Rimfire verses center fire

[Richard]

A rim fire cartridge will usually hold less powder than a center fire.

If that is the simple answer, then it's good enough for me and makes sense. I'm just confused and curious and don't think I ever asked.

 

[Richard]

I must say, I've never seen a website with so many guys with nothing to do.
I'm trying to muster the energy (coffee break) to load the truck and go to the dump so I'm excused from that statement.

Oh, I got LOTS to do... I'm sitting here at work, typing away!!

 

[GaryM]

Good photo Shaley!

The photo illustrates that the cases holding the powder are not the same size, therefore the centerfire cartridge can have a higher velocity. Rimfire cases need to be thin enough and soft enough to be crushed by the fireing pin. In a centerfire case the primer, which is rather small in diameter, is the only part that needs to be soft. This allows higher pressures to be contained in the case and firearms action.

In the past there were various types of ignition systems in use. Time has shown that rimfire and centerfire system seem to be best because that's the kind we currently use. Maybe that's circular reasoning, I don't know.

Centerfire systems also allow for folks to reload fired cartriges. Can't do that with rimfires.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

You guys don't get how dumb I am.

Here's my logic...(though perhaps flawed and that's why I'm asking)

a .22 cal bullet is a .22 cal bullet.

Well the DIAMETER of a .22 caliber rimfire bullet is going to be the same as the diameter of a 22 cal centerfire bullet. However the centerfire bullet will likely be heavier and faster.

A .22LR is going to have a weight of about 40 grains and a speed of about 1000 feet per second (could weigh as little as 30 grains, could weigh more than 40 & speed varies by brand, a range between 1000 to 1200 feet per second would be common).

On the other hand, a .223 is fairly low powered and very common centerfire rifle cartridge. Bullets weights from 40 grains to 90 grains are common. Velocity of a 40 grain bullet will be some where around 3700 feet per second, nearly 4 times the speed of a 22LR. On the heavier end of the scale, bullets will fly at roughly 2600+ feet per second (1/2 mile per second).

 

[Richard]

Having seen the picture of the .22's above, a WHOLE LOT has been cleared up in my peabrain. Although I intellectually understand you can have different sizes of .22 cal bullets, I didn't really think they'd get that big.

To be real honest, I thought the 22 long (22 long rifle?) was the biggest of the bad boys. Those others look like a 22 bullet being powered by a howitzer!!

Thanks for the picture and to others, for your commentary to help explain it to me.

 

[scott_vt]

To be real honest, I thought the 22 long (22 long rifle?) was the biggest of the bad boys. Those others look like a 22 bullet being powered by a howitzer!!

Afternoon Richard,
Yep, the difference between my 22 magnum cartridge and 22-250 is even significant ! The 22-250 is the howitzer !

 

[DrainPondDesign]

Richard,

You have the (primer) ignition part correct in that the center fire cartridge has the primer centered in its base while the rim fire has the primer distributed in its hollow rim. The rim fire is the older design of which the 22 and new 17 rim fires are pretty much the only ones still popular today.

Of performance; the center fire cartridge & gun designs can more safety handle higher pressures to drive the same size and weight bullet faster.

Since energy (striking force) equals mass times velocity squared then by doubling a bullet's speed you quadruple its striking force.

However there are many other considerations than impact energy in choosing a hunting cartridge so don't use a hyper velocity 22 for a rhino.

Hope this helps.

 

[wushaw]

Another way to look at it from your origional question on the groundhog ability to get back to his hole if hit with .22 rimfire.

.22 rimfire is like being hit by a pebble from a slingshot, stings like crazy.
.22-250 is like being hit in the head with a 16lb sledge hammer...lights go out quickly.

Kinetic energy does most of the killing on flesh.

 

[MossRoad]

Now someone post for Richard the price difference between a box of fifty 22 long rifle shells and 50 of those howitzers?

 

[DieselPower]

Another way to look at it from your origional question on the groundhog ability to get back to his hole if hit with .22 rimfire.

.22 rimfire is like being hit by a pebble from a slingshot, stings like crazy.
.22-250 is like being hit in the head with a 16lb sledge hammer...lights go out quickly.

Kinetic energy does most of the killing on flesh.

I would have to disagree with part of that. Being hit by a 22 rimfire, especially a 22LR is not like being hit with a slingshot. A 22 rimfire can kill a groundhog dead just like a 22-250 can. You just have to have a better placed shot with the rimfire.

Let me dust off one of my bullet comparison pic's. I will list the relevant calibers. Starting at the left. 22 BB cap, 22 CB cap, 22 Short, 22 Long, 22 Long Rifle, .17HMR ballistic tip, .17HMR hollow point (both of these are also rimfire cartridges, (not relevant but it's next) 30 Carbine, 223 Rem (a 22 caliber bullet and used in AR15's, M16's) and at the end is a 50BMG.

As you can see there is quite some difference in the capacity of a cartridge as to how much powder it can hold. Larger powder capacity, more power, higher velocity and kinetic energy. Also with the larger capacity cartridge cases you will usually find that the bullet weight increases.