AH, the lowly cartridge case. A simple tube of brass, closed at one end, used to hold the important bits-the primer, powder, and bullet. If that's what you think, you are wrong. The case is a marvel of modern design that not only holds the other parts but also withstands rough handling, high impacts during feeding, high pressures during firing, and high stresses during extraction. In addition, its most important factor is its ability to obdurate-to expand to seal the chamber so the gasses get to work on expelling the bullet, and then to spring back enough to allow extraction when it is ripped out of the chamber.
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