

During the past century, 9mm ammunition has been developed and improved upon. This ammunition was first introduced alongside the German Luger semi-automatic pistol, hence the 9mm Luger (or 9 mm Parabellum). It's now commonly used by civilian shooters as well as the military and law enforcement. Also, because all-copper bullets tend to retain their weight better than lead core bullets after impact, when using all-cooper/mono-metal bullets, it’s common to use a lighter bullet to achieve more velocity.Since its introduction to the commercial market in 1902, 9mm ammo has become one of the most popular handgun calibers available. Since copper weighs less than lead, an all-cooper bullet of the same weight as a lead core bullet might be longer and give the appearance it’s heavier. The grain weight of a bullet combined with its construction and what it’s made of is also a consideration. Richard Mann What Does Grain Mean in Ammo: Other Considerations But they will all deliver different external and terminal ballistics based on their shape and construction. All four of these 0.308-caliber bullets weigh 150 grains. Typically, you’ll find the best balance of external and terminal ballistics with mid-range bullet weights for the cartridge you’re shooting. This is not only true with hunting rifles, but it’s also the case with self-defense handgun ammunition. This is because bullets are now being built to retain most of their weight after impact, and the mid-weight bullets tend to shoot flatter and hit harder than heavier bullets because they start out at higher velocities. However, with the modern advancements we’ve had in bullet design, more hunters are turning away from their preference for heavier bullets. Richard Mann Which Grain Weight for Ammo is Best? This 0.440-caliber lead round ball weighs 127-grains, which is the same as the bullet used in this 6.5 Creedmoor load. Round balls are not sold by grain weight because all lead round balls of the same caliber weigh the same. It should be obvious why this method of weighing bullets went out of fashion. It was common to reference the size bullet-lead round ball-a muzzleloader fired by “bore” instead of caliber and grain, because back then everyone knew that a 38-bore muzzleloader fired a lead round ball that weighed 1/38 th of a pound or about 181 grains. 50-caliber muzzleloader would fire a round lead ball of about 0.490 to 0.495 inches in diameter, and it would take about 38 of these to weigh a pound. Dillin, lead round balls for muzzleloading rifles were often referenced by how many of them it would take to make a pound. Speaking of the olden days, and according to the book, “ The Kentucky Rifle,” written in 1924 by Captain John G.W. of 2.5 would hit and recoil harder than the same load with a DR.EQ. For example, a 20-gauge shell with a 1 5/8 ounce payload and a DR.EQ. references how powerful the shell is, but it has nothing to do with how much shot it contains or how much the shot weighs. This game load for the 16-gauge shotgun contains 1 ounce of shot, with no mention of grains. What Does Grain Mean in Ammo: Table of Contents For example, Norma lists a 180-grain load for the 308 Winchester at 11.7 grams. (It’s easier for most of us to work with numbers on the left side of the decimal point so weight by grain makes more sense.) Some European ammunition manufacturers do list bullet weights in grams. Similarly, a 45-grain powder charge would be listed as 0.1028 ounces. For example, since 437.5 grains equals one ounce, a 200-grain bullet would weigh 0.4571429 ounces. The more common measurement for small quantities is an ounce and bullets and powder charges could be weighed by the ounce, but the numbers become tedious. Arrows and broadheads are also most often weighed by grain. Technically, a single grain-in weight not of gun powder-equals 0.065 grams or 1/7000 of a pound. Just the same, if load data for a cartridge specifies 45 grains of gunpowder, it does not mean you count out 45 little grains of powder, it means you weigh the powder charge until it equals 45 grains. If an ammunition description lists a 200-grain bullet, it’s referencing the bullet’s weight. Having trouble figuring out what grain means when it comes to ammo? A grain is a unit of weight and is typically used to reference how much a bullet or powder charge weighs. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.
