Information about cartridges for shotguns

What are the calibers of hunting rifles?

When talking about shotguns, we usually say: “12-gauge, 16-gauge, 20-gauge, 28-gauge, or 32-gauge shotgun.” At the same time, we know for sure that a 28-caliber shotgun has a thinner bore than a 12-gauge shotgun. It is clear that these numbers are not units of length. The caliber rating (4-gauge, 8-gauge, 10-gauge, 12-gauge, etc.) corresponds to the number of round bullets cast from an English pound of lead.

The nomenclature of rifled weapons is no simpler. The famous Russian Mosin rifle is called a three-line rifle, and the caliber of the Simonov self-loading carbine is indicated in millimeters - 7.62, with completely identical barrel bore diameters.

Shotgun calibers

Let's try to figure it out first with smooth-bore weapons. Now in Russia they produce guns of only five named calibers.

But earlier, in addition to them, guns of 4, 8, 10 and 24 calibers were produced. The numbers denoting these calibers correspond to the whole number of round bullets produced from one English (trade) pound of lead (453.6 g).

This definition allows us to create a simple but useful equation: K x M = 453.6 g, where K is the caliber of the barrel, M is the mass of a round bullet having a diameter equal to the diameter of the bore.

This equation makes it possible to calculate three important parameters:

• The mass of a round bullet of any caliber is obtained by dividing 453.6 g by caliber;
• If we substitute the mass of the bullet, expressed in terms of the volume of the ball and the density of lead (11.34 g/cm3), it is easy to calculate the barrel diameter (in mm) for any caliber. It is equal to 42.5/(cube root of caliber). The caliber can be determined if the bore diameter is known;
• The caliber is equal to the third power of the ratio 42.5 / (barrel bore diameter in mm).

History of calibers

At the beginning of the last century, all integer calibers (4, 5, 6, 7, and so on up to 36) were in use. It seems very strange that such an irrational designation of calibers has survived to this day.

After all, designations of calibers in linear units, especially decimal ones, would be incomparably simpler and clearer. However, our general inertia is very great.

At the beginning of the 19th century, Napoleon Bonaparte tried to introduce a definition of calibers in terms of the number of bullets along the diameter of the barrel, which is obtained not from a pound, but from a kilogram of lead. French guns of that period occasionally show traces of that reform. A 12-gauge shotgun was designated 40 in Napoleonic style.

Shotgun bore profile

From the breech there is a chamber - a socket for a cartridge. The chamber begins with a groove under the rim of the sleeve. Its total depth for a 12-gauge shotgun is 1.9 mm. The first half is a cylinder with a diameter of 22.5 mm, the second is a cone with an apex angle of about 80 degrees.

This groove under the rim of the cartridge case not only positions the bottom of the cartridge case in the plane of the breech cut of the barrels, but also, with the help of a cone, centers it in the chamber. The chamber is a truncated cone, expanding towards the breech by 0.3 mm. This is necessary for free removal of the spent cartridge case.

The length of the chamber must match the length of the cartridge case. Longer cartridges lead to unacceptably high pressures of powder gases in the barrel when fired; cartridges that are shorter than the chamber lead to uneven pellet and sharpness and, in addition, ruin the chambers.

Shells for shotguns

Our industry produces guns for cartridges with lengths of 70 and 76.2 mm. These dimensions are based on the inch system. In the world, chambers are made from 51 to 89 mm long. A generally accepted standard requires that the length of the cartridge case in the unwound state be marked on the finished cartridge.

In addition, when indicating the caliber of a smooth-bore weapon, the length of the cartridge case is written through a slash. For example. 12/70 or 20/76.

Some hunters have a misconception that in order to easily remove metal cartridges from the chamber, they must almost dangle in it.

In fact, the brass sleeve in the chamber must fit tightly so that when fired, its deformation does not exceed the elastic limit. If a loose chamber allows the case to reach the limits of plastic, irreversible deformation, it will be very difficult to remove it.

In order for a gun to be able to fire using cartridges of different designs (with different wall thicknesses), a transition cone or projectile entrance follows the chamber.

Cases made from different materials have different internal diameters of the barrels, which differ from the diameter of the barrel bore. The purpose of the transition cone is to prevent the breakthrough of powder gases either into the shot charge or into the gap between the chamber and the sleeve when the projectile passes from the chamber to the barrel.

To prevent such a breakthrough, it is necessary that the height of the felt wad be at least one and a half times greater than the length of the transition cone. Its profile varies, but the length rarely exceeds 10 mm. Behind the transition cone the actual barrel channel begins, which continues to the muzzle device.

In rare cases when it is not present, the channel continues to the muzzle without a significant change in diameter. Thus, the caliber in a smoothbore gun is the internal diameter of the barrel from the projectile entrance to the muzzle device.

Practical difficulties

Now in theory everything seems certain, but in practice there are a couple of complications. Each company has its own tool sizes and equipment for processing barrel bores of each caliber. Even in our country of complete standardization, the Tula Arms Plant produces 12-gauge shotguns with a bore diameter of 18.5-18.7 mm, and the mechanical plant in Izhevsk produces 18.2-18.45 mm.

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 period rather than a comma, the decimal separator adopted in Russia): caliber .45
,
caliber .450
;
colloquially: 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; in the designation, the length of the sleeve is added 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, auto
;
nine by seventeen
. This state of affairs is due to the fact that almost every arms company has its own patented cartridges of 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)[2],
• 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. Small arms are designed to fire bullets, and artillery systems fire projectiles. 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, repeatedly modernized, served until 1985, when the US armed forces switched to 9 mm for the Beretta 92, and 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, SVD sniper rifle;
• .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).

Small caliber smooth bore

photo by Mukhamedshin Rafael
But it was not always like this. In the USSR, oddly enough, the 16 gauge was very popular. And a lot of weapons were produced in this particular caliber. Suffice it to recall the cheapest double-barreled shotgun in the USSR - TOZ BM-16. Yes, and the predecessor TOZ B, although it was produced in 12 and 20 calibers, was mainly 16 gauge. But small calibers, such as 28 and 32, were also quite common.

The fact is that in the post-war period there were a lot of weapons converted from military weapons. These were Mosin rifles. The simplest modification was to drill out the combat barrel to 28 or 32 caliber. And conversions from Berdan rifles were still available. A novice hunter acquired such a weapon and began to hunt. Weapons were inexpensive and available. We made the cartridges ourselves.

Why did I bring up this question? I have two sons growing up. The eldest is already 16, but he is not very interested in hunting, but the youngest wants to become a hunter. He's only 13, but who said it's too early for him to become a hunter? Yes, our law allows you to hunt and own weapons only from the age of 18, but this is stupidity! Look at the USA. The number of child hunters there is growing.

Moreover, for example, in the state of Tennessee, on October 20 and 30, only young hunters aged 6 (!) to 16 years old, accompanied by an adult, can hunt white-tailed deer. The same rules apply in many other US states. For example, in Michigan, the age limit for child hunters (previously 10 years old) was repealed last year. The only condition is that you must be accompanied by an adult over 21 years of age.

Why can't we pass similar laws? What’s wrong with standing with my son on a woodcock draft, sitting with a spring decoy in a hut, or standing at the evening migration of ducks? Is it really better that our children sit in front of computers and play all sorts of “shooting games”?! Our legislators are very reminiscent of Dementy Varlamovich Brudasty, the mayor of the city of Glupov, perfectly described by Saltykov-Shchedrin, who could only utter two words - “I will not tolerate it!” and “I’ll screw it up!”

And as Mikhail Evgrafovich correctly noted: “They all flog the townsfolk, but the first flog them absolutely, the second explain the reasons for their management by the requirements of civilization, the third want the townsfolk to rely on their courage in everything.

Such a variety of events, of course, could not help but influence the innermost structure of philistine life; in the first case, the inhabitants trembled unconsciously, in the second, they trembled with the consciousness of their own benefit, in the third, they rose to the awe of full trust.” (“The History of a City”).

Well, how the Russian satirist looked into the water more than 100 years ago! All our deputies can do is tighten, prohibit, limit, increase fines, etc., and the main official approves all this.

Yes, the topic of children hunting has been repeatedly raised on the pages of ROG, but no one cares about it. But that's not what I'm talking about. The severity of Russian laws is made up for by the fact that they are not strictly enforced. Now I would like to say a few words about something else.

“The child must be within arm's length of his mentor, and the mentor must select the correct weapon for the child based on the child's physical parameters and safety considerations. Surely no one would give a child a 12-shot shotgun,” says Denis Fox of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. It is precisely weapons that I would like to talk about.

I wondered, what kind of weapon can my son hunt with? It is clear that 12, 16 or even 20 gauge will not work - the recoil is too great. 24-caliber shotguns have not been produced for a long time. That leaves 28, 32 and .410 calibers. The optimal one, in my opinion, is the 28 gauge. The shot charge in a 28-caliber cartridge is 18–22 g. This is quite enough for hunting game birds. But for a teenager, the main thing is the weight of the weapon.

It is clear that a gun weighing more than 3 kg is not suitable. A 28-gauge shotgun should weigh 2.5–2.7 kg maximum. And this is a double-barreled shotgun. And if we turn to the domestic guns currently being produced, we will not find such weapons. Yes, on the IzhMech website there is an MP-27 “JUNIOR”. It is available in 20, 28 and .410 gauges. The stated weight is 3 kg or less.

But where to buy it? I haven't seen this in stores. There is also a single-barrel MP-18 “JUNIOR”, but in 20 and .410 calibers. The JUNIOR models, according to the company, are distinguished by lighter weight, a shorter butt and the presence of a rubber shock absorber. Of course, I would like to start my son’s education with the “classics”, i.e. from horizontal. You can look for something used, fortunately, the 28 caliber was not so rare at one time, because... used by fur traders. As they say, we will look...

Strange as it may seem, in America, the market to which our IzhMekh and not only it is targeted, the 28-caliber is very popular. You can find both guns and ammunition there. We don’t have any of this. Although there is interest in small calibers. The problem is with our manufacturers: they are very inert. And how they study demand is unclear. For example, I found out at the latest “Weapons and Hunting” exhibition that supposedly weapons based on the AK-47 and AKM chambered for 22LR are not in demand.

At the same time, on the Internet “Saiga-22” performed by “Legion” is offered from 20,000 to 25,000 rubles, and there are people interested. And if “Saiga” or “Vepr” in the store cost 10,000–15,000 rubles, then there would be more buyers. Weapons chambered for 9.3X53R. Again, they say there is no demand. Who checked this demand and how? For example, in 2010, more than 30 people came to the stand of VPO MOLOT at the same exhibition with a question about weapons chambered for this cartridge.

And there is no demand?! And then, in “normal” countries they do not wait for demand, but create it. How? A classic example from the nineteenth century. First, weapons of one caliber and ammunition for it were delivered to remote areas, then of another caliber with cartridges that did not fit the previous batch of weapons. But this is rude, of course. Now there is a lot of media.

It is enough to place several articles about a particular weapon, caliber, cartridge, etc. in several of them. You can call journalists and test weapons or ammunition. This technique is used by the Research Institute of Chemical Products when promoting its products. And at other weapons enterprises, what do marketers get paid for? And considerable ones.

Again, where is the gun lobby? Why don’t people push for liberalization of weapons laws in the same State Duma? After all, just one idiotic limitation on the amount of “trauma” with two barrels for citizens caused huge losses to both traders and the permission to hunt for children?

In the state of Michigan, it is clear why officials are concerned about allowing children to hunt: in the United States there is a general decline in the number of hunters, and from the sale of licenses money goes both for the same officials and for the reproduction of game.

Officials are interested in increasing the number of hunters. “This is a common situation in other states, but we want to make sure we do everything we can to reverse this trend because selling hunting and fishing licenses allows us to maintain the state's natural resource base,” Michigan Secretary of Natural Resources Denis said. Fox.

Our officials eat from a different trough. They don’t care how many hunters there are in the country and how much profit the hunting industry brings. This is where the reason for all the troubles of modern hunting lies.

Igor Suslov January 18, 2013 at 00:00

2.4.7. Loading 28 and 32 caliber cartridges

2.4.7. Loading 28 and 32 caliber cartridges

Our industry does not produce factory cartridges for these calibers, and hunters use home-made cartridges in a metal case.
The range of factory bullets is also limited to “Vyatka” and “Sputnik” (round) bullets. They do not satisfy all hunters, and many prefer to make bullets themselves. When loading small-caliber cartridges, hunters should not forget one important circumstance: the ratio of gunpowder charges and shot shells in small calibers is different than in large ones. In 12- and 16-gauge shotguns, Sokol smokeless powder is used approximately 15 times less than shot; for shotguns of 28 and 32 calibers this ratio is not suitable. Normal speeds are already obtained with a ratio of 19/1 - 20/1 and with the Zhevelo capsule. With the “Central Shot” capsule, you need to take more gunpowder, and the ratio will be different: 17/1 or 18/1.

There is no data on shooting small-caliber cartridges with Bars, Sunar, or VUSD gunpowders.

When loading 28- and 32-caliber cartridges with black powder, the loads should be looked for by sighting within the following limits: in the summer - seven times, and in the winter - 6 times less than the shot loads.

Shooting bullets is advisable only from 28-caliber guns, and most hunters use the serial TOZ-34-28 gun for bullet shooting, developed on the basis of the basic TOZ-34 model and having the same block as a 12-gauge gun. Therefore, as confirmed by the head of the TOZ design bureau V. Mironov (OiOKh, No. 9, 1984), TOZ-34-28 has a certain safety margin that ensures reliable operation when using cartridges with reinforced powder charges and developing pressure higher than normal operating pressure (690 kgf/cm ?) by 30%. Taking advantage of this, many hunters, when loading bullet and shot cartridges for the TOZ-34-28, use charges and shells as for Magnum-type weapons. Therefore, when using the recommendations, you should remember:

1 - what is suitable for the TOZ-34-28 is not universal; strong cartridges that can be used in this gun cannot in any case be used in ordinary guns of the same caliber. In ordinary small-caliber guns, one should not deviate from the recommended masses of projectiles and charges - respectively, shot (bullets) 19-24 g and 1.3-1.4 g of Sokol gunpowder for 28 caliber and shot (bullet) 14-22 gi 0.95–1.1 g of “Falcon” gunpowder for 32 caliber;

2 - cartridges with reinforced charges for TOZ-34-28 should be used only if necessary, when shooting at extreme distances (35–40 m). When shooting at a closer distance, you need to shoot either with normal shot shells (20–24 g) or - at squirrel, hazel grouse, quail - even reduced ones (10-14 g). If you constantly use cartridges with pressures of about 900 kgf/cm?, then the gun will fail much earlier than expected.

Varieties and calibers

In practice, rifles of 5.6 mm caliber are called small rifles; in our country, they include samples of 6.5 mm calibers, and sometimes 7.2 mm rifles.

Small calibers

The following types of calibers exist:

• The following type of cartridge is common - .22LR (Long Riffle - means “long rifle”). It is a variation of the 5.6 caliber, rimfire bullet. Designers from Austria and Germany call it differently - .22lfB. The length of the projectile is 24.77 millimeters, the size of the cartridge case is 15.1 millimeters. A small-caliber gun used in hunting - most often a gun adapted to fire .22LR. A similar cartridge inserted into the unit helps ensure greater accuracy and accuracy of shots. Therefore, weapons are preferred by professional and amateur hunters, as well as people involved in sports shooting.
• The .22 WMR ammunition is essentially a variation of the .22LR, but the projectile is large and comes with bullets of the same diameter. A cartridge case with thick walls, the volume is larger than the previous type, and can withstand a high degree of pressure when fired. The projectile has 1.5 times more powder than a .22LR. However, it cannot be used when fired from a gun designed for 5.6 caliber bullets. With such ammunition it is possible to catch animals of various sizes - from small rodents to wolves.
• The .17HMR (.17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire) cartridge was created using a .22WMR cartridge case and the barrel was reduced to 4.37 millimeters. The bullet in the new projectile has the same powder charge as the .22 WMR cartridge. However, it has less mass, so it flies faster. The cartridge has a “bottle” case and is equipped with a bullet weighing 1.1 grams. The initial flight speed is 780 meters per second. The cartridge is characterized by a flat trajectory and a high degree of accuracy. For the last parameter, the ammunition was equipped with a plastic spout. Therefore, even without this, a light bullet has become lighter in mass; this has a bad effect on energy at a distance of more than two hundred meters. Speed ​​and energy drop after flying over 150 meters.

When choosing the appropriate caliber for cartridges, consider the following: when hunting in the forest, use .22LR; when hunting in open areas, .22WMR and .17HMR are suitable.

Varieties of small things

Small-caliber rifles are either smooth-bore or rifled. The choice depends on the purpose of the hunt and the experience of the hunter. When considering a small caliber gun, we mean a rifled rifle. At the same time, there is room for activity for smoothbore guns. They have several disadvantages - not as strong power, shorter shot distance and shooting accuracy. Therefore, you can use them to hunt either small animals or birds at short distances.

The main advantage of smooth-bore small guns is that they are easily accessible to every hunter, even if he is a beginner and has just begun to learn hunting skills. And in order to purchase a rifle, you need to get five years of experience as a hunter.

In addition, small things are divided into types, depending on the design. The following varieties exist:

• Breaking multi-barreled shotguns are a standard example of a small-caliber rifle. Most beginners begin their hunting journey with such a gun. Sometimes professionals buy similar smoothbore rifles. For such guns, the barrel mount can be vertical or horizontal. The first option is more desirable; it makes the weapon shoot more accurately.
• Bolt-action or bolt-action rifles. This type of small-caliber rifle is distinguished by its simplicity and reliability. Their mechanism uses low-power ammunition. Special lugs used for locking purposes have been replaced by a stem stop in the charging handle. Rifles are often equipped with a simplified bolt action. They are cheaper than semi-automatic shotguns. When using them, the spent cartridge case is released manually. Reloading is also done manually. Therefore, shooting is not carried out at such a fast pace as in the case of using semi-automatic weapons. To reload, you need to remove your hand from the trigger, otherwise the sight will be knocked off.
• Semi-automatic machines have the following advantage: you can fire them several times in a row without doing anything extra. You can also fire a second volley without removing your finger from the trigger. At the same time, the aim does not go astray. This is convenient if you are hunting a large and ferocious predator. Another thing is that when using a small caliber, this circumstance is not relevant. Nevertheless, this is a necessary property for a large number of people, mainly for hunters who are not confident in the quality of their shooting. For them, such a weapon will be an excellent choice of small-caliber. The disadvantages of semi-automatic weapons are low shot accuracy, complex design, insufficient reliability of the rifle, and high weight of the weapon. Such small things require constant careful care; the weapon must be checked for readiness and constantly cleaned. You need to take only reliable cartridges, since it is sensitive to their quality.

Lancaster Trunks

According to the current GOST for small arms and the current legislation on weapons, the Lancaster oval-screw drill is a smooth-bore type of weapon. The law and the ballistic characteristics of cartridges allow the use of barrels of this design without the owner having 5 years of hunting experience. These barrels can be used for hunting large and medium game.

This caliber includes the following types of hand-loading shotguns:

• VPO-220 rifles,
• VPO-223 Taiga,
• KO-44 Mosin rifle,
• K98 rifle, made on the basis of the Mauser carbine.

Semi-automatic models of hunting rifles are also known with this caliber and type of barrel:

• carbine Vepr VPO-221 and VPO-222,
• TG-3 "Tiger", created on the basis of the SVD;
• single-barrel fitting TK-518.

The bullet diameter for this caliber is 10.3 mm. When entering an oval-helical barrel, the size of the bullet can shrink to 9.6 mm, acquiring torque as it passes through the barrel of the gun.

Information about cartridges for shotguns

On the shelves of any more or less efficient gun store, cartridges for smooth-bore weapons are always presented in a significant assortment. Of course, smooth-bore weapons are more common among citizens, and especially hunters, than any other. Shooting from a “smooth” is comfortable, simple and interesting, especially at clay pigeons. By the way, this is why sporting and hunting cartridges occupy the lion’s share of production and sales among all other types of smoothbore cartridges. And these types are a carriage and a small cart. Let's go through them briefly.

So, all cartridges for smooth-bore weapons can be divided into hunting and special. The second category includes signal cartridges, non-lethal ammunition for self-defense and such special police needs as the relatively safe destruction of door locks, car tires, electrical wiring and other things for others. All these special ammunition are of rather narrow interest, and we will not consider them here, but rather let’s talk about hunting cartridges.

There are three main types of them - slug cartridges, shot cartridges and buckshot cartridges. Buckshot is a charge of round bullets with a diameter usually from 5.6 to 8.5 millimeters. A shot with buckshot is qualitatively different from a shot with shot; its parameters strongly depend on the method of placing the buckshot in the cartridge, and when using buckshot without a plastic container, also on matching the diameter of the buckshot with the muzzle of the gun. However, the use of buckshot in hunting is very limited. In fact, buckshot is widely used only when hunting wolves and roe deer. Shooting buckshot at wild boars at distances further than 30 meters too often leads to wounded wounds; on beavers, buckshot is excessive; on lynx, too; shooting geese with buckshot is, in general, a topic more likely for psychiatric research J. In general, buckshot cartridges today are used much less frequently than bullet cartridges and shot brothers. To which, then, we move on.

Bullet hunting cartridges are used for hunting medium and large animals - wild boars of all sizes, elk, deer. In terms of safety, bullet cartridges are definitely preferable to buckshot cartridges for any collective hunts (except for wolf hunting - it has its own specifics). Currently, the range of bullet cartridges is very wide and is represented not only by Russian ones, SKM cartridges, but also by numerous foreign ones (Duplex cartridges, Rottweil, Italian RC cartridges, Bornaghi and others). Using a bullet in a smooth barrel requires zeroing. You just need to know where, at what distance, bullets of a specific design in a cartridge from a specific manufacturer will fly from your barrel. Indeed, depending on the dynamics of the acceleration of the bullet in the barrel, the weight of the bullet and the geometry of the barrel itself, the throwing angle - the angle between the geometric axis of the barrel and the direction of departure of the bullet from it - can change significantly. As a result, the MTP (average point of impact) for different cartridges with different types of bullets, even at 35 meters, can vary by more than 30-40 centimeters. In hunting, this is a pure miss.

Shot cartridges are much less susceptible to this effect. Although before the hunt it’s a good idea to fire a couple of shots with them to calm yourself down, especially if the cartridge is new to you. The variety of shot cartridges is impressive; 12-gauge hunting cartridges are especially well represented, but everything is simple here - 12-gauge is the most common today, and all manufacturers focus primarily on it. However, the whole variety of shot cartridges can be fairly confidently divided into hunting and sporting. And the point here is not only that the latter have smaller fractions - 24-28 grams for 12 gauge. Sports cartridges are subject to special requirements for the quality of components and assembly. They most often use high-hardness shot, which significantly improves the parameters of the shot. As a result, despite the fact that sporting cartridges are loaded with shot numbers 7, 7.5, 8 and 9, they perform excellently on many hunts. Sporting cartridges do an excellent job not only when shooting small birds (from woodcock to woodcock), but also wood pigeons, partridges, black grouse and pheasants, and even most species of ducks, including in late autumn. And these results are quite at odds with the tables of correspondence of shot numbers to shooting distances and types of game, generally accepted in Soviet literature. There is no need to be surprised here - those tables were compiled when there were no polyethylene wad containers, no modern gunpowder, no modern shot casting installations. In terms of their capabilities, cartridges for smoothbore guns have stepped far forward since those tables.

As for hunting shotgun cartridges, most of them in 12 gauge have shot weights from 32 to 36 grams, and magnum cartridges - from 42 to 56 grams. Most hunters adhere to the following division - they distinguish between container and non-container cartridges. It is believed that in the former, the shot flies almost like a bullet, and they can only be shot at medium and long distances. This is wrong. In fact, the scree of any container cartridge with shot number 5 when shooting from the narrowing of the “half-shots” at a distance of 10 meters has a diameter of about 12 centimeters, approximately the same... as the scree of a non-container J cartridge. However, at distances of 20, 30 and further meters the scree a cartridge without a container will still be wider than the scree of a cartridge with a container - by 8-10 percent, no more. So what is the difference and meaning? And the difference most often (with good, high-quality cartridges) is observed in the uniformity of the scree. A cartridge with a container will have a thickening of the scree towards the center, which allows, with proper shooting skills, to hit game at longer distances. But cartridges without a container will not have such thickening, but on the contrary, there will be slightly better uniformity throughout the entire field of scree. In practice, this means that with a containerless cartridge, an average shooter in terms of skill will have fewer wounded wounds at medium and close distances - hits even with the edge of a scree will more often produce a cleanly broken trophy. Prices for cartridges in the online store>

The “dispersant” cartridges stand out especially for short-range shooting – from under a pointing dog, a woodcock on a pull, or a duck in the thick twilight. Such cartridges are most often loaded with shot numbers from 7 to 10 with special wad containers or inserts in the shot shell, scattering the shot immediately as it exits the barrel. The undoubted advantage of industrial “dispersant” cartridges is that the width of their scree practically does not depend on the size of the muzzle constriction; they work equally stably in both “legging” guns and the so-called “cage” guns, with strong chokes and compact firing.

In addition to the above, there is also a division of shot cartridges by type of game. Moreover, there are entire lines of cartridges (Vetter cartridges, for example), where the type of game is listed directly in the name on the packaging. But, despite the variety of objects of feathered and furry hunting fauna, shotgun cartridges for hunting them can be divided into three types. The first is cartridges for hunting small game: field, meadow, marsh, as well as partridges, pigeons and teal. They are equipped with shot numbers from 10 to 7 and have weights from 20 to 32 grams for 12 gauge. Cartridges with shot number 6 are also more likely to be cartridges for hunting small things, although they quite successfully catch not only partridge, but also mallard duck and pheasant throughout the hunting season.

The second type is cartridges for duck hunting (medium game). These are cartridges with 5, 4 and 3 shot and 32-36 gram weights for 12 gauge. In addition to all types of ducks, such cartridges are effective against black grouse, as well as hare and fox at distances of up to 35 meters. However, with a “five” at 20-30 meters, if you hit the center of the scree, you are guaranteed to get both a capercaillie and even a greylag goose. The main thing to remember is that 30 meters is when such a large bird has not only its paws and beak visible, but also the details of the coloring of its plumage. Although, if you specifically hunt large game birds, then it is better to use appropriate ammunition - let’s call them “cartridges for goose hunting.” These are cartridges with shot numbers 2, 1 and 0 with weights from 32 to 38 grams for 12 gauge. They are effective for shooting geese, wood grouse, and hares at all distances at which you are, in principle, able to hit a fast-moving object with the center of the shot.

However, many hunters still believe that to shoot geese you need to take a shot of 00, or better yet 000 (if you don’t have 0000 J). In fact, cartridges with such large shot have a very narrow range of application. Oddly enough, they are often used for sports, namely practical shooting - where large shot copes with popper-type targets more confidently. But when it comes to bird hunting, the effectiveness of such a large shot is low. At medium and close distances, the energy of the pellets is excessive, and the shot spoils the trophy, and at distances of 40+ meters, too few pellets hit the target (there are only a few of them in the cartridge), which leads to wounded wounds. But for European roe deer at distances of up to 50 meters, shot 00, 000 or 0000 is very good, the main thing is to choose a cartridge that will give a stable, compact and uniform fire on your gun. Assortment of cartridges in the online store "Hunter">

There are never too many lines: choose the right caliber

PHOTO: MANUFACTURER
Line - 0.1 inches or 2.54 mm. The widely known tri-line is nothing more than a 0.3 inch or 7.62 mm caliber rifle. By analogy, 5.56 mm is a two-ruler, and 12.7 mm is a five-ruler.

Indeed, at the dawn of the advent of rifled small arms, no one was puzzled by what size the bore should be to achieve maximum efficiency, and it was made in multiples of tenths of an inch.

The next stage in the evolution of rifle cartridges can be called the emergence of magnum calibers with high-energy powders.

The design concept of bullets and their diameters remained approximately the same, but the speeds increased, allowing them to hit targets at greater distances.

As time passed, mathematical mechanisms for calculating bullet ballistics appeared, and it turned out that bullets with a diameter of 5.56 mm or 7.62 mm are far from optimal in terms of ballistics and, accordingly, the energy that they can deliver to the target.

For example, today bullets with a diameter of 6.5 mm with a similar weight bring 1.5 times more energy to the target than their 7.62 mm counterparts.

Why is energy so important, and not the diameter of the bullet? To answer this question we need to turn to history.

Before the advent of bullets with predictable expansion, the main damaging factor was the size and depth of the hole the bullet would make in the animal's body upon impact. The more vessels and bones are affected, the faster the animal will stop.

Nevertheless, many hunters have often observed how, when hit by a 12-gauge bullet weighing 36 g (or more), an animal can travel a fairly impressive distance without any visible signs of injury.

The fact is that the main stopping factor is traumatic shock, which occurs as a result of injury, and how quickly it occurs depends on the number of nerve impulses that enter the brain per unit time.

With a sudden mass lesion of large areas of the body, the animal immediately loses consciousness due to an excessively strong pain signal, which the brain is simply not able to cope with, and, as it were, “turns off.”

What can provide such a massive effect on the body? In the middle of the last century, semi-sheathed and expansive bullets appeared, which “opened up” well when hit, but due to their design they had very low ballistics and left huge hematomas at the entrance.

At the beginning of the 21st century, in the development of this concept, bullets with a plastic tip appeared, which in flight acts as a ballistic fairing, and when hit, like a wedge.

By measuring the thickness of the shell and lead core, manufacturers of such bullets achieve fairly high predictability in the depth of penetration of these bullets, as well as in the speed of propagation of the cavitation cavity, which today becomes the main factor causing traumatic shock and stopping the animal.

The photo clearly shows the emergence and spread of this cavity inside a piece of ballistic gel, the same thing happens inside the body. The faster the speed of spread and the size of the cavity, the faster the shock occurs.

That is, the higher the projectile speed, the greater this effect. As you can see, the diameter of the cavity is many times greater than the diameter of the bullet, and what its initial diameter, 6 or 9 mm, is by and large not so important.

The cavity is created due to the kinetic energy of the bullet per unit time, and we remember that our energy directly depends on the mass and quadratically on the speed E = mv2/2. Those. It is more important for us to have a higher speed than the mass of the projectile, and the speed is at the target, and not at the muzzle.

What energy is enough to confidently kill an animal? Modern shooting science believes that this is 10 joules per kilogram of weight. If your target is a wild boar weighing up to 150 kg, then when you hit it with a bullet that will fully open and not go right through, 1500 joules will be enough.

Such energy can be obtained with a 10 g bullet in .308 caliber at a distance of 450 meters, while in a 6.5 Creedmoor caliber a 9 g bullet has the same energy already at a distance of 600 meters, with initially less energy at the muzzle of the barrel.

Well, what about the 9.3x62 caliber, beloved by many on wild hunts? Let's take a heavy 286 grain semi-jacketed bullet. With an initial speed of 690 m/s, 1500 joules remain at a distance of 250 m, after which they rapidly fall. At the same time, you need to understand that at a distance of 350 meters the speed of this bullet will be 400 m/s, which is quite comparable to the speed of buckshot.

At the same time, at 6.5 Creedmoor the speed is 575 m/s, maintained up to 600 meters, which is enough to “open” the bullet and create a cavitation cavity. At 250 meters, this bullet has a speed of 721 m/s and 2360 joules of energy.

The situation is exactly the opposite: the heavier the bullet, the worse and slower it opens. Therefore, for hunting small game, it is wiser to equip a heavy jacketed bullet that will pierce the target right through without causing serious damage inside.

Recoil is also important, especially if you are shooting offhand in a pen at a running target. Recoil is a reverse impulse, and for us it is equal to P=mv, i.e. the speed and mass of the bullet here already have a direct relationship, and by reducing the mass of the bullet and increasing the speed, we can get more energy with constant and even less recoil.

I personally use the Vepr-KM (aka AKM) carbine with 7.62x39 cartridges for driven hunts. equipped with Hornady SST 8 g bullets. The farthest elk I took was at a distance of 156 m, and I would say that this is the energy limit for this cartridge.

What conclusions can be drawn from all that has been said? Today, the caliber of a weapon and its ammunition must be selected based on the purpose. You must clearly distinguish between the distances and hunting objects that you plan to work on.

If this is a large animal at distances up to 200 m, then it is advisable to have a high-speed cartridge with well-expanding bullets. Some of my friends successfully hunt with .243 caliber with 4.5 g bullets, the speed of which is over 1000 m/s, but it is obvious that such a bullet after 200 meters will sharply begin to lose speed due to its low ballistic coefficient.

If it is a small animal whose skin and meat you do not want to spoil, then you need to use solid, heavy bullets at low speeds. The same .308 caliber with a 185 grain Lapua Scenar bullet at a muzzle velocity of 720 m/s will usually punch a hole that is the same at both entry and exit.

If your tasks are shooting at mountain goats at distances up to 1 km, then 6.5 mm calibers from 6.5x47 to 6.5x285 Norma are quite sufficient, but if the distances are higher and the game is larger, then more powerful calibers like 7 mm Rem are used Mag or .338 Lapua Magnum.

People shooting roe deer or sika deer with .338 Lapua Magnum look very strange today. It is clear that if hit, there will probably not be a wounded wound, but there must be common sense.

The other extreme is a weapon chambered for 7.62x39 with jacketed bullets. It is not limited to use by huntsmen, but it raises a lot of questions about the 6.5 caliber, which does not mean anything other than the diameter, unless the full name is indicated, and for example, 6.5x68 is comparable in energy to .300 Win Mag.

If hunting for you is not just about preparing meat for a long and cold winter, then making a comfortable and effective shot is the pinnacle of skill and a special pleasure that will undoubtedly bring you great satisfaction and will be appreciated by your colleagues.

After all, a good cartridge is not only accurate and high-quality ammunition, but also a beautiful shot, which in turn evokes respect among hunters and shooters. This is exactly what you should strive for when choosing bullets.

Sergey Yudin January 20, 2022 at 02:20 pm

A:
The designation of the caliber of a hunting rifle (12, 20, etc.) was formed at the beginning of the 17th century and has been preserved to this day.
At that time, depending on the purpose of the hunting rifle, the internal diameter of the bore was made for a round bullet of a certain weight. Since the main measure of weight was the pound, bullets were made in fractions of a pound. So if 12 bullets were made from a pound of pure lead, each of which weighed 1/12 of a pound, then the gun designed to fire such a bullet was called a 12-gauge gun. The weight content of the pound was different in each country. So the Russian pound was equal to 409.5 g, the English pound - 453.6 g, the French - 489.5 g, therefore, with the same number of round bullets, their diameter was different. For example, a 12-gauge round bullet from an English pound had a diameter of 18.53 mm, and from a Russian one - 18.23 mm. The diameters of the bores were also different. Shotgun caliber
S. A. Buturlin “Shotgun and shooting from it,” publication of the All-Khotsoyuz, Moscow, 1929

It is customary to denote the caliber of large-caliber shotguns and rifles by the number of round bullets from a pound of pure lead: 12 gauge - that means 12 bullets can be made from 0.410 kg (1 pound) of lead for such a barrel, 24 means 24 bullets, etc.; This means that the larger the number, the smaller the diameter.

But the pounds are different in different countries, and they did not always drill accurately, then they began to make cartridges from different materials, with different wall thicknesses, and the barrels were drilled along the internal channel of the cartridge case. It is clear that with the same outer dimensions of the sleeve, its internal channel is wide if the walls are made of a thin sheet of brass, and much narrower if the walls are made of thick paper. The name in both cases remains the same according to custom, although this does not at all correspond to the actual diameter of the trunk and still misleads many insufficiently knowledgeable hunters.

Even in barrels for the same 12-cal folder cartridges. There are huge differences, reaching up to 3/4 mm, and are greatly reflected in the selection of supplies, especially wads. And it is clear that a bullet too loose for an 18.8 mm barrel will be able to inflate or rupture an 18.2 mm barrel.

But these are all measurements of barrels for a 12 caliber paper sleeve. Barrels for thick brass are drilled at 19.35-19.20 mm, and for thin brass - at 19.60 mm; it is clear that in reality this is a different caliber, suitable for 10 cal. under the folder sleeve, here the charge and wads should be different.

It is very easy to find out for which sleeve the barrel is drilled by the stamps, since the stamps are placed according to the actual caliber and by measuring it: a wad is driven from the treasury approximately a quarter (17-18 cm) into a clean, slightly lubricated barrel and “wax” is poured , paraffin, etc., and best of all cutting sulfur; When the casting hardens, it is pushed out of the barrel. If the barrel (as in the vast majority of cases happens) is made for a folder sleeve, then the muzzle end of the casting will fit into the folder sleeve with a slight gap, and into the brass case with a very large gap. If the barrel is made for a brass sleeve, then the end of the casting will not fit into a folder.

Here is data on the diameters of the barrel and the end of the chamber in different calibers in millimeters.

For comparison, I give in Fig. the actual dimensions of most calibers, as they are now drilled in the large Saint-Etienne factories, approaching the international scale (for folder cases).

Here under the circle is the name of the caliber, and inside are the maximum diameters (from to) in millimeters and hundredths.
(In fact, the cliche came out a little smaller, and in order to have an accurate caliber, the drawing must be enlarged by 2 1/2% or 1/40 part.). On the screen in 1024x768 mode the dimensions are real. Caliber of firearms Quotes from Zhuk 1992
Sergey Kiselew, (2:5030/48.33)

Calibers of smoothbore guns from 4 to 32, following tradition, are designated by the number of round (ball) caliber bullets cast from one English trade pound of lead, equal to 453.6 g. If a pound of lead produces 12 caliber ball bullets, then the gun will be 12 gauge, if 20 - 20 gauge, etc. The caliber of large-caliber rifled fittings was designated in the same way as the caliber of smooth-bore guns: there were fittings of 4, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20 and other calibers. The calibers of rifled weapons were and are also designated in lines, in mm and in fractions of an inch (1 inch = 10 lines = 25.4 mm). So, the three-line rifle S.I. The Mosin has a caliber of 3 x 2.54 = 7.62 mm. Historically, in the USA, caliber is measured in hundredths of an inch, and in England in thousandths (i.e. 410 and 41 calibers are the same). It should be taken into account that the caliber of a rifle can be measured by margins or rifling (usually this is significant when measured in mm), for example, the designations 5.6 mm and 5.45 mm correspond to the same barrel diameter. When converting from inches to mm, the correspondence is not always clear, because Historically, some calibers have a code name, for example .38 (.38 x 2.54 = 9.652 mm, but actually equal to 9mm).

More detailed information can be obtained from the following publications:

• A.B. Zhuk Handbook of small arms M. Military Publishing House 1993
• MM. Blum, I.B. Shishkin Hunting rifle M. Ecology 1994 ... "you can measure the diameters of the bores of rifled weapons in two ways - between opposite fields or opposite rifling, while naturally obtaining different results, and, secondly, because the diameters of the bullets to the rifled breech-loading weapons always exceed the diameters of the bores (for the possibility of cutting into rifling and acquiring rotational motion). The excesses of bullet diameters over the diameters of bores are far from equal, because they depend on many reasons (depth, shape and number of rifling, bullet hardness, length of its leading part, quality of gunpowder, etc.) ... ... The caliber of a rifled weapon is usually measured by the distance between opposite fields, but in some cases it is also measured by the distance between rifling... The actual dimensions of the bullets never correspond to the designated caliber. Only in cases where the caliber of a weapon is measured by rifling do the designated calibers of the weapon and the true diameters of the bullets turn out to be very close to each other, close, but still different. To the above, it should be added that among the caliber designations there may be those that do not correspond to the sizes of either bullets or weapons. They are simply traditional... ...In most countries, caliber is expressed in millimeters and its fractions (usually accurate to the second decimal place when written as a decimal). In the UK and the USA (as well as in countries where the English system of measures is adopted), the caliber is indicated in fractions of an inch - in thousandths in the UK and in hundredths in the USA, and the writing has a peculiar form - the decimal fraction is written as an integer with a dot in front... ... Usually caliber designations in the inch system are not converted to millimeters, because often they are either approximate or conditional, being only a symbol of a given cartridge ... " List of gun calibers, barrel diameters and shot numbers of various standards.
  There are the following calibers of hunting rifles measured by the number of round caliber (150 mm from the breech) bullets made from one English pound (453.6 g) of pure lead: 2, 4, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32 Calibers of hunting rifles produced today in Russia (and the USA): 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 410; (10, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 410). Barrel bore diameters of the most popular hunting calibers from different countries:

  Manufacturer country	4	8	10	12	16	20	24	28	32	410
  Russia	—	—	20,00-20,25	18,20-18,75	17,00-17,25	15,50-15,75	—	14,00-14,25	12,50-12,75	10,20-10,60
  Germany	23,40-23,80	20,80-21,20	19,30-19,70	18,20-18,60	16,80-17,20	15,70-16,10	14,70-15,10	13,80-14,20	12,70-13,20	10,20-10,60
  England	min 23.75	min 21.21	min 19.68	18,52-18,92	16,82-17,22	15,62-16,13	min 14.71	min 13.96	min 13.36	—
  Belgium	—	—	—	18,40-18,60	16,80-17,00	15,60-15,80	—	—	—	—
  Italy	—	—	—	18,40-18,60	16,80-17,00	15,60-15,80	—	—	—	—
  USA	23,6	21,21	19,69-20,20	18,42-18,93	16,89-17,40	15,62-16,13	14,73-14,85	13,80-13,95	12,70-12,85	10,41-10,92
  France	—	—	19,30-19,70	18,20-18,50	16,80-17,20	15,60-16,00	14,70-15,10	13,40-14,00	—	—
  Czech	—	—	—	18,20-18,35	16,80-16,95	15,70-15,85	14,70-14,85	13,80-13,95	12,70-12,85	10,20-10,35
  PMK	—	—	19,69-20,20	18,20-18,60	16,80-17,20	15,70-16,10	14,70-15,10	13,80-14,20	12,70-13,10	10,20-10,60

  PMK - Permanent International Commission of the Brussels Convention for the Testing of Hand Firearms.

  The ratio of numbers, diameters and masses of shot and buckshot of domestic production:			The ratio of numbers and diameters of shot and buckshot made in the USA:
  N fractions	D, mm	Weight, g	N fractions	D, inch	D, mm
  11	1.50	0.015	9	.08	2.0
  10	1.75	0.03	8.5	.085	2.2
  9	2.0	0.05	8	.09	2.3
  8	2.2	0.07	7.5	.095	2.4
  7.5	2.40	0.08	6	.11	2.8
  7	2.50	0.09	5	.12	3.0
  6	2.75	0.12	4	.13	3.3
  5	3.0	0.15	3	.14	3.6
  4	3.25	0.20	2	.15	3.8
  3	3.50	0.25	1	.16	4.0
  2	3.75	0.30	BB	.18	4.6
  1	4.0	0.37	BBB	.19	4.8
  0	4.25	0.50	T	.20	5.0
  00	4.5	0.55	TT	.21	5.8
  000	4.75	0.65
  0000	5.0	0.75
  Buckshot:
  	5.25	0.85	4	.24	6.1
  	5.6	1.0	3	.25	6.4
  	5.7	1.1	2	.27	6.9
  	5.8	1.15	1	.30	7.6
  	5.9	1.2	0	.32	8.1
  	6.2	1.4	00	.33	8.4
  	6.5	1.6	000	.36	9.1
  	6.8	1.85
  	6.95	2.0
  	7.15	2.15
  	7.55	2.5
  	7.7	2.7
  	8.0	3.0
  	8.5	3.6
  	8.8	4.0
  	9.65	5.3
  	10.0	5.9

  The information from the magazine “GUN” 1'95 was compiled by me, E. Gorzhaltsan.
  Roman Hmara 2:5010/180:

  There is a certain tolerance; not all inch designations correspond to the arithmetic conversion to millimeters. One designation can correspond to several caliber values: .455 corresponds to 11.56mm “Webley-Scott” and 11.6mm “Eley”. This is explained by the different historically established methods of measuring calibers. In most countries, the so-called metric system is used, according to which the calibers of rifled small arms are measured in millimeters. In the USA, calibers are designated in hundredths, and in the UK in thousandths of an inch. Differences in measurement methods lead to different designations for the caliber of one cartridge. If the caliber is measured by the rifling fields of the barrel, a 9-mm PM cartridge has a caliber of 9mm, and the caliber by measuring the bullet diameter is 9.2mm (by the way, if someone didn’t know, the bullet diameter is approximately and almost always equal to the diameter of the barrel bore along the rifling line). And in the local press our 9 mm weapons are often designated as “9.2 mm”.

  Accepted caliber			True value of barrel caliber (mm)
  in mm	in inches
  	USA	Great Britain
  5.6	.22	.220	5.42-5.6
  6.35	.25	.250	6.1-6.38
  7.0	.28	.280	6.85-7.0
  7.76; 7.63	.30	.300	7.6-7.85
  7.7	—	.303	7.7-7.71
  8.0	.32	.320	7.83-8.05
  9.0	.35	.350	8.70-9.25
  9.0; 9.3	.38	.380	9.2-9.5
  10.0	.40; .41	.410	10.0-10.2
  11.0	.44	.440	11.0-11.2
  11.43	.45	.450	11.26-11.35
  12.7	.50	.500	12.7

  I don’t remember where I got it, it was a long time ago, now I’m so excited to draw..