L.P. Brezny continues to educate us on the different bullet types and their applications.

Caliber/bullet sizes

A common question among non-shooting people everywhere is, “Why are there so many different cartridge sizes on the market today?” In effect, who needs all those different-sized cartridges, and the massive number of different caliber rifles and handguns, that go with these varied sizes in bullets?

I always try to answer the question this way. Do you golf? The answer is almost always yes. Okay, how many golf clubs do you take out onto the golf course and why? At that point, the subject changes fast. As can be expected, we have many cartridge sizes and rifle bore types because not every firearm or cartridge is designed to take on the same task.

Small bullets, light targets, long range

Starting with the 22-caliber bullet, we can see both military applications (5.56 NATO) and target/sporting use as well. Very light 22s are found in cartridge like the 22 Hornet. This cartridge and bore are used for small game, close-range varmints, and where legal, makes for an outstanding turkey setup. Because the 22 is a jack-of-almost-all trades in the smaller rounds, it is a workhorse around ranches or even closer range high-timber hunting. When moved to the .223 Remington, the round is a good solid 600-yard varmint cartridge and has taken its share of deer as well with correctly placed shots.

Speed up the 22-caliber and you’re into the .22-250 Remington, 220 Swift, 22 Creedmoor, and very new .224 Valkyrie. These are longer range, fast movers, and as such tend to be very much favored by coyote hunters that shoot for fur-taking profit. In effect, the 22-caliber round and bore size center fire rifle is about the most flexible cartridge we have in use today.

The move up from the 22-caliber cartridge into the quarter bores is a natural transition here. These are the 25-caliber bullets designed to be very flat shooting (almost straight line to the target), very accurate in many types of rifles, and own the prairie as long-range pronghorn (antelope) game-harvesting tools. Starting out as a wildcat round many years ago, this cartridge type and caliber is featured in the Remington factory offered 25-06, and a number of other cartridge case types like the 25 WSSM, 25-35 Winchester, and the heart of the beast, the 257 Weatherby Magnum. The 25-caliber carries some positive grain weight as a 120 grain or better bullet, retains high velocity in the “06” case or Weatherby Magnum round, and shoots dead flat to 400 yards. “Hair on” with the crosshairs in the scope (as the deer hunters say), and you’re bringing home the winter meat or super trophy, without question.

While some would not agree, I would put my 257 (25-caliber) Weatherby up against any critter on four legs that walks in North America. Low recoil, very flat fast bullet speeds, and hard-hitting, game-harvesting ability make this a very popular choice among riflemen who know their craft.

With a very slight move upward, we land on the 264-caliber bullet. Here we have cartridges like the 6.5X55 Swedish, .260 Remington and .264 Winchester Magnum.

None of these are jokes at all. In fact, the 6.5 Swedish was the birthplace of the very modern and popular 6.5 Creedmoor, which has become the new American sweetheart in cartridge choices today. In the big leagues, the .264 Winchester Magnum is king. This cartridge will push a 130-grain big game bullet at almost 3000 fps, and is a real friend among long-range mountain and mountain goat hunters.

While I have covered the previous cartridge/bullet sizes extensively, I will condense the remaining examples due to space restraints. The .277 that carries the .270 Winchester, .270 WSSM and .270 Weatherby Magnum holds great appeal among big game hunters. Moving into the 7mm bullets, we find the popular 7mm-08 and the aging, but still very viable, 7mm Remington magnum at the forefront.

When we get to the 30-caliber bullets, the cartridge listing goes ballistic in a way, because now the 30-30 Winchester, 30-06 Springfield and 300 Win mag, Weatherby Mag and a host of other big 30s take centerstage. The 30-06 round and bullet development are the gold standard for center fire ammunition. Almost all of the designs have been blueprinted off the 30-06 Springfield bullet and case.

In the larger super-heavies in 410, 45 and heavy Nitros in 300 and 600 departments, the gameplan is simple: more powder returns more bang for the buck.

Remember this point: As the cartridge case gets bigger, it holds more power and a larger bullet. More powder means more energy driving the bullet, and that means accuracy and delivered energy to much longer range. Want to shoot Alaskan brown bear? Better have enough rifle and matched bullet. The bigger the better, in this case.

I have passed many different bullets in this review—the 20-caliber in the Ruger 204, the 32-20, or new Federal 325 in the light lever rifles for farm and ranch use, as well as the old 221 Remington and dozens of wildcat and additional special options. When it comes to bullets and cartridges, selections go into the hundreds.

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