Why do bullets need jackets/shells?
by 
Anti-Semantic - Quaerens Intellectum
ANSWERS: 5
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They are needed to hold the blasting cap, the gunpowder or other combustible, and the projectile (bullet) together, all in one convenient place. Have you ever seen movies depicting the Revolutionary war, when they had to load powder and then the shot and tamp it all down, etc? Bullets were certainly a major step of progress compared to this.
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they need jackets to be fashionably dressed.
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If you returned to black powder guns which came before casings you would find the the risk of them blowing up in your face or not firing at all were greatly increased. The shell not only contains the powder but also provides a place for a trigger / cap that acts as a firing pin. There are some people and clubs for those who like black powder.
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YOu need something to hold the gunpowder instead of pouring some down the barrel with some wadding and a pellet of some kind. Now, it comes all in one little package.
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A 'bullet' is actually the metal slug (usually lead) which is shot out of the gun. Most people, however, refer to the whole unit comprised of a brass/aluminum case (shell), gun powder, primer, and bullet as a 'bullet'. For centerfire ammunition, the gunpowder in the case is ignited when the primer is struck with a hammer or firing pin. The primer contains a small charge which provides the initial flash to set the gunpowder off. Bullets come in a large variety of designs, depending upon desired performance characteristics. Almost all bullets are made primarily from lead, which is an extremely soft and heavy metal. You can easily gouge lead with a fingernail. Some bullets have a copper or brass jacket around them to help them retain their shape upon impact, which increases their penetration characteristics. Some are jacketed in such a fashion as to cause the soft lead to deform upon impact into certain desired shapes, which increase the amount of damage to the target though physical damage and amount of energy deposited into the target by the bullet.
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