MPa
Moving part: firing pin, then the bulletFlame and gas: primer flash, chamber gas, muzzle blastCutaway: receiver, case, primer cup and anvilThe sear drops and the compressed firing-pin spring drives the pin through 6 mm. At 1.87 ms it strikes the primer at 6.2 m/s and dents the cup 0.55 mm; the priming compound is crushed between the cup and the anvil and flashes. Flame through the flash hole lights 0.33 g of powder. Pressure reaches 235 MPa in 0.115 ms, by which time the bullet has moved only 4.1 mm. Gas drives the 8 g bullet into the rifling and along the 102 mm barrel. It exits at 0.43 ms at 342 m/s (468 J). Two light screens 13 mm apart measure the same speed. The demonstration runs about ten thousand times slower than real time.