Cartridges (not bullets)

(From Right to Left):

 12 Gauge, .410 Bore, .22 LR, 7.63x25mm Mauser, 9x19 Parabellum, 

10mm AUTO, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .223 Rem, .308 Win, .50 BMG

   Cartridges are generally named on the diameter of the bullet, that said a 10mm bullet is about the same diameter as a .40 Caliber cartridge, and the .50 Cal is the same as 12.5mm. That does NOT mean that 10mm and .40 Cal are the same overall though, 10mm has a longer casing and thus, more powder and thus, more push... In my opinion, a S&W 1006 (10mm Auto) is more fun to shoot than the Glock 22 (.40 S&W), but maybe my opinion will change if I tried a Glock 20 (10mm Auto).
    1 Caliber equals about 24.5mm. Note that the majority of the calibers are written with a period before the number, meaning that '.40' is ninety eight times smaller than '40'. When speaking about the size though, you'd say "fourty" instead of "point four". There is also a difference between a .40 S&W cartridge and a .40 Super, as firearms only accept certain cartridges, what's more confusing is that Winchester can make .40 S&W for a Colt Double Eagle... That's the equivalent to Toyota making Honda tires for a Dodge Dakota...
   See the above picture? On the far right is the .22 LR, cheap, powerless, plinking ammunition. The third cartridge on the right side of the fifty (the big bullet) is based on the 5.56x45mm NATO. That round is what the military uses in the M4's, SCAR L's, and M249. The diameter of the bullet is around 5.7mm, while the .22 bullet measures around 5.6mm, interesting huh.

   A Cartridge is the whole enchilada: Bullet, Casing, Powder, and Primer. The Primer is hit by a firing pin of the firearm, the primer ignites the gunpowder which builds up heat and pressure in the casing. When there is enough heat and pressure, the bullet pops off and heads down the only direction it can: down the bore and out the muzzle. The grooves in the bore called 'rifling' twists the bullet which allows for less air resistance and a straighter travel (like a football). Because of the heated lead and the rifling, the bullet slightly expands into those grooves, this is called 'Bullet Engraving'

   I really only modeled the cartridges that coincide with the firearms made. The .410 and .45 LC were made for one revolver; the Taurus Judge.



-Mike