How a bullet works

it has to, and it does. that's why fixed barrel handguns (anything straight blowback ie ppk, makarov, colt 1903, revolvers, etc. or where the delay mechanism is independent of the barrel ie desert eagle, hk p9, steyr GB, automag II, the list goes on) are more accurate than tilting barrel ones, and stuff like a cz75 which barely tilts is more accurate than a glock which goes damn near 30 degrees. it's also why point of impact shifts so severely with different loads in tilting and rotating barrel designs compared to fixed barrel designs.

if the bullet left the barrel before cycling the action you'd have to have a separate mechanical device to cycle the action, such as a revolving cylinder or a very heavy double action pull that racks the slide hard enough to reliably eject spent cases in addition to cocking the hammer and dropping the sear.

/r/guns Thread Parent Link - gfycat.com