THE 2A LEDGER REFERENCE DESK
Every cartridge has a story.
Explore cartridge and gauge guides. Compare exact factory loads, investigate published ballistics, and follow the sources behind each figure.
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Rimfire.17 HMRA small, bottlenecked magnum rimfire cartridge built around a .17-caliber bullet. Its lightweight projectile and factory varmint loads distinguish it from the larger-bullet .22 WMR.Introduced 2002 (24y)Open the guide →Rimfire.17 WSMWinchester Super Magnum is a separate .17-caliber rimfire with a larger case than .17 HMR. Its designation describes the cartridge family, rather than a metric equivalent of HMR.Introduced 2013 (13y)Open the guide →Small-bore centerfire.204 RugerA small-bullet centerfire varmint cartridge using nominal .204-inch projectiles. Factory loads commonly emphasize light, streamlined bullets and high published muzzle velocities.Introduced 2004 (22y)Open the guide →Small-bore centerfire.218 BeeA small, rimmed bottleneck centerfire cartridge associated with traditional varmint rifles. Its relatively short case is a separate design from the Hornet.Introduced 1938 (88y)Open the guide →Rifle cartridge.22 ARCA compact .22-caliber centerfire with its own Hornady factory loads and two-rifle barrel-length comparison.Introduced 2024 (2y)Open the guide →Small-bore centerfire.22 CreedmoorA .22-caliber centerfire in the Creedmoor family. Current factory offerings pair the case with longer, heavier .224-caliber bullets as well as lighter varmint designs.Introduced c. 2014 (12y)Open the guide →Small-bore centerfire.22 HornetA small, rimmed .22-caliber centerfire associated with varmint and small-game rifles. Its modest case belongs to a different design family from .223 Remington.Introduced 1930 (96y)Open the guide →Rimfire.22 LRLong Rifle is the familiar .22 rimfire used for target shooting and small-game ammunition. Its large range of bullet shapes and velocity classes makes the exact load more informative than the name alone.Introduced 1887 (139y)Open the guide →Rimfire.22 LongAn older .22 rimfire designation with its own bullet and case specifications. It remains a separate entry from both .22 Short and .22 Long Rifle.Introduced 1871 (155y)Open the guide →Rimfire.22 ShortA short-cased .22 rimfire with a distinct specification. Its small cartridge dimensions should not be confused with the velocity class of a .22 LR load.Introduced 1857 (169y)Open the guide →Rimfire.22 WMRWinchester Magnum Rimfire is a separate .22 rimfire cartridge, commonly abbreviated .22 Mag. It has its own case and bullet dimensions, rather than being a faster loading of .22 LR.Introduced 1959 (67y)Open the guide →Small-bore centerfire.22-250 RemingtonA high-velocity .22-caliber centerfire with a larger bottleneck case than .223 Remington. Factory ammunition spans traditional varmint bullets and newer heavier designs.Introduced 1965 (61y)Open the guide →Small-bore centerfire.220 SwiftA high-velocity .22-caliber centerfire cartridge with a distinctive semi-rimmed case. It is a separate chambering from .22-250 Remington.Introduced 1935 (91y)Open the guide →Small-bore centerfire.222 RemingtonA small-case .22-caliber centerfire with a strong historical connection to benchrest and varmint rifles. It is often called the Triple Deuce.Introduced 1950 (76y)Open the guide →Small-bore centerfire.223 RemingtonA .22-caliber bottleneck centerfire used in both bolt-action and semiautomatic sporting rifles. Its factory offerings include light varmint bullets and heavier match designs.Introduced 1964 (62y)Open the guide →Small-bore centerfire.224 ValkyrieA .22-caliber centerfire designed around longer bullets within a compact rifle cartridge. Its case geometry differs from .223 Remington.Introduced 2018 (8y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.240 Weatherby MagnumA belted 6mm-class sporting-rifle cartridge. Its .240 name belongs to the Weatherby family rather than indicating a literal .240-inch bullet.Introduced 1968 (58y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.243 WinchesterA 6mm-class centerfire with a broad factory range spanning varmint bullets and hunting designs. Bullet construction is central to those different uses.Introduced 1955 (71y)Open the guide →Pistol.25 ACPAlso written 6.35mm Browning, this is a small semiautomatic-pistol cartridge. ACP refers to Automatic Colt Pistol nomenclature, not a measurement of bullet weight.Introduced c. 1905 (121y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.25-06 RemingtonA .25-caliber bottleneck rifle cartridge based on the .30-06 case family. Lighter varmint bullets and heavier hunting designs serve different purposes within the same chambering.Introduced 1969 (57y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.257 RobertsA .25-caliber sporting cartridge with standard and +P factory designations. The Roberts name records its wildcat-development heritage.Introduced 1934 (92y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.257 Weatherby MagnumA belted .25-caliber magnum sporting cartridge, distinct from both .257 Roberts and .25-06 Remington. Weatherby factory data commonly uses a long test barrel.Introduced 1944 (82y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.260 RemingtonA 6.5mm-class cartridge in the .308 Winchester case family. It combines a short-action case with a range of 6.5mm target and hunting bullets.Introduced 1997 (29y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.270 WSMWinchester Short Magnum is a short, broad-case .270-family sporting cartridge. It uses its own case geometry and short-action dimensions.Introduced 2002 (24y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.270 WinchesterA long-action sporting cartridge using nominal .277-inch bullets. The numerical name is a historical caliber designation rather than its exact bullet diameter.Introduced 1925 (101y)Open the guide →Rifle cartridge.277 SIG FURYThe commercial counterpart to SIG’s military 6.8×51 mm family for the M7 and M250.Introduced 2022 (4y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.280 Ackley ImprovedA 7mm-class sporting cartridge with the Ackley Improved shoulder and case profile. The standardized cartridge must be distinguished from older custom chamber interpretations.Introduced 2007 (19y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.280 RemingtonA long-action 7mm-class sporting cartridge. Its historical alternate name 7mm Express Remington can appear on older boxes or firearms.Introduced 1957 (69y)Open the guide →Compact rifle cartridge.30 CarbineA compact, rimless centerfire cartridge associated with the M1 Carbine. Its straight-sided appearance and .30 label do not make it interchangeable with rifle rounds such as .30-30.Introduced 1941 (85y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.30-06 SpringfieldA long-action .30-caliber rifle cartridge with a broad selection of hunting and target bullets. The familiar name combines caliber nomenclature with the 1906 military specification.Introduced 1906 (120y)Open the guide →Traditional sporting rifle.30-30 WinchesterA rimmed .30-caliber rifle cartridge closely associated with lever-action rifles. Traditional flat- or round-nose bullets coexist with factory flexible-tip designs.Introduced 1895 (131y)Open the guide →Compact rifle cartridge.300 AAC BlackoutA compact .30-caliber centerfire with both supersonic and subsonic factory ammunition. Those two load families can have very different bullet weights and trajectories.Introduced 2011 (15y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.300 PRCPrecision Rifle Cartridge is a beltless .30-caliber magnum designed around long, streamlined bullets. It is distinct from .300 Winchester Magnum and .300 Norma Magnum.Introduced 2018 (8y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.300 Remington Ultra MagnumA large, beltless .30-caliber magnum, commonly shortened to .300 RUM. Its long case is a different design from the shorter Remington SAUM family.Introduced 1999 (27y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.300 WSMA short, broad-case, beltless .30-caliber magnum in the Winchester Short Magnum family. Its compact case distinguishes it from .300 Winchester Magnum.Introduced 2001 (25y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.300 Weatherby MagnumA belted .30-caliber magnum with the Weatherby double-radius shoulder profile. Its load-specific velocities depend on the actual test barrel.Introduced 1944 (82y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.300 Winchester MagnumA belted .30-caliber magnum with a broad hunting and match-ammunition market. It is commonly abbreviated .300 Win Mag.Introduced 1963 (63y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.303 BritishA rimmed service-rifle cartridge with a .303 historical designation. Its bullet specification differs from common .308-diameter sporting cartridges.Introduced 1888 (138y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.308 WinchesterA short-action .30-caliber cartridge with extensive hunting, target, and match factory offerings. Its sporting designation is closely related to, but distinct from, 7.62 NATO terminology.Introduced 1952 (74y)Open the guide →Pistol.32 ACPAlso called 7.65mm Browning, this is a small semiautomatic-pistol cartridge with a semi-rimmed case. Its metric designation can be more recognizable outside the United States.Introduced c. 1899 (127y)Open the guide →Rimmed centerfire.32 H&R MagnumA rimmed .32-caliber revolver cartridge occupying a separate case and pressure specification from .32 S&W Long and .327 Federal Magnum.Introduced c. 1984 (42y)Open the guide →Rimmed centerfire.32 S&W LongA small, rimmed revolver cartridge with an established target-shooting role. Wadcutter and round-nose factory loads can look quite different while carrying the same cartridge name.Introduced 1896 (130y)Open the guide →Revolver & lever-action rifle.327 Federal MagnumA rimmed .32-family magnum revolver cartridge with a longer case and a distinct pressure specification from .32 H&R Magnum.Introduced 2007 (19y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.338 FederalA short-action .338-caliber sporting cartridge based on the .308 case family. It is a non-magnum cartridge despite sharing bullet diameter with several .338 magnums.Introduced 2006 (20y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.338 Lapua MagnumA large, beltless .338-caliber magnum used in long-range rifle and sporting applications. Its case belongs to a separate family from the belted .338 Winchester Magnum.Introduced 1987 (39y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.338 Remington Ultra MagnumA beltless .338-caliber magnum in Remington's Ultra Magnum family. The RUM suffix identifies a specific case rather than a generic magnum load.Introduced 2000 (26y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.338 Winchester MagnumA belted .338-caliber sporting magnum with established factory hunting offerings. Bullet construction and weight vary considerably across its product lines.Introduced 1958 (68y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle.340 Weatherby MagnumA belted .338-bullet sporting magnum carrying Weatherby's .340 designation. Its double-radius shoulder and long case distinguish it from .338 Winchester Magnum.Introduced 1962 (64y)Open the guide →Traditional sporting rifle.35 RemingtonA rimless .35-caliber rifle cartridge commonly encountered in traditional sporting rifles. Its larger bullet distinguishes it from the visually similar .30-caliber hunting families.Introduced 1906 (120y)Open the guide →Large-bore centerfire.350 LegendA straight-wall centerfire sporting cartridge with its own standardized bullet and chamber dimensions. The Legend name identifies the complete cartridge family.Introduced 2019 (7y)Open the guide →Revolver & lever-action rifle.357 MagnumA rimmed magnum revolver cartridge also offered in lever-action and other carbines. Rifle and handgun data should be compared separately.Introduced 1935 (91y)Open the guide →Pistol.357 SIGA bottleneck semiautomatic-pistol cartridge using a nominal 9mm-class bullet. The .357 name refers to a design objective rather than a shared case with .357 Magnum.Introduced 1994 (32y)Open the guide →Large-bore centerfire.375 H&H MagnumA long, belted .375-caliber sporting cartridge, also known as .375 Holland & Holland Magnum. Its long tapered case is part of its historical identity.Introduced 1912 (114y)Open the guide →Large-bore centerfire.375 RugerA beltless .375-caliber sporting cartridge with a shorter case than the .375 H&H. Its body dimensions distinguish it from the older belted design.Introduced 2007 (19y)Open the guide →Rimmed centerfire.38 SpecialA rimmed revolver cartridge offered in target wadcutters, general-purpose bullets, and expanding factory loads. Standard-pressure and +P ammunition must be identified separately.Introduced 1899 (127y)Open the guide →Pistol.38 SuperA semiautomatic-pistol cartridge commonly labeled .38 Super Auto +P. Its small semi-rim and history of competition use distinguish it from .38 Special.Introduced 1929 (97y)Open the guide →Pistol.380 ACPAlso called .380 Auto, 9mm Browning Short, or 9×17mm in common nomenclature. It is a small semiautomatic-pistol cartridge distinct from 9mm Luger.Introduced 1908 (118y)Open the guide →Pistol.40 S&WA rimless .40-caliber semiautomatic-pistol cartridge. Common factory loads span several bullet weights, making comparisons by exact load more useful than treating all .40 ammunition alike.Introduced 1990 (36y)Open the guide →Revolver & lever-action rifle.41 Remington MagnumA rimmed .41-caliber magnum revolver cartridge with both traditional and expanding factory bullet designs. Its name is often shortened to .41 Mag.Introduced 1964 (62y)Open the guide →Large-bore centerfire.416 RigbyA large, rimless .416-caliber sporting cartridge associated with magazine rifles. Its case and operating specification are distinct from later .416 magnums.Introduced 1911 (115y)Open the guide →Revolver & lever-action rifle.44 Remington MagnumA rimmed magnum revolver cartridge that also appears in sporting carbines. Handgun and rifle velocities must therefore be read with their actual test-barrel lengths.Introduced 1955 (71y)Open the guide →Rimmed centerfire.44 SpecialA rimmed .44-family revolver cartridge with target, traditional lead, and expanding factory ammunition. The cartridge name does not describe the exact bullet diameter.Introduced 1908 (118y)Open the guide →Traditional sporting rifle.444 MarlinA long, straight-wall, rimmed sporting cartridge using .44-family bullets. Its case is much longer than .44 Magnum and belongs to a separate rifle chambering.Introduced 1964 (62y)Open the guide →Pistol.45 ACPAlso called .45 Auto, this is a rimless semiautomatic-pistol cartridge. The factory load range includes traditional 230-grain bullets and lighter expanding designs.Introduced 1905 (121y)Open the guide →Revolver & lever-action rifle.45 ColtA rimmed .45-caliber revolver cartridge associated with both historical revolvers and modern sporting firearms. Factory labels and firearm limitations are especially important within this broad market.Introduced 1873 (153y)Open the guide →Pistol.45 GAPGAP stands for Glock Automatic Pistol. This is a distinct, shorter-case .45-caliber semiautomatic-pistol cartridge, rather than another name for .45 ACP.Introduced 2003 (23y)Open the guide →Large-bore centerfire.45-70 GovernmentA large, rimmed .45-caliber rifle cartridge with a long historical span and a wide range of current factory load designs. Modern tipped bullets and traditional flat-nose designs serve different roles.Introduced 1873 (153y)Open the guide →Large-bore centerfire.450 BushmasterA straight-wall .45-caliber sporting-rifle cartridge. Factory loads use a different case and bullet specification from .458 SOCOM.Introduced 2007 (19y)Open the guide →Rimmed centerfire.454 CasullA high-performance rimmed .45-family revolver cartridge. Its longer case and separate operating specification distinguish it from .45 Colt.Introduced 1983 (43y)Open the guide →Large-bore centerfire.458 SOCOMA compact, large-bore centerfire cartridge using .458-class bullets. Factory offerings can include light supersonic and heavier subsonic designs.Introduced c. 2001 (25y)Open the guide →Large-bore centerfire.458 Winchester MagnumA belted .458-caliber sporting magnum intended for large-bore rifles. Solid and expanding factory projectiles serve different purposes.Introduced 1956 (70y)Open the guide →Rimmed centerfire.460 S&W MagnumA long, rimmed .45-bullet magnum revolver cartridge. Its .460 designation must not be interpreted as an exact bullet diameter.Introduced 2005 (21y)Open the guide →Pistol.50 Action ExpressA large semiautomatic-pistol cartridge often abbreviated .50 AE. Its rebated-rim design and .50-caliber bullet belong to a different cartridge family from .500 S&W Magnum.Introduced 1991 (35y)Open the guide →Large-bore centerfire.50 BMGA very large bottlenecked .50-caliber centerfire cartridge, also described as 12.7×99mm. Its rifle and military heritage is entirely separate from .50-caliber handgun cartridges.Introduced 1921 (105y)Open the guide →Large-bore centerfire.50 BeowulfAlexander Arms' large-bore cartridge uses its own case and cartridge dimensions. Its name identifies a particular commercial cartridge, rather than every .50-caliber sporting load.Introduced 2001 (25y)Open the guide →Rimmed centerfire.500 S&W MagnumA large, rimmed .50-caliber revolver cartridge with a wide span of factory bullet weights. Bullet mass and construction are especially visible differences within its factory offerings.Introduced 2003 (23y)Open the guide →Compact rifle cartridge5.56 NATOA NATO rifle-cartridge designation closely related in external dimensions to .223 Remington. Military load names identify specific projectiles and specifications within that family.Introduced 1980 (46y)Open the guide →Pistol5.7x28mmA small-bullet, bottleneck centerfire cartridge used in both handguns and compact rifles. A pistol test barrel and a rifle test barrel should not be conflated.Introduced 1990 (36y)Open the guide →Compact rifle cartridge6mm ARCAdvanced Rifle Cartridge is a compact 6mm centerfire with dedicated hunting and match factory ammunition. It uses a different case from 6mm Creedmoor.Introduced 2020 (6y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle6mm CreedmoorA short-action 6mm cartridge in the Creedmoor family. Factory match bullets and expanding hunting bullets have different roles despite similar external shapes.Introduced 2017 (9y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle6.5 CreedmoorA short-action 6.5mm centerfire with a broad match and hunting-ammunition market. Long streamlined bullets are prominent, but bullet construction still separates target and hunting products.Introduced 2007 (19y)Open the guide →Compact rifle cartridge6.5 GrendelA compact 6.5mm rifle cartridge with a broad, short case. It is a distinct design from the larger Creedmoor and PRC cases.Introduced 2004 (22y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle6.5 PRCA short-action 6.5mm magnum in the Precision Rifle Cartridge family. Factory offerings pair its case with long hunting and match bullets.Introduced 2018 (8y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle6.5x55 SwedishAn established 6.5mm rifle cartridge with a long case and a distinctive historical military family. Sporting and target ammunition remain available from multiple makers.Introduced 1894 (132y)Open the guide →Compact rifle cartridge6.8 SPCA compact .277-bullet centerfire cartridge, commonly written 6.8 Remington SPC. It is separate from both 6.8 Western and 6.8×51 cartridges.Introduced 2004 (22y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle7mm PRCA 7mm-class beltless magnum in Hornady's Precision Rifle Cartridge family. It is a different cartridge from 7mm Remington Magnum.Introduced 2022 (4y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle7mm Remington MagnumA belted 7mm-class sporting magnum with a long-standing factory-ammunition market. It is often abbreviated 7mm Rem Mag.Introduced 1962 (64y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle7mm-08 RemingtonA short-action 7mm-class cartridge in the .308 case family. Its balance of case size and bullet selection gives it a distinct identity from 7×57 and .280 Remington.Introduced 1980 (46y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle7x57 MauserA classic 7mm-class bottleneck rifle cartridge with both military and sporting history. The alternate .275 Rigby name can appear in sporting contexts.Introduced 1892 (134y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle7.62 NATOA NATO rifle-cartridge designation associated with the 7.62×51mm case family. Individual military loads retain their own projectile and test specifications.Introduced 1954 (72y)Open the guide →Compact rifle cartridge7.62x39A short, tapered, bottleneck rifle cartridge with its own bullet and case dimensions. Sporting soft points, full-metal-jacket loads, and other constructions remain separate products.Introduced 1943 (83y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle7.62x54RA rimmed rifle cartridge whose R suffix identifies the rimmed case. Its history and dimensions are distinct from both 7.62×39 and 7.62 NATO.Introduced 1891 (135y)Open the guide →Sporting & match rifle8x57 JSThe S-bore 8×57 cartridge, commonly written JS or IS. The S suffix distinguishes its projectile specification from older 8×57 I/J ammunition.Introduced 1905 (121y)Open the guide →Pistol9mm LugerAlso called 9×19mm or 9mm Parabellum, this is a rimless semiautomatic-pistol cartridge with extensive factory weight and construction options. Luger is the cartridge name; it does not limit the ammunition to Luger-brand pistols.Introduced 1902 (124y)Open the guide →Pistol9mm MakarovA distinct 9×18mm pistol cartridge with a larger bullet specification than 9mm Luger. The Makarov name identifies the cartridge family rather than every pistol of similar appearance.Introduced 1951 (75y)Open the guide →Pistol10mm AutoA rimless .40-caliber semiautomatic-pistol cartridge with a longer case than .40 S&W. Factory ammunition spans varied bullet weights and velocity levels.Introduced 1983 (43y)Open the guide →Shotshell.410 boreA bore-diameter designation rather than a conventional gauge number. The cartridge family includes birdshot, specialty shot loads, and slugs with different application limits.Introduced Not establishedOpen the guide →Shotshell10 gaugeA large conventional shotgun gauge. Factory ammunition commonly emphasizes substantial sporting payloads, but shot size, material, and shell length remain separate specifications.Introduced Not establishedOpen the guide →Shotshell12 gaugeA broad shotgun gauge family encompassing target birdshot, hunting shot, buckshot, and slugs. Gauge alone tells you neither pellet size nor payload.Introduced Not establishedOpen the guide →Shotshell16 gaugeA conventional shotgun gauge between 12 and 20 in bore size. Current factory examples include upland birdshot, selected buckshot, and slugs.Introduced Not establishedOpen the guide →Shotshell20 gaugeA conventional shotgun gauge smaller in bore than 16 or 12. Its factory market includes target shot, hunting birdshot, buckshot, and purpose-built slugs.Introduced Not establishedOpen the guide →Shotshell28 gaugeA smaller conventional shotgun gauge with established target and upland loads and newer specialty sporting offerings. Gauge describes bore size rather than pellet diameter.Introduced Not establishedOpen the guide →
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