Rifle cartridge
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Heavy machine-gun cartridge: 12.7×99mm NATO, Full-power rifle cartridges: 300 Win Mag, 7.62×51mm NATO
(.308 Winchester), Intermediate rifle cartridges: 7.62×39mm, 5.56×45mm NATO, Rimfire cartridge.22LR
A rifle cartridge is a firearm cartridge primarily designed and intended for use in
a rifle/carbine, or machine gun.
Contents

1Types


o 1.1Full-powered
o 1.2Magnum
o 1.3Intermediate
2See also
3References
Types[edit]
Full-powered[edit]
Main article: Fully powered cartridge
A full-powered cartridge is a rifle cartridge used interchangeably between service
rifles, sniper rifles, and general purpose machine guns. It is a retronym for rifle
cartridges used prior to and during World War II. They are primarily used today
in general purpose machine guns, designated marksman rifles, and sniper rifles.
Magnum[edit]
Main article: List of Magnum cartridges
A magnum cartridge is a cartridge with a larger case size than, or derived from, a similar
cartridge of the same bullet caliber and case shoulder shape. Magnum cartridges allow
for more propellant to be loaded within the casing, and thus have a higher muzzle
energy. Modern magnum rifle cartridges include .300 RUM, 7mm Remington
Magnum, .300 Weatherby Magnum, .460 Weatherby Magnum, .300 Winchester
Magnum, .338 Lapua Magnum or .338 Norma Magnum. Today they are primarily used
in civilian market for big-game hunting, or as a military ammunition for some longrange sniper rifles.
Intermediate[edit]
Main article: Intermediate cartridge
An intermediate cartridge is a military cartridge that is less powerful than typical fullpower cartridges such as the 7.92mm Mauser, .30-06 Springfield, or 7.62×51mm
NATO, but still significantly more powerful than handgun cartridges used in service
pistols and submachine guns.[1] As their recoil is significantly reduced compared to fullpowered cartridges, fully automatic rifles firing intermediate cartridges are relatively
easy to control. This reduced recoil impulse also allows for rapid, accurate follow-up
shots with semi-automatic rifles or rifles with a semi-automatic fire mode.[2] However,
even though less powerful than traditional full-power cartridges,
the external and terminal ballistics of an intermediate cartridge are still sufficient for an
effective range of 300–600 m (330–660 yd), which are the typical maximum
engagement ranges for ordinary infantrymen in modern combat conditions.
The introduction of intermediate cartridges allowed for the development of the assault
rifle concept, which is a magazine-fed selective fire rifle lighter and more compact than
the conventional battle rifles firing full-powered cartridges. The first intermediate
cartridge was the German 7.92×33mm Kurz for the StG 44,[1] the world's first assault
rifle. Other examples include the Soviet 7.62×39mm used in the AK-47 and AKM series,
the .280 British round developed for the EM-2, and the 5.56×45mm NATO for the AR15/M16/M4 series rifles.
See also[edit]






List of rifle cartridges
Fully powered cartridge
Ammunition
Wildcat cartridge
Handgun cartridge
Shotgun shell
References[edit]
1.
2.
^ Jump up to:a b Bull, Stephen (2004). Encyclopedia of Military
Technology and Innovation. Greenwood. p. 25. ISBN 978-157356-557-8.
^ Chris Baker (September 23, 2014). "Semi-Auto Rifles for SelfDefense: Shooting on Easy Mode".
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Pistol and rifle cartridges
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 This page was last edited on 29 November 2021, at 06:05 (UTC).
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