The word Cartridge and Bullet.

[Remington1911]

No this is not a thread like clip and magazine, this is what pops into your brain when the word bullet or cartridge is said.

I saw this over on reddit and thought hmm, lets give it a go here, as I have very few original ideas of my own and need to really ration them out.

To me say the word cartridge and a fully loaded and ready to go cartridge spring to mind. To me something along the lines of a 3030 with a round bullet.

Say the word bullet, and I get a long slim and pointy bullet. Odd because I have been spending so much time loading great big hunks of flat lead for a 4570.

So road, your thoughts.....and yes I know it is silly, but thought it is fun reading and then dating yourself with what you see. Young people tend to drift to new cartridges like 6.5c where older folks tend to go back to years gone by, their first rifle, first hunt.....whatever.

 

[Legionnaire]

Your definitions are apt. You won't find many on THR who don't know the difference.

 

[PapaG]

Just don't read many "kindle" novels where all things that go in guns are clips of bullets and all the fired stuff smells like cordite and all handguns have safeties, yada, yada.
Some of the best selling commercial novelists still have cringey errors. Gabriel Allon often pulls the "slider" on his Beretta to chamber a bullet. Reacher shoots a guy and the bullet knocks the bad guy clear out of his shoes.
Sorry. I think I got off topic.
Bullet: the thing that goes in the front of the case with the powder or propellant under it and the primer in the pocket in the back. Cartridge, all the foregoing.

 

[JJFitch]

Cartridge: The assembly including the bullet, i.e., "30-06", "38 Special"

Bullet: The projectile that is driven forward from the cartridge through the barrel due to expanding gas, i.e., ".357 LRN"

Caliber/calibre: The diameter of the projectile i.e., 9mm is a caliber, "9mm Parabellum", "9X19mm" is a cartridge

Smiles,

 

[GBExpat]

I am always mildly amused when I come across a mention of bullet "tips".

<OT>

... also the now-almost-universal reference to the smell of "cordite" after a firearm is discharged. O'course the term "cordite", like many others (Formica, Kleenex, Q-Tips, etc), has been assigned a firm position in our universal English Lexicon to mean the smell of any discharged firearms propellant.

</OT>

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Always used bullets for loaded rounds and bullet for the projectile. I did convert to mag vs clip at least.

 

[reddog81]

I think the OP is asking more specifically what do you picture in your mind when someone says the word cartridge. Do you picture a .38 Special round, 50 BMG round, Ink Toner, Donald Duck, a .22lr round. There is no right or wrong answer, it's like a Rorschach Test....

The first thing I thought of was the 45 ACP rounds I was reloading last night with a LRN bullet.

 

[CopperClad]

Cartridge=loaded round
Bullet=projectile
Case=brass,body,hull

 

[Archie]

To my knowledge, "cartridge" is used in one of two senses (relating to firearms): One complete and ready to fire assembly, or, the type of assembly (name) of a particular type of ammunition.
To use in speech, "I have seven cartridges in this magazine" or, "This rifle fires the '.300 Umpah-Whoopee' cartridge".

A "bullet" is the projectile propelled by the firearm. It may vary in form, material and function, but that's a whole different explanation. A "bullet" is different than shrapnel or debris.

That is how I understand the meanings and how I use them. No doubt someone sees it differently.

 

[jmr40]

No this is not a thread like clip and magazine,

Actually, it is exactly the same thing. It's about using correct terminology. I realize that over the years the definitions have become blurred, but I like to use the correct terminology. And would like for people to understand the correct terminology even if they choose not to use it. The correct terminology has been stated multiple times so I won't go there.

And it isn't just with firearms. Where I live any soft drink is a "Coke". Even if it says Pepsi on the bottle. All adjustable wrenches are a "Cresent" wrench even if it says "Craftsman" on it and there are still a lot of people who refer to all refrigerators as a "Frigidaire".

Another similar misapplication of terms is when people ask which caliber rifle they should get when they mean which cartridge should they be considering.

 

[jag22]

Basically anyone in the shooting, and particularly reloading, community are word snobs. Use the wrong term according to their definition and they will be more than happy to point out your mis-speak. Ignore them, it is a no win argument.

 

[earlthegoat2]

It’s all about context and reading the room, so to speak.

Some people call loaded metallic cartridges bullets. Some people call shotshells bullets or just shells. Some call rifle cartridges shells or just ammo. Some call different cartridges calibers. Some people call bullets projectiles

Here is a list I will make off the cuff of terms that can be used colloquially or by people not as knowledgeable about firearms and their nuances.

Bullet=cartridge=caliber
Chamber of a firearm=caliber
Bullet=projectile
Bullet=shotshell
Shotshell=shell
Shotshell=shot
Shell=Loaded rifle cartridge
Shotshell slug=bullet
Bullet=slug
Ammo=all of the above and more

I find the people I talk to use the term bullets a lot to indicate a loaded cartridge or use the term caliber to differentiate between different cartridges or rifle chamberings but do know the difference between them.

BTW: I just loaded up a clip with some bullets.

 

[General Geoff]

Basically anyone in the shooting, and particularly reloading, community are word snobs. Use the wrong term according to their definition and they will be more than happy to point out your mis-speak. Ignore them, it is a no win argument.

Is it being a word snob if the differentiation is essential to their hobby?

You won't get far in the handloading hobby if you try to load bullets into bullets

 

[jag22]

Perhaps I didn't explain properly. My statement (opinion) was meant to refer to people within the community speaking to those outsiders. My mistake. They don't know the difference between a clip and a magazine, and they don't care. To them a clip holds their tie in place and a magazine comes once a month with lots of pretty pictures.

 

[twarr1]

When I hear ‘cartridge’, with no other context, my mental picture is 7.62x51 AKA 308 Winchester.
I guess it’s from loading so many mini gun drums

 

[.308 Norma]

To them a clip holds their tie in place and a magazine comes once a month with lots of pretty pictures.

And a "case" is a whole box of canned tomatoes that they bought at Costco.

 

[aaaaa]

Cartridge=loaded round
Bullet=projectile
Case=brass,body,hull

Sometimes people use bullet to refer to the cartridge (primer, case, powder, and bullet, assembled and ready to fire). It is not as precise but then who would like the Lynyrd Skynyrd song if it was titled, "Gimmie Back My Cartridges"? Wouldn't flow to well musically either. Listen to it and think if they had to say cartridges instead of bullets. The song would be a flop.

 

[Remington1911]

I think the OP is asking more specifically what do you picture in your mind when someone says the word cartridge. Do you picture a .38 Special round, 50 BMG round, Ink Toner, Donald Duck, a .22lr round. There is no right or wrong answer, it's like a Rorschach Test....

The first thing I thought of was the 45 ACP rounds I was reloading last night with a LRN bullet.

Yup this is what I had in mind. Hand gun guys think of a handgun.....cartridge.....45acp, 38spl. Rifle guys think of rifle, reloading guys likely think of whatever is last.

I just thought it was kinda interesting in that look, One guy said he sat on top of a hummer for months and he thinks of Mk19 rounds, I could see that.

 

[Poper]

And a "case" is a whole box of canned tomatoes that they bought at Costco.

Where I come from, a "case" is 24 cans of their favorite beer.

 

[Legionnaire]

Yup this is what I had in mind. Hand gun guys think of a handgun.....cartridge.....45acp, 38spl. Rifle guys think of rifle, reloading guys likely think of whatever is last.

In that case (pun intended), I tend to think of whatever I've been reloading most recently.

 

[lightman]

I've known the correct terminology since I was a little kid. But I let people call things like they want. I do get amused with all of the "cool" people that can't say the whole word Winchester or Leupold. Sometimes I play dumb with them!

 

[Hikingman]

Hey, I was indoctrinated as a kid by the movies/ script writers. Then, I had learn other words.

"Load bullets in a clip."
Meaning: load cartridges in a magazine for Vietnam era, and after.

M-1 Garand has a clip.
M-16 has a magazine or mag.
Semi handguns have a mag. not a clip.

 

[.308 Norma]

Hey, I was indoctrinated as a kid by the movies/ script writers.

The Lone Ranger used "silver bullets." And even today, the reporters on Dateline talk about "bullet casings," or "shell casings" left behind at crime scenes.

 

[PapaG]

All that said, I had a guy come in the shop and ask if I had any "points". Finally got him to the reloading section and showed him the bullet selection. " No, man! Points". Final result, he wanted cartridges loaded with hollow point bullets.
Another wanted a "beam". Laser.
" Shoats". 22 shorts.
Terms can be important.

 

[Jack Ryan]

No this is not a thread like clip and magazine, this is what pops into your brain when the word bullet or cartridge is said.

I saw this over on reddit and thought hmm, lets give it a go here, as I have very few original ideas of my own and need to really ration them out.

To me say the word cartridge and a fully loaded and ready to go cartridge spring to mind. To me something along the lines of a 3030 with a round bullet.

Say the word bullet, and I get a long slim and pointy bullet. Odd because I have been spending so much time loading great big hunks of flat lead for a 4570.

So road, your thoughts.....and yes I know it is silly, but thought it is fun reading and then dating yourself with what you see. Young people tend to drift to new cartridges like 6.5c where older folks tend to go back to years gone by, their first rifle, first hunt.....whatever.

Kinda depends on who I'm talking to.
I've always found it beneficial when possible to speak to people in the language they are familiar with or at least expect to hear them speak in their normal form.