a Full Metal Jacket, which does not encapsulate the base of the bullet. These bullets are made for target use and are one kind that can be used at ranges where there are strict rules in place regarding the reduction of lead contaminants (some ranges have requirements about the type of bullet shooters can use).
Total Metal Jacket (TMJ)
Another bullet designed for use as a target round, Total Metal Jacket bullets are not made to expand on impact. Generally, Total Metal Jacket bullets are completely encapsulated by their jacket, even around their base.
Total Synthetic Jacket (TSJ)
Total Synthetic Jacket bullets are, as the name suggests, bullets with synthetic jackets rather than metal ones. These bullets are not meant to expand on impact, making them target rounds. The most well-known Total Synthetic Jacket bullet currently available is made by Federal Premium Ammunition. It has a colored polymer jacket and was specifically designed to reduce friction, thereby also reducing wear and tear on the barrel of guns. Although Total Synthetic Jacket bullets will feed well in most guns and can be a fantastic ammunition option, some guns don’t feed the polymer coating well. As with any type of ammunition, shooters must make sure their gun “likes” the ammunition before investing heavily in it.
Lead Round Nose (LRN)
These bullets are more closely related to the older style of projectiles. Lead Round Nose bullets are made from lead, do not have jackets, and are not meant to expand on impact although they do deform (as do all bullets, to varying degrees). The nose of these bullets is rounded. They’re most commonly seen in rimfire ammunition such as 22 LR and 17 HMR but there are Lead Round Nose loads for many other calibers. These are meant for target use.
Frangible
This might be the bullet type with the greatest amount of misinformation and misunderstanding applied to it. Frangible bullets are sintered into shape from powdered copper, meaning they’re designed to powder upon impact with a target harder than themselves. They’re used by some professionals such as air marshals and certain members of law enforcement and can be used for everything from training to hunting to self-defense. There are many subcategories within the frangible classification. For example, a bullet might be a frangible hollow point.
Hollow Point (HP)
The term “hollow point” has also been misunderstood a bit over the years. Hollow point bullets are open at the nose, with the specific shape and design of the opening varying somewhat by manufacturer. These bullets are designed to expand upon impact while simultaneously slowing down dramatically. Hollow Points transfer a greater amount of energy into their targets than target rounds do and create much larger, more effective wound cavities. These bullets are made specifically for defensive use. There is more than one type of Hollow Point on the market.
Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP)
Jacketed Hollow Point bullets are a type of Hollow Point. These bullets are jacketed with an opening over the nose of the bullet, the specific design of which depends on the manufacturer. They are designed to expand upon impact with the target. Some types of Jacketed Hollow Points have polymer or another material inside the opening in their nose, generally meant to improve uniform expansion while also preventing the nose from becoming clogged with foreign material, which could hinder expansion. This is a defensive round, although you will also find it used for some hunting rounds as well.
Jacketed Soft Point (JSP)
The Jacketed Soft Point bullet is another type meant for defensive purposes or hunting. While this type of bullet does have a jacket and the nose is left open to expose the nose of the bullet, it is not technically a hollow point-style bullet. The soft lead nose is created to expand on impact and, as mentioned above, is commonly used for hunting.
Metal Case (MC)
Metal Case is a title that is currently specific to Remington Ammunition and their UMC line. It’s the name that gun maker uses for their Full Metal Jacket target rounds.
Soft Point (SP)
Soft Point bullets have an exposed lead nose that expands on impact. It’s quite similar to a Jacketed Soft Point, meaning the differences between the two might be somewhat debatable. It is not a hollow point and should not be confused with one. In fact, Soft Points are often used in areas where hollow points are specifically not allowed for hunting (certain states have restrictions in place).
Flex Tip (FTX)
The Flex Tip bullet is specific to Hornady Manufacturing. These bullets have a hollow point with a polymer tip in the nose. From the Hornady site:
- Hornady FTX bullets revolutionized lever gun ballistics, creating a new level of performance for these popular firearms. Lever gun enthusiasts can now harness the accuracy, power, and long-range performance of a tipped bullet that’s safe to load in tubular magazines.
- Hornady offers the same Flex Tip technology for handguns that revolutionized lever guns. Typical hollow point pistol bullets deliver good performance at modest velocities. However, they have a tendency to expand too quickly and sacrifice penetration at the higher velocities achieved with lever-action guns.
Copper-Plated Hollow Point (CPHP)
These rounds are hollow points with copper plating, as the name implies. Copper-Plated Hollow Points are usually used to create a cleaner shooting round for cartridges that typically use lead bullets, such as 22 LR. By covering the bullet in copper, there’s less contamination from lead, making this type of bullet a good idea for ranges that restrict ammunition based on lead exposure risk. It can also be used for hunting size-appropriate pests; for example, 22 LR Copper-Plated Hollow Points could be used on squirrels or rabbits.
Semi Jacketed Hollow Point (SJHP)
The Semi-Jacketed Hollow Point is a hollow point bullet with a jacket that does not extend up to the opening in the nose of the bullet. These bullets leave a small portion of the lead nose of the bullet exposed for the purpose of reliable expansion and the creation of a significant wound cavity. They are manufactured for self-defense and hunting purposes.
Semi Jacketed Soft Point (SJSP)
Semi Jacketed Soft Point bullets are designed for self-defense use and also for hunting. These types of bullets have a jacket that stops short of covering the nose of the bullet, but unlike Semi Jacketed Hollow Points, they expose the rounded or flat nose of the bullet (they are not hollow points).
V-Max
This is another bullet specific to a single manufacturer. The V-Max is a varmint bullet designed by Hornady Manufacturing. V-Max bullets have polymer tips on match-grade bullets. From the Hornady site:
- With its combination of proven materials, innovative design, and streamlined profile, the Hornady V-MAX represents the pinnacle of what a specialized varmint bullet can achieve, offering straight-line trajectories, enhanced accuracy, dramatic expansion, and explosive fragmentation at a wide range of distances and velocities.
- The industry’s leading varmint bullet with polymer tip and streamlined design results in flat trajectories. The concentricity of the match grade AMP bullet jacket provides maximum accuracy at all ranges as well as explosive expansion, even at velocities as low as 1600 fps.
Triple Shock X (TSX)
The Triple Shock X is a bullet that was designed by Barnes Ammunition specifically for hunters. It’s an all-copper bullet designed to open into four cutting petals upon impact to create the largest possible wound cavity for an ethical, one-shot kill while hunting. The Triple Shock X also has grooves cut into its base, which cannot be seen once the bullet is loaded into the case, so they don’t foul the barrel as much as other designs.
From the Barnes site:
“Barnes’ TSX Bullet offers all the deadly effectiveness of the time-proven X Bullet. Features include all-copper construction, no fragmentation, rapid expansion, 28% deeper penetration than lead-core bullets, and maximum weight retention. The TSX has proven to be one of the most accurate hunting bullets available–a fact countless shooters have confirmed. An exclusive feature of the TSX Bullet is multiple, precisely engineered rings cut into the bullet shank. These grooved rings act as relief valves as bullet metal flows under pressure while traveling down the bore. Instead of flowing from the front to the base of the bullet, the copper material expands into the grooves. This results in reduced pressures and less copper fouling. Reduced pressures mean the bullet can be safely loaded to higher velocities. The rings also alter barrel harmonics, greatly improving accuracy.”
Solid Copper Hollow Point (SCHP)
The designation of Solid Copper Hollow Point is used by some manufacturers for their bullets that are made entirely of copper, but with a hollow point. These bullets are meant for self-defense and are sometimes also used for hunting. The purpose of all-copper bullets is to drastically reduce lead contamination and fouling to the barrel. Running copper bullets through guns is also easier on the barrels than lead, which can extend barrel life, especially if a person is a high round count shooter.
Bullet-Related Words You Should Know
To add even more information to the mix, we have a list of bullet terminology. This is not an exhaustive list of words related to bullets, but it’s enough to get you started.
Ballistics: The study and science of a bullet’s path and performance immediately after firing. Ballistics include things like velocity, energy, trajectory, drift, and drop, among other things. Generally, the ballistic information listed on manufacturers’ websites is limited to velocity and energy although some do provide trajectory. When examining those charts it’s wise to remember the gun used does affect results. Take the time to carry out your own testing with your personal firearm so you are familiar with how the ammunition performs.
Bullet: The projectile that exits the barrel of a gun during firing. A bullet is one component of a round of ammunition. A common mistake made by people is referring to a round of ammunition as a bullet when in reality, only the projectile seated in the mouth of the case is the bullet.
Caliber: Basically, caliber refers to the width of the base of the bullet; for example, a 9mm has a bullet that is 0.355 inches in diameter, which is 9.01mm. Caliber also refers to the diameter of the bore—the inside—of the barrel. If someone asks what caliber a gun chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum is, the correct reply would be “9mm.”
Defensive Ammunition: Commonly used when referring to ammunition made for self-defense use.
Diameter: The measurement of the base of the bullet, which is its widest point.
Drift: Refers to how much a bullet shifted to one side or the other while traveling down-range. Drift is strongly affected by the wind but can also be offset by bullet weight and design.
Drop: This is the word used to describe how much a bullet loses height as it travels (literally dropping back to earth).
Drift and Drop: Often used as a complete phrase to describe the ballet’s trajectory. See drift. See drop.
Energy: When a bullet exits the muzzle of a gun, it’s producing a specific, measurable amount of energy that’s unique to its design and how it was loaded. This is described in foot-pounds (ft-lbs) and refers to the kinetic energy being produced which is directly related to how hard it will impact a target. According to Websters Dictionary, foot-pounds are “a unit of energy, equal to the amount of energy required to raise a weight of one pound a distance of one foot.”
Frangible: A type of bullet made to powder upon impact with an object harder than itself. Frangibles also drastically reduce the risk of backsplash, ricochet, and over-penetration.
Full Metal Jacket: A bullet designed for target use that does not expand or mushroom on impact. Target rounds can deform on impact, but they are not meant to expand and perform like hollow points or other defensive designs.
Hollow Point: A bullet with a concave opening in the nose of the bullet that is designed to expand significantly upon impact. The hollow area in the nose of the bullet might remain empty or may have something such as polymer added to it to enhance expansion and prevent it from being clogged with foreign matter.
Nose: The nose of the bullet is the area at the tip, or front, which might be flat, round, concave, open, or pointed (such as with a polymer tip).
Ogive: Used to refer to the length of the bullet from its nose all the way down the curved portion, ending where the bullet becomes “straight” with an even diameter for the remainder of its length.
Trajectory: The path taken by a bullet after it’s fired from a gun, usually measured in inches. For example, X load of ammunition might drop 3 inches at 25 yards and 10 inches at 50 yards. Trajectory is the path the bullet follows.
Velocity: Described as feet per second, a bullet’s velocity is how fast it travels down-range.
