I have a question about automatic rifles?

Question

I always wondered. Do guns like m4a1, m16 need batteries because how can a gun shoot without an energy source. I know clicking the trigger does something but i dont understand what the trigger does i think it has something to do with a hammer hitting the bullet but how can the hammer hit the bullet so hard and so fast just but holding on to a trigger?

Answer 1

The hammer does NOT hit the bullet or the primer.  The hammer strikes a firing pin which has a very small tip so that the force exerted on the primer is significant enough to dent it and compress the primer which sets off the shock sensitive explosive mixture in the primer cap which ignites the powder in the cartridge.   Some revolver style handguns have a firing pin attached to the hammer, but no automatic rifles do.

As was mentioned, the expanding gasses from the powder combustion is what propels the bullet down the barrel to its target.  By utilizing the expanding gasses or by just the force against the bolt face, the action is cycled and the spent case is ejected with another round loaded into the chamber.   The two types are referred to as gas operated and blowback (delayed) operated.

  

Answer 2

Here is a quick animation of a pistol firing...the expanding gasses provide the energy to select the next round.

Answer 3

the AR15 is the civilian version of the M16 no it don't work on battery's it uses pressure of pulling the trigger. to fire it. p.s. it semi automatic not full auto u need a ffl3 to get a full auto gun  

Answer 4

Most semi-automatic and fully automatic guns are gas powered. When the hammer hits the primer in the bullet it explodes producing gas. The M-16 for example has a small hole in the front of the barrel that feeds gas (from the discharged shell) that moves gas back into the mechanism of the gun to produce "cyclical firing."  

As the bullet moves down the barrel it passes a hole in the top of the barrel. The gas is returned through a tube called a gas tube/gas port to the bolt of the weapon forcing the bolt backwards. The force of the gas shoving the bolt holding the shell causes it to eject the shell out of the port.

As the bolt slams all the way backward into the but of the rifle, a huge spring forces the bolt back forward and it grabs another bullet from the spring fed magazine and loads the next bullet into the rifle barrel and waits for the cycle being the trigger pulled, or for the hammer to hit the next round in "automatic fire mode."  

No batteries are needed it is completely "gas powered."

Answer 5

lets simplify things so they are easy for you to understand. 1 the firing pin strikes the primer and this causes the powder to explode...2 the force or the explosion pushes the bullet out the barrel. ...3 . the gases from the explosion are redirect to the rear temporarily as the bullet is travelling down the barrel. this compresses a spring. and also pushes the bolt backwards. as the bolt is pushed back it catches the brass case and ejects it, 4. after all this happens the compressed spring pushes the bolt forwards again and this in turn pushes another round into the chamber from the magazine as well as re c***s the hammer. if you hold down the trigger it just repeats the process , but if you let the trigger go the hammer doesn't strike another round and it stops.  

Answer 6

Guns use gunpowder. Gunpowder explodes, shooting hot gasses everywhere.  If it inside a machine (like a gun) these hot gasses can be used and directed.

99% of the hot gasses from the gunpowder push the bullet out, 1% of the hot gasses press key gun parts backwards and against springs, setting it up to be fired again

The cartridge is a brass case that contains gunpowder, a primer, and the bullet.  The gun gets it's power from the gunpowder.  The primer sparks when it is hit with the hammer, this ignites the gunpowder, which burns or explodes, and these hot gasses push the bullet out the barrel

This is true of ALL firearms. It is even true of the old old old muzzleloaders, except you just put the gunpowder and bullet in yourself, it didn't come all contained in a nice brass case

The way MOST hammers and triggers work is that there is a spring inside.  You pull the hammer back, compressing the spring.  The trigger allows the hammer to snap back down, just like a mousetrap slamming shut.

Here is how automatic guns work.  You put the cartridge in, and you c**k back the hammer (compressing the spring)  Now, you pull the trigger and the hammer snaps forward, hits the primer and ignites the gunpowder.  The gunpowder burns and the hot gasses push the bullet out the barrel...except there is a hole a little ways down the gun, this redirects SOME of the hot gasses backwards, and these gases push some internal parts of the gun (the bolt and the hammer) backwards against a second spring.  This re-c***s the hammer, and when the gasses dissipate, the second spring pushes the bolt forward.  A third spring is in the magazine, and that pushes a fresh cartridge up.  The bolt, being pushed by the spring, passes across the top of the magazine, grabs anything on top of it (which in this case, is a fresh unfired cartridge) and slides it into the barrel.

If the trigger is heald down, the hammer comes smashing down and fires the cartridge and the whole thing starts all over.

Answer 7

When the weapon is manually ****** and the first round fired some of the excess gas exiting the barrel is used to recoil the mechanism which strips another round from the magazine into the chamber and recocks the hammer ready for the next round.  Until the the trigger is de-pressed, the magazine emptied or something overheats or breaks this cycle will continue.

Answer 8

The source of the power that drives the bullet and operates an

auto loader is the exploding powder.

No batteries required.

Simply put, when that hammer hits the cartridge, it explodes the powder.

The powder gases drive the bullet, and in an auto-loader they operate the action to chamber another cartridge for the next shot.