Ammo info

[Siobhra]

Does anyone know of a site where I can see a chart of the different bullets?

I want something I can look at when someone talks about a bullet. 22 is a larger number than a 9 so it must be bigger, right? Well I know better on that one but with all the different bullets out there it does get hard trying to picture how different the size's are.

[GeorgeF]

Good ol Wikipedia - probably better out there, but this is th equick and dirty reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_handgun_cartridges

[Mike45]

Siobhra, if you go into Ready Aim Fire Range and look on the wall behind the counter, they just put up a creation, shaped into a W, of all sizes of Winchester ammo casings. I just noticed it this morning. Something every shooter should have hanging in their living room...Mike45

[Siobhra]

George, thanks that was exactly what I was looking for. I think I will print it out for my wall.
Mike, I have seen a lot of posters, charts and even the collections of the bullets themselves. I might try that myself. From now on I will ask everyone I meet at the range if I can have one bullet. Unless I already have that calibre.

Then wire them all to a board.

As I browse online (druel) at different guns I am never sure of things that are basic and common place to you more advanced gun owners. Cal, mm, decimal, God knows what else.

Kel Tec has a gun I like. Sub-2000. It comes in 9mm and a 40 model. And while I am a long way from buying my next gun I am still looking. I know or believe the 40 is bigger than the 9mm. But how much? And am I sure it is?

Now at least there is one less thing to understand.

[aubie515]

You could also just get a brochure from Sierra...they have a fold out of all the bullets that the offer.

[Bib]

Siobhra....the caliber number refers to bullet DIAMETER...nothing else. It's not an indication of the power or velocity of the round. A .40 cal bullet is bigger in diameter than a 9mm but if you made the 9mm bullet LONGER, thus HEAVIER, it could weigh more than a short .40 caliber bullet.


Now, let's take a little .22 caliber bullet and put it into a big, bottleneck rifle cartridge...it would have a lot more MUZZLE ENERGY than a 9mm handgun round.

Then you have cartridges with double numerical designations.


45/70 a very old rifle cartridge. It's .45 caliber, originally loaded with 70 grains of black powder

30/06 another rifle cartridge.. 30 refers to the fact that it is 30 caliber but in this case the 06 refers to the year it was introduced....1906


ARE YOU THOROUGHLY CONFUSED YET???


If you can find a copy of Cartridges of the World you could see for yourself how many different cartridges there are and how they compare to one another.

[Siobhra]

One problem at a time. My head hurts.

It is very hard to chose new guns for a new-be as it is. Just using my earlier example I mentioned the Kel Tec Sub-2000. It gives me this info to sell me on the gun.
Comes in two different models.

9mm
Then adds under 9m the following info. Glock 17, S & W 69, Beretta 92, Sig226.

40 S & W
Then adds under the 40 S&W Glock 22, S&W 4006, Beretta 96, Sig 226

I knew enough that the 40 is most likely bigger and more powerful than the 9mm. But I never even heard about the 40 so my guess is based on the fact that they mentioned the 40 in a manner that suggested it.

But that is not the way to shop. And I have no idea what the other add on info means. I just want something a little more powerful than the 9mm and not a whole lot more. And I would like something that does not use expensive ammo than I have to.

[Arcana71]

But that is not the way to shop. And I have no idea what the other add on info means. I just want something a little more powerful than the 9mm and not a whole lot more. And I would like something that does not use expensive ammo than I have to.

Siobhra:

Here's what I can tell you about the Kel-Tec Sub-2000... the other information (Glock 17, Beretta 92, S&W 4006, etc) refers to the different magazine configurations that are available. Kel-Tec makes different versions that accept different popular pistol magazines. For example, I already had a Glock 17, so I bought the Sub-2000 that accepts those magazines. That left me with a "matched set," so-to-speak.

If I recall correctly, I believe you mentioned once in another thread that you have a 9mm Springfield XD. Please don't quote me on this, but I believe that the XD uses magazines of S&W design (perhaps modified slightly). If that is the case, a matched set may still be possible for you. However, if magazines from one require modification to function in the other, I'm not sure I'd go for it. I don't believe in that sort of thing... and feel that you're ultimately compromising reliability.

As far as the other point you made is concerned (regarding something slightly more powerful than the 9mm), remember that a 9mm round out of the Kel-Tec is going to pack more punch than the same round out of any pistol. The longer barrel of the carbine is going to increase muzzle velocity and energy. If you go from a 9mm pistol to a .40 carbine, that effect will be nearly doubled (going from mild round in a pistol to hot round in a carbine, skipping the middle ground).

All that being said... I absolutely love my Sub-2000. Picked it up at a show, spent $300 and never looked back. It's a nifty, fun little thing! The fact that I have magazine interchange with my pistol is just the gravy on top. The only negative is that it may be a slight PITA to clean, but not much. Take it apart a few times and that problem resolves itself. It's just that the first time is challenging.

I hope this helped... and that I didn't confuse you more.

[Siobhra]

It's a deal. The next couple of weeks are a mess for me. Three day camping trip next weekend, several church nights, leading a church service one Sunday and another weekend camping trip in November.

[junyo]

Please don't quote me on this, but I believe that the XD uses magazines of S&W design (perhaps modified slightly). If that is the case, a matched set may still be possible for you. However, if magazines from one require modification to function in the other, I'm not sure I'd go for it. I don't believe in that sort of thing... and feel that you're ultimately compromising reliability.

Actually, the XD uses a modified Beretta magazine, although some S&W's are close. You can use Beretta 92/96 mags with the Keltec or the XD 9mm/.40SW respectively, with the caveats that a)there's an extra cutout on the Springfield mag, b)the feed lip angle sometimes is slightly off, and c)the XD mag is slightly shorter, so a really positive insertation of a 92 mag will can damage the pistol. Also the 92 mag will protude slightly. Springfield mags won't really seat properly in a Keltec unless you remove some material from the bottom of the pistol grip.

As for learning about different cartridge types, see this thread for a discussion of nomenclature. And I can't recommend Chuck Hawk's website enough. He provides info on most of the common rifle, semiauto and revolver chamberings, and it was real helpful to me when I was just learning what was what.