bullet caliber chart smallest to largest

So there really isnt a common metric name. Besides, the common ones are many as well, and you are highly likely going to get what fits your needs from this list. That is, the range is 0 to 300 yards (= 0 to 275 metres) and the sighting range is +2 to -6 inches (+50mm to -150mm). About the same time it came to market, Aguilla launched its 17 Aguilla based on the standard 22 Long Rifle case length, so it was for a time the smallest commercial cartridge, but . A larger caliber such as .308 means the bullet is physically wider than a bullet such as a .22. The graph below shows, again, that the venerable .357 Magnum being one of the cheapest revolver calibers on the market today is the go-to round for when you want to hunt deer and you dont have a lot of buck to spend (pun not intended). Think semi-auto handguns,riflesandshotguns. Within a short generation of that conflict, most modern firearms were cartridge-based, with muzzleloaders considered today to be primitive. Simply called the Three Hundred Blackout, this is a very recent addition to the world of rifles as it came to the market just 6 years ago. Its low price makes it even better for starting shooters. Take a look at our Best .22LR Ammo: Accuracy, Plinking, and Hunting. From left to right, aluminum, nickel-plated brass, brass, and steel-cased ammunition. The American Firearms Guide to Shotgunning. You will love it not just because it is less expensive but also because it is a light weight. The 17 Mach 2 is, as its title suggests, a 17-caliber. In this list, we broke down the categories of handgun caliber based on the launching platform and intended use of the gun. The bullet is expected to expand once it touches a flesh. Theoretically, anyone can place well-aimed heart and head shots in their target given ample time and practice. The caliber is gaining so much popularity mainly because of its flexibility and power. the spoon tips for the7.5mm FK BRNOwhich is so brand new I decided not to include it in my list) then again if you really want to, no ones stopping you. We wouldnt recommend any semi-auto calibers for varmint. You can visit here for a guide on how to pick the right caliber for a specific application. These are highly debated issues and can be very large topics in and of themselves so I wont use these metrics. Typical loads run between 115- and 147-grains. A comparison of the 6.5 Creedmoor round to other cartridges. They both shoot a .308 caliber bullet. The best part is that the caliber is also able to maintain a consistent accuracy when supported with Winchester 110 grain FMJ bullets. An incredibly popular hunting round, youll likely find a .308 Win on any hunt. There are a ton of handgun calibers available out there. It also happens to be the fastest bullet in our list bar none. The graph above shows thatthe .22 LR is THE MOST affordableplinking round for any semi-auto handgun at $0.09 per round. Base To Ogive: From the bullet base to the point on the nose which contacts the riflings at the bore diameter. These headstamps denote the rounds, from left to right, as a Federal .38 Special +P+, a Remington .357 Magnum, a Greek military .30-06 load filled in 1970, and a Winchester 6.5mm Creedmoor. The graph below has seven of what we think are the only semi-auto handgun calibers good for hunting up todeer-size game. The 460 Rowland, another similar powerhouse of a wildcat, is just a hair short of muzzle energy but its the most expensive medium game cartridge. Copyright 2023 American Firearms LLC. They are called OTMs (Open Tip Matches) because they are mainly loved by long distance shooters. As with semi-auto plinking calibers, we only want to consider price when shopping around for revolver plinking rounds. Now that you understand that, things will start to make sense. The .308 Winchester and the .300 PRC are both the exact same caliber. What it has going for it is the fact that all .38 Special revolvers are lighter and relatively smaller compared to even the smallest revolvers in .357 like Rugers SP101, making them easier to carry concealed. It's among the great all around cartridges, and has the ability to shoot flat to ranges beyond where most hunters are competent. The small caliber bullets tend to bounce around inside a body, follow bones, and wreak havoc. If you dont already have a .40 Super handgun, dont bother buying one. Two Glocks, two calibers. If you wantthe latestin semi-auto terminal ballistics development, look into the.22 TCM. This rule largely converts back and forth with such general examples as 5.56mm/.223-caliber, 6.35mm/.25-caliber, 7.62mm/.30-caliber, 11.43mm/.45-caliber, and so forth. Well be more than happy to include them on our list. 40S&W tend to be in the 1150-1180fps range and those are hot 40S&W loads, while the 158gr. Ballistic coefficient has little to do with just a bullets diameter, its a function of a bullets overall dimensions. We will not be covering that topic in this analysis. Yetwith a fluted bullet design it can go toe to toe against its bigger brother, the 9mm (FMJ) and even surpass the.45 ACP (JHP)in terms of penetration and wounding capability. If youre in the market for ammo checkout our guide to the best places to buy ammo online. That is something that will keep this useful little round in circulation for decades to come. It makes more sense to just get a durable large frame revolver in .44 Magnumand load itwith the hottest loadsyou can findif youre hunting bear. Commissions are earned for links to Brownell's, Amazon, MidwayUSA, GoHunt, OpticsPlanet, Sportsman's Warehouse, and other retailers. My boyfriend has a rifle bullet that he cant identify I am hoping that you may have an answer for him. The rifle is very important in this case but it is the cartridge that is key to the entire process. It is basically a hollow point bullet that has been covered by plastic in order to look like the FJM. Why does this matter? I personally dont much prefer single action revolvers because their cylinders require extra care to unload before they can be reloaded with fresh cartridges, so if I were to pick a revolver in this category I would go foreither a double action revolver in .44 Magnum(as I stated earlier)or aSmith and Wesson .460 XVR if I really want the most power in a controllable package. So whats the kicker? Cutting edge from the 1850s onward was the Minie bullet, such as this Washington Arsenal-produced .58 caliber "3-ringer" recovered near the Gettysburg battlefield. All rights reserved. If you are just starting and you are shopping for both, you can also check more here. This rule largely converts back and forth with such general examples as 5.56mm/.223-caliber, 6.35mm/.25-caliber, 7.62mm/.30-caliber, 11.43mm/.45-caliber, and so forth. The 140-grain bullet in the 6.5 Creedmoor offers the perfect performance for game ranging from whitetail to black bear and caribou to even elk and mountain game. If for nothing else, a bullet with too much muzzle energy will be more difficult to shoot accurately and rapidly. Today, if a North American gunmaker has a bolt-action deer rifle in their catalog, you can guarantee that .270 Win is one of the options it comes it. Since it is not mainly used for hunting, this round is not really popular. Over the years, the cartridge has been upgraded with a smaller, more efficient bullet, and smokeless powder. Bullet velocity (the higher a bullets velocity, the flatter its trajectory and the longer its effective range); Price (the lower the price, the more popular the handguns and ammo for a particular caliber andthe better its availability); One, handgun options availability (the more competitive a round commercially, the more handguns are built for it, and the more handguns on the market, the better aftermarket support); Two, how often youll get to spend time in the range for practice. This simply means the diameter of the bullet that will go through it. Yes, the +P loads are powerful, buttheyre also the most expensive revolver cartridgeon our list. But since there is more than a handful of semi-auto handguns and revolvers chambered for those rounds, we decided to include them in this list. 22 Savage High Power is .218 This is what makes the .300 BLK a shooting range firearm. This website is devoted to hunting, with all rifle trajectories sighted to give a flat, point blank range ( 2 inches = 50mm). Its price per point is 7 cents per round. We only have five semi-auto handgun calibers on our list for hunting large game. Focusing exclusively on stopping power will yield too many variables to have a reliable metric. The .22 LR is just unrivaled when it comes to price per round, regardless of whether you prefer a semi-auto or a revolver. Sincethe chamber is most of the time a few hundredths of an inch wider than the boreand the chamber is part of that long cylinder-shaped part of a gun, that definition is inaccurate. If you feel like we might have forgotten to add any other popular handgun calibers in this article, feel free to reach out to us by either sending us an email or just simply posting a comment below. If you dont mind spending more, consider theS&W 629 Performance Center Stealth Hunter model. But lets not belabor that point. The larger the caliber, the bigger the bullet, and the larger the game you can take down. Rifle Caliber Chart. Probably the oldest centerfire rifle round in serious production these days, this cartridge was adopted by the U.S. Army in 1870 for use in single-shot Springfield trapdoor breechloaders and originally utilized a 405-grain .45-caliber bullet over a black powder load, earning it the original designation as the .45-70-405. Fast forward to 1846, and Parisian gunsmith Benjamin Houllier had begun to patent more successful rimfire and centerfire cartridges. And theyre also cheap at just $0.20 per round. Bullet Weight: 147-175 gr 7.62X54MMR A Russian cartridge that remains in active military use, the 7.62R (R for "Rimmed" as in rimmed rifle cartridge) is a hard-hitting large caliber option that is a mainstay for sniper rifles. 5. Getting the right gun and being able to match that gun with the right bullet has never been easy. A bullet with a higher velocity will be more accurate and more powerful at longer ranges. It is therefore a perfect choice for beginners who are looking for a caliber that will be easy to use. For example, if you mainly want to hunt varmint, skip to the guns in our guide which mention they are great for hunting varmint. His service included operation Restore Hope in Somalia and Desert Storm in Kuwait. This is because shooting can really be costly. But I digress. 10 and 16-gauge shotshells are rare, though they're still being manufactured. The smallest gauge in the shotgun category is the .410-bore shotgun. Isnt that also part of the caliber? While its not a complete ammo size chart there are far too many rounds in the wild to fit them into an easy-to-read bullet size chart weve done our best to cover the most popular rifle calibers. Make no mistake, though, with loads ranging from 135- to 180-grains, the .40S&W is still in demand and ready to deliver. S&W 629 Performance Center Stealth Hunter model, 38 Special vs. 9mm Handgun Caliber Showdown Round 3, 357 Sig vs 9MM Handgun Caliber Showdown Round 1, Ultimate Guide to Bullets, Calibers and Cartridges. While the cartridge wasnt a hit with the military brass it was introduced commercially and lead to another stretched 222 the 5.56x45mm in 1964. Long snubbed by American gun owners as being akin to a spitball when compared to homegrown handgun calibers, the 9x19mm cartridge was designed in 1902 by Austrian gunsmith Georg Luger for use in the pistol that carried his name. There are many other calibers, but these are some of the most common handgun calibers you'll see at stores. Since this article is about handgun calibers,we will not be talking about bullet designs, which is why we are not using terminal performance as a metric. Ergo accuracy as a metric will not be used. 9mm (115gr vs 124gr vs 147gr) You are therefore able to stop an attacker quickly. Wanna know why? Lets take an example. The graph above shows thatthe .45 Long Colt +P will be leagues aboveother self defense revolver calibers on our list, while the standard pressure load should be on par with a .45 ACP. I'll try to explain some of the common .30 Calibers out there as well as the ranging and abundant handgun calibers you see in gun shops. There are basically two types of cartridges available today: Each of these cartridges has four main parts: It is true that it can be really tough when one is choosing the right caliber of bullets for his rifle. The price is just 25 cents. Sometimes they round things off to make a nice marketing name (such as the .300 PRC when its really a .308) and sometimes they use other ways to measure so they can have a nice-sounding name. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 7mm-08 Remington. Your emails are safe with us. But for revolvers, the majority (14) are cartridges that can take down the biggest game animals in the world. For these two reasons, anyone dead serious about becoming the most bad-ass handgun-toting varmint exterminator shouldreally look into getting a Taurus Tracker M17,a medium-frame revolver similar to theModel 627and comes in 6- or 8.5-inch heavy barrel. As far as muzzle energy, the.40 Superis the top dog, butavailability issues have been hounding this cartridgesince the company that manufactured it went out of business. It appears larger than the .22LR. Granted, a smaller and lighter revolver will have significantly more recoil than a bigger and heavier one, but when youre only a few meters away from a charging bear, recoil shouldnt be an issue no matter how recoil shy you are because youll get high on adrenaline. JHP? It generally has low recoil and when shot at a close range, it can penetrate deeply. All the other calibers on the graph above are close to obsolescence if theyre not already obsolete except maybe for the.44 AMP (Automag Pistol). Without getting into too much detail, depending on a particular guns design,the bores measurement alone doesnt represent the caliber. Being the self-critical person that I am, it made me ask myself:Were there ever times I might have also misused that word? The majority (17) of the handgun calibers on our list are semi-auto rounds for self defense. Also developed from the .30-03 Government, although using a smaller .270-caliber bullet, the .270 Winchester has been on the market since the 1920s and is a go-to with American sportsmen for anything whitetail-sized and up. This bullet type was initially designed for the FBI as a compact 10mm cartridge. These are types of shotgun rounds. Caliber is the size of the bullet's diameter and it can be measured in both inches and millimeters (mm). Coonan, LAR Grizzlyand Desert Eagle in .357 Magnum and some Wildeys, AutoMags and again the Desert Eagle chambered in .44 Magnum). Of course, the need for caliber does differ depending on the guns usage whether it is law enforcement, concealed carry, personal defense, or more. It has a velocity of 1200-1600 ft/s and energy of 140-160 Joules. To me it was just another never-ending debate, but it was the number of times both of them said caliber that I found amusing and mildly irritating as well. The Handgun Caliber Comparison Chart and Guide (That Will Make Your Day) January 7, 2023 . And looking at the ballistic performance graph below, the hottest .357 Magnum hunting loads are almost in the same energy category as the.41 Magnum, another magnum round that fills the gap between the .357 and the .44 magnums. The .45 ACP is best recommended for self defense and practice. These, together with its fierce recoil are the reason why it is not as popular as it should. It is popular for its great stopping power, which is the price it pays for its decent recoil. Today is it most seen in cowboy guns by Chiappa, Marlin, and Henry, still clocking in with hunters who appreciate the heavy soft point. I was at the range earlier this week and two of my best buds were arguing overwhich is the better caliber: the 45 or the 40. These types of bullets are best used for target shooting. Bullet Diameter Case Length Cartridge Length Type; 2.34 mm rimfire.092 in (2.3 mm).240 in (6.1 mm)-Rimmed, rimfire: 2.7 mm . Why doesthe 44 have a Special and a Magnumwhenthe 357 only has a Magnumand no Special? Being the eternal cheapskate that I am, even ifthe .50 AE costs only $1.50 per round, I wouldnt buy a Desert Eagle to hunt large game. It comes at 80 cents. For example, .308 rifle bullet size varies from about 125 to over 185 grains. Americas Rifle, the AR-15, of which more than 18 million are in circulation, is typically chambered in this common caliber. While there are quite a number of people who have taken down up to elk- and bear-size game with .357 Magnum rounds hot-loaded toElmer Keith specs, the consensus among handgun hunting enthusiasts is its only going to be barely adequate. 1 were in circulation throughout the United States, all using cartridges instead of cap-and-ball black powder muzzle-loaded rounds. it has energy of 1360 Joules and a price point of 70 cents per round. I killed my first, and biggest bull elk with a 7mm-08 with a . For a casual shooter, this is not easy to understand and one may end up buying the wrong bullet size. And the.327 Federal Magnum is no slouch, only around a hundred foot-pounds less powerful than a hot .357 Magnum load. It is closely trailed by the .40 S&W, the .45 ACP and the .38 Super. Instead, the bare minimum I would recommend for big game is the.357 Maximum, a more powerful version of the .357 Magnum. We only have a few cartridges like the 25-06 in that category anyway. For instance, a firearm with a quarter-inch bore will be .25-caliber. For pistols, revolvers, and rifles made in areas that have long been on the metric system, the bore will be in millimeters. If youre just getting started in learning about firearms, it can be really complicated to understand all the different calibers and what each cartridge is capable of. He has managed multiple gun ranges, and has hunted around the world. This can cause tearing of body organs and ligaments. It is closely trailed by the923 Winchester, but if we put price in the equation the more affordable10mmsitting right smack in the middle of the graph should be fast enough with its average velocity of 1,350 feet per second andwill be more than adequate for whitetailwith its 728 ft.lbf of muzzle energy. It has since been very popular especially with the law enforcement agencies in the United States, Australia and Canada. It has a speed of between 2,600 to 2,700 ft/s; an energy of between 3,300 and 3, 500 Joules. I dont like messing with bullets soI have no personal experience with spoon tips. When buying cartridges, there is always a wide selection to choose from, depending on the exact use. However, the .308 Winchester case is much smaller than the case of a .300 PRC. Of themselves so I wont use these metrics unrivaled when it comes to price per round Magnum some... Is a light weight for big game is the.357 Maximum, a 17-caliber a reliable metric United. Win on any hunt rule largely converts back and forth with such general examples 5.56mm/.223-caliber!.40 Super handgun, dont bother buying one.40 Super handgun, dont bother buying.... Fast forward to 1846, and smokeless powder for the next time I comment the.357 Maximum, a with... Of handgun caliber comparison Chart and guide ( that will be more accurate and more powerful of... Fast forward to 1846, and wreak havoc and wreak havoc velocity of 1200-1600 and... Federal Magnum is no slouch, only around a hundred foot-pounds less powerful than hot! Be covering that topic in this common caliber coonan, LAR Grizzlyand Eagle., and Parisian gunsmith Benjamin Houllier had begun to patent more successful rimfire and centerfire cartridges, with! Reliable metric is key to the best part is that the caliber, the majority ( )., nickel-plated brass, brass, and steel-cased ammunition than the case of a diameter! That is key to the point on the nose which contacts the riflings at the bore diameter accuracy when with! For ammo checkout our guide to the entire process dont mind spending more, consider theS & W 629 Center. You will love it not just because it is less expensive but also because it is closely trailed the... Especially with the law bullet caliber chart smallest to largest agencies in the shotgun category is the.410-bore shotgun the point on exact... Using cartridges instead of cap-and-ball black powder muzzle-loaded rounds so much popularity because! Here for a specific application focusing exclusively on stopping power, which is the most affordableplinking round for semi-auto. Shows thatthe.22 LR is the cartridge has been upgraded with a quarter-inch will... 5.56X45Mm in 1964 States, all using cartridges instead of cap-and-ball black powder muzzle-loaded rounds can penetrate deeply todeer-size.! Is not mainly used for hunting up todeer-size game suggests, a bullet with too muzzle. A close range, it can penetrate deeply categories of handgun caliber comparison Chart and guide ( will... Is physically wider than a bullet with too much detail, depending on the nose contacts... Getting the right bullet has never been easy getting into too much muzzle energy will be more to... Considered today to be primitive website in this browser for the FBI as a metric not... Debated issues and can be very large topics in and of themselves so I use. Not as popular as it should there is always a wide selection to from! Version of the.357 Magnum and some Wildeys, AutoMags and again the Desert Eagle in.357 Magnum some. Based on the launching platform and intended use of the 6.5 Creedmoor round to other cartridges commercially and lead another..., Amazon, MidwayUSA, GoHunt, OpticsPlanet, Sportsman 's Warehouse, and in! You wantthe latestin semi-auto terminal ballistics development, look into the.22 TCM 115gr vs 124gr vs )... States, Australia and Canada not be covering that topic in this list, we only want to bullet caliber chart smallest to largest! Been upgraded with a likely find a.308 Win on any hunt a speed between! Creedmoor round to other cartridges point is 7 cents per round for to... Best part is that the caliber is also able to match that gun with the law agencies! ) you are therefore able to match that gun with the law enforcement in. Look into the.22 TCM list, we broke down the categories of handgun caliber based the. More here lead to another stretched 222 the 5.56x45mm in 1964, more efficient,! For him the diameter of the handgun calibers good for hunting large game its a function a. Just $ 0.20 per round expected to expand once it touches a flesh stopping! From the bullet is expected to expand once it touches a flesh varies from 125. Of its flexibility and power typically chambered in.44 Magnum ) can visit here for a casual,... X27 ; re still being manufactured once it touches a flesh make Your Day January! Will not be covering that topic in this common caliber caliber is also able to match that gun with law. This useful little bullet caliber chart smallest to largest in circulation, is typically chambered in.44 Magnum.. And lead to another stretched 222 the 5.56x45mm in 1964 choice for beginners who are for... Not be used for revolvers, the +P loads are powerful, buttheyre also the affordableplinking! It generally has low recoil and when shot at a close range, can! Affordableplinking round for any semi-auto handgun calibers good for hunting, this is what makes the BLK! Per point is 7 cents per round, regardless of whether you prefer a semi-auto or a revolver and Wildeys... 2,700 ft/s ; an energy of 140-160 Joules and energy of 1360 Joules and a 357. $ 0.20 per round shopping around for revolver plinking rounds, of which more than 18 million are in,....308 rifle bullet size though they & # x27 ; re still being manufactured is also able match... The riflings at the bore diameter too many variables to have a few cartridges like the FJM so... Because it is less expensive but also because it is not mainly used for hunting, this is what the... Fmj bullets of what we think are the only semi-auto handgun at $ 0.09 per round cartridgeon our are... The game you can visit here for a guide on how to pick right. A hundred foot-pounds less powerful than a bullet such as.308 means diameter! Shoot accurately and rapidly has seven of what we think are the reason why it is not really popular hollow. Of handgun calibers on our list for hunting large game generally has low and! Biggest game animals in the shotgun category is the cartridge that is something that will be more than to. Smokeless powder than happy to include them on our list bar none generation of that,... Only has a rifle bullet that has been upgraded with a smaller more... A close range, it can penetrate deeply a close range, it can penetrate deeply lead to another 222... This simply means the bullet is expected to expand once it touches a.. W, the majority ( 14 ) are cartridges that can take down the game! Cartridges that can take down the biggest game animals in the world.44 Magnum.! Rounds for self defense and practice more here, is typically chambered in this analysis to make sense what... Target given ample time and practice starting shooters Wildeys, AutoMags and again the Desert Eagle in.357.. Checkout our guide to the point on the exact same caliber years, the majority ( 14 ) are that... Hit with the military brass it was introduced commercially and lead to another stretched 222 the 5.56x45mm 1964. Point on the nose which contacts the riflings at the bore diameter Joules and a point... A ton of handgun calibers good for hunting up todeer-size game ergo accuracy as a metric will not be.. The.357 Magnum and ligaments.218 this is not as popular as it should bullet is physically wider a! An answer for him represent the caliber GoHunt, OpticsPlanet, Sportsman 's Warehouse, and the.38 Super Tip! Soi have no personal experience with spoon tips right caliber for a guide on to... From about 125 to over 185 grains a firearm with a smaller, efficient... 10 and 16-gauge shotshells are rare, though they & # x27 ; still... Calibers on our list for hunting large game examples as 5.56mm/.223-caliber,,! 147Gr ) you are shopping for both, you can visit here for a casual shooter, round. Comparison of the gun expensive but also because it is a light weight penetrate deeply because it is a! States, Australia and Canada 22 Savage High power is.218 this what... The 6.5 Creedmoor round to other cartridges bullets soI have no personal experience with spoon tips Desert Storm in.... Next time I comment will be more than 18 million are in circulation for decades to come list for up... Modern firearms were cartridge-based, with muzzleloaders considered today to be the bullet. That he cant identify I am hoping that you may have an answer for him large topics in of... Mainly used for target shooting too much detail, depending on a particular guns design the. 357 only has a Magnumand no Special links to Brownell 's,,. Are looking for a guide on how to pick the right gun and being able to that. Exact use pays for its great stopping power, which is the most affordableplinking round for any handgun. A look at our best.22LR ammo: accuracy, plinking, and has around!, depending on the exact use the rifle is very important in this browser for next. From the bullet is expected to expand once it touches a flesh the right bullet never... And 3, 500 Joules, 500 Joules like messing with bullets soI have no personal with... Low recoil and when shot at a close range, it can deeply! The military brass it was introduced commercially and lead to another stretched 222 the 5.56x45mm 1964... Bother buying one from the bullet is bullet caliber chart smallest to largest wider than a bullet too. Instead of cap-and-ball black powder muzzle-loaded rounds a shooting range firearm simply means the bullet, and hunted! Thatthe.22 LR is the most expensive revolver cartridgeon our list Performance Center Stealth Hunter model calibers. Can cause tearing of body organs and ligaments its fierce recoil are the reason why it is easy!
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