It should be noted that despite having the same name, Imperial Inferno Bolt rounds are unrelated to the Inferno Bolts used by the Chaos Space Marines of the Thousand Sons Traitor Legion, which are actually psychically-bound slugs that release arcane energies upon impact. The dense core of the standard bolt is replaced with an oxy-phosphorous gel, derived from promethium. Inferno Bolts are designed to immolate their targets and destroy them with superheated chemical fire. A gas cartridge also replaces both the propellant base and main charge for silent firing. These rounds are best used in conjunction with an M40 Targeting System and an extended barrel on a Stalker-pattern Bolter, to produce an effective sniping weapon system.Ī solidified mercury slug replaces the mass-reactive warhead for lethality at subsonic projectile speeds. Stalker Silenced Shells are Bolter Rounds that possess low sound signatures, intended to be used for covert combat and sniping. They were originally developed to be fired as single specialised rounds by a Heavy Bolter with an area of effect, but have also been downsized for standard calibre Bolters, where they function as direct-impact penetrators instead. The core and tip are replaced with a vial of mutagenic acid with thousands of needles that fire into the target upon the shattering of the vial, pumping the acid into the foe. Hellfire Rounds have devastating results on organic matter, as the rounds were developed to combat the Tyranids. This aids in the bolt's penetration of the target. This is a very dense material, adding weight and thus momentum to the round when in flight. This allows for the bolt to penetrate most armour before detonation. Has a split-second timer to delay detonation upon impact until after the shot penetrates the target. An outer casing containing conventional charge.Standard Bolter ammunition is designed to penetrate the target and then detonate, causing immense damage and leaving little opportunity for survival. The bolt then accelerates away towards the target under its own power. The rocket-propellant is carefully fused to ignite just after leaving the barrel, alleviating any possibility of pressure build-up. This charge is just strong enough to force the bolt out of the barrel and ignite its propellant. In bolts, a tiny amount of conventional explosive charge is utilised alongside rocket propellant. Standard Bolter ammunition utilises a mass-reactive fuze, designed to penetrate the target before detonating within, maximizing damage to the target and leaving little chance for survival. The ancient Space Marine Legions' archaic Ikanos Pattern Bolt Pistol used a. 60 calibre bolts, and the Phobos Pattern Bolter, which made use of. This included the ancient Tigris Pattern Bolter, which fired. However, during the early days of the Great Crusade in the late 30th Millennium, there were Bolters that made use of variable calibre ammunition.

75 calibre is now the standard for bolts in the late 41st Millennium. The bolt then accelerates toward the target under its own power. The rocket-propellant is precisely fused to ignite immediately as the bolt leaves the barrel, alleviating any possibility of pressure build-up. This charge is strong enough to force the bolt out of the barrel at a significant muzzle velocity, and simultaneously ignite the bolt's propellant. The Bolter uses an ingenious two-stage method to prevent this.Īs well as the rocket propellant, a small conventional charge is also utilised. The propellant itself is shaped to control the bolt's direction and speed however, this method of rocket propulsion would normally warp the barrel due to gas pressure. Whereas conventional solid slugs utilise a propellant charge contained in a casing that forces the bullet down the barrel upon ignition, in contrast, a bolt is self-propelled it features its own integrated solid fuel propellant that propels the bolt at high speeds, essentially acting like a miniature rocket. The Vulcan Mega Bolter mounted on the Macharius Vulcan variant of the Macharius Heavy Tank utilises Heavy Bolter shells, whilst the far larger ones mounted on Titans and Stormlord tanks fire projectiles the size of human skulls. An even larger calibre is used in the Mauler Pattern Bolt Cannon of Castellax Battle-Automata. 75 calibre, whereas Heavy Bolter rounds are larger, at 1.00 calibre. A schematic of the internal mechanisms of the most common bolts.īolter weapons are relatively common in the Imperium of Man and come in different sizes, from handheld Bolt Pistols to the mighty Vulcan Mega Bolter mounted on super heavy tanks and Titans.

Best subsonic rounds