will a bullet still fire if it is not chambered?

i have heard nah they will just cook off and yes they will go boom

Without a chamber and barrel to channel the force of the explosion, what you end up with is basically a super-duper firecracker.

yup, a round could be fired outside of a chamber, but, unsupported it will explode like a firecracker.  The only real danger is the possibility of flying bits of brass hitting you in the eye.

I read an article, must be 20 years ago, Winchester conducted a test with commercoial .30-06, they electronically detonated one inside a cardboard box.  None of the fragments penetrated the box, the bullet didn't leave the neck of the case.  The case ruptured and fragged all over inside.

Maybe a test is in order to prove/disprove this.

Quoted: yup, a round could be fired outside of a chamber, but, unsupported it will explode like a firecracker.  The only real danger is the possibility of flying bits of brass hitting you in the eye. I read an article, must be 20 years ago, Winchester conducted a test with commercoial .30-06, they electronically detonated one inside a cardboard box.  None of the fragments penetrated the box, the bullet didn't leave the neck of the case.  The case ruptured and fragged all over inside. Maybe a test is in order to prove/disprove this.

If you lay a .22LR round across a 9V battery so that the case bridges the posts it'll go bang in short order.

Quoted: Quoted: yup, a round could be fired outside of a chamber, but, unsupported it will explode like a firecracker.  The only real danger is the possibility of flying bits of brass hitting you in the eye. I read an article, must be 20 years ago, Winchester conducted a test with commercoial .30-06, they electronically detonated one inside a cardboard box.  None of the fragments penetrated the box, the bullet didn't leave the neck of the case.  The case ruptured and fragged all over inside. Maybe a test is in order to prove/disprove this. If you lay a .22LR round across a 9V battery so that the case bridges the posts it'll go bang in short order.

I don't even want to know how you found that out

Damn, you people are making want to go home and "experiment".

Quoted: Damn, you people are making want to go home and "experiment".

I'll hold your beer

Ok....... the bullet won't do anything.
The primer or the powder will make the case rupture or push the bullet out of the case neck.