Brownells has some interesting cartridge comparisons

August 15, 2022Interesting Cartridge Comparations from BrownellsBrownells, a well-known retailer, sells guns, gun parts and accessories, as well as ammo. Brownells has a highly active video production department that releases new “how to” and product information videos each week. These videos offer helpful advice on gun cleaning/maintenance, reloading, as well as selecting/assembling components for various kinds of rifles. The Brownells YouTube Channel has over 1000 videos. This is a great resource. We love the Quick Tip Cartridge Comparisons. Brownells tech staffers compare two cartridge types and highlight the differences. Three recent Brownells Cartridge Comparison Videos are shown below. 6.5 Creedmoor vs..260 Remington Caleb Savant, Brownells Gun Tech compares and contrasts both the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge and the older.260 Remington. Both cartridges are loaded to approximately the same length overall (OAL), but the bullets in the neck of the.260 Remington are larger. The.260 Remington is essentially a.308 Winchester necked to 6.5mm (.264?). The 6.5 Creedmoor’s case is shorter and has a modern 30-degree shoulder angle. The same cartridge OAL can allow you to load longer-ogive bullets with higher-BC accuracy. The.260 Remington has a long-freebore chamber that can run any 6.5mm high-BC bullet. The.260 Remington, however, can generate a little more velocity at the muzzle due to its longer case holding a little more powder. The 6.5 Creedmoor is able to match the performance of the.260 Rem bullets with the use of high-quality Lapua brass. The 6.5 Creedmoor can be ordered with small primer pocket brass from Lapua. This brass will allow for a greater number of reloading cycles, before case-head expansion becomes a problem. Both options are good for hunters, but the.260 Rem is more efficient due to its longer body and case taper. We prefer the 6.5 Creedmoor because of its versatility and efficiency. However, the.260 Rem is also a good choice. Caleb Savant, Gun Tech Caleb Brownells, compares two medium-caliber cartridges which can be used in AR15-platform rifles. The 6.5 Grendel is usually loaded with a high-BC bullet.264? The 6.8 SPC, on the other hand, has a larger bullet diameter.277? bullet. Both have the same 2.26? OAL is the AR-15 standard.223 Remington round / 5.56 NATO round. The 6.5 Grendel has a faster velocity and flatter trajectory. Brownells estimates that the 6.5 Grendel will run about 100 fps quicker than the 6.8 SPC, despite having the same bullet weight. The 6.5 Grendel will drop approximately 8.5 at 100 yards. At 300 yards, the 6.5 Grendel will drop about 8.5?, while the 6.8 SPC drops 10.5? The same distance. The 6.5 Grendel is a better choice for long range targets, at least when loaded by a higher-BC bullet. Brass is a big difference. Excellent Lapua brass can be found for the 6.5 Grendel. The 6.8 SPC is a different story. Caleb Savant, Brownells Technician, talks about the 7.62x51mm NATO and.308 Winchester. Both rounds have the same dimensions. Most shooters are aware of this fact. The military 7.62×51 was actually developed from the civilian.308 Winchester. Can they be interchangeably? Because the 7.62×51 cartridge can normally be fired from any rifle chambered with.308 Winchester, the 7.62×51 cartridge is spec’d to operate at a lower pressure than the SAAMI maximum in the.308 Win. We have seen 7.62×51 NATO milsurp ammunition from the United Kingdom and Austria that was extremely hot, much more than a typical commercial.308 win load. You should be cautious when using 7.62×51 ammo in new rifles. You should also be cautious when using.308 Win ammunition in 7.62 NATO rifles. The 7.62×51 NATO chamber is slightly larger and the cartridge’s casing is usually a bit thicker. This allows the cartridge to “flow” and expand into the additional space. NOTE: Some rifles with 7.62×51 NATO chambers can handle.308 Win ammunition. To find out, consult the owner’s manual and contact the manufacturer of your rifle..44 Magnum vs..45 Long Colt — Great Wheelgun Carridges Brownells Gun Tech Steve Ostrem compares the.44 Magnum to the.45 Long Colt, two of the most popular revolver carstriges. The.45 LC was introduced in 1870s. Back then, revolver steel was less strong than modern steel. It is therefore loaded as a low pressure cartridge. The.44 Magnum was created in the 1950s for hunting. Modern gun steels were stronger, so revolvers could be made to withstand higher pressures. It is easier to find full-power commercial.44 Magnum ammunition. The.45 Colt that you see at the gun shop is loaded mildly to ensure that people don’t blow up their old revolvers. Both cartridges are great for handloading, as they both have straight-wall cases that can take a variety of powders. Both dies, brass, as well as bullets, are readily available. Both dies, brass, and bullets are readily available.