Most Powerful Handgun Cartridge | Rifle Cartridge Chart | Rifle Cartridges
Rifle and handgun cartridges
There are many different designs, sizes, and weights of bullets used in rifles and handgun cartridges.
- For rifles and handguns, selecting the correct cartridge is crucial. Examine the barrel stamp on the firearm carefully against the description on the ammunition box and the seal on each cartridge.
- There are several types of bullets, including lead bullets, copper bullets, brass bullets, and others.
- When a hunting bullet hits a target, the soft or hollow point expands (mushrooms).
- The points of target shooting bullets are usually solid and make small holes in the target.
The most common types of rifle bullets
- Pointed Soft Point: Very high velocity, accurate shots with excellent mushrooming properties
- Rounded Soft Point: Recommended for tubular magazines and low-velocity calibers
- Protected Tip: Genuine and expands well
- Full Metal Jacket: Fully penetrates without mushrooming; these bullets are illegal for big game hunting in most states
Most Powerful Handgun Cartridge
- Roundnose Lead: Penetration is good. Expansion is limited
- Full Metal Jacket: Excellent penetration and no expansion
- Semi-Wad Cutter: Achieves a balance between penetration and expansion
- Hollowpoint: Designed to expand rapidly on impact
- Wad Cutter: Creates clean holes in paper, used for target shooting
Hunter’s Tip
The bullet tips of one cartridge rest directly on the primes of the cartridges immediately ahead in tubular magazines. Tube magazines should only be used with rounded or blunt ends.
