W. Todd Woodard - Cartridges of the World: A Complete and Illustrated Reference for Over 1500 Cartridges

The cover of this edition of Cartridges of the World is once again highlighting some of Hornady Manufacturings popular new cartridges. As a leading innovator of ammunition and reloading tool design, Hornadys expansive lineup of high-quality products really does include something for everyone, and this is just a glimpse into the companys catalog. To learn more check out their website at www.hornady.com.

Taking the lead is the Superformance cartridge, which increases the performance of standard rounds by up to 200 fps! Innovative technology allows the use of ultra-progressive propellants to boost the ballistic characteristics of a wide range of popular calibers. The best part is that the increased performance comes without increasing chamber pressure, recoil, muzzle blast, fouling or barrel wear. Plus, theres no loss of accuracy. With a choice of copper alloy GMX or polymer-tipped SST bullets, the Superformance is perfectly safe in all firearms including semiautos, lever actions and pump guns.

The white-tailed deer is without a doubt the most popular big-game animal in North America and Hornady has built their American Whitetail ammunition specifically with the deer hunter in mind. Generations of ballistics knowledge in tried-and-true deer calibers and bullet weights combine with modern technology to provide cartridges that wont fail on opening day. Hornadys legendary Interlock bullet design offers flat trajectory, outstanding accuracy, deep penetration and controlled expansion to knock down even the biggest buck in the woods.

Last, but certainly not least, on the back cover is the new Custom Lite ammunition. Designed with new, young or recoil-sensitive shooters in mind, these cartridges offer the same highly accurate, dependable and deadly performance that Hornady is known for, but with an overall recoil reduction of 25-43 percent in numerous popular cartridges. Lighter weight SST and Interlock RN bullets and modified propellants also reduce muzzle blast to keep big-game rifle shooting enjoyable for those nervous about recoil, while still remaining potent hunting combinations.

Sportsmen and firearms enthusiasts in general are fond of indulging in a timeless, endless discussion that usually begins something like this: If you had the opportunity to hunt all over the world, but due to space-weight limitations could carry only one gun, what would it be? This simple assumption is good for hours or even days of lively debate. Also, on occasion, a few fist fights. This is mentioned, not to engage in any phase of this classic argument, but because it is apropos to a summary of this book.

Let me put it this way, if you were traveling to Mars or some other planet by rocket ship, and because of space-weight limitations could carry only one book on cartridges, what would it be? We sincerely hope it would be this one, because it contains more usable information per pound than any other single book on the subject.

As of this writing, there is no record of any copies of Cartridges of the World having been carried to other worlds, although the effort did get off the ground here on earth. The many letters received by the author and editors indicate that we certainly followed the right path in our treatment of the many known cartridges. The word used most often in describing this book is useful. We consider this a high compliment, because it describes our original objectiveto publish a useful cartridge book. We sincerely believe the buyer of this edition will also find it so. Frank C. Barnes

To my parents, Clifford and Margaret Barnes, whose encouragement of my boyhood dreams and ambitions made all that came later possible, this book is wholeheartedly dedicated. F.C.B.

This 14th Edition is dedicated the wide-ranging interests of shooters everywhere, and their entertaining attempts to solve problems with lead, brass, and powder. Researching the cartridges contained herein has been a marvelous trip to foreign lands and strange places. When I pick up brass at the range these days, Im constantly checking headstamps to try to find something new. W. Todd Woodard

The original philosophy worked out by myself and the late John T. Amber (the original editor) was to assemble a practical and useful book that would appeal to as broad a spectrum of the shooting fraternity as possible. The sales record of the book through the years indicates that this was the proper approach. The 14th Edition carries on in the same tradition as the previous editions in offering both something new, as well as retaining old data that is either useful or of general interest. There is really not much that can be done in the area of, say, obsolete cartridges, because nothing changes except that occasionally one or two of the old-timers will be reintroduced. This requires moving such cartridges back into the chapter covering modern cartridges, or, on the other hand, some commercially loaded number will be discontinued and relegated to the obsolete designation. Such changes are updated in this next edition. We have retained the encyclopedic reference format and are continuing to present the information from a shooters and hunters point of view.

Included is information covering handgun, rifle, shotgun, obsolete black powder, European, British, military, wildcat, and proprietary cartridges, along with data on the guns that shoot these cartridges, something for everyone. The information was obtained from many sources, including textbooks, new and old catalogs, periodicals, and individuals. Amber supplied many out-of-print and rare cartridge catalogs from his extensive library. Much information is from the authors and editors files, as well as other original sources, and will not be found elsewhere. Practical experience also weighs heavily in the balance. I had more than 50 years of hunting, shooting, reloading and collecting experience. Amber was a gun collector with extensive hunting experience in North America, Europe, and Africa. Ken Warner, successor to Amber and former editor of Gun Digest, is also a collector, hunter, and shooter with many years of experience. This collective experience is reflected in the pages of this book.

The book is divided into chapters based on each category of ammunition: Current American Rifle, Obsolete American Rifle, Handgun, Military, etc. Ballistics and basic loading data have been included with each cartridge listing if possible. Extensive dimensional charts and tables are found at the end of each chapter. Dimensional data is presented in this manner, rather than with the individual cartridges, in order to simplify the identification of unknown cartridges. Cartridges are listed in the order of increasing bullet diameter, or, if caliber is the same, by length or power. One of the more difficult facts to establish with certainty is the date of origin for older obsolete cartridges. This is a matter of some importance to historians and, occasionally, archaeologists digging into our recent past when they find spent cases or cartridges in graves or on old battlefields. It can be useful when attempting to determine the caliber of certain guns or the relationship between firearms, ammunition and historical events. Those who write western novels or make similar movies might be well served if they would peruse the pages of this book, so that they would not constantly be placing the wrong guns in the wrong time period. It might surprise them to discover that the U.S. Cavalry in the 1870s did not carry either Model 1892 or 1894 Winchester lever-action carbines. These guns were unavailable then, and none of the cartridges those rifles chambered were ever adopted by the military.