Will a gun fire in space?

[eldirector]

Saw this on another board, and though I'd give you all a go at it. Wait for the poll!

Please defend your argument, or just spout off nonsense. Whatever is most convenient.

 

[Fargo]

Yes, as long as a propellant is used that is not dependant upon atmospheric oxygen for combustion and the action is not gravity dependant. Cycling is probably going to be adversely affected and recoil management is going to be a problem.

 

[bat54r]

Gunfire is a controlled contained fire which expands and propels a projectile out of it's confinement. There must be oxygen, fuel and heat present to have fire. At first glance one would think since there is no oxygen in space that a gun could not fire, but that is not true.
There is oxidizer present within gunpowder sufficient to fire the gun. Guns can fire underwater too, but when the gun barrel is filled with water there may be enough resistance within the barrel to cause it to burst. In space however, not only can the gun fire, but likely better than on Earth, since as stated earlier the water in the barrel offers dangerous resistance, air in the barrel offers a minute amount of drag as well, in space, a gun shot would have no air resistance and thus more muzzle velocity than on Earth.

Read more: Can a gun fire in space? | Answerbag Can a gun fire in space? | Answerbag
Yep

 

[.40caltrucker]

Yes it will, the bullet will go straighter and faster also.

 

[BurninBrass]

I forgot what the question was when I saw BACON as a possible poll answer. So I went with that. BACON always wins.

 

[eldirector]

I thought I'd let this run for a while, but there are too many smart folks on this board.....

If you want to read some funnay:
Will a gun.... - Pirate4x4.Com Bulletin Board

 

[dice dealer]

there is no source of oxygen inside a round any is there

 

[rvb]

Warden: Look, he painted a unicorn in outer space. I'm askin' ya, what's it breathin'?
Homer: Air?
Warden: Ain't no air in space!
Homer: There's an air n' space museum.

smokeless powder is it's own oxygen source. Not sure about the spark from the primer. My vote is it works.

-rvb
​

 

[DragonGunner]

I say yes, an will add that the bullet will have a very flat trajectory!

 

[henktermaat]

A bullet doesn't use oxygen or anything else outside of itself to fire, so, yes!

 

[Cemetery-man]

That's why they use lasers!

 

[wwdkd]

I am fairly certain the round would fire, but wouldn't firing a round in space propel you at the same speed as the round in the opposite direction?

 

[DarkRose]

I would guess that between the oxidizer in the propellant, and small amount of oxygen trapped inside the case, yes. However, depending on how much the combustion depends on the oxygen in the case, and how well the case is sealed so the oxygen doesn't leak out, it may not have as much pressure, but with less air resistance, effect will be similar, with superior ballistics due to minute gravity.

 

[infidel]

Don't try it with a Glock. When it kabooms it would offset planetary alignment and ruin the universe. That's right, I said that Glock will ruin the universe.

 

[Mr. Habib]

I say no. The temp in space is about 3 K or -454 F. At those temps the primer could not generate enough heat to ignite the powder.

 

[brwnfldl]

i concur

 

[RoyalTenenbaum]

2 KNO3 + S + 3 C → K2S + N2 + 3 CO2

The above equation represents the chemical reaction that occurs after you light up your boom stick. Atmospheric oxygen is represented as O2. You will see that it is not present in the above equation. As with anything we wish to move in space you must bring along your own oxygen. Ultimately, as with most forms of energy we are able to harness for our own use, combustion is what propels objects forth from the barrel. The oxygen required for combustion is part of the KNO3 (Potassium Nitrate) and is released when exposed to a certain local temperature spike (ye olde primer spark.) Click, boom; however watch where you point that sucker because it will keep going until it hits something or burns up on re-entry somewhere.

~nerd

 

[iamaclone45]

I say yes, but I'm no physics major. I would probably think the person firing the gun would want to be locked down to something or the recoil would push them into deep space.

 

[henktermaat]

2 KNO3 + S + 3 C → K2S + N2 + 3 CO2

The above equation represents the chemical reaction that occurs after you light up your boom stick. Atmospheric oxygen is represented as O2. You will see that it is not present in the above equation. As with anything we wish to move in space you must bring along your own oxygen. Ultimately, as with most forms of energy we are able to harness for our own use, combustion is what propels objects forth from the barrel. The oxygen required for combustion is part of the KNO3 (Potassium Nitrate) and is released when exposed to a certain local temperature spike (ye olde primer spark.) Click, boom; however watch where you point that sucker because it will keep going until it hits something or burns up on re-entry somewhere.

~nerd

Nerd for the Win

 

[henktermaat]

...however watch where you point that sucker because it will keep going until it hits something or burns up on re-entry somewhere.

~nerd

As a fellow nerd, I would point out that "hits something or burns up on re-entry" is redundant.