Ballistics comparison

[ground ape]

Another dumb nooby question. As I go through the net looking for Mosin Nagant information I keep running into one thing. The comparison of the performance of the 7.62x54R round with the 30.06 and the 308 and how it falls somewhere in between. When I go to the Hornady ballistic chart I see the 174 grain MN round marginally out performing the lighter 115 grain 30.06 round. Have I missed something?

[tjtM38]

I think you are comparing apples and oranges. Without even looking at ballistics and energy levels, I know that for an equal bullet weight, the .30-06 will produce slightly more velocity than the 7.62x54r round. However, when you compare one round's light bullet round with the other's heavy bullet load, the energy data will always favor the heavy bullet.

When I looked in my Hornady manual, I compared 150 grain bullet loads between the .30-06 (M1 Garand data) and the 7.62x54r and the velocity for the top end loads is virtually equal. That would equate to about the same energy levels for each round. That does not mean the military loads were equal. That depends on the country of origin, bullet type and other factors. From everything I have seen, the typical Russian or Bulgarian light ball will turn just as much velocity as the M2 Ball (.30-06); about 2750 fps. If you looked at higher pressure and velocity .30-06 loads that are not suitable for the M1 Garand (your typical 150 grain Remington Core-Lokt), you would see higher velocities in the 2900 range and greater energy for the hunting round. The .30-06 has a slight edge because it has slightly more case capacity. If you looked purely at heavy bullet hunting loads, you would find a distinct edge for the .30-06. The great thing about the .30-06 is it's ability to handle bullet weights anywhere from 110 to 220 grains. With that much to choose from, there probably isn't any game in North America that can't be downed by the .30-06 shooting the right load with the possible exception of the large bears over 500 pounds.

[SA1911a1]

For all practical purposes, there is very little effective difference in the 8x57 v. 7.5x55 v. 7.62x54r v. 30-06 v. 7.62x51. All of them designed within the same limitations of shooter, firearm, propellant and bullet, and all designed for the exact same purpose. All are capable of putting lead, in sufficient weight and at sufficient velocities to be devastating to mammals for farther than most of us can see. You could write an endless book full of arguments over the minute differences and never come to a hard and fast conclusion over which is superior. In the hands of the best riflemen in the world, there may be some that perform slightly better at a specific range, but it is not an effect noticed by the rest or us casual shooters.

I have rifles in all of the above calibers and I shoot them all equally badly. I do favor the .06 a bit, because I can shoot it a little cheaper.

I happen to know that the best round is the 6.5 x 55, but I won't get into that.

[steelbuttplate]

Them Europeans have to use metric for everything, so comparisons with American ammo get too complicated for a old fart like me. I'll tell you that a .303 greek HXP round hit a 1/2" steel pistol target 9" round and welded to an 18 " piece of angle iorn @ 50 yds. This target weighs 4-5 lbs., it jerked it outa the ground cut 2 flips and landed 20 some feet away. The 1/2' steel had a .50 cal. hole thru it and bent the angle iorn. Damn. Somebody hiding behind a car has no chance....aim center mass.....I also did some tests on 3/8 square tube, like a Reece hitch. The Mosin Silvertip made a sloppy hole clean thru one side and dented the other. .303 Radway green went thru both sides and looked like it was a drilled hole......, Steve, I'm sure you meant 7.5x55, we forgive your mistake...... SBP

[SA1911a1]

Them Europeans have to use metric for everything, so comparisons with American ammo get too complicated for a old fart like me. I'll tell you that a .303 greek HXP round hit a 1/2" steel pistol target 9" round and welded to an 18 " piece of angle iorn @ 50 yds. This target weighs 4-5 lbs., it jerked it outa the ground cut 2 flips and landed 20 some feet away. The 1/2' steel had a .50 cal. hole thru it and bent the angle iorn. Damn. Somebody hiding behind a car has no chance....aim center mass.....I also did some tests on 3/8 square tube, like a Reece hitch. The Mosin Silvertip made a sloppy hole clean thru one side and dented the other. .303 Radway green went thru both sides and looked like it was a drilled hole......, Steve, I'm sure you meant 7.5x55, we forgive your mistake...... SBP

Au Contraire, The 6.5 x 55 is my favorite. I just point the '96 in the general direction and the round finds the center of the target. I don't know how it works, but it works.

[tjtM38]

My M96 Swede Mauser is very accurate and the 6.5x55 cartridge seems to be the perfect mix between power and accuracy. I don't know for sure, but I just feel it was easy for the soldiers to train on this rifle, simply because of the cartridge being inherently accurate and the rifles being constructed with the highest possible quality. It is too bad there is no surplus left out there, but I am certain the round will be commercially produced and available for years to come. I shoot Privi-Partisan 139 grain FMJ in my rifle and it is just a joy to see the results. If I had a scoped hunting rifle in this caliber, it would be the perfect deer round for use here in Mississippi.

[redhat10]

Them Europeans have to use metric for everything, so comparisons with American ammo get too complicated for a old fart like me. I'll tell you that a .303 greek HXP round hit a 1/2" steel pistol target 9" round and welded to an 18 " piece of angle iorn @ 50 yds. This target weighs 4-5 lbs., it jerked it outa the ground cut 2 flips and landed 20 some feet away. The 1/2' steel had a .50 cal. hole thru it and bent the angle iorn. Damn. Somebody hiding behind a car has no chance....aim center mass.....I also did some tests on 3/8 square tube, like a Reece hitch. The Mosin Silvertip made a sloppy hole clean thru one side and dented the other. .303 Radway green went thru both sides and looked like it was a drilled hole......, Steve, I'm sure you meant 7.5x55, we forgive your mistake...... SBP

Au Contraire, The 6.5 x 55 is my favorite. I just point the '96 in the general direction and the round finds the center of the target. I don't know how it works, but it works.

I do not shoot .303, but really like the m96 and its delightful 6.5 mm bullet...It is really a good round, the only drawback being the muzzel blast..it makes some noise, flattens all the grass down range?? ..IMHO..RH10

[SA1911a1]

I shot my Arisaka '99 for the first time last weekend. I was surprised at how much of a shoulder thumper it was.