There are a lot of things to consider when choosing a rifle bullet. And it's important to remember that each may perform differently in different rifles. To ensure the best possible results, test several rifle bullet styles and weights to determine which round performs best in your rifle.

What to consider when selecting a centerfire rifle bullet

Caliber: This term has a double meaning. It refers to both the specific cartridge for which a firearm is chambered (like the 338 Federal) and it is a rough approximation of the diameter of the bullet. It's expressed in inches or millimeters. For example, a .22 caliber bullet is approximately 22/100ths of an inch across. An 8mm bullet is approximately 8 millimeters in diameter.

Bullet Weight: Bullets are available in different weights, expressed in grains. A grain is 1/7000th of a pound.

Bullet Type: Federal Premium® Ammunition offers a full range of bullet styles and each bullet is designed to perform for its intended purpose. Most hunting bullets expand or “mushroom”, but there are several key categories.
  • Disruptive expansion: some bullets expand explosively like the Nosler® Ballistic Tip®, Speer® TNT®, TNT Green and Sierra® GameKing®.
  • Bonded: bullets like the Trophy Bonded® Tip, Trophy Bonded Bear Claw and AccuBond® are designed to expand but retain most of their weight.
  • Non-expanding: includes solids designed to penetrate heavy bone and muscle tissue and Full Metal Jackets (FMJ or TMJ) designed for target shooting.
  • All-copper: while most bullets feature a lead core, the Barnes® Triple-Shock X-Bullet and Tipped Triple-Shock X are made of all copper.

Rifle bullet details
Handgun bullet details
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