Fiftieth caliber. How is cartridge caliber measured? What calibers are there? Size of calibers in mm. The ideal caliber for "ladies'" weapons

Caliber is an integral part of hunting small arms and, despite the fact that we come across this concept all the time, we get used to it, we don’t always think about what it is.

Let's try to define the word caliber. There are often definitions where the caliber is considered to be the diameter of the bore, but this is not entirely true, because caliber is not only the diameter of the bullet, but also the length of the cartridge case, its shape and much more. For example, the caliber of smoothbore guns does not tell us anything at all about the diameter of the bore, because the caliber number means the number of caliber bullets of spherical shape, ideally passing along the bore and having the same size, cast from one English pound of lead (453.59 g). Why English? Because, for example, in Russia, a pound is equal to 409.5 g, in order to arrive at a unified measure of measurement, they adopted the English pound as a standard.

Calibers of rifled weapons

In this section, first of all, I would like to explain what a rifled weapon is.

A rifled weapon is a type of weapon that uses special rifling in the bore, giving the bullet a rotational motion, due to which it is better stabilized in flight and maintains high accuracy over a long distance.

There are 3 main systems of measures for designating calibers:

1) American - measured in hundredths of an inch (0.01) * - for example.45 ACP **

2) British - measured in thousandths of an inch (0.001)* - for example.416 Rigby **

3) Metric - measured in millimeters with the addition of the length of the sleeve, through the multiplication sign. - for example 7.62x39

To complete the picture, it should be noted that until approximately 1917, a number of countries used a measure of calibers in lines, where one line is 0.1 inches.*

It is thanks to this measure of calibers that we remember the legendary “Three Ruler”, which was simply a designation of a caliber equal to 0.3 inches, i.e. 7.62 mm, and the rifle itself was called “Mosin rifle caliber 7.62x54”.

In rifled calibers, it is very important to preserve the full designation, otherwise it is almost impossible to understand what caliber is in front of us. This is equally characteristic of both the metric system and others. It is not enough to just know the diameter of the bullet, for example, 7.62 can be 7.62x39, and 7.62x54, and 7.62x66, or take .416, it can be Rigby, Remington Magnum, Barrett, etc. - all of these are completely different calibers, with different initial speed, kinetic energy and ballistic coefficient and scope of application.

* An inch is equal to 2.54 cm.

** It is worth noting, however, that this rule has exceptions, so these measures are rather traditional.

Calibers of smoothbore weapons

A smoothbore weapon can be described as a weapon with smooth bore walls, allowing it to fire a wide range of ammunition of suitable diameter.

As was written above, the caliber of a smoothbore weapon is measured by the number of caliber bullets cast from an English pound of lead, i.e. The larger the barrel diameter, the fewer caliber bullets can be cast and the larger the caliber obtained. As a result, 16 gauge is less than 12 gauge, but more than 20 gauge.

However, manufacturers of smooth-bore weapons still focus on the bore diameter in the production of shotguns and rarely deviate from the following dimensions:

For 12 gauge 18.20-18.90 mm,

For 16 gauge 16.80-17.30 mm,

For 20 gauge 15.70-16.20 mm.

Most often, each individual manufacturer is characterized by a narrower barrel diameter than indicated. For example, Italian and domestic gunsmiths use 12-gauge barrel drilling in the range of 18.4 - 18.6 mm, English 18.5-18.7 mm, Belgian 18.4-18.9 mm. Some companies are introducing new drills, where the diameter of the bore narrows from the chamber to the muzzle, which should increase the sharpness of the fight.

The most common calibers in the Russian Federation are 12,16 and 20 gauges; 28 and especially 32 gauges are rarely used.

There are exceptions to every rule, and it is the same in the measurement of smoothbore calibers. Caliber 410, although rarely used for hunting, is quite common in training weapons, because... has weak recoil and cheap ammunition. From the designation it is clear that the caliber is indicated in thousandths of an inch (which, however, does not negate its American origin), this is due to the origin of the caliber at the beginning of the last century (or even earlier) when, for the sake of economy, it was easier to use one gun for both bullet and shotgun hunting.

Gun calibers

Barrel artillery calibers most often use the metric measurement format. The basis is the diameter of the projectile and the length of the cartridge case, for example 20x110 Hispano Suiza, sometimes shortened to 20 mm Hispano. The exception, most often, is very large-caliber ship-based or coastal/railway-based guns. In these cases, the caliber is measured in inches.

Copyright 2013 Sergey Sokolov. When using the article, be sure to refer to 

Caliber is the main parameter of both weapons and cartridges. Figuratively speaking, caliber is size. For example, caliber 9x18. What does this mean? This means the length of the cartridge case is 18mm, the diameter of the cartridge case (where the bullet is located) is 9mm. Or 5.45x39: means the bullet diameter is 5.45mm and the case length is 39mm.

Don't get confused by the definitions:

A cartridge case is an object where a charge of gunpowder and a primer are located (a device that ignites gunpowder upon impact)

A bullet is an object made of lead, steel or other materials that, after being fired, flies out of the weapon and hits the target.

A cartridge is a combination of a cartridge case and a bullet, that is, a bullet installed in a cartridge case.

Basic ammo and weapons you will encounter.

1. Caliber 9x18

These are PM pistols (Makarov pistol), the most common pistol in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other countries former USSR. This pistol has been in service for more than 50 years in all services: police, security, armed forces, etc. With this pistol you can confidently hit a person at a distance of up to 50m in unprotected parts of the body.

Also, cartridges of this caliber are used in some domestic submachine guns and pistols special purpose. I won’t talk more about this weapon, since it is not very widespread, but you can get acquainted with these weapons in the games listed above.

2. Caliber 9x19

This is the most common pistol caliber in Europe and the USA. The most common pistols of this caliber are Glock -19. Also, many submachine guns, both foreign and domestic, are made for this cartridge. Cartridges of this caliber have great power, so they are guaranteed to hit an unprotected person at a distance of 100-150m, and at a distance of up to 50m they can also penetrate light body armor.

3. Caliber 5.45x39

This is a domestically produced automatic cartridge. Currently in service with Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other countries. That is, the most popular cartridge in the army, which is also called the “five”. Used for Kalashnikov assault rifles and machine guns of different series: Ak-74, Ak-74M, Ak-74MR, AKS, Ak-107, Ak-12, RPK-74, etc. Cartridges of this caliber can reliably hit an unprotected person at a distance of up to 1-1.5 km, and at a distance of up to 500-700 m they can penetrate light and medium-protective body armor. The advantages of these cartridges: there are a lot of them)), they are everywhere; light weight, you can carry a lot; normal penetration ability at medium combat distance. Cons: the bullets of these cartridges are relatively light; when shooting in the forest at long distances, the bullets may deviate from the branches of the bush. Also, at short distances, when they hit a person’s unprotected body, they pierce it right through, which does not guarantee the quick death of the enemy, unless of course they mean a hit to the head.

4. Caliber 5.56x45 (NATO)

This is the main caliber of all American and NATO assault rifles and rifles. The number of types of these rifles is so great that there is no point in writing about them. It’s just important to remember: if our enemy is a NATO fighter or an American, we can say with a 95% guarantee that he will have a weapon of this caliber in his hands. This cartridge is slightly more powerful than our “five”, otherwise the parameters are virtually the same.

5. Caliber 7.62x39

This is the caliber domestic weapons, which was during the times of the USSR. But this caliber is also now extremely widespread in Arab and Latin American countries, as well as throughout the world (and here too) as cartridges for hunting weapons. The most common weapons chambered for this cartridge are:

Legendary Ak47, AKM and their modifications

Modern Ak-103, Ak-104 and Ak-12

Kalashnikov light machine guns

Civilian carbines Saiga and others.

Cartridges of this caliber have a very powerful shock-dynamic force: if in close combat you hit the enemy’s hand, it will most likely be torn off. Also, this cartridge can confidently penetrate any body armor and helmets in close combat. In case of war, having an Ak-103 + optics + a large supply of cartridges of this caliber in your hands is the height of dreams and aspirations.

6. Caliber 7.62x51

These are “killer” NATO cartridges. They are most often used in sniper rifles, as well as machine guns. This caliber is also used in our country, for example, in the new Ak-12 assault rifle, as well as in some machine guns. I am attaching a photo for comparison (from left to right) 7.62x51, 5.56x45 and a AA battery. The power of this caliber is very high, which is why it is used in NATO sniper weapons, and if you come under fire from a machine gun of this caliber, then... you understand.

The caliber of the weapon is, along with the length of the barrel, one of the most important characteristics firearms, this fully applies to hunting smoothbore weapons.

The caliber of a smoothbore hunting rifle refers to the diameter of its bore. The word caliber is of Arabic origin, derived from the word "galib", which means "shape".

Some hunters consider classic double-barreled shotguns with horizontal barrels to be the best shotguns, the most common among our hunters: IZH-54, IZH-58, .

Domestic semi-automatic machines are very popular. IN last years Foreign-made 12-gauge shotguns have become very popular and are gaining more and more popularity.

Both of these calibers are not intended for hunting, but are used for recreational shooting and self-defense purposes.

Which caliber is best for hunting?

All novice hunters, when purchasing their first gun, are interested in the question of which caliber to choose. Let us warn you right away that there is no clear answer to this question.

The choice of caliber depends on what game is intended to be hunted, in what way, and at what distance.

When choosing a caliber, hunters have strong personal preferences that outweigh any logical arguments in favor of a particular caliber. In any case, the choice should be reasonable; you should not go after a bear with a 410 caliber gun, this cannot end well.

In our opinion, the most correct caliber for a beginning hunter is 12. It is the most versatile. widely available in stores. Also, the choice of cartridges for it is the widest.

Calibers are measured in millimeters or fractions of an inch. Inch = 25.4mm. In Russia and most other countries, calibers are measured in millimeters. In the UK, gauge is measured in thousandths of an inch, and in the US in hundredths of an inch. A caliber equal to 0.5 inches in the USA will be designated - .50, and in the UK - .500
There is no zero before the period.

Comparison table of calibers:

Caliber indicates the diameter of the bullet, but does not say anything about the case. The 10mm Auto and 40SW cartridges have bullets of the same diameter (caliber), but different cases, powder loads and power. And to avoid confusion, the cartridges are named differently.

Sometimes, to avoid confusion, different numerical designations are used for cartridges with the same bullet diameter: .40 and .41 Naturally, the third digit after the decimal point has no meaning in indicating the diameter of the bullet. Therefore, the .223 and .225 cartridges have different designations only because of the cartridge cases.

Sometimes the bullet diameter and case height are indicated: 9x17, 9x18, 9x19, 9x21, 9x22, 9x23.
As you can see, the 9mm caliber turned out to be very attractive. So much so that there were only a few cartridges with a case height of 18mm. To avoid confusion, they are called differently: 9x18Mak and 9x18Ultra.

9x18Mak - this is the name used to sell the cartridge for the Makarov pistol in the USA.

Sometimes the same cartridge can have several names. For example, 9mmPM and 9x18Mak are the same cartridge.

But the record for the number of titles is probably held by...
9mm Steyr, aka
9x23, aka
9mm Largo (9mm Largo), aka
9mm Bergman/Bayard and it is also called simply: 9mm Big, but this is just a translation" Largo" from Spanish.

Look at the photographs, where you can clearly see that the diameters of some cartridges are the same: from left to right - 45AKP, 10mm Auto, 40SV, 9mm Steyr, 9mm Parabellum, 9mm Makarov. All bullets are JHP - with an expansive notch (unfolding), even Makarov. Please note that in this photo the 9mm Makarov case is made of ordinary steel, the 9mm Parabellum and 45AKP cases are made of stainless steel, and the rest of the cases are brass.

Previously, calibers were also measured in lines. Line = 1/10 inch. Three-line - caliber is 3 lines or 7.62mm.

For hunting weapons, calibers are measured in the number of balls that can be cast from one pound of lead. This explains why a 12-gauge hunting weapon is more powerful than a 16-gauge - a round bullet cast from 1/12 of a pound of lead is more powerful than a bullet cast from 1/16 of a pound.
Caliber: Barrel bore diameter, mm
Caliber 28 Diameter 14
Caliber 24 Diameter 14.7
Caliber 20 Diameter 15.6
Caliber 16 Diameter 16.8
Caliber 12 Diameter 18.5
Caliber 10 Diameter 19.7
Caliber 4 Diameter 26.5

Types of bullets

The cartridges are the same caliber, but the bullets are different...

Bullets vary in weight, shape, and structure.
This is due to their purpose. Armor-piercing bullets have a hard alloy core. Heavy bullets retain their energy over a longer range. Light bullets develop greater speed and have greater penetration at close ranges. Silent weapons require bullets that travel at less than the speed of sound - they are heavier. There are rubber bullets for police and training purposes. There are bullets filled with shot. You can read more about bullets for pistol cartridges here.

For self-defense, the bullet must have sufficient penetration and cause as much damage as possible to the attacker and stop him. It is believed that for this to happen, the bullet must transfer all its energy upon penetration into the body and seriously damage it. For these purposes, EXPANSIVE (expanding) bullets were invented. Such a bullet turns into a “rose” when it hits the body, causes significant damage and transfers all its energy to the body, often knocking it over. The Americans tried to calculate which caliber of cartridge with which bullet had the ability to more reliably stop an attacker. This ability was called OSS (One Shot Stop) - stopping with one shot.
In Russian - Relative Stopping Action - RDA or Stopping Action Puli - ODP

But no matter how much depends on the bullet, not a single pistol ammunition provides 100% OSS. OSS also depends on the location of the hit. One hundred percent gives only a direct hit to the spinal cord or brain. Remember that when trying to find OSS of various calibers, limb hits were not taken into account.

Two shots fired in a row (twin shot) almost always give 100%OSS.
Typically a cartridge with a higher OSS will have more recoil.
Weapons with strong recoil are harder to wield and difficult to defend against. Such weapons are difficult to control.
Conclusion:
Choose a caliber not based on OSS, but based on the recoil you can handle. Practice the technique of paired and triple shots.

The recoil of a powerful caliber can be reduced somewhat by choosing a heavier weapon or ammunition with a lighter bullet, but not significantly. In cold countries in winter, it is not always recommended to equip weapons with cartridges with hollow-point bullets, because... it is not always able to have a strong wound effect through a thick layer of clothing.

Calibers of cartridges for pistols and revolvers.
Attention! Bullet weight is sometimes given in GRAINS (gr). One GRAN = approximately 0.06 grams (64.8 mg).

Cartridge 7.62x25mm TT (7.63mm Mauser, .30 Mauser)

The 7.63mm Mauser cartridge was created in 1896 for the Mauser C96 self-loading pistol. The cartridge is based on the design of the Borchard cartridge of the 1893 model (from the same cartridge the 7.62mm Luger / Parabellum cartridge grew, which later turned into the 9mm Para). The cartridge had significant power, when fired from the already mentioned Mauser, it penetrated 12 cm of pine board at a distance of 150 meters. A light (5.51 gram) bullet, ejected with a charge of 0.5 grams of smokeless powder, developed an initial speed of about 430 m/s with a muzzle energy of about 510 Joules. The significant power of this cartridge led to its great popularity throughout the world, and in 1930 in the USSR, a 7.62x25mm cartridge was created on its basis, and the differences in size with the 7.63 Mauser are so insignificant that the cartridges are often considered interchangeable.

.32ACP (32 Auto, also known as 7.65 Browning)

Appeared in 1899 along with one of the first successful Browning pistols. For over 100 years, the cartridge has been produced by dozens, if not hundreds of companies around the world, and interest in this ammunition is clearly growing, although many consider this cartridge to be more European - it is less common in the USA. The leader in OSS of 66% among this caliber is Winchester - the cartridge
Silvertip (JHP bullet, material – lead, shell material – thin aluminum). This figure of 66% is better than many.380 ACP (9x17mm), better than 9 mm Para FMJ and even better than.45 ACP FMJ!!!. This is not an anecdote, but the result of many years of data collection and research on real shootings. A cartridge from the same company with a JRN bullet weighing 4.6 g. has OSS = 50%.

An ideal caliber for "ladies'" weapons.

380ACP (9x17mm) (.380 Auto, 9mm Browning Kurz/Korto/Short/Short)

It was developed by Browning and implemented in 1908 in the Colt Pocket Auto pistol. A few years later, this cartridge appeared in Europe in the FN-Browning M1910 pistol and was called the 9 mm Browning Short. (Browning Kurz) .380ACP was widely used by European police. In the USA, it quickly began to replace the .38Spl for police off-duty weapons and civilian concealed carry weapons, just as pistols in general began to replace revolvers. .380ACP and .38Spl +P provide the same level of OSS. The best cartridges for OSS v.380ACP are cartridges with a 90 gr JHP bullet from Federal (cartridge with a Hydro-Shok bullet - 71% OSS) and Cor-Bon. The 85gr Winchester Silvertip fast-expanding JHP bullet has 64% OSS. 380ACP cartridges with 95 gr FMJ bullets have an OSS of 53%. For the 9x17mm cartridge, typical the following characteristics: bullet mass 6.2 grams, initial bullet speed - about 260 m/s, muzzle energy - about 220 Joules.

This popular cartridge was developed by Smith & Wesson and implemented in their revolver.
1899 Military & Police models. This cartridge was developed as an improved version of the .38 Long Colt cartridge. .38Spl is currently available in two operating pressures, designated standard and +P. It is generally recommended to use standard pressure ammunition for plinking and competitive sports, while +P ammunition is recommended for self-defense. Most revolvers in caliber .38Spl, produced from the early 80s to the present, are designed to use ammunition with a working pressure of +P level.
The best combat cartridge.38Spl is the Winchester cartridge with a JHP +P+ bullet weighing 110 gr. These cartridges are sold only to law enforcement agencies and have an OSS of 82%.
A cartridge with similar characteristics, but available to the general public, is the Cor-Bon cartridge with a 110 gr JHP bullet with a bullet velocity of 1155 fps.
Second place (and actually first among civilian shooters) was taken by the .38Spl +P cartridge with an LHP bullet weighing 158 gr – 76% OSS.
Third place in .38Spl +P belongs to cartridges with JHP bullets weighing 125 gr with a result of 70-74% OSS from a revolver with a 4" barrel.
The .38Spl cartridges with 158 gr semi-wadcutter and 158 gr RNL (round-nose lead) bullets both have an OSS of only 50% and are a poor choice for self-defense, as are sporting cartridges with a 148 gr “target wadcutter” bullet.
The best .38Spl cartridge with standard operating pressure is the Federal cartridge with a 125 gr “Chief’s Special” Nyclad HP bullet (an all-lead bullet with an expansive cavity, coated with a special black varnish).

9x18mm Makarov. (9mm Mac)

This cartridge was developed, obviously, not without regard to the 9mm Ultra (9x18 Ultra) cartridge developed in Germany in 1936. This cartridge was created for the Walter PP pistol as an intermediate in power between the 9mm Browning short cartridges (9mm Kurz/Short, in our country known as 9x17mm service ammunition) and 9mm Parabellum. Despite the same names, the 9x18 Makarov and 9x18 Ultra cartridges are not interchangeable, since they have different bullet diameters. The standard 9x18PM cartridge has a bullet weighing 6.1 grams, an initial velocity (when fired from a PM pistol) of about 315 m/s and a muzzle energy of about 300 Joules. The 9x18PMM cartridge has a bullet weighing 5.54 grams, an initial velocity of about 420 m/s and a muzzle energy of about 420 Joules. As with other modified high-power ammunition, the 9x18PMM cartridge can only be used in weapons specifically designed for it.

9mm Steyr (9x23)

Along with the 9mm Para cartridge, it is one of the oldest European military cartridges. In 1903, this cartridge was first used in an automatic pistol of the Bergmann system. The pistol was produced by the Belgian company Piper under the Bayard brand, which determined one of the names of the cartridge. The characteristics of the cartridge are bullet weight 8-9 grams, initial speed - 360-370 m/s, muzzle energy - about 550-570 Joules. The cartridge has strong recoil.

It was released along with the semi-automatic Luger pistol in 1902, adopted by the German Navy in 1904 and by the German Army in 1908. It is believed to be the most popular and widespread centerfire pistol cartridge in the world. This cartridge is widely used for self-defense, police and military purposes. Currently, this cartridge is officially adopted by NATO countries. In the United States, the 9mm cartridge was very rare until Colt released the Colt Commander in 9mm in the 1950s, followed by Smith & Wesson in 1954 with the Model 39 in the same caliber. The 9mm was the absolute choice of US law enforcement agencies. from the mid-80s to the mid-90s, replacing both revolver cartridges - .38Spl and .357Mag. In fact, most of the best performing loads in 9mm are 115gr JHP loads with operating pressures of +P and even +P+. Typically, these cartridges give these bullets a muzzle velocity of 1250 to 1330 fps, which brings the OSS of these 9mm cartridges to 90-93%.

Although ALL 9mm +P+ ammo is sold to law enforcement agencies only, two companies, Cor-Bon and Triton Cartridge, produce 9mm ammo with 115 gr JHP bullets with muzzle velocities of 1300 to 1330 fps - the exact equivalent of police-only ammo.

Second place among 9mm cartridges is divided between Federal +P+ cartridges with JHP Hydro-Shok bullets weighing 124 gr, Speer - 124 gr +P Gold Dot and Winchester - 127 gr +P+ Ranger Talon - OSS of these cartridges is 81-83%.
Data on 9mm cartridges loaded with heavy, subsonic 147gr JHP bullets shows them to be the lowest performers among 9mm JHP bullets, including their poor performance against tactical obstacles, poor penetration into human soft tissue, and low weapon reload reliability. The OSS of such 9mm JHP bullets with a mass of 147 gr is in the range of 74-80%.
9mm cartridges with FMJ bullets weighing 115 gr have an OSS of only 63% - like the .45ACP FMJ.
The standard 9mm NATO cartridge has a bullet weight of 7.82 grams at a muzzle velocity of 390-400 m/s or 8.43 grams at a muzzle velocity of about 375 m/s. Muzzle energy is about 600 Joules. Standard 9mm Luger/Parabellum cartridges, more precisely - cartridges with standard barrel pressure, have a bullet weight from 6 to 10.7 grams, an initial speed from 300 to 450 m/s, and muzzle energy from 450 to 550-600 Joules.

357Magnum Revolving cartridge.357Magnum (hereinafter referred to as 357Mag)

It was developed by Smith & Wesson and Winchester in 1935. The design of the cartridge is based on the elongated sleeve of the .38Spl cartridge, but the working pressure of the .357Mag cartridge is twice as high as the pressure of the .38Spl cartridge. Until 1955, when the .44 Magnum cartridge appeared, the .357Mag cartridge remained the world's most powerful cartridge for handguns. In the category of cartridges for self-defense (.44 Magnum was created as a hunting one) and police purposes, the .357 Mag remained the most effective until the mid-90s, when the .40SW cartridge appeared. Even now, with the introduction of the .40SW, the .357Mag has more loads with OSS greater than 90% than any other caliber, including the .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, 10mm Auto and 45ACP.

Initially, the original equipment of the .357Mag cartridge was a solid lead semi-wadcutter bullet with a mass of 158 gr with a muzzle velocity of 1515 fps. This cartridge was the almost absolute choice of most highway patrol and state police (police units operating, as a rule, in the vast open spaces of highways and using holstered weapons at their extreme ranges, often with the need to hit a target protected by the body of a car) from the 50s to the mid-80s , when this cartridge began to be replaced by 9mm. But not because the 9mm was better in its capabilities, but because the 9mm automatic pistols held more cartridges than the 6-round revolvers. Despite the fact that the market for service weapons under the .357Mag began to decline, interest in this cartridge was supported by the expansion of the production of compact short-barreled concealed carry revolvers for self-defense.

The most legendary and rightfully recognized most effective load for the .357Mag is the 125 gr JHP cartridges. Such cartridges provide OSS of 95%.

Such a choice flawlessly ensures victory in defensive and police scenarios. All the latest developments in this caliber are necessarily compared with this particular equipment option - .357Magnum 125 gr JHP. If the .45ACP 230 gr FMJ is the nostalgic and emotional peak of One Shot Stop, then the .357 Mag 125 gr JHP is the real, real peak of stopping power.

In second place is the .357Mag 110 gr JHP with 88-90% OSS. This old Border Patrol gear continues to serve well. The same equipment works well in short-barreled revolvers with a 2-2.5" barrel, providing about 85% OSS.
The next loadout is .357Mag 140gr, 145gr and 158gr JHP. Their OSS is 81-86%, but shooting such cartridges from revolvers with 4" and shorter barrels is really difficult due to recoil.
The .357Mag 158 gr semi-wadcutter has only 73% OSS.
The .38 SP cartridge of factory equipment with a bullet weighing 10.74 grams gives it an initial speed of about 230 m/s with a muzzle energy of about 270 Joules, while the .357 Magnum cartridge with a bullet of the same weight accelerates the bullet to 370-380 m/s with a muzzle energy about 730 Joules. With lighter bullets, the initial velocity can reach 430 m/s with a muzzle energy of about 800 Joules

.357SIG (9X22)

The 357SIG pistol cartridge is the result of joint efforts in 1994 by Federal Cartridge and Sigarms. This is the first cartridge to carry the SIG name. The base values ​​for this cartridge are a muzzle velocity of over 1300 fps and an energy level of over 500 foot-pounds. The .357SIG cartridge provides a muzzle velocity higher than the .45ACP +P cartridges and energy greater than the most powerful 9mm +P+. The design of the cartridge is based on a .40SW cartridge case, crimped to accommodate the resulting 9mm bullet case in the muzzle. The operating pressure of the new cartridge is about 40,000 psi, which is higher than the operating pressure of the .40SW, .357Mag and 9mm +P cartridges.
When using this cartridge in a SIG-229 pistol with a 3.9" barrel, muzzle velocity values ​​from 1350 to 1400 fps are obtained, which is equivalent to the values ​​of the 357Mag 125 gr JHP cartridge when used in revolvers with barrels from 2.5 to 4" in length. When using the .357SIG cartridge in SIG-226 pistols with a 4.4" barrel length and in Glock-31 pistols with a 4.5" barrel length, the muzzle velocity exceeds 1450 fps, which is equivalent to the .357Mag 125 gr JHP cartridges when used in 6" revolvers. barrel!
OSS cartridge.357SIG 125gr JHP – 91-92%.
Cartridge.357SIG 115 gr JHP has OSS of 92-93%.
357SIG cartridges with 147-150 gr JHP bullets have an OSS of 83-85%.
With a 90-95% probability in the next decade, the .357SIG cartridge will take first place in preference among pistol cartridges in the police and other law enforcement agencies, pushing the already inferior cartridge such as the .40SW out of the market.

The .40SW cartridge was introduced to the public in 1990. The joint efforts between Winchester and Smith & Wesson created a cartridge in the original equipment with a 180 gr JHP bullet with a muzzle velocity of 900 fps. Perhaps the .40SW cartridge ended the 85-year-old dispute between the 9mm and .45ACP cartridges. The .40SW had more momentum than the 9mm and more energy than the .45ACP. Police departments were unhappy with the 9mm cartridge and many quickly chose the .40SW as a replacement. Even when using relatively ineffective heavy bullets with subsonic muzzle velocities in both cartridges, the .40SW still offered best opportunities. The original equipment of the .40SW cartridge is close in its capabilities to the .45ACP cartridge with a bullet weighing 185 gr JHP. For police, the .40SW cartridge replaced the 9mm cartridge as quickly as pistols replaced revolvers. With the right loadout, the 40SW is as effective as the 357Mag with a 125gr JHP bullet! In fact, three different loading options for the .40SW cartridge provide OSS in excess of 90%.

Cartridges.40SW 15.0-155 gr JHP have an average OSS of 94%.
The best option with an OSS of 97% is the 40SW Federal Hydro-Shok 155 gr JHP cartridge.
In second place is the cartridge 40SW Remington Golden Saber 165 gr JHP - 95% OSS. Third place goes to the cartridge 40SW from Cor-Bon with a bullet weighing 135 gr JHP and OSS 90-92%.
Of heavy equipment, the best .40SW cartridge was the Federal Hydra-Shok 180 gr JHP and OSS of 90%, the worst with OSS of 81% was the Winchester Black Talon. Of course, Winchester reworked this cartridge and a new one, the so-called. The "Gold" Ranger Talon (police-only) has improved capabilities, even exceeding the Federal Hydra-Shok.
The .40SW cartridge with a 180 gr FMJ bullet has an OSS of 70%. This is higher than 62% OSS .45ACP 230 gr FMJ, and than 63% OSS 9mm 115 gr FMJ.

10mm Auto (10x25mm)

The 10mm cartridge was created in the early 1980s in the USA and was first introduced to the general public in 1983. Initially, the Bren Ten pistol from Dornaus & Dixion was created for this powerful cartridge, but this pistol was never really able to enter the arms market. The 10mm auto cartridge remained afloat only thanks to the efforts of the Colt company, which appreciated the potential of this ammunition and released a modification of the classic Colt M1911 chambered for this cartridge. Initially, 10mm auto cartridges were equipped with a bullet weighing 13.6 grams with an initial speed of about 360 m/s or a bullet weighing 11.56 grams with an initial speed of about 430 m/s. Currently, these cartridges are loaded with bullets weighing from 9.18 to 14.28 grams. Due to the significant barrel pressure and high recoil, this cartridge can be used primarily in full-size, massive pistols such as the Colt "Delta Elite" or Glock Model 20. good characteristics when firing at protected targets (through thin walls, car doors), the cartridge was adopted by the FBI, as well as some police departments throughout the United States. In addition to pistols, a number of world-famous MP-5 submachine guns under the designation MP-5/10 were produced for it. As far as I know, most (if not all) of these submachine guns entered service with the US FBI. On the basis of the 10mm auto cartridge, several other cartridges of a smaller caliber were created by compressing the cartridge case, including 9x25mm and .224BOZ (the latter is a combination of a modified 10mm auto case and a bullet from the 5.56mm NATO cartridge). Currently, the following characteristics can be considered typical for this cartridge: bullet mass 10.5 grams, muzzle velocity (from a pistol barrel) - about 370 m/s, muzzle energy - about 700 Joules.
OSS cartridge from Cor-Bon with a JHP bullet developing a speed of 396 m.s. = 90%.

The .45 caliber was developed by Browning in 1905. The original equipment had a jacketed bullet weighing 200 gr with an initial speed of 900 fps. The US Army wanted a heavier bullet with more momentum. When the caliber was approved in 1911, the bullet had a mass of 230 gr and a muzzle velocity of 860 fps. Later, the bullet speed was further reduced to 790 fps. Until the mid-80s, the .45ACP cartridge was in service with the US Army, continuing to be the main cartridge for pistols in some elite special forces. Of course, the stopping power of the .45ACP cartridge is exaggerated in numerous American sources, which is explained by nostalgia and patriotism. Similar to all calibers without exception, the .45ACP has been and continues to be produced in both the most effective versions and equally ineffective ones - similar to all other calibers, the .45ACP has excellent options, such as the 230 gr Federal Hydro-Shok, and the worst of those produced - 230 gr FMJ. When we're talking about about stopping capabilities - the choice of cartridge option is much more important than the choice of caliber option. Before the arrival of the .40SW, the debate between supporters of the 9mm and .45ACP lasted for decades. The 9mm is clearly absolutely beat by the .357SIG that has appeared, but the .45ACP doesn't seem to want to give up. The .45ACP is similar in the results of the studied firefights to the .38SPL in that very different types of equipment are at the “top” of the calibers. B.38Spl is very heavy 158 gr +P LHP and very light 110 gr +P+ JHP - top of the chart. V.45ACP 230 gr Hydro-Shok and 18.5 gr +P JHP are also the “top” caliber.

In first place (for a 5" barrel, as in 1911 models) is the .45ACP Federal Hydro-Shok 230 gr JHP cartridge with OSS of 96%. This option, Hydro-Shok, is the best at any 230 gr JHP.
In second place is CCI Gold Dot.
Among the “hot” +P JHP loadouts are Remington and Cor-Bon, which have 92 and 95% OSS each.
Unlike the 230 gr JHP, the 185 gr +P JHP is most suitable and effective in a compact .45 caliber weapon with a 4.25"-3.5" barrel. The negative point is the heavy recoil of this equipment. These +P JHP "kick" harder than 230 gr JHP.
Third place – standard operating pressure cartridges with 185 gr and 200 gr JHP bullets – OSS 84 and 88%, respectively .
45ACP 230 gr FMJ (standard military cartridge load) – OSS 62%.

Ammo

Cartridge 5.45 x 18 mm PMZ. USSR

Developed in the USSR in 1975 for the small-sized PSM pistol. The cartridge case is bottle-type with a slight taper, the bullet is jacketed, has a steel and lead core. The head of the bullet is pointed with a blunt nose (to reduce the possibility of ricochets). Due to the small diameter and sharpness of the bullet, when it hits a soft (Kevlar) body armor, it does not tear the threads of the armor fabric, but pushes them apart. As a result, it penetrates the body armor that blocks the bullet of more powerful 9x17 mm and 9x18 mm cartridges.

The cartridge case is brass. The bullet shell is tombak, coated with copper. Cartridge weight 4.8 g, bullet weight 2.6 g, powder charge weight 0.25 g. Cartridge length 24.9 mm. The diameter of the sleeve flange is 7.55 mm. Muzzle energy of the bullet is 129 J, initial speed is 315 m/s.

Produced in Russia. For export it is supplied with a bullet with a lead core.

The weight of the cartridge is 4.8 g, the bullet is 2.6 g, the charge is 0.25 g. The length of the cartridge is 24.9 mm. The bullet has a muzzle energy of 129 J and an initial speed of 315 m/s.

Cartridge 6.35x15.5 mm "Browning" Belgium

Developed by J. Browning in 1906 for a small pocket pistol. The cartridge has a cylindrical sleeve with a slight taper towards the barrel. Jacketed bullet with a lead core. The sleeve is brass, the bullet shell is copper or tombak, clad with cupronickel.

If necessary, cartridges 5.45x18 and 6.35xx15.5 can interchange each other. So, 6.35x15.5 cartridges can be fired from a PSM pistol. The diameter of the cylindrical part of the 5.45x18 cartridge approximately corresponds to the diameter of the 6.35x15.5 cartridge case, so the latter can easily fit into the PSM pistol magazine and can be chambered. In this case, the substitute cartridge is placed in the chamber with a slight play, which, when fired, leads to a slight swelling of the cartridge case. When moving along the bore, the bullet is somewhat elongated, but thanks to the soft lead core it does not deform in the barrel. Heating of the primer with the firing pin and firing are possible, despite different shapes cartridges, since, being placed in the chamber, the substitute cartridge with a bullet rests against the bullet entrance of the chamber and does not move forward from the strike of the firing pin on the primer. However, with such shooting, it is possible that the next cartridge may not be fired due to the low recoil force acting on the bolt. To avoid sticking the next cartridge into the breech of the barrel, it is advisable to insert cartridges one at a time through the window in the bolt housing.

The reverse replacement is also possible, that is, firing from a 6.35 mm caliber weapon with 5.45x18 mm cartridges, while increasing the chamber diameter from 7.1 to 7.55 mm. At the same time, due to the smaller diameter of the bullet, the powder gases will overtake the bullet, breaking through between it and the inner walls of the barrel, which reduces the pressure in the barrel bore to a safe level. Since the diameter of the bullet of the substitute cartridge is smaller than the diameter of the bore, moving along the barrel the bullet will randomly strike its walls and not receive rotational movement. Because of this, shooting is possible at a distance of no higher than 10-15 meters. The bullet will tumble in flight, and when it hits the body, it will cause lacerations without penetrating deep inside. Such wounds cause profuse bleeding, incapacitating the enemy.

The weight of the cartridge is 5.3 g, the bullet is 3.25 g, the charge is 0.078 g. The length of the cartridge is 22.8 mm. The bullet has a muzzle energy of 92 J and an initial speed of 228 m/s.

Cartridge 7.62 mm revolver cartridges "Nagan" Belgium

The standard 7.62x39 mm cartridge was developed by L. Nagan for a revolver of his design in 1887. It is intended for firing from a revolver mod. 1895 and its modifications. A distinctive feature of the cartridge from other revolver cartridges is the placement of the bullet in the cartridge case.

The jacketed, blunt-pointed bullet with a lead core is completely recessed in the cartridge case and does not protrude outward. It is held in place by punching. The cartridge case muzzle is rolled to a smaller diameter, which makes loading the weapon easier and ensures reliable operation of the mechanism for sliding the revolver drum onto the breech of the barrel. The cartridge case is brass and has a slight taper in its cylindrical part. The bullet casing is copper or tombak with copper plating.

The 7.62x39mm target cartridge was designed for shooting from sporting revolvers. It differs from the standard one in the presence of a lead bullet with a flat head and a smaller powder charge. At the rear, the bullet has a conical recess, which ensures that it is pressed by powder gases against the walls of the barrel bore, obturation of the powder gases and stable movement along the rifling. This has a positive effect on shooting accuracy. The sleeve is brass. The bullet is deeply recessed in the cartridge case. Cartridge weight 10.9-11.32 g, bullet - 6.53 g, charge - 0.11 g. Muzzle energy 170 J, initial speed 180-195 m/s.

Target cartridge 7.62x26 mm. Designed for a sporting revolver with a shortened cylinder. It is analogous to the 7.62x39 target cartridge. It differs from it in a shorter sleeve, which provides some savings in non-ferrous metal in the production of cartridges. The head of the bullet is approximately at the level of the muzzle of the cartridge case. The sleeve has a small rim and taper, making it easier to load the revolver drum, as well as a shallow annular groove (like pistol cartridges).

Interchangeability of revolver cartridges

From a Nagant revolver mod. 1895 and sports revolvers with a normal cylinder length (39 mm) can fire any cartridges. However, when firing a 7.62x26 mm cartridge, due to the breakthrough of powder gases between the drum and the barrel, the initial velocity of the bullet decreases by almost 30%, and, consequently, the muzzle energy. Sports revolvers with a short cylinder (26 mm) can only fire 7.62x26 mm cartridges.

Among imported cartridges, .32 SW Long, .32 Colt Long, .32 New Police and some others with the same case diameter can be used as substitute cartridges for revolvers with a normal cylinder. For revolvers with a short drum, .32SW and .32 Colt short revolver cartridges can be used as substitute cartridges.

The length of the cartridge is 26.2 mm. Cartridge weight 9.5-9.8 g, bullet - 6.5 g, charge - 0.1 g. Muzzle energy 160 J, initial speed - 170-180 m/s.

Cartridge 7.62x25 mm TT (7.63 mm Mauser, .30 Mauser) Germany, USSR

The 7.63mm Mauser cartridge was created in 1896 for the Mauser C96 self-loading pistol, glorified by Russian films and books about the revolution and Civil War. The cartridge is based on the design of the Borchard cartridge of the 1893 model (from the same cartridge the 7.62mm Luger / Parabellum cartridge grew, which later turned into the 9mm Para). The cartridge had significant power, when fired from the already mentioned Mauser, it penetrated 12 cm of pine board at a distance of 150 meters. A light (5.51 gram) bullet, ejected with a charge of 0.5 grams of smokeless powder, developed an initial speed of about 430 m/s with a muzzle energy of about 510 Joules. The significant power of this cartridge led to its great popularity throughout the world, and in 1930 in the USSR, a 7.62x25mm cartridge was created on its basis, and the differences in size with the 7.63 Mauser are so insignificant that the cartridges are often considered interchangeable. Under this cartridge, they are created and put into service Soviet army such types of small arms as the TT pistol, PPD, PPSh, PPS submachine guns. Due to the high velocity of the shell bullet, the cartridge still poses a serious threat to light body armor today. Despite the fact that this cartridge was removed from the army's arsenal back in the USSR, it continues to remain “in service”, although mostly on the “other side” of the law. It owes this not only to its excellent characteristics, but also to the presence of cheap clones of the Chinese-made TT pistol on the black market. In the West, this cartridge also has a certain popularity, again due to the presence of weapons in circulation, mainly of Soviet and Chinese origin.

The length of the cartridge is 34.85 mm, the length of the sleeve is 24.7 mm. Cartridge weight - 10.2-11 g. Bullet weight 5.52 g, charge weight - 0.48-0.52 g. Muzzle energy 508-576 J, initial speed 424-455 m/s.

Cartridge 7.62x17 mm "Browning" Belgium

It was developed by J. Browning for his pistol in 1897 and became the most popular ammunition since the beginning of the century. Many civilian-style pistols have been created for it, in addition, it is widely used in the police, gendarmerie and intelligence services (for example, Chinese silent pistols “Type 64” and “Type 67”) use it.

The cartridge sleeve is cylindrical in shape, at the base there is a flange of slightly larger diameter than the sleeve itself above the annular groove. The sleeve is brass. A bullet with a brass or steel jacket clad with cupronickel or copper and a lead core.

The cartridge is produced in Belgium, the USA, China, the Czech Republic and some other countries.

Analogues of the 7.65x17 mm cartridge are the .32 "Auto" and 7.65x17 mm Automatic cartridges.

Length 25 mm. Sleeve length 17.2 mm. The weight of the cartridge is 8 g, the bullet is 4.6-4.8 g, the charge is 0.16 g. The muzzle energy of the bullet is 149 J, the initial speed is 296 m/s.

Cartridge 7.62x22 mm "Parabellum" Germany

Created by the engineer of the German company DWM Georg Luger for the Parabellum pistol he developed. In 1900, the cartridge and pistol were adopted by the Swiss army. Subsequently, this cartridge was standard ammunition in the armies of Bulgaria, Brazil, Portugal, Switzerland and a number of other countries.

The 7.65x22 mm cartridge is widely used by the police and intelligence services. Not only pistols, but also submachine guns are designed for it. In Switzerland (ZIG company), in Italy (Beretta company), in Germany (Walter company) weapons chambered for this cartridge are still produced.

Bottle-shaped sleeve with a slight taper, made of brass or copper-plated steel. The bullet is jacketed, with a steel shell clad with nickel silver or tombac and a lead core.

The length of the cartridge is 29.8 mm, the length of the sleeve is 21.6 mm. The weight of the cartridge is 10.5 g, the bullet is 6.02 g, the powder charge is 0.33-0.36 g. The muzzle energy of the bullet is 407 J, the initial speed is 368-372 m/s.

Cartridge 8x22 mm "Nambu" Japan

Adopted into service in 1914 along with the Nambu pistol. It is a Japanese version of the 7.65x21 "Par" cartridge. In addition to Japanese pistols and submachine guns, it was used by the intelligence services of European states to fire weapons with a silencer (due to the low muzzle velocity).

Jacketed bullet with a lead core. The bottle-shaped sleeve is made of brass or steel, clad with copper. The bullet casing is copper, brass or copper-plated steel.

This is a rather weak cartridge, by modern standards. Its bullet has a stopping and penetrating effect at the level of a Nagan revolver of the 1895 model. If necessary, it can be a substitute for the Parabellum pistol cartridge of 7.65 mm caliber.

The length of the cartridge is 33 mm, the length of the sleeve is 22.5 mm. Cartridge mass - 10.2 g, bullet mass - 6.6 g, powder charge mass - 0.3 g. Muzzle energy of the bullet - 285 J, initial bullet speed - 293 m/s.

Cartridge 9x17 mm "Browning" (Short) (.380 Auto, 9mm Browning Kurz) Belgium

The cartridge was developed by Colt for a pocket pistol in 1908, and since 1910 it has been produced by the Belgian company FN (Fabric National) as a shortened Browning cartridge. In Europe this cartridge was called 9x17K, in the USA - .380 "AUTO". Since 1996, it began to be produced in Russia, at the Tula Cartridge Plant.

This cartridge was used extremely rarely in military models, but was widely used in police and civilian pistols. Despite the insufficiently high destructive power of the bullet, it is one of the most successful pistol cartridges, since the low initial velocity of the bullet, combined with low recoil force, has a positive effect on the consistency of the fight and shooting accuracy, and reduces the likelihood of ricochet. In addition, the qualities of the cartridge make it possible to design light and compact weapons for it, and the subsonic speed of the bullet allows the use of simple silencers.

The cartridge sleeve is cylindrical in shape, made of steel, clad with copper or brass (may have an annular knurling). Jacketed bullet with a lead core. The shell is usually tombak with a thickened front part to increase penetration ability.

The length of the cartridge is 25 mm, the length of the sleeve is 17.3 mm. Bullet weight 5.9-6.2 g, cartridge weight 9.6 g, charge - 0.25 g. Muzzle energy 224-280 J, initial speed 270-308 m/s.

Cartridge 9x18 mm "PMM" USSR

It was developed by B.V. Semin for Makarov (PM) and Stechkin (APS) pistols. When designing the cartridge, the cartridge case from the 7.62x25 mm TT cartridge, “cut” at 18 mm from the bottom, was taken as a basis. This decision made it possible, on the one hand, to use machine tools and measuring equipment for TT cartridges, and on the other hand, it excluded the possibility of using new cartridges for Soviet weapons that remained in the hands of the population after the war.

The ballistic characteristics of the cartridge are superior to the 9x17 K cartridge, but inferior to the 9x19 Par cartridge. The actual caliber of the bullet was 9.25 mm. Due to the increase in caliber, the stopping effect of the bullet remained at the level of the TT cartridge. And the lower muzzle energy made it possible to use a simple and reliable automatic operation scheme with a blowback shutter.

In the 50-60s, pistols were created for this cartridge in the USSR (PM, APS), Poland (P-64), Hungary and some other countries. In the 90s in Russia, a number of new pistols, revolvers, and submachine guns were created for it.

Initially, the cartridge case was made of brass, and the jacketed bullet had a lead core pressed into a steel shell clad with tombak. Currently, the cartridge has a bimetallic sleeve and a bullet with a mushroom-shaped steel core enclosed in a lead jacket. Designers V.V. Trunov and P.F. Sazonov also developed a cartridge with a tracer bullet.

A bullet with a steel core in a lead jacket saves lead and increases the ability to penetrate non-metallic barriers (wood, soft body armor). At the same time, when it hits a dense barrier (concrete, steel), the bullet casing is destroyed, and the core, thanks to round shape head part, bounces like a ball. As a result, such a bullet cannot penetrate body armor with steel plates. In addition, the steel core reduced the mass of the bullet, which worsened its ballistic characteristics compared to a bullet with a lead core.

The length of the cartridge is 25 mm, the length of the sleeve is 18 mm. Cartridge weight - 10 g, bullet - 6.1 g, charge - 0.25 g. Muzzle energy of the bullet - 348-353 J, initial bullet speed - 315-340 m/s.

Cartridge 9x18 mm "Ultra" (9X18 "Polis") Germany

The cartridge under the name "Ultra" began to be produced in 1936 by the company "Geko" as intermediate in power between the 9x17 K and 9x19 Par cartridges, with a power of 303 J and an initial speed of 300 m/s.

A modern Geko cartridge with a pointed bullet has a muzzle energy of 333 J and a muzzle velocity of 330 m/s. In 1976, Hirtenberger began producing a similar cartridge under the name "Polis". Its bullet weighing 6.5 grams has a muzzle energy of 339-363 J and an initial bullet speed of 323-345 m/s.

The relatively low power of the cartridge allows it to be used in pistols whose automation operates on the principle of blowback. It is most widespread among the police.

The cartridge case is cylindrical, brass or steel. The bullet is a jacketed bullet with a lead core and has an ogive or flat conical head (which changes its ballistic properties, including muzzle velocity).

INTERCHANGEABILITY

Despite the external similarity with the 9x18 PM cartridge, they are not interchangeable, since the bullet caliber of the Ultra and Polis cartridges is 9.02 mm, and the PM is 9.25 mm. In addition, the diameter of the PM cartridge case is 0.5 mm larger than that of the Ultra (Polis) cartridge. However, if you have a PM pistol and Ultra cartridges, you can shoot them by loading the pistol one cartridge at a time, wrapping it with a strip of tape 19 mm wide (capturing the bullet by 1-1.5 mm) and, thus, bringing the diameter to 10 mm.

On the contrary, if you have a pistol chambered for the "Ultra" cartridge and PM cartridges, shooting is possible if you use a reamer with a diameter of 10 mm to increase the diameter of the chamber to a depth of 18 mm and use an end mill (also 10 mm) to increase the size of the bolt cup to accommodate the cartridge case flange. In addition, it is necessary to slightly spread the bends of the magazine neck to the sides.

However, this increases the load on the barrel, which leads to rapid wear, since due to the larger diameter, the bullet of the PM cartridge will not only crash into the rifling when moving along the barrel, but will also be stretched due to transverse deformation. In addition, it is possible that the next cartridge may be stuck or not fired due to the different ballistic characteristics of the "Ultra" and PM cartridges

The length of the cartridge is 25 mm, the length of the sleeve is 17.7 mm. Cartridge weight - 10 g, bullet weight - 6.5 g, charge weight - 0.32 g.

Cartridge 9x19 mm "Parabellum" Germany

The cartridge was developed in 1902 by Georg Luger to increase the power of the Parabellum pistol. In 1904 it was adopted by the German Navy, and in 1908 by the German Army. Essentially, this cartridge is a 7.65 mm cartridge case connected to a 9 mm cartridge bullet. Initially, the bullet had a conical shape with a flat head (in the form of a truncated cone).

In 1915 it was replaced by a bullet with an ogive head. The bullet initially had a nickel silver-clad steel shell with a lead core. Since 1917, the steel bullet casing has been varnished with tombak.

Cartridge sleeves are available in both brass and copper-plated steel. The bullet can be of any type, including plastic. General purpose bullet - jacketed with a lead core. The shell is bimetallic or steel, clad with tombak.

The good ballistic qualities of the cartridge made it the standard ammunition for pistols and submachine guns in most countries of the world after World War II. Currently, this cartridge is produced in almost all countries of the world that produce ammunition, including Russia.

INTERCHANGEABILITY

In the absence of 9x19 Par cartridges, if necessary, you can shoot 7.62x25 TT cartridges, loading them one at a time directly into the chamber. The cylindrical part of this cartridge is approximately the same size as in the 9x19 mm cartridge. The slopes of the cartridge case will rest against the bullet entrance of the chamber, which will allow the striker to puncture the primer. Of course, this will not result in a full-fledged shot, since due to the smaller diameter the bullet will not follow the rifling, but will strike the walls of the barrel, and the powder gases will overtake the bullet, reducing its flight speed. However, despite all this, it is capable of inflicting serious wounds at a range of 20-30 m.

The length of the cartridge is 29.7 mm, the length of the sleeve is 19.15 mm. Bullet weight - 5.8-10.2 g (standard - 8 g, high-speed - 2.9 g). Cartridge weight - 7.2-12.5 g. Gunpowder charge weight - 0.36 g.

Cartridge 9x29 mm "Special" USA

This cartridge was developed in 1900 by the American company Smith & Wesson. It was in service with the army and was also sold to civilians. The cartridge is very reliable and provides accurate shooting. Popular with the police and intelligence services. The cartridge is equipped with a blunt-pointed bullet weighing 10.23 g (civilian) and weighing 12.96 g (police).

The initial speed of a 10 gram bullet is 260 m/s; muzzle energy 346 J.

Cartridge.357 SIG (9x22 mm pistol) Switzerland

In the early 1990s, this cartridge was obtained by re-compressing the barrel of a .40SW cartridge case for a 9mm caliber bullet. With this modification, the creators of the cartridge achieved the following results: more reliable chambering of cartridges, since the diameter of the bullet turned out to be noticeably smaller than the diameter of the rear part of the chamber, which eliminated the possibility of sticking the cartridge when feeding; increasing the initial velocity of the bullet compared to both the original 40SW cartridge and the 9mm Para cartridge, which gave a flatter firing trajectory and greater penetrating power; the possibility of using this cartridge in existing .40SW caliber pistols after simply replacing the barrel, and possibly the recoil spring. The recoil of the new cartridge turned out to be quite moderate, while the increase in initial velocity was quite significant. With a bullet weighing 6.12 grams (as in the 9x18PM cartridge), the initial velocity when firing from a weapon with a 100mm barrel can reach values ​​of 460 and even 520 meters per second, which gives muzzle energy values ​​of 650-820 Joules, that is, 2- 3 times higher than PM and close to .357 Magnum. With a bullet weighing 7.82 grams, the initial speed can reach 450-460 m/s, with a bullet weighing 10 grams - 360 m/s. Obviously, the first to release pistols chambered for this cartridge were its creators, more precisely, the German-Swiss company SIG-Sauer. Pistols from this and other well-known companies, originally created for the .40SW cartridge and equipped with barrels chambered for the new cartridge (SIG-Sauer P226, P229, Glock model 31, Heckler-Koch USP), very quickly gained popularity in the American market. In addition to a significant number of police departments that appreciated the possibility of combining the power of the .357 Magnum cartridge with the reliability and large magazine capacity of modern self-loading pistols, this cartridge was adopted by the US Secret Service (in particular, they protect the US President).

Cartridge 11.43x23 mm (.45 automatic) USA

The cartridge was adopted by the American army along with the Colt M-1911 pistol in 1911. Subsequently, it gained recognition as a reliable and effective cartridge. Currently widespread throughout the world, especially in the Americas.

The cartridge sleeve is cylindrical (may have a ring strip in the middle part - the result of crimping), steel or bimetallic. A jacketed bullet with a lead core has a high stopping effect. The bullet jacket is usually steel, clad with tombak.

As a substitute cartridge, instead of an automatic transmission, you can use the .455 Vebley cartridge.

The length of the cartridge is 32.4 mm, the length of the sleeve is 22.81 mm. Cartridge weight - 14 g, bullet weight - 8.42 g, powder charge weight - 0.42 g.

Cartridge 12.3x22 mm (PS-32) Russia

The cartridge was developed for the Russian "Udar" revolver. The main type of cartridge is a cartridge with a jacketed lead bullet loaded into a shortened cartridge case of a 32 caliber hunting cartridge. The bullet has a high stopping effect, but insufficient penetration.

In addition to this type of cartridge for Udar revolvers, the following are also used:

a) a cartridge with an armor-piercing bullet (caliber or sub-caliber), ensuring the destruction of a target behind an obstacle such as a bulletproof vest or car body. From 25 meters, such a bullet penetrates a steel sheet 5 mm thick;

b) a cartridge with an expansive bullet that has a high stopping effect. Such a bullet is effective when hitting both soft tissue and large bones;

c) a cartridge with cubic steel buckshot that does not ricochet off walls - used for shooting in cramped conditions and in poor visibility;

d) a cartridge with a non-lethal bullet - rubber or plastic (the bullet is designed to suppress hooligan impulses and self-defense; bullet length 34 mm, weight 11.5 g, initial speed 80 m/s);

d) a pyro-liquid cartridge having 2.5 cm cubic. 0V irritant. The range of use of the cartridge, even in side winds and during rain, is at least 5 meters;

f) a shocking flash-noise cartridge used to solve problems of capturing criminals (terrorists) in a confined space (the light emission power of the cartridge is 100,000 kJ, sound pressure is not less than 105 dB);

g) a cartridge with a dye bullet, which allows you to “mark” criminals with hard-to-remove paint. Can also be used for training exercises.

The length of the cartridge is 27 mm, the length of the sleeve is 22 mm. Cartridge weight - 14.9 g, bullet weight - 13.4 g. Muzzle energy of the bullet - 267 J, initial speed 198-250 m/s.

Cartridge 5.45x39 mm Model 1974. USSR

A low-impulse intermediate cartridge, developed in the early 70s by a group of Soviet designers as a counterweight to the American 5.56x34.5 cartridge (.223 Remington), which the Americans widely used in Vietnam in the 60s. By the beginning of the 70s, Soviet designers also realized the promise of intermediate small-caliber cartridges. A small-caliber bullet, having a high initial velocity, provides a highly flat trajectory, has good armor penetration and significant destructive power.

The low recoil impulse at the moment of firing has a beneficial effect on the accuracy and accuracy of shooting, and reducing the mass of the cartridge allows you to increase the ammunition carried by the shooter. The low-pulse cartridge increased the effectiveness of individual small arms by 1.5 times.

The 5.45x39 cartridge turned out to be quite successful. Despite its lower power compared to the American cartridge, it is not inferior to the first in efficiency. Its bullet is designed "to the point of stability." It flies steadily in the air, but begins to tumble when it hits a denser environment (for example, living tissue). This effect is achieved by shifting the center of gravity of the bullet to its bottom by placing the bullet core in the shell with a gap in the front part, where a void is left between the core and the bullet shell.

Bottle-shaped cartridge case, without protruding flange, steel, clad. The bullet has a bimetallic shell into which a steel core in a lead jacket is pressed (PS bullet). In addition to PS, there are “T” tracer bullets and bullets with increased armor penetration (with a hardened steel core). In addition, a blank cartridge with a plastic bullet is produced.

The length of the cartridge is 57 mm, the length of the sleeve is 39.6 mm. Cartridge weight - 10.2 g, bullet weight - 3.4 g, powder charge weight - 1.45 g. Muzzle energy of the bullet - 1316 J, initial speed - 900 m/s.

Cartridge 5.56x45 mm NATO USA

This cartridge was specially designed by the American company Remington for the Armalite AR-15 rifle. The Vietnam War showed its high qualities, and the US Army command decided to make the 5.56 mm caliber the main one. Later, this cartridge became standard for the armies of NATO countries (with the Belgian SS109 bullet instead of the American Ml 93). Currently, the cartridge is produced in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Portugal, the USA, France, Sweden, and South Africa.

The weight of a bullet with a combined lead-steel core is 4.02 g. The length of the bullet is 23.2 mm, the initial speed is about 1000 m/s, the muzzle energy is 1798 J. At a distance of 300 meters it pierces an aluminum sheet 19 mm thick, and a steel sheet 3 mm thick .5 mm - at a distance of 750 meters.

Cartridge 7.62x39 mm Mod. 1943 USSR

This is the so-called “intermediate” cartridge (between a pistol and a rifle), designed by N. Elizarov and V. Semin in 1943. It is a standard cartridge for the SKS carbine, AK/AKM assault rifles, light machine guns RPD and RPK, a number of other models (Finnish, Polish, Czech, Yugoslav, etc.) Initial speed 710 m/s; muzzle energy 1991 J; most effective at distances from 200 to 400 meters. It has high ballistic qualities and reliability.

Cartridge 7.62x51 mm Model 1952 USA

The cartridge was adopted as the standard ammunition of NATO countries in 1952. Despite the fact that it was created as an analogue of the Soviet 7.62x39 mm cartridge, it significantly exceeds the latter in power and is not fully “intermediate”. It would be more correct to say that this is a weakened rifle cartridge. The cartridge case is bottle-shaped, brass or steel, and has no protruding flange. Jacketed bullet with a lead core. The bullet casing is bimetallic. In addition to an ordinary bullet, the cartridge is equipped with a tracer or armor-piercing bullet. The cartridge goes on commercial sale under the designation .308 "Winchester". Its appearance in the USSR is due to the fact that l.i. Brezhnev received a Winchester-308 hunting carbine as a gift from the US President.

An order was immediately received from TsNIITochmash to develop a 7.62x51 cartridge with a semi-jacketed bullet. And when the “party order” was fulfilled, then to load the created production capacity, Izhmash began producing hunting carbines “Bear-3” and “Los-4”.

In the 90s, when foreign-made hunting carbines chambered for this cartridge began to arrive in Russia, it turned out that their chambers did not correspond to Russian cartridges. Currently, Izhmash produces 7.b2x51M.308 WIN cartridges, adjusted to Western requirements.

The length of the cartridge is 71.05 mm, the length of the sleeve is 51.18 mm. Cartridge mass - 15.7 g, bullet mass - 9.3 g, powder charge mass - 2.1 g. Muzzle energy of the bullet - 3276 J, initial speed - 838 m/s.

Cartridge 7.62x54R mm Mod. 1908 Russia

The cartridge was adopted simultaneously with the Mosin rifle in 1891. Initially it had a bullet with a rounded head. Since 1908 it has been produced with a pointed bullet. In 1930, the cartridge was modernized. He received a heavy bullet weighing 13.7 g. Light bullets gave a high initial speed, but quickly slowed down during flight, so they were used at short ranges. Heavy bullets, due to their mass and streamlined shape, retain destructive power up to 4500-5000 m and give a flatter trajectory. In 1988, the bullet was modernized again: the material and design of the core were changed. The use of a steel core saves lead and improves the bullet's penetrating effect. In addition to the PS bullet, armor-piercing incendiary, tracer, armor-piercing incendiary, and incendiary are used.

The cartridge case is bimetallic, with a pronounced taper. The bullet casing is steel, clad with tombac. In addition to the regular one, a sniper cartridge with improved ballistics is available.

Currently, 7.62x54R cartridges are the most popular in Russia. They go on sale under different designations, which causes a lot of confusion - 7.62x53; 7.62x53R; 7.62x54; 7.62x54R. This confusion arose because different countries round off the case length differently. The letter "R" indicates that the sleeve has a protruding flange. But after Russia joined the European Commission, the final designation of this cartridge, 7.62x54R, was approved.

The length of the cartridge is 77.16 mm, the length of the sleeve is 53.72 mm. The mass of the cartridge with a brass or steel clad sleeve is 21-23 g, the mass of the bullet is 9.6 g, the mass of the powder charge is 3.25 g. The muzzle energy of the bullet is 4466 J, the initial speed of the bullet is 870 m/s.

Cartridge 7.92 mm "Mauser" Mod. 1896 Germany

One of the most common rifle cartridges in the world, which was produced a large number countries Currently, it is mainly in service with paramilitary forces: police, border guards, etc., or used as a machine gun cartridge. Currently, this cartridge is produced with a steel or brass sleeve and various types bullets

The most popular currently are three types of cartridges: general purpose - a bullet weighing 12.8 g, muzzle velocity - 750 m/s, muzzle energy - 3600 J; tracer - bullet weighing 11.5 g, initial speed 735 m/s; armor-piercing - a bullet weighing 12 g, with a steel core, initial speed - 735 m/s.

Caliber(from lat. qua libra — how much per pound) - diameter of the bore along rifling or margins; one of the main quantities that determine the power of a firearm.

The caliber is determined for smooth-bore weapons by the internal diameter of the barrel, for rifled weapons - by the distance between opposite fields of rifling (in the countries of the former USSR) or by the distance between the bottom of opposite rifling (NATO), for projectiles (bullets) - by the largest diameter. Guns with a conical barrel are characterized by input and output calibers.

Caliber of rifled small arms

The caliber of rifled small arms in countries that use the English system of measures is measured in fractions of an inch: in the USA - in hundredths (0.01 inches), in the UK - in thousandths (0.001 inches). In the notation, the zero of the integer part of the number and the designation of the unit of measurement (inch) are omitted (while in English-speaking countries a dot is used as a decimal separator): .45 , .450 . In Russian texts, traditional English and American calibers are written in the same way (with a dot rather than a comma, the decimal separator used in Russia): cal.45, cal.450; V colloquial speech: forty-five caliber, four hundred and fifty caliber.

In countries that use the metric system of measures (in particular, in Russia), the caliber is measured in millimeters; the length of the sleeve is added to the designation through the multiplication sign: 9×18 mm. It must be taken into account that the length of the cartridge case is not a characteristic of the caliber, but a characteristic of the cartridge. With the same caliber, cartridges can be of different lengths. This type of digital recording is used mainly for military cartridges in the West. For civilian cartridges, the name of the company or a special characteristic of the cartridge is usually added to the caliber: .45 Colt, .41 S&W, .38 Super, .357 Magnum, .220 Russian. There are also more complex designations, for example, several designations for the same cartridge: nine millimeters, Browning, short; three hundred eighty, car; nine by seventeen. This state of affairs is due to the fact that almost every arms company has its own patented cartridges different characteristics, and a foreign cartridge accepted for service or into civilian circulation receives a new designation.

In Russia until 1917 and a number of other countries, caliber was measured in lines. One line is equal to 0.1 inches (more precisely, 0.254 cm or 2.54 mm). In modern speech, the name “three-line” has taken root, which literally means a rifle of the 1891 model (Mosin system) of three-line caliber.

In some countries, the caliber is considered to be the distance between the fields of the rifling (the smallest diameter of the bore), in others - the distance between the rifling (the largest diameter). As a result, with the same caliber designations, the diameters of the bullet and bore are different. An example is the 9x18 Makarov and 9x19 Parabellum. Makarov has 9 mm - the distance between the fields, the bullet diameter is 9.25 mm. The Parabellum has a rifling distance of 9 mm, respectively, the bullet diameter is 9.02 mm, and the distance between the fields is 8.8 mm.

Classification of small arms calibers:

• small-caliber (less than 6.5 mm),
• normal caliber (6.5-9.0 mm),
• large-caliber (9.0-20.0 mm).

Caliber up to 20 mm - small arms, over 20 mm - artillery

As a rule, small arms differ from artillery weapons by the type of ammunition. Weapon designed to fire bullets, and artillery systems fire shells. At the same time, for rifled firearms, the main difference between bullets and projectiles as ammunition is the fact that bullets, when passing through the bore, cut into the rifling with their shell. This creates a torque that increases the stability of the bullet in flight. When fired, the projectile is given rotation with the help of driving belts (made from materials of less hardness than the shell of the projectile body). However, this is not the only difference that exists and it is not applicable to all types of artillery and small arms weapon systems.

The most common calibers of pistols, rifles and machine guns:

• .577 (14.7 mm) - the largest of the serial ones, the Eley revolver (Great Britain);
• .50 (12.7 mm) used for heavy machine guns and sniper rifles;
• .45 (11.43 mm) - the “national” caliber of the USA, the most common in the Wild West; in 1911, the Colt M1911 self-loading pistol of this caliber entered service with the army and navy and, having been modernized several times, served until 1985, when armed forces The USA switched to 9 mm for the Beretta 92, which is still used in civilian use;
• .40 (10.2 mm) is a relatively new pistol caliber; provides better efficiency, for which it has gained great popularity in US law enforcement agencies;
• .38; .357 (9 mm), currently considered the best for short-barreled weapons (less - the cartridge is “weak”, more - the gun is too bulky and heavy, strong recoil);
• .30 (7.62 mm) - caliber of ammunition for the Nagan revolver and TT pistol, Mosin rifle, AK assault rifle, sniper rifle SVD;
• .22 (5.6 mm) - caliber of ammunition for the TOZ-8 rifle (TOZ-10, TOZ-12);
• .223 (5.56 mm) - caliber of ammunition for the M16 automatic rifle;
• 5.45 mm - caliber of ammunition for the AK-74 assault rifle;
• 2.7 mm - the smallest serial caliber; used in the Hummingbird pistol of the Franz Pfannl system (Austria).

Caliber of smoothbore hunting weapons

For smoothbore hunting rifles, calibers are measured differently: the caliber number refers to the whole number of round bullets that can be cast from 1 English pound of lead (453.59 g). The bullets must be spherical, identical in mass and diameter, which is equal to the internal diameter of the barrel in its middle part. The smaller the bore, the more bullets can be produced from a pound of lead. Thus, the twentieth gauge is less than the tenth, and the sixteenth is less than the twelfth.

You can also use the formula for determining caliber (K) by barrel diameter (D, cm): K = (453.6 * 6) / (Pi * D^3 * 11.3415) ~= 76.3842 / D^3.

In the designation of the caliber of cartridges for smooth-bore weapons, as in the designation of cartridges for rifled weapons, it is customary to indicate the length of the sleeve, for example: 12/70 - 12 gauge cartridge with a 70 mm long sleeve. The most common case lengths: 65, 70, 76 mm (Magnum); Along with them there are 60 and 89 mm (Super Magnum).

The most common hunting rifles in Russia are 12 gauge. There are (in descending order of prevalence) 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36 (.410), and the spread of 36 caliber (.410) is due solely to the release of Saiga carbines of the corresponding caliber.

The actual diameter of the bore of a given caliber depends, firstly, on the specific manufacturer and, secondly, on the drilling for a certain type of cartridge case: metal or plastic (folder). For example, a 12-gauge barrel drilled for a folder (plastic) sleeve has a bore diameter of 18.3 mm, while drilled for a metal case - 19.4 mm. In addition, we should not forget that the barrel of a shotgun hunting weapon usually has various types choke constrictions (chokes), through which not any bullet of its caliber can pass through without damaging the barrel, so in many cases the body of the bullet is made according to the diameter of the choke and is equipped with centering bands that are easily crushed when passing through the choke. It should be noted that the common caliber of signal pistols - 26.5 mm - is nothing more than the 4th hunting caliber.