Calibres - Firearms

[nbunney 5]

Can someone explaim what means what?

 

I understand rim / centre fire, but not sure why centre is more powerfull, and .22 is bigger than .17 but them it all goes strange

 

.22 - 243 hmr I have no idea.

 

And what is best to use for what?

 

 

 

Many thanks in advance

[dave1372 83]

There are a whole array of different calibres to choose from. In general the simplest way of understanding it is something as follows:

 

The higher the caliber the greater the stopping power but the harder it is to control. So a high calibre rifle is needed for larger animals but you will also feel more of a kick from the recoil of a higher calibre.

 

Let's say you wish to hunt rabbits then .17hmr or .22lr rimfire are generally what most people will use. .

 

For foxes then a choice of .22 centrefires are usually a good choice. Typically the loads (or bullets) for these weapons can be varied to provide more range and penetration.

 

If you are intending to hunt larger deer then ideally you will want to choose a higher caliber rifle such as a .243 .270, .303 or .308. Rifles in these calibers will be more successful and clean at taking down larger beasts. Load sizes again can be obtained in varied sizes and if you are intending to hunt at the higher end of the food chain then this is a more suitable weapon to use.

 

You will find a lot of guys have several different rifle calibers, but if you are simply starting out it is better to choose a weapon to suit what you intend to hunt and upgrade or change later. Generally you will find people start of with a.22lr or .17hmr then progress to the likes of an allround .243 for foxing/deer.

 

Get some people in your area to take you out and show you a few different calibers.

 

The list of calibres ie endless: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rifle_cartridges

 

 

[nbunney 5]

Thanks Dave

 

The link sort of makes things abit clearer.

I have read about 243 is a godd 1 for Fox / Small dear

Not sure about rabbits now as the 2 you quoted have verry different cartridges.

 

Good idea to go out with people that shoot the various cailbers.

[sako 23]

If you want to shoot deer in England a .243 is the lowest legal calibre.

[dave1372 83]

Thanks Dave

 

The link sort of makes things abit clearer.

I have read about 243 is a godd 1 for Fox / Small dear

Not sure about rabbits now as the 2 you quoted have verry different cartridges.

 

Good idea to go out with people that shoot the various cailbers.

 

 

Basically most people I know use .22lr for shooting rabbits at about 60 yards but if you are more proficient then upto 100 yards (most people I know shoot them at around 60 yards as the quality/accuracy of some .22 rimfire ammo is a bit inconsistent for consistent humane shots at 100 yards).

 

The other reason the ,22lr is popular is because most people use sub-sonic amoo which with a moderator makes it very silent compared to the .17hmr which is a lot noisier.The trajectory of the .22lr is more 'loopy than' the .17hmr which uses more more powder with a smaller head which gives it a flatter trajectory that is better for shooting at 100yards+ ranges. I haven't used a .17hmr but my understanding is that it is an excellent long range bunny sniping rifle.

 

If you put a post up explaining you are a newbie and want to see a few different claibres in action I am sure a few people in you area will take you out.

[matt_hooks 188]

The "rimfire" rounds, as the name suggests, are fired by striking the rim of the round. This is made hollow, and has the priming compound spun in to it. A centrefire cartridge has a much thicker rim, and an ignition charge in a cap, at the centre of the base of the cartridge which is ignited by hitting it with a "firing pin"

 

The centrefire cartridge is more powerful than the rimfire cartridge because it is inherently stronger and can use higher pressures. Higher pressure = more velocity(speed)= more energy (power)

 

The .17 hmr fires a very small (.17") bullet at a very high velocity. This means it has higher energy than the .22LR, and a flatter trajectory.

 

The whole ammunition history thing, and naming conventions, and all the other myths, legends and facts, are enough to fill a very large book.

[RicW 67]

"Calibre" is defined as the internal diameter of the barrel. In British and European practice this is measured across the "lands", the part of the barrel which has not been grooved to form the rifling. In American practice it is measured across the "grooves", ie the diameter across the rifling. There is an increasing, and to my mind welcome, tendency to define "calibre" as the external diameter of the bullet. Until that becomes general practice, it is not clear that 6mm, .242, .243, .244 and Weatherby .240 are all the same calibre.

 

But! Calibre does not necessarily equate with the power of a round. As you have noticed, .17 HMR is more powerful than .22lr because it is so much faster. The .220 centrefire rounds in current use are Hornet, .222, .223, .22-250, and .220 Swift. They all fire bullets of the same diameter yet the Swift is more than 4 times as powerful as the Hornet.

 

Oh dear. As Matt says, I feel a book coming on. Good question though! As to what to use for what, get back to us.

 

ATB Ric

[matt_hooks 188]

Indeed Ric, I was avoiding the whole lands/grooves debate. If he doesn't understand rimfire and centrefire then the calibre/bullet diameter thing is going to be a bit lost on him! It amazes me how much misunderstanding there is of these things, even amongst very experienced shooters.

 

The "rule of thumb" that says the bigger the number, the more powerful, is kind of misleading. A .300 win mag is far more powerful than a .308, and don't even start with the metric designations (7.62x51, 7.62 x 39 etc. etc. See now it's all getting confusing!

 

(N.B. I'm not saying that not understanding it is a bad thing, everyone has to learn in one way or another.)

[dave1372 83]

...I was trying to keep it relatively simple for the guy :11:

[The Seeker 3,048]

If you want to shoot deer in England a .243 is the lowest legal calibre.

You can use a .222, .223 etc to shoot muntjac and chinese water deer in U.K.

 

.243 is required to shoot anything bigger roe, fallow etc etc

[sako 23]

If you want to shoot deer in England a .243 is the lowest legal calibre.

You can use a .222, .223 etc to shoot muntjac and chinese water deer in U.K.

 

.243 is required to shoot anything bigger roe, fallow etc etc

 

I stand corrected!