What does the grain in a particular round refer to the weight of the bullet or the amount of charge in the round??? Like a 230 grain round is that the actual bullet weight or how much powder there is in the round? Once again I reliaze this is a pretty simple question but I have to ask. Thanks
Ok forgive me I am newbie to this hobby but I have to ask.
- Thread starter GMR
- Start date
Nightcrawler
New member
It's the weight of the bullet.
I am unsure how many grains there are in an ounce.
I am unsure how many grains there are in an ounce.
Mike Irwin
Staff
As others have noted, it is the weight of the bullet.
Normally.
In some older cartridges, the cartridge would be known by the caliber followed by the weight of the propellant (black powder rounds primarily).
Examples of this include:
A few rounds from the transitional era of black to smokeless powder used this type of nomenclature, but actually referred to the weight of the charge in smokeless powder.
These included:
Now, finally, there is a variation on this kind of nomenclature, almost always with rifle rounds, in which the bullet weight was tacked onto the first two sets of numbers.
Examples of this include:
This last way of naming a cartridge was normally only used on ammo packaging and in advertising materials, but you might occasionally see references to it in print.
Somehow I suspect that that was a lot more than what you wanted to know!
Normally.
In some older cartridges, the cartridge would be known by the caliber followed by the weight of the propellant (black powder rounds primarily).
Examples of this include:
- .25-20
- .44-40
- .38-40
- .45-70
- .45-110
A few rounds from the transitional era of black to smokeless powder used this type of nomenclature, but actually referred to the weight of the charge in smokeless powder.
These included:
- .30-30
- .30-40
Now, finally, there is a variation on this kind of nomenclature, almost always with rifle rounds, in which the bullet weight was tacked onto the first two sets of numbers.
Examples of this include:
- .45-70-405
- .30-40-220
- .25-35-117
This last way of naming a cartridge was normally only used on ammo packaging and in advertising materials, but you might occasionally see references to it in print.
Somehow I suspect that that was a lot more than what you wanted to know!
For those people that do not know their conversion. You can download this little neat and free program from http://www.joshmadison.com/software/convert/download.asp. It will handle all your conversion needs.
Download the 4.10 version.
Download the 4.10 version.
A grain is .002286 ounces.
The weight of a bullet is important. For a given diameter, or caliber, the heavier bullet generally penetrates deeper. Good to know for hunting and in self defense.
I always liked that stuff that Mike Irwin pointed out. The old west name for a catridge is also the reloading information.
The exception to the bullet caliber - powder weight is the .38-40. It is actually a .40 caliber bullet backed by 38 grains of powder. Early marketers (yes, weasels were around before 1900) thought that .40-38 didn't sound as nice, so they screwed with the nomenclature for advertising purposes.
The weight of a bullet is important. For a given diameter, or caliber, the heavier bullet generally penetrates deeper. Good to know for hunting and in self defense.
I always liked that stuff that Mike Irwin pointed out. The old west name for a catridge is also the reloading information.
The exception to the bullet caliber - powder weight is the .38-40. It is actually a .40 caliber bullet backed by 38 grains of powder. Early marketers (yes, weasels were around before 1900) thought that .40-38 didn't sound as nice, so they screwed with the nomenclature for advertising purposes.
