Rifle and Handgun Cartridges

It’s critical to select the correct cartridge for your rifle or handgun. Carefully compare the data stamp on the barrel of the firearm against the description on the ammunition box and the stamp on each cartridge.

Bullets used in rifle and handgun cartridges come in various designs, sizes, and weights. The bullet usually is made of lead and may have a jacket made of copper, brass, or another metal. Bullets used for hunting game may have soft or hollow points designed to expand (mushroom) upon impact. Bullets used for target shooting usually have solid points that make smaller holes.

Common Types of Rifle Bullets

• Pointed Soft Point: High velocity, accurate bullets with a flat travel path (trajectory); excellent mushrooming
• Rounded Soft Point: Popular for low-velocity calibers; recommended for tubular magazines
• Protected Tip: Highly accurate with excellent expansion
• Full Metal Jacket: Maximum penetration without mushrooming; these bullets are illegal for big game hunting in most states

Common Types of Handgun Bullets

• Roundnose Lead: Good penetration, little expansion
• Full Metal Jacket: High penetration, no expansion
• Semi-Wad Cutter: Balances penetration and expansion
• Hollowpoint: Designed for high expansion on impact
• Wad Cutter: Flat-ended, used for target shooting; creates clean hole in paper

Centerfire and Rimfire Ammunition

Centerfire ammunition is used for rifles, shotguns, and handguns. In this type of ammunition, the primer is located in the center of the casing base. Most centerfire ammunition is reloadable.

Rimfire ammunition has the primer contained in the rim of the ammunition casing. Rimfire ammunition is limited to low-pressure loads. Rimfire cartridges are not reloadable.

In tubular magazines, the bullet tip of one cartridge rests directly on the primer of the cartridge immediately ahead. For this reason, use only rounded or blunt tips in tubular magazines.