What Happens When You Fire Ammo Outside of a Gun?

Published on February 22, 2025
Duration: 36:02

This video from DemolitionRanch explores what happens when ammunition is fired outside of a gun's chamber. Host Matt Carriker, a recognized firearms expert, uses various calibers and a chronograph to demonstrate that without the containment and pressure of a chamber, ammunition exhibits significantly reduced velocity and energy. The experiments highlight that primers may ignite, but full powder burn and projectile propulsion are severely compromised, making such scenarios largely ineffective and potentially hazardous.

Quick Summary

Firing ammunition outside a gun's chamber, as demonstrated by DemolitionRanch's Matt Carriker, results in significantly reduced velocity and energy. The primer ignites, but the lack of chamber pressure prevents full powder combustion, making the projectile propulsion weak and inefficient across all tested calibers.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction & Giveaway
  2. 02:01The Physics of a Firearm Chamber
  3. 02:58Control Group Test: 9mm in a Pistol
  4. 03:16Testing 9mm Outside the Chamber
  5. 06:22Testing Larger Calibers: .44 Magnum and 5.56
  6. 08:50Testing 7.62x39 and .308
  7. 10:45Shotgun Shell Tests
  8. 14:05The .50 BMG Test
  9. 17:29Ammunition in a Fire
  10. 26:17Final Large-Scale Dump

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens when you fire a 9mm round outside of a gun's chamber?

When a 9mm round is fired outside a chamber, the primer ignites, but the lack of pressure prevents full powder combustion. This results in very low velocity, often under 100 fps, with the case and bullet separating weakly. The projectile has minimal kinetic energy and range.

Does ammunition explode when heated in a fire?

When ammunition is placed in a fire, it typically 'cooks off,' meaning the primer ignites the propellant. While this causes pops and scatters components, the lack of a chamber means the projectiles are propelled with very little force and velocity, posing minimal penetration risk.

Why is a gun's chamber important for firing ammunition?

A firearm's chamber is crucial because it contains the rapidly expanding gases from the ignited propellant. This containment builds immense pressure, which efficiently directs all energy forward to accelerate the bullet to high velocities through the barrel. Without it, energy is lost and combustion is incomplete.

Can different calibers be fired outside a gun chamber?

Yes, various calibers like .44 Magnum, 5.56x45mm NATO, 7.62x39mm, .308 Winchester, 12 Gauge, and even .50 BMG have been tested outside a chamber. In all cases, performance is drastically reduced, with incomplete powder burn and minimal projectile velocity.

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