A riot weapon comprises a barrel; a fixed breech block; and therebetween a chamber having a loading aperture through which a round of ammunition can be inserted so as to rest against the breech block, or ejected; a loading catch for retaining a round of ammunition in the chamber; a trigger; a firing pin which can be actuated to fire a round of ammunition by moving the trigger, the firing pin having a normal rest position in the breech block; means for preventing release of the loading catch except when the firing pin is in the rest position; means for releasing the loading catch automatically following actuation of the trigger; and means for exerting a force on the round of ammunition in a direction such as to effect ejection thereof through the loading aperture; whereby following firing of a round of ammunition and consequent release of the loading catch, the spent round is retained in place against the ejecting force solely by the frictional force between the spent round and the breech block, the frictional force resulting solely from the residual pressure of gases generated by firing, which transiently load the spent round against the breech block.
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