Wadcutter rounds and their many sub-types are flat-nosed bullets generally used for shooting at paper targets. Penetration is minimal, and the many small fragments create multiple wound channels, increasing stopping power. Ballistically and tactically, they are essentially the opposite of FMJ rounds. This means that the bullet will expand on impact but isn't likely to do so as much as a hollow-point would.įrangible bullets have scored tips or are otherwise designed to fragment into many small pieces on impact. Whereas FMJ rounds have hard, copper shells, soft-point rounds have some exposed, soft lead at the tip of an otherwise closed shell. Hollow-point rounds are designed to expand on impact while still remaining in one piece, dramatically increasing the bullet's surface area, and therefore the damage it can cause to soft tissue in exchange for minimal penetration.Ī soft-point bullet strikes a nice balance between FMJ and hollow-point rounds in terms of penetration and expansion. The differences are subtle and generally have no impact on ballistic performance outside of very specific situations. It has poor to average performance against armor but overpenetration is likely with soft targets (although these factors are also heavily dependent on caliber).Ĭomplete and total metal jacket (CMJ/TMJ) rounds are almost the same thing as FMJ rounds. The bullet is a solid, conical piece of metal that doesn't fragment on impact. Even though there's no bullet, blanks still discharge small fragments of metal at high speeds and can injure or even kill people or animals at close range.īall or full-metal jacket (FMJ) ammunition is typically the simplest and cheapest type. Many (but not all) bullet types come in both rifle and pistol variants.īlanks are gunpowder-filled casings that don't contain a bullet at all, mostly used for training or special effects purposes. You'll also need to carefully consider the type of bullet, especially if you're shopping for defense rounds. A bullet's weight has significant effects on its speed, stopping power and penetration, with heavier bullets generally hitting harder and penetrating, expanding or fragmenting more significantly. 223 rounds, each bullet (not the round, just the bullet itself) weighs 55 grains, or roughly 0.126 ounces. A "grain" is a unit of weight equal to 2/875 of an ounce - so when you buy a box of 55-grain. GrainĪ bullet's grain is a simple measurement of its mass. When shopping for target or self-defense rounds, you'll want to pay more attention to caliber, grain, and type. Unusual or custom blends of gunpowder are generally employed only by competitive shooters and advanced hobbyists. Gunpowder is a complex topic, but fortunately, it usually doesn't make a big difference to the everyday shooter. In general, as bullet size increases, so do price, recoil, effective range and stopping power, while magazine capacity and effective rate of fire decrease. Type categorizes rounds by intended purpose. Grain refers to the mass of the bullet itself (not to the type or amount of gunpowder, as is commonly believed).
Load refers to the amount and type of gunpowder in the casing. The four primary considerations in choosing a round are caliber, load, grain and type.Ĭaliber describes the physical dimensions of a bullet and is measured in either inches or millimeters. There are hundreds of different rifle and pistol rounds, but a small fraction of them comprise the majority of rounds sold and fired. The primer is the part of the round struck by the firing pin, which creates a spark sufficient to ignite the gunpowder. Inside the case is the gunpowder that propels the bullet out of the barrel. The rim is the crimped end of the case, shaped such that the firearm's extractor can grab and eject the empty casing. The bullet is the solid metal projectile fitted into one end of the case.
The case is the brass or steel body that contains all of the other components. The entire unit is referred to as a round or cartridge. Shop Shooting Gear Rifle and Pistol Round Anatomyįor the most part, rifle and pistol rounds have the same basic anatomy consisting of five parts.
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