canister

ammunition

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Last updated

June 22, 2026

Quick Summary

The term "canister" primarily refers to a cylindrical metal container, often used for storing items like cookies. However, in the context of ammunition, a canister is a type of projectile. It is a shell filled with smaller projectiles, such as bullets or pellets, designed to spread out after firing, creating a shotgun-like effect. This makes canister ammunition effective against personnel or lightly armored targets at close to medium ranges.123

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military technology
Special-purpose shot
…special purposes included the carcass, canister, grapeshot, chain shot, and bar shot. The carcass was a thin-walled shell containing incendiary materials. Rounds of canister and grapeshot consisted of numerous small missiles, usually iron or lead balls, held together in various ways for simultaneous loading into the gun but designed to…
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…special purposes included the carcass, canister, grapeshot, chain shot, and bar shot. The carcass was a thin-walled shell containing incendiary materials. Rounds of canister and grapeshot consisted of numerous small missiles, usually iron or lead balls, held together in various ways for simultaneous loading into the gun but designed to…
Read More