This one's for you

in Outdoors and more4 years ago

Yesterday I posted about an event I co-organise with some mates of mine here in Australia; It's an event that revolves around the sport of practical shooting and is focused on probably the cheapest, and arguably one of the most popular, firearms one can buy which is the .22LR. You can see that post here if you are interested.

One of the comments I got related to the size of the .22LR ammunition and what it might be good for; Competition use only or small game. Thanks @zacknorman97 for your interest. I answered him of course, it's a competition round and a small game round, however I couldn't really offer much perspective on the size in comparison to other rounds. (Ammunition.)

So, this one's for you @zacknorman97...Can you pick the .22LR? Hint, it's not the orange one on the extreme right.

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What we have above is a selection of some of my ammunition for the firearms I own. I have others but they are all pretty similar in size to these so I figured I'd make it easy on myself and only photograph these.

What we have there from left to right is:

  • .50 cal (50 calibre)
  • .303
  • 6.5mm Creedmoor
  • .308
  • .243 (6mm)
  • .223 (5.56 Nato)
  • 9mm
  • .22LR
  • Orange Lego (This is not ammunition)

All of the above ammunition is centrefire, except the .22LR which is, of course, rimfire.

Centrefire means that the firing pin strikes the primer in the centre of the base of the round which explodes into the case and ignites the gun powder, the gas produced expands and only has one way to go, down the barrel and out of the muzzle, pushing the projectile before it.

Rimfire uses the same principle except the primer is in the base of the case, on the rim, and so the firing pin strikes the rim of the cartridge and the process goes from there.

It's pretty straight forward and is demonstrated below. The right hand round is a .303 centrefire round and you can see the round primer in the base. The middle is the .22LR, the rimfire round, with no visible primer and the left is the Lego...You will note it has no primer at all...Because it is Lego.

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All of these rounds are used for different purposes and I don't really want to get into it as it is extremely complicated as ballistics tends to be. They can be loaded with different powders and powder-weights (it's done by weight, not volume) and have different projectiles (weights, shapes and characteristics) fitted which all do vastly different things. I make my own ammunition so am quite familiar with the process of course and enjoy working up a load for my different needs...It's called load development which I've posted about before.

Essentially though, the 50 calibre round on the extreme left is a military round. It is generally brought to bear on vehicles and can be found in various formats including armour-piercing. It is a brutal round fired from such weapon systems as the awesomely effective M2, M3 and M85 machine guns. You may have seen one in the movies mounted on a tank or some other such vehicle. Snipers sometimes use them too...If they need to disable a vehicle...It will shoot right through the engine block. It has other uses of course but that's not for today.

The .303 is an old round, commonly used in the SMLE .303 rifle extensively used by the British and her dominion countries (like Australia) in World War One and Two. I have one of those rifles (it served in the first World War, I didn't) and so I have the ammunition. I use it too. An excellent hunting round.

I use the 6.5mm Creedmoor as a long range competition round when competing in practical rifle competitions. It shoots out to great distance as has a very flat trajectory. I load develop the round for precision accuracy and so use a projectile to suit however it makes for a lethal hunting round too when configured correctly. Below is my rifle that shoots this round.

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The same, as above, goes for the .243 and .308 and I use both for hunting and have competed in long range practical matches with both. The .308 has a trajectory that is far more arced, meaning it sort of lobs into the target, not as flat as the 6.5mm or .243 although it is still effective. It is also a military round used in sniper rifles, machine guns and as primary weapon systems for the infantryman. It's a good, faithful, round. The .243 is my go-to calibre for when I cull on the farm. Great trajectory, fast-moving and imparts a lot of energy into the target. (Faster kill).

The .223/5.56 is also a hunting and military round. It's more lightweight and is very widely used by militaries and hunters around the world. (Not big game though). The difference between the .223 Rem and the 5.56 Nato cartridge is that the 5.56 runs at greater pressure - 58,000psi opposed to 55,000psi. Also, the chamber on a gun running the 5.56 has a longer throat, by .125", which allows for the greater pressure (more powder in the cartridge) and so it has a better performance. Running the 5.56 in a gun chambered for .223 could result in harm to the rifle, the operator, or both, due to the increased pressures. I won't go right into it though; You get the idea.

Where was I? Oh yeah, 9mm. This is a handgun round and the one I run in my CZ Shadow 2 and CZ P09 semi-autos. It is a good all-rounder however many don't feel it packs enough punch. Getting hit in the chest at 50 metres though, well, that'll fuck up your day. I don't want to get into the specifics as I'm not here for calibre-arguments but suffice it to say that it's a great little round and I use it to good effect.

And...The .22LR is next. So cute huh? Lol. This is used for small game like rabbits, foxes, possums, squirrels etc. It's also a great plinking round and I would say about a gazillion cans have felt its caress over the years. It's cheap, as are the guns that fire them generally speaking, and is typically the calibre people transition to as kids when stepping up from the BB gun or slingshot. This round is also used extensively in competition in both handguns and rifles.

Below you can see me holding the .22LR and the 50 cal for size comparison.

Below you can see that the entire .22LR is not even close to just the projectile (the bit that hits the target) of the 50 cal. Getting hit by a .22 would tickle compared to getting hit by the 50 cal. (Lego trying to muscle in on the shot too.)

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Lastly...The lego. I used this only for size comparison. It is not ammunition, but can still inflict the most excrutiating pain kown to mankind. Step on one of these lethal things with bare feet in the middle of the night and you'll know. I've done it. Still in rehab. Lol.

This post is by no means a definitive instructional piece on ammunition or firearms. It is designed only to show a difference is size and use of a few different types. Ballistics and calibre are extremely complicated topics and here I wanted to just touch on a few things. Not even scratching the surface really.

So, @zacknorman97, it's probably a little more than the simple picture I promised you last night, but I hope it helps a little. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have...Even Lego ones!


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22 LR, first round I shot and still my favorite! So useful around the farm and in the woods. Great overview, easy to understand for someone with no knowledge of firearms

Hey mate, thanks for reading and commenting. (Also subscribing to The Pew.)

A lot of fun can be had with the .22LR and we make that happen with the competition I mentioned in this post. It's a great little calibre and and so cheap that people can shoot all day long with no ear pro (although we make the competitors wear it) and without hurting the pocket too much. Out in the field it's nice and quiet and when set up right is accurate too.

Thanks for your comments here, I always try to make my gun posts fairly straightforward although some of the concepts can be complicated. (Like my long range posts which you can scroll back and read if you like.) I hope you'll throw up a post or two mate, it would be great to see some new people doing so.

Have a great weekend.

Enjoyed the explanation thanks.

Cheers mate, hope it made sense.

Yes it made sense to me at least😜

Yes, but with your immense IQ most things make sense. Lol.

Great info!

Running the 5.56 in a gun chambered for .223 could result in harm to the rifle, the operator, or both, due to the increased pressures. I won't go right into it though; You get the idea.

But you can run the other way around, and often you find .223 in the states cheaper than 5.56. There are tradeoffs, but if you're just plinking with your 5.56... There are other examples, such as you can also run .38 rounds in a .357 revolver. Also a lot cheaper and less bone jarring when shooting a little J frame.

Hey man, thanks for reading and commenting. Yeah, you're spot on...I wouldn't want to have my life dependant on .223 in a 5.56 system (or to have the rounds mixed in there) but if just playing around it's legit (cheaper) as you say. You're ex-military right? Did you have much to do with the 5.56 in your role? I've fired a few here and like it way better than the .223, but then I'm a long range shooter so appreciate MV and a better trajectory. I use my .223 for foxes mainly but typically end up behind the .243 and snipe them from way back. Lol.

You're ex-military right? Did you have much to do with the 5.56 in your role?

Yeah, that's what we qualified with. It was still the M16 back when I first joined. That and the Baretta M9. I recently finished building an AR15 pistol from the lower up, there's a whole lot of interesting laws surrounding those in the US. I was thinking about writing a post about it eventually.

Hey that's pretty cool, the AR15 pistol...You should post it although for some reason around here people don't seem too keen on posting gun stuff. I'll keep an eye out for it though.

The ADF (Australian Defence Force) use the 5.56 for individual weapons; The F88 Austeyer by Steyr Mannlicher AG, made under license here in Aus. Lightweight (3.6kg unloaded), accurate and durable. Looks bloody weird. Decent weapon though.

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I've always thought those look cool, but what's it like having the magazine up against your forearm? More stability?

They're a pretty cool gun to fire, you sort of get all snugged up over it and it becomes a part of you, having the magazine there seems to offer a little more to hang onto I think. Sort of. I'm probably doing a really bad job of describing it. They had some at my range a while back (it's a military range) and a few people got to fire them...There were no complaints and a lot of smiles. They sort of look like a space gun or something. Star Wars.

That's a pretty good lineup and comparison. I own a 303 British (Enfield Mark 4 No 1), 243 Win, 9mm and 22LR of course. I have shot all but the 6mm and the 50 cal.

You're right about how complex this subject is. I can tell your expertise is much better than mine but I occasionally spend some time reading ballistics charts and stuff like that. There is a book that I have and really enjoy called Deer Rifles & Cartridges by Wayne Van Zwoll, PH.D. Have you read that one by chance?

Looks like you have a decent range of calibres to suit most needs. I've been banging on the .243 a lot lately. Nice calibre. I did a load development on it with the Vmax 87gr pill and am pushing 2913fps...It's a laser.

Anyway, I haven't heard of that book no. I'll look it up though. One for you (if you do any long range stuff) is Accuracy and precision for long range shooting (Bryan Litz) - It's pretty comprehensive.

Love the 243. Thanks for the book suggestion. I'll check it out.

I refuse to believe you have never used Lego as ammunition XP

In my guns I use real ammo, but there was one time I made a Lego trebuchet and stormed a castle...Although I flung big rocks, not Lego. I guess that counts.

That's much more imaginative XD I've done lego crossbows and catapaults before and may or may not have just thrown bricks >_>

not fun to clean up do not recommend

Once one has fired a gun, tossing Lego could never come close.

I'm unlikely to ever fire anything other than a water or nerf gun because of the noise x_x

I really appreciate you though, you're helping me out more than you know with my two gunslinger characters XP

I like how you embrace the learning, the understanding, you get from my posts, and others too I assume. A closed mind is a small mind. I don't know if that's a quote, but it's what I reckon.

Cheers for sharing this, mate! I'm glad to have helped the G-dog stay productive, and to keep on writing XD

I had never learned as much about firearms until I started seeing your posts! That comparison is a pretty neat way to show how all the ammunition types stack up in terms of size, and thus capability. On that first picture though, as I was slowly scrolling down to read more stuff, I noticed that orange "thing" on the right. I thought that was a shotgun shell at first 🤣 (picture below will explain why), until I realised that it was angular, and has studs on it!

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I heard that .50 caliber rounds are banned for civilian use in most countries, given how deadly they are. They were apparently used extensively during the WW1 as anti-tank rounds. Are you legally allowed to carry, and fire .50? If so, that must've been awesome experience, though it seems rather painful on the shoulders! Videos of Barrett M82s being fire on YouTube seem to suggest that the blowback/recoil is pretty vicious!

And thanks for the explanation between centrefire, and rimfire. Having heard these terms before, I haven't had the chance to learn of the differences 👍! On the subject of loads, and powder-weights, is this different from the grain-count that I hear often being used on weapons-channels on YT?

I've been familiar with .308 before, thanks to first-person shooter games, and with .303, since my Grandad and his mates used Lee Enfields extensively against invading Japs during WW2. I held his rifle once, but it was a long time ago, and that memorabilia of family history is lost now. And as you've explained it rather well, 9mm is the most versatile cartridge of them all, and it's something that a lot of people have been familiar with. However, I haven't heard of 6.5, .243, or .223 before though, fascinating!

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You definitely don't want to chamber 5.56mm into a .223 gun (or vice-versa)... That's just bad news bears. Having watched loads of videos on old Webleys (pic above), I learned that some people have been trying to convert the old Imperial-era guns that were supposed to use .455 cartridge, into using the more common .45 rounds. It might be .005 of a difference numerically, but a lot of people got their guns explode on them!

Seeing it side-by-side, .22LR is very, very tiny round! It doesn't seem like it could even penetrate body armour, can it? Seems like a comparatively harmless round for first-time shooters, though! And on the subject of lethal-ness, I can concur that Legos are in-fact the most deadliest cartridge here. Gave me gangrene everytime I stepped on one, and I don't know why militaries even use .50 caliber rounds, when Legos are widely available? Those sharp corners are hurting me already, just by looking at it! In contrast, a .50 cartridge looks like it'll hit my face with the intensity of marshmallows.

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Great piece but missing one round that I am most familiar with: NATO 7.62mm.
As used by the former Australian Army standard issue infantry rifle the SLR (Self Loading Rifle).
A lot more stopping power than the 5.56mm NATO round but a substantially heavier rifle compared to the M-16, which used 5.56mm.

I don't have a 7.62 rifle so didn't include it.

Now I know what my problem is, Lego has no primer. :)
Seriously though, pretty good write up of different ammunition.

Thanks, it's very basic but sort of tells the story I suppose. Calibre and ammunition can be very confusing.

I read this aloud to My Pooky.... @pooky-jax.

As She was making this Lil Treat for our Sunday Feast.
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She blurted out "Step on" as I started to read the Lego paragraph around the inflicting part.....

She wins!!!

What She win You say....?

Well, She wins, by having Me Eat that wonderful Scalloped Potato meal She just put in the oven.

Pork Roast & Corn on the Cob will accompany the Scallops......

WTF...?!?!

I was just given the ETA of 3 & 1/2 hours...!!!

Looks like it is Snack Time for ol' KrazzyTrukker.... (lol)

Oh by the way. Letting go of a .50 cal projectile, is on my bucket list...

Scalloped potatoes is a meal in itself in my opinion! 😂 I could eat that all day. Love it.

My Body Mass nearly fucking doubled an hour ago.... Lmao. "Burp....." Gooood Meal...!!!!

P.S. We try to only eat a huge meal like this one or 2 times a week as it is sooo hard to shed it off. "Burp"

Lol, sounds like it was a winner.

Awesome post. Now I know where I seek shelter when the shit hits the fan. :)

How many weapons you got at home?

Haha, that's what all my non-gun friends say...I just say to let me know you're on the way from about 1200m away...Otherwise heads might pop! (If I confuse them for a zombie. Lol.)

Less than 20 all up. (Handguns, shot guns, rifles.)