Magnum definition
- Thread starter Grimstod
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Alex Wheeler
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I consider a magnum a case with a magnum boltface.
jonbearman
I live in new york state,how unfortunate !
.532 Unusually great in power or size.
I am a young guy eager to learn that is all. With rimmed cartridges would you count the base or subtract the rim that sticks out of the profile of the cartridge.Erik Cortina
Team Lapua Brux Borden Captain
Barlow said:
This is correct. You can have non-magnum wildcats exceed the performance of so called "Magnums".
It has nothing to do with capacity. Look at the WSSM line of cartridges, it's all about advertising.
Erik Cortina said:
You guys are all wet... Don't you remember when the 7mm Rem Mag. came out? All those guys shooting .270's at Mule Deer out west, dumped their .270's for the 7Mags. WHY? Because the term "magnum" caused the animals to die from fright! The old .270's and their bullets, after the introduction of the 7Mag, seemed to just "bounce off" those ultra-tough Mule Deer! So it can't possibly be just "advertising"!!
There is no solid definition of 'Magnum' - it's what the ammunition company's marketing people decide to call it. It was originally an English gunmaker's term for a large cased, high-performance design and largely replaced the former 'Express' moniker that was used for smaller bore, lighter bullet HV models or loadings. 'Magnum' comes originally from a continental European description of a larger bottle of wine, especially Champagne - I think double size, but as a poor man I don't drink much 'champers', never mind buy it in magnums. This of course added to the original marketing allure as magnum bottles of vintage Champagne were the preserve of the super-rich in the 1920s. (The older 'Express' marketing term came from our name in the UK for fast trains that only stop at a few stations en route - still in use by old farts like me too.)
In practice, many 'magnums' offer enhanced performance, but that may well be inferior to those of non-magnums, or only marginally more. For instance, the semi-obsolescent .222 Remington Magnum in factory loads only has slightly higher velocities than standard .223 Rem rounds, but markedly inferior ballistics to the (non-magnum) .22-250 Remington. .243WSSM (Winchester Super Short Magnum) has almost identical performance to the 50 year older .243 Winchester ........... and so on.
The majority of rifle bolts are dimensioned to accept one of three widely used rimless case-head diameters: 0.378" (the 1950 .222 Rem and everything since developed from this case); 0.473" which started with the 1880s 7.9X57mm Mauser and has been used in scores of designs since, success guaranteed ever since the US adopted it for the .30-03/.30-06 design back in 1903); 0.532/3" for magnum cartridges going back to the British .375 H&H Magnum of 1912, or maybe another English design for Africa a little earlier - the original 'Magnums', used for decades with belted case designs, later adopted for modern rimless magnums such as the WSM and SAUM models as well as other fat high capacity models like the Lazerroni range.
Rimmed case-head are measured across the rim edge to edge and most designs are one-off with the exception of some rimmed revolver cartridges.
In practice, many 'magnums' offer enhanced performance, but that may well be inferior to those of non-magnums, or only marginally more. For instance, the semi-obsolescent .222 Remington Magnum in factory loads only has slightly higher velocities than standard .223 Rem rounds, but markedly inferior ballistics to the (non-magnum) .22-250 Remington. .243WSSM (Winchester Super Short Magnum) has almost identical performance to the 50 year older .243 Winchester ........... and so on.
The majority of rifle bolts are dimensioned to accept one of three widely used rimless case-head diameters: 0.378" (the 1950 .222 Rem and everything since developed from this case); 0.473" which started with the 1880s 7.9X57mm Mauser and has been used in scores of designs since, success guaranteed ever since the US adopted it for the .30-03/.30-06 design back in 1903); 0.532/3" for magnum cartridges going back to the British .375 H&H Magnum of 1912, or maybe another English design for Africa a little earlier - the original 'Magnums', used for decades with belted case designs, later adopted for modern rimless magnums such as the WSM and SAUM models as well as other fat high capacity models like the Lazerroni range.
Rimmed case-head are measured across the rim edge to edge and most designs are one-off with the exception of some rimmed revolver cartridges.
bobinpa
Gold $$ Contributor
I would think that originally a magnum was just an "enlarged" version of a similar cartridge. Like 308 Win enlarged to 300 Win Magnum or 308 Norma Magnum. Same bore diameter with a larger case. Lately that theory has been watered down due to the fact that wildcatters and reloaders in general have found ways to take a parent cartridge and change it to outperform a similar magnum. I know I will get stepped on here but as a general idea...... take the 284 win, (it's a non magnum) wildcat it to a 6.5 - 284 win and you have a cartridge that will (WITH THE RIGHT LOADS) outperform a 264 Win mag and you don't have to deal with loading a belted magnum.
Also, magnum cartridges usually have a bolt face of .532 - .535 while standard cartridges have a bolt face of .473.
Just my .02.
Also, magnum cartridges usually have a bolt face of .532 - .535 while standard cartridges have a bolt face of .473.
Just my .02.
Thi9s has/is a great assembly of ideas!
Tim @ Liberty
Tim @ Liberty
I think there is a better but lengthy explanation but when I hear magnum I think anything over 65 grains of powder capacity (i know, i know. . . it varies)
The Raton rifle silhouette range states "no magnums" and some criteria that leave the .30-06, 284 Winchester, 260 Remington and 270 along with some less common cartridges at the top of the non-magnum pack.
BUT there's are a lot of mini-magnums too
There are overbore indexes someone has probably already mentioned or linked and that is probably the simplest indicator of magnum status.
http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/overbore-cartridges-defined-by-formula/
The Raton rifle silhouette range states "no magnums" and some criteria that leave the .30-06, 284 Winchester, 260 Remington and 270 along with some less common cartridges at the top of the non-magnum pack.
BUT there's are a lot of mini-magnums too
There are overbore indexes someone has probably already mentioned or linked and that is probably the simplest indicator of magnum status.
http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/overbore-cartridges-defined-by-formula/
It is not a hard clear definition. Just like the term "Synthetic" in the USA is not defined legally in the USA and is just a marketing term as it relates to motor oil but in Europe it has a clear well defined definition that is legally enforceable. The term magnum has been tossed about in magazines for decades with the idea that it is not an easy to define thing. We all know one when we see one but defining it is tricky!
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