What is the difference between grains in ammo

It will impact how the firearm recoils, and it will have an impact on the overall trajectory of the bullet. Finally, it will impact terminal ballistics, changing how the bullet performs once it strikes a target. However, a light bullet delivers less energy and is susceptible to wind, which means it can be blown off target much easier than heavier bullet.

So from an accuracy perspective, neither is absolutely better. This ammo is the same brand, line and is even loaded with the same bullet. So, what does a 23 grain differential mean for muzzle velocity? A lot, apparently. The five shot average muzzle velocity for the lighter grain bullet is feet per second. When you calculate the muzzle energy for this bullet, you come up with foot pounds. The five shot average muzzle velocity for the heavier grain bullet was just under feet per second.

That is a muzzle energy of foot pounds. Why does it matter? In this case, the lighter bullet, moving faster delivers more energy. Physics dictates that bullet grain will play a role in recoil. We know it requires more energy to move a heavier bullet than a lighter bullet, right? Well, when we consider that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, we know a heavier bullet generally means more recoil than a lighter bullet.

As you might expect, there are a ton of variables that play into all this. Propellant burn rate can also play a role. Both expansion and penetration are affected by bullet shape, material, and other factors as well, but weight plays a role.

This essentially means that in most cases heavier bullets are reserved for hunting and self defense. When loaded into hunting rifles, a heavier bullet is more likely to deliver more energy into the target, resulting in a more humane shot. For self defense, a heavier bullet gives you a better chance at stopping a threat.

There are specialty rounds available specifically for the game you will be hunting, such as the Winchester Super-X. Precision Shooting- When shooting rifles at longer distances, bullet weight becomes more important. Your barrel length and twist rate will play a part in your ammo selection, with heavier bullets requiring a faster twist rate. The science behind long range rifle shooting is vast and confusing, but there are many precision shooters out there who can offer guidance and education on the topic.

Competition- Depending on what competition venue and division you are competing in, power factor will probably be important to you and you will need to be sure your ammo is meeting the set requirements. Competition shooters want minimal recoil and the current trend shows shooters that compete with lighter polymer guns lean towards heavier bullets, while those shooting heavy race guns favor lighter bullets. There are many ammo options on the market, and bullet weight is just one of many considerations to make when picking out the right rounds for you.

All of this is good and fine in theory, but what does that mean to you practically? For most plinking at the range, not a whole lot. If your rounds consistently hit the target higher or lower than you want, then you have two options. One is to put a new front or rear sight on your gun, if one is available. Unfortunately, there are no particular rules of thumb as to what will hit higher or lower.

As you shoot those groups to see how high or low they impact compared to your preferred sight picture, you may notice that all else being equal, ammunition with different bullet weights might feel different in your hands. Which one is better? It depends on the shooter. Heavier bullets are often described as having less felt recoil, but perhaps not enough to account for other characteristics of how the gun feels and behaves through the firing cycle.

One weight might have a more rounded tip while another is more squared off and blunt. Certain handguns in particular can be more or less reliable with different profiles. As you can see, you can change quite a few things about the way your gun shoots without the hassle of making changes to your equipment.

For the price of a few boxes of ammunition, you can make your gun shoot to its sights, change how its recoil feels in your hands, and even make it more accurate and reliable. So what are you waiting for? Go shopping, shooting, and experiment! What is Bullet Weight? By McKenzie Hanson. Mar, 30, Sep. FMJ rounds left and 95 gr. Bullet Weight vs. Recoil : A lot of people intuitively believe there must be some link between bullet weight and recoil.

If I want lighter recoil loads for my handgun, I should choose a lighter bullet weight, right? If the lighter bullets were pushed to the same velocity as the heavier bullets then simple physics would dictate that the recoil impulse would be reduced.

But as I mentioned earlier, lighter bullets are usually loaded to fly at greater velocities in order to make up for their low mass. Or… the heavier bullet could have more recoil depending on the load. For example, if the cartridge has a fast burning propelllant, the recoil could hit you all at once, translating to a sharp snap against your hand or shoulder.

A slow burning powder might distribute the recoil force over a longer period which feels like softer recoil. There is really just no way to determine what recoil is going to feel like by looking at bullet weight alone.

You might even still be doubting whether bullet weight is something worth paying attention to at all. Coming on the heels of their success with the single action P in. Aug, 21, Jun. Chris Baker. Share Article. From left to right, the bullets in these.

Can you tell their weight just by looking? Yeah, me either.