Rifle Caliber Chart: 26 Cartridges Drawn to Scale
A .270 fires a .278-inch bullet and a 7.62×39 fires a .311. Twenty-six rifle cartridges drawn to scale from the SAAMI standard’s own dimensions.
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50 BMG Ammo: Specs, Loads and Where It Is Restricted
SAAMI does not standardise .50 BMG — we checked four of its documents. What does, what the loads publish, and the four places it is restricted.
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410 Ammo: Bore Not Gauge, and Why 3-Inch Runs Hotter
The 3-inch .410 is rated 1,000 psi above the 2½-inch — the only common shotshell whose lengths differ. Loads, specs and what the makers publish.
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8.6 Blackout Ammo: Loads, Twist and Ballistics
SAAMI accepted 8.6 Blackout in January 2026 and specified a 1-in-6 twist. The catalog sells 1-in-3. Published loads, ballistics and what that means.
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350 Legend Ammo: Loads, Ballistics and State Rules
SAAMI tests 350 Legend in a 16-inch barrel, not the usual 24. Every cataloged load, and what four states actually require — one repealed its rule.
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38 Special vs 9mm: Nearly the Same Bullet, Double the Pressure
The bullets are two thousandths of an inch apart. The pressure ceilings are more than double. One maker’s line loaded in both settles the energy question.
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38 Special vs 357 Magnum: Same Bullet, Twice the Pressure
Identical bullet, identical rim, 0.135 inches of case length apart — and one is loaded to twice the pressure. Why the interchangeability runs one way.
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22 LR vs 22 Magnum: Same Pressure, Twice the Case
Both are loaded to 24,000 psi and tested in the same 24-inch barrel. The Magnum’s speed comes from a case 72% longer — and its bullet is narrower.
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12 Gauge vs 20 Gauge: More Shot, Not More Pressure
The 20 gauge is rated to a higher pressure than the 12. What the bigger bore buys is payload — 29% more shot at the same speed, on the same load.
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10mm vs 45 ACP: 37,500 psi Against 21,000
Same test barrel, same rifling, nearly double the pressure. Federal’s HST in both is 567 ft-lb against 404 — and the 10mm spans 600 fps across the catalog.
