Ammunition

1. Recent national and international policy initiatives have aimed to reduce the exposure of humans and wildlife to lead from ammunition. Despite restrictions, in the UK, lead ammunition remains the most widespread source of environmental lead contamination to which wildlife may be exposed. 2. The risks arising from the use of lead ammunition and the measures taken to mitigate these have prompted intense and sometimes acrimonious discussion between stakeholder groups, including those advancing the interests of shooting, wildlife conservation, public health and animal welfare. 3. However, relatively little is known of the perspectives of individual ammunition users, despite their role in adding lead to the environment and their pivotal place in any potential changes to practice. Using Q-methodology, we identified the perspectives of ammunition users in the UK on lead ammunition in an effort to bring forward evidence from these key stakeholders. 4. Views were characterised by two stat...

Explosive weapons use the detonation of a high-explosive substance to create blast, and commonly fragmentation, effects. The explosive weapons that raise specific concerns when used in populated areas are those having wide-area effects. Explosive weapons might affect a wide area because of the large destruction radius of the individual munition used, the inaccuracy of the delivery system, and/or the delivery of multiple munitions over a wide area. These categories of explosive weapons having wide-area effects include large bombs and missiles; indirect fire weapon systems such as mortars, rockets and artillery guns; and multi-barrel rocket launchers.

The report provides an overview of the types of explosive weapons that may be prone to wide-area effects, as well as the factors and variables that determine their effects.

The focus of the report is on conventional explosive weapons the use of which is not specifically prohibited or otherwise limited by international law (contrary to weapons such as landmines and cluster munitions, which do have specific restrictions imposed by international law). The weapon systems reviewed in this report are frequently encountered on contemporary battlefields, or else commonly held by States.

The report was commissioned from Armament Research Services (ARES) by the ICRC, as part of the ICRC's work to foster better understanding of the effects of explosive weapons when used in populated areas. The purpose of the report is to provide background information on the technical characteristics of explosive weapons and other factors relevant to their effects. It is meant to be a general reference document, and it reflects the analysis and views of the authors and not necessarily those of the ICRC.

Part 1 of the report examines the design and effects of explosive munitions. It also addresses concepts such as accuracy, fuzing, the targeting process, collateral damage estimations, battle damage assessments, and more.

Part 2 of the report provides generic information for the broad categories of weapon systems which deliver explosive payloads – mortars, rocket artillery, unguided aerial bombs, and other types. For each weapon category identified, Part 2 provides a description of the technical features relevant to the effects of the weapon. In particular, it includes, where available, estimated blast and fragmentation radius for munition types, estimated circular error probable figures, and other measureable effects.

Emergent ammunition technologies are likely to prove key in future firearms designs. Emergent cartridge case technologies, the rise of the ‘general-purpose’ calibre, and other nascent technologies will affect the way in which firearms are designed, produced, managed in service, tactically employed, maintained, and sustained.

Chambering the Next Round: Emergent Small-calibre Cartridge Technologies, a new Working Paper by the Small Arms Survey, explores the significant developments in cartridge technology over the past decade. In part motivated by the experiences of recent conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere, the development of emergent ammunition technologies has typically sought to fulfil two critical end-user requirements, namely:


to increase the range and lethality of standard-issue individual weapons; and
to reduce the overall combat load of infantry personnel.

Many of the emergent technologies discussed in this report are, or will be, compatible with one another, offering advanced synergies for the ammunition of tomorrow. The advent of new technologies that are applicable to small-calibre ammunition presents several policy implications and may contribute to proliferation concerns. This report considers the likely and current customers for these technologies, and examines how a potential surplus of current-standard ammunition created by the adoption of such technologies may contribute to proliferation concerns. Finally, an assessment of how these technologies will affect current and future marking, record-keeping, and tracing procedures, and what law enforcement challenges are posed by their adoption, will be of value to stakeholders.

The age of the all-metal-cased small arms cartridge is coming to a close. Refinements in materials technology and ammunition design have opened the way for new ammunition construction techniques utilising lightweight and inexpensive polymers in place of traditional brass or steel. Conventionally configured cartridges are far from optimal in terms of overall length, weight, and volume. Cased telescoped (CT) ammunition offers the potential for significant reduction in all of these areas and has the potential to significantly benefit the front-line soldier and rear-line logistician alike. This report provides a high-level overview of the current and historical state of development on a range of cased telescoped (CT) cartridge designs. It also provides a technical analysis of CT ammunition, including defining these cartridges and distinguishing them from semi-telescoped examples. In addition to assessing the technical characteristics and providing historical context, the report also addresses logistical and programmatic concerns, charting the course of the U.S. LSAT programme and associated efforts. The implications of CT ammunition are also explored, with military requirements and opportunities for change assessed.

Although Ethiopia has produced small-calibre ammunition for more than sixty years, little information is publicly available regarding their outputs, and knowledge of Ethiopian cartridges is largely restricted to specialist circles. This piece is intended as a general introduction to Ethiopian ammunition production, with a deeper look at three calibres produced during the post-WWII period under the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie.

ARES has accessed substantial quantities of Ethiopian-made 7.92 × 57 mm, .30-06, and 7.62 × 51 mm cartridges from this period, which are becoming more accessible in global civilian markets, particularly in the United States. We have assessed the physical characteristics and markings of both the cartridges and their packaging, below, as well as conducting limited velocity testing.

Research Note 11, Analysing the Online Arms Trade in Opposition-controlled Syria, provides ‘first-look’ analysis of more than 800 trades of small arms, light weapons, munitions, and blank-firing weapons conducted during a three-month period between 1 November 2020 and 31 January 2021.

Although Ethiopia has produced small-caliber ammunition for at least 60 years, little information is publicly available regarding Ethiopian outputs,
and knowledge of Ethiopian cartridges is largely restricted to specialist circles. This piece is intended as a general introduction to Ethiopian ammunition production, with a deeper look at three calibers produced during the post-WWII period under the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie. ARES accessed substantial quantities of Ethiopian-made 7.92 x 57 mm, .30-06, and 7.62 x 51 mm cartridges from this period, which are becoming more accessible in global civilian markets, particularly in the United States. We assessed the physical characteristics and markings of both the cartridges and their packaging.

Research Report 11 adds an analysis of ammunition to the information presented in Research Report 10, which looked a the online trade of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in Venezuela. Benefiting from the same long-running investigation that informed the previous report, Research Report 11 also adds additional material developed primarily though interacting with a range of confidential sources in Venezuela. Employing traditional human intelligence (HUMINT) techniques, ARES researchers were able to verify and expand upon the conclusions reached by an analysis of social media intelligence (SOCMINT) sources.

The report found that small-calibre ammunition manufactured in at least 15 modern states was circulating via online markets, and identifies the United States and Venezuela as the homes of the majority of manufacturers represented in the dataset. Pistol-calibre cartridges—in high demand for self-defence and sports shooting—were the most common types traded. The report also presents important reference information regarding the production of small-calibre ammunition by Venezuelan state-owned arms company CAVIM, much of it published in English for the first time.

The report examines the requirements of the regulations on providing ammunition and explosives storage with initial fire extinguishers of the Ministry of Defense and the structures under the direct supervision of the Minister of Defense and the Bulgarian Army and the problems arising from this.

1. Recent national and international policy initiatives have aimed to reduce the exposure of humans and wildlife to lead from ammunition. Despite restrictions, in the UK, lead ammunition remains the most widespread source of environmental lead contamination to which wildlife may be exposed.
2. The risks arising from the use of lead ammunition and the measures taken to mitigate these have prompted intense and sometimes acrimonious discussion between stakeholder groups, including those advancing the interests of shooting, wildlife conservation, public health and animal welfare.
3. However, relatively little is known of the perspectives of individual ammunition users, despite their role in adding lead to the environment and their pivotal place in any potential changes to practice. Using Q-methodology, we identified the perspectives of ammunition users in the UK on lead ammunition in an effort to bring forward evidence from these key stakeholders.
4. Views were characterised by two statistically and qualitatively distinct perspectives: (a) Open to change-comprised ammunition users that refuted the view that lead ammunition is not a major source of poisoning in wild birds, believed that solutions to reduce the risks of poisoning are needed, were happy to use non-lead alternatives and did not feel that the phasing out of lead shot would lead to the demise of shooting; and (b) Status quo-comprised ammunition users who did not regard lead poisoning as a major welfare problem for wild birds, were ambivalent about the need for solutions and felt that lead shot is better than steel at killing and not wounding an animal. They believed opposition to lead ammunition was driven more by a dislike of shooting than evidence of any harm.
5. Adherents to both perspectives agreed that lead is a toxic substance. There was consensus that involvement of stakeholders from all sides of the debate was desirable and that to be taken seriously by shooters, information about lead poisoning should come from the shooting community.

: Problems with regulating the trafficking of weapons and ammunition emerged in Ukraine after the collapse of
the Soviet Union. The Soviet military left behind a large number of small arms, light weapons and ammunition, much of
which did not have proper (in some cases any whatsoever) inventory control and accounting. The purpose of the study is
to find the best models of criminal liability for illicit manufacturing and trafficking of firearms in Ukraine, its parts and
components and ammunition, taking into account international experience. The study investigates the issue of
compliance of the criminal legislation of Ukraine with the United Nations Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and
Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention
against Transnational Organised Crime, and proposes for harmonisation of national legislation with this Protocol. It is
concluded that Ukraine needs to adopt the Law "On Arms Trafficking", which, among other things, must clearly define
such concepts as "firearms", "parts and components", "ammunition", "illicit manufacturing", "illicit trafficking", etc. which
would also be relevant for the criminal legislation of Ukraine

In early 2012, the Small Arms Survey documented the presence in Libya of crates of 7.62 × 51 mm ammunition pro-duced in Pakistan in 1981 (Jenzen-Jones, 2013a, pp. 22–23). While materiel produced more than 30 years ago would not normally raise questions about possible arms embargo violations, the Pakistani cartridges stood out in Libya, where most of the ammunition of this calibre was produced in Belgium (pp. 40–41). Furthermore, the packaging indicated that