# Bolters: Cases or Case less?



## Insanity (Oct 25, 2011)

So some comments on Youtube have brought upon the discussion of whether Bolt weapon ammunition is cased or case less. I haven't got any of the SM codex's or early rule books, but I can't seem to find anything that states that they are case less.

Most of the artwork and animations depict bolters having shells ejected from them and I have found a few online resources that state they have an outer casing.

Is there any source that says they are case less? Apparently the 2nd edition wargear page says they are, but another commenter can't seem to find it.


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## Old Man78 (Nov 3, 2011)

As far as I know, it fires a cased round, however I do not have the current rule book, with the bolter profile, and the current marine dex does not specifically say, however on the page that shows honour badges, the marksman honour badge is said to be made from engraved bolter shell casings fired by guillman himself, so that would suggest they are cased and most art work and models appesr to show the rounds as being cased.

Of course like most things 40k the fluff can be conflicting, the propelent charge of the boltgun is described as just enough to get itvout the barrel and ignite the self propelling charge, but then the weapon is described as having a recoil that would rip a mans arm from its socket which wouls suggest otherwise.


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## Vaz (Mar 19, 2008)

IIRC, the bolter in the 4ED SM dex was described as being caseless. Note that the common argument against such is that the bolter still has an ejection port, but it is needed in the event of stoppage.

However, there are enough sources out there, 1st party and 3rd which include showerings of shellcasings coming out of a bolter that it's safe to say that even if the bolter is nominally a caseless weapon system, there are variants which fire cased ammunition.


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## Beaviz81 (Feb 24, 2012)

Doesn't the Mechanicum have books? I thought the answer would be in such a book as the Space Marine-books are prone to describe the awesome stuff that bolt-shells can do, but on the other side no sane author would focus on bolters ejecting casings while your char goes full auto and slaughters a horde of Tyranids. Even though I would actually read fanfiction written as that for a laugh.


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## revan4559 (Aug 9, 2010)

Im pretty sure that they do have chasings as in one of the Horus Heresy book, may of been Horus Rising but i know its definitely in one. After the final battle of Ullanor the mechanicum gather up all of the spent bolter casings and melt them down and then turn them into medals for the human soldiers who thought at Ullanor.


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## hailene (Aug 28, 2009)

Isn't there an award for markmenship in the Imperial Fists that uses a bolt casing fired by Dorn?

I know vulkan-megabolters also have cases. I would assume they're similar to their smaller cousins outside of their size.


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## Beaviz81 (Feb 24, 2012)

Fired casing from Dorn? I hope they let him rest in piece instead of turning him into casings.


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## hailene (Aug 28, 2009)

Beaviz81 said:


> Fired casing from Dorn? I hope they let him rest in piece instead of turning him into casings.


Wow, someone doesn't read the fluff.

Everyone had special abilities.

Sangy and Curze could see the future.

Corax could turn invisible.

Dorn could shoot bolt rounds from his ears and eyes. This is common stuff, people!

(I edited my original post. Thanks for the catch.)


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## Beaviz81 (Feb 24, 2012)

hailene said:


> Wow, someone doesn't read the fluff
> 
> (I edited my original post. Thanks for the catch.)


I read fluff, but also comments, it was actually funny in an involuntarily kind of way as that would be creative defilement of the dead. I mean turning a guy into bullet-casings, thats creative. And yeah I can be kind of a dick if I see something I think of being out of sort.

I added a smiley to tell I was actually humorous.

EDIT: Sangy and Corax didn't hold a candle when it came to divination to a certain one-eyed guy. But then again he could do many things with his sossery.


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## hailene (Aug 28, 2009)

I took it in good humor. Hence my comment about Dorn shooting bolt rounds from his orifices.


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## Rems (Jun 20, 2011)

The descriptions of bolters in the Codecies since at least 3rd edition have stated bolts to be caseless. So do does the schematic of the bolter and its ammunition in the 3rd ed rulebook.


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## emporershand89 (Jun 11, 2010)

I would make the arguement that if the Bolter is based on anything even remotely similar to todays modern fire-arms then it would need casing's IOT operate. To fire a round from the chamber it would require a casing to keep a control explosion to act as a propellant to the bolter round. That and you fact that if they didn't need "cased rounds," then why the extended magazine? It probably requires a cased shell to fire running on these basic facts.










Those look like shell casings in the magazine to me lads........anyone disput? Can I also point out that regardless of what the Codex may think many Fluff writers and artists depict the avergae Marine firing with casings being ejected from the gun. Casings from the Pistol...










Bolter casings from the Guardsmen bolt pistol...










Note the bolter on the Left Fist firing with shells ejecting...










My opinion on the matter is that they require a normal "smokeless cartridge" like most firearms of the 41st Millenium. My question that I would pose to you is whether or not the Plasma weapon require cartridges IOT fire.


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