Notes: This cartridge was the subject of a great deal of controversy when first encountered during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The bullet is designed to be unstable in flesh; underneath its highly-pointed jacket, there is a steel core with a short lead filler and an air space in the nose. The bullet is long and thin, and aerodynamically efficient, giving good range.

Other Names: 5.45mm Soviet, .21 Genghis

Nominal Size: 5.45x39mm (some sources say 5.45x39.5mm)

Actual Size: 5.61x39.65mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 12.25 kg per case of 1000; Price: $200 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This cartridge first appeared in 1957 for use in the then-experimental AR-15. The round was meant to be approximately the same size and performance as the .222 Remington, but have a higher velocity, especially at long range. When the M-16 was forced upon us forces by Robert McNamara, the US then decided to introduce the cartridge to NATO and strongly urge its adoption as standard assault rifle cartridge for the alliance. There were teething problems with the cartridge, mainly because the US Department of Defense, in an attempted cost-saving gesture, used a cheaper propellant than was specified by Remington. This helped lead to extensive fouling problems with the then-new M-16. This was quickly rectified. The original military cartridge, the M-193, was replaced by the SS-109 round which uses a fast-twist barrel and a heavier bullet with more propellant.

Other Names: .223 Remington

Nominal Size: 5.56x45mm

Actual Size: 5.69x44.7mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 14.25 kg per case of 1000; Price: $230 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This is a European small-caliber magnum round developed in Germany in 1968. It is basically a rimmed version of the .222 Remington Magnum with a longer case, and has more power than that round. It is designed primarily for single-shot or double rifles, though Krico does make some bolt-action rifles that chamber it. The round was designed for deer hunting, but most Americans would consider it a varmint cartridge. The 5.6x50mm Magnum is rare outside of Europe.

Other Names: 5.6x50Rmm Magnum

Nominal Size: 5.6x50mm

Actual Size: 5.69x50.04mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 15.88 kg per case of 1000; Price: $250 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This round was developed by RWS of Germany in 1964 for deer hunting. It was designed to satisfy the minimum legal requirements (in Germany) for remaining energy at 200 meters when hunting deer, but otherwise be a lightweight cartridge. It is in the same class as the .220 Swift round, and would be classed as a varmint round in the US. This round is reasonably popular in Europe, but almost unknown in North America or South America.

Other Names: 5.6x57mm RWS, 5.6x57Rmm RWS

Nominal Size: 5.6x57mm

Actual Size: 5.69x56.9mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 18.13 kg per case of 1000; Price: $290 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This round was introduced in 1937 by E.A. Vom Hofe for his line of Mauser-based rifles. Some of these rifles were exported to the US between World War 1 and 2, and Stoeger Arms made rifle in this chambering starting in 1962. The round is no longer made in Europe, but the cases and bullets are manufactured in the US by Old Western Scrounger and Huntington’s Sporting Supply, and the bullets are also made by Hornady. Complete cartridges are not being manufactured right now. It is considered a long-range varmint round in North America, but a medium-game round in Europe.

Other Names: 5.6mm Vom Hofe Super Express

Nominal Size: 5.6x61mm

Actual Size: 5.77x60.71mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 1.99 kg per box of 100; Price: $64 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This is a very recent German development. It appears to be a necked-down 9.3x62mm cartridge, all the way down to 6mm. It is the first new 6mm civilian round to appear in Europe in a long time, and is almost unknown in the US. It is a magnum round able to deliver a decent blow at long range, outperforming the .243 Winchester or even the 6mm Remington.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This round does not exist.

Other Names: 6mm Freres Magnum, 6x62mmR Freres

Nominal Size: 6x62mm

Actual Size: 6.17x61.47mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 23 kg per case of 1000; Price: $370 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This round was first introduced for use in the Winchester 1895 Lee Straight Pull bolt-action rifle used by the US Navy in the late 19^th century and early 20^th century. It was also used in the Colt-Browning M-1895 machinegun, also used by the US Navy (in this caliber). No 6mm Lee Navy ammunition has been factory-loaded since 1935; this is not so much a fault of the round as it is the propellant, which was not suited for such an advanced-design round.

Other Names: .236 Navy

Nominal Size: 6x60mm

Actual Size: 6.2x59.69mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 2.25 kg per box of 100, 5.63 kg per case of 250, belted; Price: $72 per box, $180 per 250-round belt

Magazines:

Notes: Despite having the same measurements, and being almost identical to the 6mm Remington, the two rounds are not interchangeable due to differences in the shoulder angle. The 6mm Mauser is basically a 7mm Mauser round necked down to take a 6.2mm bullet. The 6mm Remington is a fine hunting cartridge, provided you do not hunt anything heavier than medium game. As a military cartridge, it is unspectacular, but adequate, unless the opponent is wearing body armor.

Other Names: 6.2x57mm RWS

Nominal Size: 6x57mm

Actual Size: 6.17x56.64mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 21.13 per case of 1000; Price: $340 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This round is designed for bench rest shooting, where the rifle is locked into an ultra-stable mount and shot to achieve as much range and accuracy as possible. However, Norma quickly realized the long-range potential for the cartridge and some companies decided to chamber some rifle for it. It has basically failed as a bench rest round, but it is more popular as a long range game round, and the round retains a great amount of speed even after 1000 meters.

Other Names: 6mm Norma BR

Nominal Size: 6x39mm

Actual Size: 6.4x39.3mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 1.58 kg per box of 100; Price: $50 per box

Magazines:

Notes: The 6mm PPC round is basically a larger version of the .22 PPC. The case is virtually the same, with the case necked out to 6mm and shortened somewhat. Like the .22 PPC, it is based on the .220 Russian cartridge, which is a necked-down 7.62mm Kalashnikov round. The 6mm PPC round is known for its uniform acceleration and velocity, which contributes to accuracy. It is currently not a common cartridge, but interest is picking up.

Nominal Size: 6x38mm

Actual Size: 6.17x38.1mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 1.43 kg per box of 100; Price: $46 per box

Magazines:

Notes: The 6mm Remington is a cartridge that was originally introduced as the .244 Remington in 1955. The .244 Remington used bullets of 55-90 grains and was designed for a weapon with rifling of a 1 in 12 twist. However, many shooters wanted to use heavier bullets of up to 105 grains, and the 1 in 12 twist would not properly stabilize those bullets for flight. The 100-grain-range, in particular, was a problem – sometimes the bullets properly stabilize with the 1 in 12 twist, sometimes not. Therefore, Remington designed a new round for use with a heavier bullet and a 1 in 9 twist in the rifling. To avoid confusion, these rounds were re-designated 6mm Remington. This change occurred in 1963, and the original .244 Remington rounds are a rarity these days, as are the rifles that fire them.

Other Names: .244 Remington (see Notes)

Nominal Size: 6x57mm

Actual Size: 6.17x56.64mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 21.13 kg per case of 1000; Price: $340 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This round was originally developed for an 1897 Japanese rifle that was found to be unsafe and was quickly discontinued. It only later that is was chambered in the 38^th Year Rifle. This rifle was seized in large numbers during and after World War 2 as war trophies and also sold on the open market as a surplus rifle. Until recently, Norma sold ammunition for the rifle, and steel-cased ammunition of this type is still sold by China. The case is short and the powder charge small, but it is an efficient round. It is still quite a good killing round, whether against antelopes, deer, elk, or humans.

Other Names: 6.5x55mm Japanese, 6.5x55mm Arisaka

Nominal Size: 6.5x55mm

Actual Size: 6.65x50.8mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 22 kg per case of 1000; Price: $350 per case

Magazines:

Notes: The story of this round involves a bit of politics. A-Square appears to be the first to invent this round, necking down the .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO) round to approximately 6.5mm size. They submitted their new round to the appropriate agencies, but the paperwork dragged. A few months later, Remington came up with basically the same round, calling it the .260 Remington, and SAAMI (the ammunition governing body) decided to go with the Remington claim. This has gone back and forth through the years, but it does seem that A-Square had the round first. The 6.5-08 A-Square performs best in long-range target shooting, especially since such shooting requires a lot of practice and the 6.5-08 A-Square is known for less barrel wear than most equivalent cartridges. It is also quite appealing to those who hunt up to big North American game and prefer a light rifle with lower recoil.

Other Names: .260 Remington

Nominal Size: 6.5x64mm

Actual Size: 6.71x63.5mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 28.13 kg per case of 1000; Price: $450 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This was one of the official Italian rifle and light/medium machinegun cartridges until the end of World War 2. I was first designed in 1891 for the Italian version of the Mannlicher rifle. It is similar to the 6.5mm Mannlicher-Shoenauer in ballistic performance, but does not quite have the same punch. These cartridges are no longer mass-produced, but can be handloaded starting with 6.5mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer cases.

Other Names: 6.5x52mm Italian, 6.5x52mm Mannlicher-Carcano

Nominal Size: 6.5x52mm

Actual Size: 6.73x52.07mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 2.31 kg per box of 100; Price: $74 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This is basically an earlier, rimmed version of the 6.5mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer cartridge, used by the Dutch and Romanians in their Mannlicher rifles. Ballistically, it is virtually identical to the 6.5mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer, and it was once loaded by many companies in the US and Europe. It was dropped as a military cartridge after World War 2, and the rifles that fired it began showing up on the surplus market. However, no major company now makes this round.

Other Names: 6.5mm Romanian Mannlicher, 6.5x53mmRmm, .256 Mannlicher

Nominal Size: 6.5x53mm

Actual Size: 6.68x53.34mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 2.34 kg per box of 100; Price: $74 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This round was developed for use in the 1903 Greek version of the Mannlicher rifle. It was also a popular sporting cartridge, used in several rifles in the US and Europe. In fact, until about 1940, virtually every major US ammunition manufacturer made this round. It is now made only in Europe, particularly by RWS. It is a very good cartridge for hunting, as it is unusually quiet when fired despite its velocity.

Other Names: 6.5mm Greek Mannlicher, DWM477, Roth 632

Nominal Size: 6.5x55mm

Actual Size: 6.65x53.7mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 23.38 kg per case of 1000; Price: $370 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This round was introduced in 1900 and was designed to be fired from short-action Mauser carbines of the period. It only enjoyed a short period of popularity, as the better 6.5x54mm Mannlicher-Shoenauer showed up soon afterward and displaced the 6.5x54mm Mauser cartridge and the rifles that fired it. Handloading is relatively simple, which is good, for it has been a while since it has been manufactured.

Nominal Size: 6.5x54mm

Actual Size: 6.71x53.85mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 2.38 kg per box of 100; Price: $76 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This is basically a necked down version of the 7mm Mauser round, developed in 1893. It was never used as a military cartridge, but was popular with hunters, and it influenced the design of many similar rounds of other countries, such as the 6.5mm Swedish. The round is still popular in Europe, but virtually unknown in North America.

Other Names: 6.5mm RWS, 6.5x57mm RWS, 6.5x57Rmm RWS, 6.5x57Rmm Mauser

Nominal Size: 6.5x57mm

Actual Size: 6.71x56.64mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 25 kg per case of 1000; Price: $400 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This round was an innovation when it was introduced in 1966; it may indeed may be one of the first "short magnum" type cartridges. It is a .350 Remington Magnum case necked down to .264 caliber, and was designed specifically for use in Remington’s Model 600 bolt-action carbine. The problem was not the 6.5mm Remington Magnum cartridge; the problem was the Remington 600 carbine, whose 18-inch barrel did not utilize the power of the round properly. For a short time, the longer-barreled Ruger 77 was also chambered for this round, but the 6.5mm Remington Magnum has not been manufactured in a long time, and no current rifles chamber the round. In a proper-length barrel, the 6.5mm Remington Magnum is adequate for hunting all North American game.

Nominal Size: 6.5x55mm

Actual Size: 6.71x55.12mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 3.05 kg per box of 100; Price: $78 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This round was developed by RWS of Germany in 1939. It was originally chambered in Mauser-type rifles, but later was chambered in Mannlicher-Schoenauer-type rifles. It was also chambered in Vom Hofe rifles, as well as a few American-made rifles. It is a powerful round, close in performance to many magnum loads, but the bullet is light and this limits striking power. The speed of the round is such that it is capable of downing an animal as large as a grizzly bear if shot placement is right, but for the most part, it is best used as a long-range varmint round. Until recently, it was listed for sale in Hirtenberger and RWS catalogs.

Other Names: 6.5x68Rmm RWS, 6.5x68mm Schuler, 6.5mm Vom Hofe Express

Nominal Size: 6.5x68mm

Actual Size: 6.71x67.56mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 29.88 kg per case of 1000; Price: $480 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This round was introduced before the turn of the 20^th century as a blackpowder round, and was later made into a smokeless powder round. It was developed primarily for single-shot rifles, being rimmed, but was also chambered in a very few bolt-action weapons. It does not have a lot of power and is regarded as being best for target shooting or small-game hunting. It is no longer being manufactured, and finding or even making a suitable case and bullet is also problematic.

Nominal Size: 6.5x48mm

Actual Size: 6.6x47.75mm

Case Type: Necked (actually tapered)

Weight: 2.04 kg per box of 100; Price: $66 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This round was developed in 1894 for use in Swedish versions of Mauser rifles and carbines. It is based on the 1893 Spanish Mauser round. The Swedes at one point chambered virtually all of its rifles and medium and light machineguns for this round, and it remained in active service until just a couple of decades ago. It was also a popular hunting round in Europe and the US, and remains so. The bullet is boat-tailed and of advanced design for its period, and its stopping power is excellent, more than adequate for medium game and people.

Other Names: 6.5x55mm Swedish. 6.5mm Swedish Mauser, 6.5mm Krag-Jorgensen, 6.5mm Norwegian,

Nominal Size: 6.5x55mm

Actual Size: 6.71x54.86mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 24.25 kg per case of 1000; Price: $390 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This is another old round, developed Wilhelm Brenneke in Germany in 1917. It is almost unknown in the US, but is a quite common civilian cartridge in Europe, taking the place of the 7mm Remington Magnum there. The 7x64mm Brenneke does not quite match the power of the 7mm Remington Magnum cartridge, however, and the 7x64mm Brenneke is best for hunting medium game at long range.

Other Names: 7x64mm, 7mm Brenneke

Nominal Size: 7.21x63.75mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 32.5 kg per case of 1000; Price: $520

Magazines:

Notes: This is one of the oldest cartridges still in use, being developed as a military round by Mauser in 1892. Since the Spanish military was the first to officially adopt the round, it is also commonly known as the Spanish Mauser round. Though a few American rifles chamber the 7mm Mauser round, the cartridge is much more common in European rifles. It proved to be a mediocre military round, but it has proved to be an excellent round for the hunting of small to medium game. It has had some success against bigger animals, but it considered inadequate for that purpose by most hunters. It was once discontinued by almost all major ammunition manufacturers, but the round came back after World War 2 due to the influx of surplus military rifles into the civilian market.

Other Names: 7x57mm, 7mm Spanish Mauser, 7mm M-1893

Nominal Size: 7x57mm

Actual Size: 7.21x56.9mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 29 kg per case of 1000; Price: $460

Magazines:

Notes: This round was introduced in 1980; it is a 7.62mm NATO (.308 Winchester) case necked down to accept a 7mm bullet. The bullet is a direct copy of the 7mm/308, which was a wildcat round popular for many years before 1980. The more-pointed bullet design allows for more downrange velocity than the 7.62mm NATO round, and, in many cases, greater range.

Nominal Size: 7x51.69mm

Actual Size: 7.21x51.82mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 26.5 kg per case of 1000; Price: $420 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This cartridge was introduced in 1962 for the Remington 700 rifle. Several other rifle manufacturers picked it up also. The 7mm Remington Magnum has its roots in wildcat experimenting, especially with the .275 H&H Magnum cartridge. The 7mm Remington Magnum is considered a good big-game cartridge.

Nominal Size: 7x63mm

Actual Size: 7.21x63.5mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 32.38 kg per case of 1000; Price: $520 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This round was originally designed as a wildcat round by Layne Simpson of Shooting Times magazine. It is based on an 8mm Remington Magnum case, necked down, and allows for rechambering of existing 7mm Remington Magnum rifles to fire it. It was also designed to fit inside existing 7mm Remington Magnum internal magazines of Remington 700 rifles. It was adopted as a standard cartridge in 1996, and factory loadings commenced. The 7mm STW produces impressive velocities and power, but barrels firing 7mm STW can be quite limited in life.

Other Names: 7mm Shooting Times Westerner

Nominal Size: 7x72mm

Actual Size: 7.21x72.39mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 3.7 kg per box of 100; Price: $118 per box

Magazines:

Necked: This cartridge was developed by Wes Ugalde for Thompson/Center for use in the single-shot Contender pistol. It is basically a .223 Remington (5.56mm NATO) case necked up to .284-caliber. It is popular for target shooting, but is also a creditable varmint round, and in the right circumstances and with a good shot can bring down a deer. It is not recommended that military cases be used for handloading this round; only civilian .223 cases should be used.

Other Names: 7mm T/CU, 7mmx223

Nominal Size: 7x44mm

Actual Size: 7.21x44.2mm

Weight: 2.25 kg per box of 100; Price: $72 per box

Magazines:

Notes: Though similar in size to the 7mm STW (and identical in performance for game purposes), the 7mm UltraMag is a bit more hot-loaded than the 7mm STW and produces about 12% more power. It was introduced in 2000. The 7mm UltraMag is known for its flat trajectory and power at even long range. The 7mm UltraMag is basically a necked-down .300 Remington Ultra Magnum.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This round does not exist.

Other Names: 7mm Ultra Magnum, 7mm Remington Ultra Magnum

Nominal Size: 7x72mm

Actual Size: 7.21x72.39mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 3.7 kg per box of 100; Price $118 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This round was designed shortly after World War 2 for Swedish Vom Hofe rifles. It was once loaded by DWM of Germany, but is not now being commercially manufactured. Though the bullet is small, the velocity is extremely fast, and only its light weight prevents it from penetrating better. Nonetheless, the 7x66mm Vom Hofe is an excellent hunting cartridge for all but large game.

Other Names: 7x66mm Vom Hofe Super Express, 7mm Super Express, 7.6x66mm Vom Hofe

Nominal Size: 7x66mm

Actual Size: 7.21x65.53mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 3.35 kg per box of 100; Price: $108 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This is a comparatively new cartridge, developed in 1984. It was designed for high-velocity, short-range lever-action rifles and carbines, and has a rounded nose to facilitate loading and chambering in such rifles. The rounded nose does spoil ballistics somewhat, though. It is also known for its light recoil.

Nominal Size: 7x52mm

Actual Size: 7.21x51.82mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 2.65 kg per box of 100; Price $85 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This round is based on the .300 H&H Magnum (like most Weatherby designs), actually being a .270 Weatherby Magnum necked up. Unlike most Weatherby cartridges, there is a good selection of factory loads and it is more common than most Weatherby ammunition. Like most high-velocity cartridges, the 7mm Weatherby Magnum can be hard on the barrel, and does not perform well in short barrels.

Nominal Size: 7x65mm

Actual Size: 7.21x64.77mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 3.3 kg per box of 100; Price: $106 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This was introduced in 2001 to give those who prefer the 7mm cartridge Magnum performance in a short action rifle. It is basically a .300 Winchester Short Magnum case, necked down. It has ballistics basically similar to the 7mm Remington Magnum, but in a shorter cartridge.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Other Names: 7mm WSM

Nominal Size: 7x53mm

Actual Size: 7.21x53.34mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 34.06 kg per case of 1000; Price: $550 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This round was designed to replace the 6.5mm Carcano round, which had been found to be inadequate in World War 1. Unfortunately, the round was developed during a time before World War 2 when Italy was involved in various military adventures and converting all the Carcano rifles to use this round, as well as trying to supply the new round to troops, became a logistical nightmare, and it was quickly withdrawn from service. The Finns did use some of the rifles converted to the 7.35mm Carcano round against the Russians, and results were good. The rifles and ammunition eventually showed up as war surplus weapons and were sold on the civilian market. It’s a decent hunting and man-killing round, but it hasn’t been manufactured in a while, and generally handloads are the best source.

Other Names: 7.35mm Italian Carcano

Nominal Size: 7.35x51mm

Actual Size: 7.57x51.05mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 2.88 kg per box of 100; Price: $92 per box

Magazines:

Notes: Introduced in 1971 for Remington’s Model 700 series, the .17 Remington is one of the smallest centerfire rounds produced in commercial lots. The .17 Remington is basically a 5.56mm NATO (.223 Remington) round necked down to accept the smaller bullet; the shoulder is also moved back slightly. It is basically a varmint round, and not very useful for larger game. It does, however, offer a very flat trajectory as well as minimal ricocheting and recoil. The high velocity and large amount of propellant (relative to the bullet) tend to lead to rapid barrel wear and fouling.

Nominal Size: 4.4x46mm

Actual Size: 4.37x45.47mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 8.5 kg per case of 1000; Price $140 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This round was based on the black powder .22 Winchester Centerfire round. It is a high-velocity round designed for varmint and small game shooting. The Hornet tends to be the subject of a lot of "wildcatting" (custom loadings for conventional rounds). Due to the amount of powder that is in a standard loading, the Hornet does not do well with heavy bullets.

Other Names: 5.6x35mmR, 5.6x36mmR, .22 M-65

Nominal Size: 5.6x36mm

Actual Size: 5.66x35.56mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 11.13 kg per case of 1000; Price $180 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This round was developed in 1974 as a wildcat benchrest round based on the .220 Russian round (itself a necked-down version of the 7.62mm Kalashnikov round). It remained a wildcat round for almost 15 years, but in 1987 Sako developed a rifle and commercial loads, and in 1993, Norma also developed manufactured loads in .22 PPC. Ruger also chambered versions of its M-77 series for .22 PPC in 1993. The combination of a large case and small bullet produce a high-velocity round with good range.

Nominal Size: 5.7x39mm

Actual Size: 5.69x38.61mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 12.25 kg per case of 1000; Price: $200 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This cartridge was developed in 1965 to be one of the calibers for the Remington 700 rifle. The .22-250 actually began life as a wildcat round, based on the .250 Savage, but it became so popular so fast that it became a de facto standard rifle round. It is a well-balanced round that has a reputation for great accuracy.

Other Names: .22 Varminter, .22 Wotkyns Original Swift

Nominal Size: 5.7x49mm

Actual Size: 5.69x48.51mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 15.38 kg per case of 1000; Price $250 per case

Magazines:

Notes: Virtually identical to the .22 Winchester Auto, this round was first designed for the Remington Model 16 semiautomatic rifle. It has been described by ammunition expert Frank Barnes as "an example of senseless jealous rivalry;" it was designed for the same purpose as the .22 Winchester Auto and for the same type of weapon, and was used only in the Model 16. The round was discontinued in 1928, and is very hard to find these days.

Other Names: .22 Remington Automatic

Nominal Size: 5.6x17mm

Actual Size: 5.66x16.84mm

Case Type: Straight Rimfire

Weight: 4.25 kg per box of 100; Price: $14 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This round was developed from wildcat rounds such as the Harvey .22 Kay-Chuk and others that were based on the .22 Hornet. It was developed for revolvers, but the only revolver ever chambered for it was the Smith & Wesson 53. Occasionally, rifles are found chambered for the .22 Remington Jet (normally lever-action or break-open rifles). The .22 Remington Jet is designed for hunting and to provide a flat trajectory for at least 100 meters. This round is no longer commercially manufactured, but can be handloaded using .357 Magnum rounds as a starting point.

Other Names: .22 Remington Jet Magnum, .22 Centerfire Magnum, .22 Jet

Nominal Size: 5.6x32mm

Actual Size: 5.66x32.51mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 10.25 kg per box of 100; Price: $32 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This round was designed by Charles Newton in 1912 and at first called the .22 Imp. Only one rifle by Savage was chambered in the US for the round, though it had somewhat more success in England, as well in various custom-made rifles, especially shotgun-rifle combinations. The .22 Savage High Power is basically a necked-down .25-35 case. No rifle has been produced in North America to chamber this round since 1930, though the occasional European rifle can still be found for it, and Norma still produces .22 Savage High-Power ammunition. Complaints about the round include low accuracy against small game and poor penetration against larger game, but this may be due to the poor quality of ammunition in the early part of the 20^th century. The .22 Savage High-Power round has been rendered obsolete by rounds such as the .222 Remington and .225 Winchester.

Other Names: .22 High-Power, .22 Imp, 5.6x52Rmm

Nominal Size: 5.6x52mm

Actual Size: 5.79x52.07mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 1.71 kg per box of 100; Price $54 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This round was used only in the Winchester M-1903 semiautomatic rifle. It had a long life, but was finally dropped from production in the 1970s, even though it was pronounced obsolete in 1932. It was designed at a time when blackpowder rounds were still somewhat common, and meant to be able to be used with nothing but the then-new smokeless powder. It is roughly the same in power with the .22 Long Rifle, but never really offered more than the fact that it used exclusively smokeless powder. It is now almost impossible to find, and the rifle that fires it is a collector’s item.

Other Names: .22 Winchester Automatic, .22 Winchester Auto Smokeless

Nominal Size: 5.6x17mm

Actual Size: 5.64x16.89mm

Case Type: Straight Rimfire

Weight: 4.25 kg per box of 100; Price: $14 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This round is basically a rimless version of the .25-35 Remington cartridge, designed for use in semiautomatic rifles, but later used in all types of rifles except single-shot and double rifles. It was introduced in 1906, but no major company has produced it since 1950, and no rifles have been chambered for it since 1942. The .25 Remington is barely adequate for medium game, but is a decent varmint cartridge. It does suffer from a range problem due to its round-nosed bullet.

Other Names: .25-30 Remington

Nominal Size: 6.5x52mm

Actual Size: 6.53x51.82mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 2.18 kg per box of 100; Price: $70 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This is a very old cartridge, developed for the original Winchester M-1892 lever-action rifle. It is basically a necked-down .32-20 Winchester round. It achieved quick popularity. It was once the most popular of varmint and small-game cartridges, until introduction of rounds like the .22 Hornet and .218 Bee. With the growing interest in the Old West and Cowboy Shooting, the .25-20 is again growing in popularity. The flat-nosed bullet, though it feeds well in lever-action rifles, has serious range limitations due to poor aerodynamics, and bullet expansion can ruin the meat of small game.

Other Names: .25-20 Winchester Centerfire

Nominal Size: 6.35x33.78mm

Actual Size: 6.53x33.78mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 14.13 kg per case of 1000; Price: $230 per case

Magazines:

Notes: The Birmingham Small Arms company introduced this proprietary round for its bolt-action rifles based on the 1914 Enfield military rifle in 1921. It was a relatively advanced design for its time, putting a relatively small bullet into a large case. The round has very high velocity, but the light bullet tends to overpenetrate and therefore is not really suitable for hunting. Today, the round is considered obsolete and though the cases are relatively easy for handloaders to make from existing cases, the bullets usually have to be custom cast.

Other Names: .26 Rimless Belted Nitro Express

Nominal Size: 6.6x60mm

Actual Size: 6.78x66.04mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 2.98 kg per box of 100; Price: $96 per box

Magazines:

Notes: Originally designed for use in the Winchester Model 65 lever-action rifle, the .218 Bee was at first hailed for its superior striking power and range to the .22 Hornet. The problem with the round is that striking power, however; when used against its intended targets (small game), it can ruin much of the meat upon a hit, especially when non-jacketed rounds are used. It can also be inaccurate, especially when handloaded or used with non-manufactured quality rounds: due to the small size of the bullet and heavy propellant load, small imperfections can have drastic results. The .218 Bee has, for the most part, been replaced by superior cartridges like the .223 Remington (5.56mm NATO) and .22-250 Remington.

Nominal Size: 5.7x35mm

Actual Size: 5.69x34.29mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 10.88 kg per case of 1000; Price: $170 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This round was introduced in 1937, but never gained any real popularity, and Winchester and Remington, the last two companies making the .219 Zipper, finally dropped manufacture of the round in 1962. The .219 Zipper is a rimmed cartridge designed primarily for lever-action rifles, but it is not an accurate round without the use of a telescopic sight, and it loses velocity fast due to the round-nosed bullet. There is some controversy as to whether Winchester ever really put in the work necessary to make the .219 Zipper a truly effective round, but this is moot now.

Nominal Size: 5.7x49mm

Actual Size: 5.69x49.28mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 1.56 kg per box of 100; Price: $50 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This cartridge was introduced in 1935 as a new chambering for the Winchester Model 54 rifle. Winchester no longer makes rifles in this chambering, but several others do, including Savage, and Ruger. The .220 Swift began as a .250-3000 Savage round necked down to .22 caliber, but final production was based on the 6mm Lee Navy cartridge. The .220 Swift round is one of the highest velocity rounds in the world, capable of as much as 1340 meters per second depending upon the bullet and propellant used. During much the .220 Swift’s early history, this high velocity tended to wear out barrels fast, but since World War 2, barrels have been getting better, and this is not much of a problem any more. The wound track of a .220 Swift can be erratic, however, and many US states will not allow the .220 Swift to be used on big game on the grounds of cruelty.

Nominal Size: 5.7x56mm

Actual Size: 5.69x55.88mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 1.78 kg per box of 100; Price: $56 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This round was designed specifically for the Remington XP-100 target pistol. It is still largely used by single-shot target pistols, but was briefly considered for the abortive "Arm Gun" submachinegun. It is basically a shortened version of the .222 Remington, and is designed to expand quickly upon impact with flesh.

Other Names: .221 Remington Fireball

Nominal Size: 5.56x31mm

Actual Size: 5.69x35.56mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 11.25 kg per case of 1000; Price $180 per case

Magazines:

Notes: The .222 Remington was originally developed in 1950 for the Remington 722 bolt-action rifle. It quickly became popular with target shooters and varmint hunters, though by the early 1990s it had lost most of that popularity to the .223 Remington (civilian version of the 5.56mm NATO) round. It is basically a scaled-down .30-06 Springfield round. In many countries where civilian use of military rounds is prohibited, the .222 Remington round often stands in for the 5.56mm NATO round in civilian rifles and civilianized military rifles.

Nominal Size: 5.56x43mm

Actual Size: 5.69x43.18mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 13.75 kg per case of 1000; Price: $220 per case

Magazines:

Notes: Now considered obsolete, the .222 Remington Magnum began as an experimental military cartridge in the mid-1950s. The US military found it unsatisfactory, but Remington marketed it for a short time as a commercial cartridge for the Model 722 and Model 700 rifles. This round also did not find favor with the shooting public, and at present, no major company makes the .222 Remington cartridge. (Most .222 Remington Magnum rounds found today are either very old or handloaded.) It should be noted that a 5.56mm NATO round can be chambered and fired in a rifle designed for .222 Remington Magnum, but the gap in headspace can result in a chamber explosion.

Nominal Size: 5.7x47mm

Actual Size: 5.69x46.99mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 1.49 kg per box of 100; Price: $48 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This cartridge was introduced in 2002 as a solution to the problem of putting Magnum power into a short-action rifle. It is a short cartridge, but it is also a very fat one; this allows the use of Magnum-levels of propellant, but keeps the round short. This produces a round with a lot of power for the size of its bullet.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This round does not exist.

Other Names: .223 WSSM

Nominal Size: 5.7x42mm

Actual Size: 5.69x42.42mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 20.25 kg per case of 1000; Price: $330 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This round was the product of a long research process, beginning with the .220 Weatherby Rocket wildcat round, progressing to the .224 Varmintmaster, and ending up with the .224 Weatherby Magnum. The main delay in introduction of the round was the lack of a suitable rifle to fire the round. It eventually ended up in a reduced-action Weatherby Mark V, but this rifle is no longer built, and the .224 Weatherby Magnum basically died with it. The .224 Weatherby Magnum is a varmint cartridge with excellent range and a case that stands up to repeated reloading, but the Weatherby Mark V was an expensive rifle and one could buy rifles chambered for rounds with comparable performance and costing much less.

Nominal Size: 5.7x49mm

Actual Size: 5.69x48.77mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 1.55 kg per box of 100; Price: $50 per box

Magazines:

Notes: The .225 Winchester was introduced in 1964. Versions of the Winchester Model 70 were chambered to fire the .225 Winchester (replacing the .220 Swift in the Winchester Model 70), but the .225 Winchester simply did not gain any real popularity in a time where the .22-250 Remington round produced nearly identical performance and was already firmly established. Only Winchester still makes this round in small amounts, but the rifle it was designed for was only on the market for 8 years. Handloaders can easily make this round by necking down a .30-30 Winchester case to the dimensions of the .225 Winchester bullet and shortening it somewhat.

Nominal Size: 5.7x49mm

Actual Size: 5.69x49.02mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 1.56 kg per box of 100; Price: $50 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This cartridge was added to Weatherby’s ammunition line to provide a 6mm-range cartridge and round out the line. It uses a belted case, a rarity these days, and is fired only from the Weatherby Mark V rifle or custom rifles. It is a fast round with excellent striking power. The ammunition, however, is difficult to find and is hard to handload.

Nominal Size: 6x64mm

Actual Size: 6.17x63.5mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 2.38 kg per box of 100; Price: $76 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This round was developed in 1955 by Winchester for their M-70 and M-88 rifles. The popularity of the new round quickly took off and a large number of companies began chambering rifles for it, and it is now chambered for more rifles than any other with the exception of the .30-06 Springfield round. The round can be used for anything from varmints to medium game such as deer and antelopes. The .243 Winchester does, however, have a reputation for erratic performance, especially when handloaded.

Nominal Size: 6.17x52mm

Actual Size: 6.17x52.07mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 19.5 kg per case of 1000; Price: $310 per case

Magazines:

Notes: Like the .223 Winchester Super Short Magnum, this round was designed to solve the problem of putting Magnum loads into rifles with short actions. It was introduced in 2002, and brings a new level of accuracy and range to the .243 Winchester round. It was designed for long-range varmint hunting, but has enough power to bring down much larger game.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This round does not exist.

Other Names: .243 WSSM

Nominal Size: 6x42mm

Actual Size: 6.17x42.42mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 23.82 kg per case of 1000; Price: $375 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This was designed as a high-velocity round for the Model 99 lever-action rifle. It was introduced in 1915, and at that time, the 3000 feet per second velocity was truly phenomenal. The cartridge is known for its flat trajectory, outstanding accuracy, and stopping power. Though it has since been largely replaced by newer rounds, many maintain that the .250 Savage is superior to most of the rounds in its size that came later.

Other Names: .250-3000 Savage

Nominal Size: 6.35x49mm

Actual Size: 6.53x48.51mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 20.25 kg per case of 1000; Price: $320 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This round was designed by Charles Newton for use in his bolt-action rifle line. It was introduced in 1913, manufactured by Western Cartridge for Newton, but the cartridge failed when his company did, and by 1938, the .256 Newton was no longer being manufactured. The .256 Newton is based on a necked-down .30-06 case, and can be easily handloaded, if you can find a rifle to shoot it out of. Today, the .256 Newton is largely a wildcat round, with a few custom rifles chambered for it. It is adequate for small and medium game, but cannot match most modern cartridges in the same size range.

Other Names: 6.5mm Newton

Nominal Size: 6.5x62mm

Actual Size: 6.71x62mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 2.74 kg per box of 100; Price: $88 per box

Magazines:

Notes: Though this was announced as a handgun cartridge, it was used only in one handgun, a single-shot Ruger Hawkeye in 1961. It was thereafter used as a rifle cartridge, but not many weapons actually use the round. The .256 Winchester Magnum is actually a necked-down .357 Magnum round. It is far more effective than most rounds of its size, but it was nonetheless discontinued in the early 1990s by Winchester.

Nominal Size: 6.5x33mm

Actual Size: 6.53x33.02mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 13.88 kg per case of 1000; Price: $220 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This cartridge was introduced by Remington in its Model 30 bolt-action rifle. It was quickly picked up by Winchester and several other companies for their rifles. Though as of late most US manufacturers have ceased making rifles for it, Ruger continues to chamber the Model 77 for the .257 Roberts. It is basically a necked-down 7mm Mauser cartridge. The .257 Roberts is praised for being useful for anything from varminting to medium game hunting; it has even been known to take down the occasional bear. Most manufacturers tend to under-load the .257 Roberts, however, and this limits its velocity at longer ranges.

Nominal Size: 6.5x57mm

Actual Size: 6.53x56.64mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 23.75 kg per case of 1000; Price $380 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This round was one of the first designed by Roy Weatherby, designed in 1944 (a year before he went into the firearms business). He began manufacturing the round commercially in 1948. It is especially useful for long-range varmint hunting, but also has the power to bring down most North American big game, up to animals the size of an antelope or black bear. However, successful hunting of larger animals with the .257 Weatherby Magnum generally requires heavier bullets, which can lead to premature barrel wear. The .257 Weatherby Magnum also loses velocity quickly when fired from barrels shorter than 26 inches (660mm).

Nominal Size: 6.5x65mm

Actual Size: 6.53x64.77mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 2.71 kg per box of 100; Price: $86 per box

Magazines:

Notes: Introduced by Winchester in 1958, the .264 Winchester Magnum is basically a smaller version of the .458 Winchester Magnum round. It was the first North American 6.5mm round manufactured since 1913. The .264 Winchester Magnum is not a common chambering, however, and is only found in a few rifles, such as the Winchester M-70, Remington 700, and Ruger M-77. The .264 Winchester Magnum is a fast, powerful round, but the rifling twist rate recommended by Winchester is not fast enough to stabilize bullets of more than 140 grains weight, so most rounds of this chambering are lighter. The .264 Winchester can also be very hard on a barrel, like most high-velocity rounds, and does not work well in shorter barrels.

Other Names: 6.5mm Winchester Magnum

Nominal Size: 6.5x64mm

Actual Size: 6.71x64.01mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 28.25 kg per case of 1000; Price: $450 per case

Magazines:

Notes: Though many think that the .270 Weatherby Magnum was developed from the .300 Weatherby Magnum, it was actually the .270 that came first, in 1943. It is based on a necked-down .300 H&H Magnum case. The .270 Weatherby Magnum simply did not become well-known until after the .300 Weatherby Magnum. The .270 Weatherby Magnum is useful against both North American and African big game. However, like all high-velocity cartridges, it can be hard on the barrel, and time should be given for barrel cooling after several shots.

Nominal Size: 7x65mm

Actual Size: 7.04x64.77mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 3.15 kg per box of 100; Price: $100 per box

Magazines:

Notes: Introduced in 1925 for the Model 54 bolt-action rifle, the .270 Winchester quickly became wildly popular. The .270 Winchester is basically a .30-06 Springfield case necked down to a smaller bullet. It remains one of the most popular civilian rounds in the world. The .270 Winchester is known for a combination of range and stopping power, and can be even be used for varmint hunting when loaded with a light bullet. One criticism of the round is that the gunshots produced are very loud, scaring game for follow-up shots or shots at second targets.

Nominal Size: 6.9x64mm

Actual Size: 7.04x64.52mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 31.38 kg per case of 1000; Price: $500 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This round was introduced in 2001 to provide Magnum performance in a short action rifle. It is basically a smaller version of the .300 Winchester Short Magnum (in fact, it is a .300 Winchester Short Magnum necked down to .277 caliber). It is a short, fat case containing Magnum levels of propellant, with excellent striking power and range.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This round does not exist.

Other Names: .270 WSM

Nominal Size: 6.9x53mm

Actual Size: 7.04x53.34mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 32.5 kg per case of 1000; Price: $525 per case

Magazines:

Notes: This was an experimental round designed for the post-World War 2 British service rifle competition. Work began on the round shortly after the end of World War 2 in 1945, and continued until 1951. The .280 British round is a very good round, with excellent range and ballistic properties and good damaging and armor-penetrating properties. The leading rifle developed for it, the EM-2, was also a sound design. However, the round and rifles developed for it (there was even a version of the FAL experimentally chambered for the .280 British), were eventually rejected due to political pressure from the United states, who wanted a common round for all NATO rifles and light machineguns, and decided that the 7.62x51mm round was the only acceptable round for the purpose (at the time). This round is virtually unknown these days, as are the weapons that fire it.

Nominal Size: 7x43mm

Actual Size: 7.19x43.43mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 2.2 kg per box of 100; Price: $70 per box

Magazines:

Notes: This round was introduced in 1957. Sales of the round and the rifles chambered for it did not take off as well as expected, and in 1979 Remington changed the name to something it hoped was more catchy – 7mm Express Remington. This name change only confused consumers, and Remington went back to the .280 Remington name in 1980. The .280 Remington is a necked down .30-06 with some other changes in the brass, very similar to the wildcat 7mm-06 round. The .280 Remington is a bit more powerful than the .270 Winchester, and a little more versatile, but not as popular.

Other Names: 7mm Express Remington

Nominal Size: 7x65mm

Actual Size: 7.21x64.52mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 32.88 kg per case of 1000; Price: $530

Magazines:

Notes: This round was introduced in 1963 by Winchester for its Model 88 and Model 100 rifles, both of which were discontinued long ago. For a short time, Savage and Browning also offered rifles in this chambering, but they too have been discontinued. No major ammunition manufacturers now make the .284 Winchester round. The .284 Winchester basically duplicates the ballistics of the .280 Remington round in a shorter cartridge, and has decent range and striking power.

Nominal Size: 7x55mm

Actual Size: 7.21x55.12mm

Case Type: Necked

Weight: 2.81 kg per box of 100; Price: $90 per case

Magazines: