Quiz: Can You Correctly Identify These Exotic Types of Ammo?

The basic science and technology behind ammunition has changed little in the past 100 years. After all, there is still gunpowder, a bullet, and a casing. As disappointing as it is to some, we’ve still got a ways to go before we get to anything fancy like directed energy weapons (or practical ones at any rate).

However, a closer look at modern ammunition will reveal a wealth of innovation, whether it’s to make bullets faster, more deadly, prevent over penetration, and so on. Many designers have sought to go beyond what is conventional and revolutionize firearm design, as is the case with flechette and caseless ammunition.

Sometimes these experiments never quite really make it off the ground. This quiz is filled with prototypes, oddballs, novelties, and rounds that designers touted as the next best thing. Can you correctly identify them all?

Daniel Xu

I'm the knife nut that everybody is ashamed to know. My love of sharp things extends to all kinds of edged weapons, be they small, large or on a stick.