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separate-loading ammunition
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Diagram showing three types of artillery ammunition: fixed, semifixed, and separate-loading. Each is labeled to indicate the fuse, shell, bursting charge, rotating band, cartridge case, propelling charge, and primer, illustrating differences in how components are assembled and loaded.
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separate-loading ammunition

artillery
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Diagram showing three types of artillery ammunition: fixed, semifixed, and separate-loading. Each is labeled to indicate the fuse, shell, bursting charge, rotating band, cartridge case, propelling charge, and primer, illustrating differences in how components are assembled and loaded.
Three basic types of artillery ammunition.

Separate-loading ammunition is a type of ammunition where the projectile, propelling charge, and primer are loaded into an artillery piece individually, rather than being combined into a single unit. This method is typically used for the largest-caliber guns because handling the separated components is easier.12

In contrast, fixed ammunition has all components joined by a cartridge case, while semifixed ammunition allows the projectile to be detached from the case for adjusting the propellant charge. Artillery rounds are further categorized by their projectile type, such as high-explosive, armor-piercing, or nuclear. The development of breech-loading artillery in the 19th century, pioneered by figures like William Armstrong and Alfred Krupp, significantly advanced artillery capabilities by allowing for more powerful charges and easier loading.23

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  2. ammunition
  3. artillery - Breech loading

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