Question on Grains

[magnolia]

Not sure where to ask this question since I'm a newbie here but for years I've often wondered what the gr referred to that is listed on a box of shells. I figured it was the bullet weight. I got to really wondering when I saw a box of 380 shells with a 95 gr sell for more than a box that was 115 gr.
I'm sure someone here can explain the difference.

 

[ID_shooting]

you are correct, the gr as in "115 gr HP" is the bullet weight. As for why a box of 95gr sells more than a box of 115gr? It all depends.

High performance ammo will sell for more than FMJ plinking ammo.

Also, for a given caliber, the most popular weight will sell for less becuase more of it is made.

Also, some boxes contain 50 rounds, some 25 thus causing a cost difference.

Additionally, some ammo makers are higher priced than others. Corbon or Magtech will usually run you more for 25 rounds than say CCI or Winchester will for 50.

Does that help?

 

[magnolia]

yep, that explains it fully. Now I have a resonable answer to give in case any of my kids asks about it. (they think I know it all)

 

[ReloaderFred]

The grain designation is for the weight of the bullet. It's an avoirdupois weight measurement, based on 7000 grains to the pound, or 437.5 grains to the ounce.

As for the cost of different calibers of ammunition, a lot of the cost is based on volume of rounds sold. For instance, millions of .22 long rifle rounds are sold, so that keeps the price down somewhat. Very few .22 Short rounds are sold, so they cost more, even though less brass is used in the case, less powder and less lead for the bullet. The same holds true for your example of .380 Auto ammunition, versus 9mm ammunition. For each box of .380 sold, there are probably 20 or 30 boxes of 9mm sold. It's simple economics of supply and demand.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[BigG]

It is an apothecary measurement. You have heard of an aspirin 4 grain, or similar? 7000 grains = 1 pound avoirdupois.

 

[Sport45]

Wait until you get into dram equivalents....

As mentioned the cost is a supply and demand thing. Same process makes 410 shotgun shells cost more than 12 ga. You also pay more for "designer" cartridges which are touted to be the best self-defense rounds ever made.