Understanding cartridge efficiency

Amazing that this is all coming full circle to the first 5 post of this thread.

Yes it is BUT what is more amazing is that the level of ignorance of ballistics 101 is so widespread among a group that embraces the latest technology to enhance their shooting ability.

The OP's question was: "If a person was to take two cartridges that have the same case capacity, but one is considered more efficient than the other. What are the pro's of the more efficient case?"

The answer is, there is no such thing as an efficient case. Equal capacities with the same components produce the same velocity. There is ZERO ballistic lab tested evidence to the contrary. That is physics 101.

As I cited waaay back, the 300 H&H vs 300 WSM Handloader test proved that fact (again).

Short fat cartridges are "cool" but produce no higher velocity with the same components/capacity as their long skinny cousins. (that also feed much better).

Please do the research before pontificating about what is impossible.
 
Last edited:
I wish I had the money to get all the equipment to test different combinations. I was just thinking this morning about shape charges. Where the blast can be controlled to a certain extent by the shape of the charge. Don't know if this would transfer to chamber shape.
 
Yes it is BUT what is more amazing is that the level of ignorance of ballistics 101 is so widespread among a group that embraces the latest technology to enhance their shooting ability.

The OP's question was: "If a person was to take two cartridges that have the same case capacity, but one is considered more efficient than the other. What are the pro's of the more efficient case?"

The answer is, there is no such thing as an efficient case. Equal capacities with the same components produce the same velocity. There is ZERO ballistic lab tested evidence to the contrary. That is physics 101.

As I cited waaay back, the 300 H&H vs 300 WSM Handloader test proved that fact (again).

Short fat cartridges are "cool" but produce no higher velocity with the same components/capacity as their long skinny cousins. (that also feed much better).

Please do the research before pontificating about what is impossible.
What forum did you get kicked of that you ended up here. All you've done is regurgitated information from the internet while flapping about others who are coming from direct experience.
There is a lot of great information from the past to build on but there is also a lot of stuff that has been found not accurate over time, people asking questions should not butt hurt you this bad unless your just close minded and can just go with what ever you read on the internet!!
 
I wish I had the money to get all the equipment to test different combinations. I was just thinking this morning about shape charges. Where the blast can be controlled to a certain extent by the shape of the charge. Don't know if this would transfer to chamber shape.
The equipment isn't that horrible, it's the barrels, powder, bullets and changing chambers and trying to keep things as apples to apples so you can narrow down what you learned.
 
What forum did you get kicked of that you ended up here. All you've done is regurgitated information from the internet while flapping about others who are coming from direct experience.
There is a lot of great information from the past to build on but there is also a lot of stuff that has been found not accurate over time, people asking questions should not butt hurt you this bad unless your just close minded and can just go with what ever you read on the internet!!

Thanks a lot, now I have to clean and sanitize my monitor.
 
I am starting to wonder how a group of idiots like us were able to muck our way through all these years until a genius joined us on May 21, 2020. I think bigngreen is onto something. He probably got tossed off of another forum or 2 and landed here, hopefully not for long.

Time for the "ignore" button.
 
Last edited:
Another way to look at cartridge efficiency is chosen bullet in (x) magazine length at (x) velocity. So a 140gr 6.5 in 2.8" magazine a 6.5creedmoor is more efficient than the 260, but drop to a 130gr and the 260 becomes more efficient than the creed.
if you have 3.7" magazine and you're only using 3" of it with a saum but could be using 3.6" with a rem mag,it's arguable that the rem mag is more efficient than the saum lol
Just to stir this pot poo poo
 
Another way to look at cartridge efficiency is chosen bullet in (x) magazine length at (x) velocity. So a 140gr 6.5 in 2.8" magazine a 6.5creedmoor is more efficient than the 260, but drop to a 130gr and the 260 becomes more efficient than the creed.
if you have 3.7" magazine and you're only using 3" of it with a saum but could be using 3.6" with a rem mag,it's arguable that the rem mag is more efficient than the saum lol
Just to stir this pot poo poo

Interesting, but that was not the OP's question.
 
Regarding cars and fuel.......

Fuel efficiency is miles per gallon of fuel. Fuel economy is miles per dollar's worth of fuel.

Perhaps something similar for cartridges. Takes more fuel to shoot heavier bullets a given speed.
 
Last edited:
Equal capacities with the same components produce the same velocity.....

.....only when the barrel throat, bore and groove dimensions are the same.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 5 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Recent Posts

Top