Common rifle and handgun cartridges

Since broken out to this page 06-13-08

View common rifle and handgun cartridges

Examples of other less common cartridges include: 30 luger, an automatic cartridge rarely seen in this country; 32 S&W, 32 S&W long, 32 Colt, 32 Colt long, all small caliber (0.312) outdated revolver cartridges; 32 H&R magnum, a relatively new high velocity revolver cartridge; 32 auto, a popular European pocket automatic cartridge; 38 S&W, 38 short Colt, 38 long Colt, outdated revolver cartridges; 44 S&W special, the parent cartridge of the 44 magnum, occasionally used as a police revolver cartridge.

What can be learned from specific cartridge data? If the 44 magnum is compared with the 357 magnum, the effect of bore diameter is seen. The larger area of the 44 magnum creates more force with the same pressure, allowing the 44 magnum to produce more energy at the muzzle. The effect of case capacity can be demonstrated in a comparison of the 9 mm parabellum (para) with the 357 magnum.

These cartridges have similar diameters and pressures, but the 357 magnum is much longer, yielding more case volume (more powder), and delivers more energy. Finally, despite the Colt 45 having the largest bore diameter and one of the longest cases, it does not deliver the maximum energy because the outdated 1873 design of this cartridge case severely handicaps its pressure handling capability.

The Glasser "safety slug" has been designed to consist of a hollow copper jacket filled with #12 birdshot. It has been designed in several calibers. When the bullet hits the target, the pellets are released over a wide area. However, the pellets quickly decelerate over a short distance, so they may penetrate poorly and are less likely to hit surrounding targets. They are designed to stop, but not kill, an attacker while avoiding injury to bystanders. At close range, they may produce substantial injury.

The Winchester "Black Talon" cartridge, which comes in several calibers, is designed with a lead core locked to a copper alloy jacket by a unique notching process that is done to prevent separation of the core and the jacket on target impact via controlled expansion.

This expansion is designed to occur in a delayed fashion at the muzzle velocities of the bullet in order to provide deeper penetration. In addition, the jacket is thicker at the tip than at the heel, with precutting of the thick portion to that, upon target impact, six sharp copper points are raised in a radial fashion.

The purpose of this design is to increase expansion and cavitation with greater transference of energy. In one study with test firings, black talons penetrating plastic sheeting (simulating elasticity of skin) expanded irregularly, while those fired into ordnance gelatin (simulating soft tissue) uniformly expanded.

The copper points create a potential hazard in bullet removal by surgeons or forensic scientists. (Russel et al, 1995)

"Shotshell" cartridges containing pellets are available in a variety of calibers. In a study by Speak et al (1985), it was found that, in handguns, either shorter barrel length or larger caliber produced larger pellet patterns.