Shorter cases more accurate than longer cases? - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

Arnisandyz · 09-01-2005, 09:23 AM

Are shorter cased cartidges more accurate than longer cased? Many people will argue that the .308 Winchester is more accurate than the 30-06 citing a more uniform burn of the powder, and because the cartridge is shorter, it stays more in "square" to its base. So as far as accuracy, is GAP > ACP? 40 > 10mm and 380 > 9mm?

RipRip · 09-01-2005, 10:24 AM

Look at the new WSSM they aren't the end all be all in accuracy. I think it has more to do with less case taper and sharper shoulder than over all length.

bigun · 09-01-2005, 04:13 PM

Many of the shorter cases are more efficiant than the longer cases due to advances in powders and primers. That does not mean more accurate but they will make the same velocities or better with smaller amounts of powder. I have absolutely no experience with the .45 gap but have a hard time believing that it will be more accurate than the .45acp. What it does offer is a smaller grip, saving money for the companies that already have designes for a 9mm sized weapon and putting .45acp punch into high capacity weapon that people with small hands can control. This goes the same for the 10mm-40s&w. However the downside is higher preassures that increase wear on pistols and causes that annoying muzzle flip so common to todays plastic framed pistols. Or .40cal glocks to go boom instead of bang. I will be curious to see if the .45gap has the same explosive personality in Glock pistols.

JD McDorce · 09-01-2005, 06:44 PM

My belief is that one would need to get well down a long list of items that potentially effect accuracy before you even get to cartridge length. The gun needs to be matched to the shooter, the ammo needs to matched to the gun, shooting distance, shooting conditions, etc. all become variables that figure into accuracy. One could try to approach it from an everything else being equal position, but in the real world everything else isn't equal.

dogjaw · 09-03-2005, 04:28 AM

On bottle neck rounds, it has a lot to do with shoulder angle and length of neck. .222 Remington was king of the hill in bench rest shooting until the PPC family of cartridges came along. The 45 GAP was developed to offer 45 ACP performance out of a shorter case so existing 9mm and 40 cal framed pistols could be used. The 308 is inherently more accurate than a 30-06, but was developed to offer a shorter overall round for machine guns than the 30-06, with the same performance. If case length were the only criteria, the 30-30 would be a highly accurate round, which isn't the case.

09-01-2005, 09:23 AM	#1
Arnisandyz XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 298	Shorter cases more accurate than longer cases? Are shorter cased cartidges more accurate than longer cased? Many people will argue that the .308 Winchester is more accurate than the 30-06 citing a more uniform burn of the powder, and because the cartridge is shorter, it stays more in "square" to its base. So as far as accuracy, is GAP > ACP? 40 > 10mm and 380 > 9mm?

09-01-2005, 04:13 PM	#3
bigun XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Southern Iowa Posts: 2,563	Many of the shorter cases are more efficiant than the longer cases due to advances in powders and primers. That does not mean more accurate but they will make the same velocities or better with smaller amounts of powder. I have absolutely no experience with the .45 gap but have a hard time believing that it will be more accurate than the .45acp. What it does offer is a smaller grip, saving money for the companies that already have designes for a 9mm sized weapon and putting .45acp punch into high capacity weapon that people with small hands can control. This goes the same for the 10mm-40s&w. However the downside is higher preassures that increase wear on pistols and causes that annoying muzzle flip so common to todays plastic framed pistols. Or .40cal glocks to go boom instead of bang. I will be curious to see if the .45gap has the same explosive personality in Glock pistols. __________________ Remington Rand 1911A1, Kimber Pro CDP 2, Kimber Custom Target, Ruger mark2 Govt model with Bushnell Holo site, Beretta 92D 9mm, Kahr K-40, Coming soon Kimber Warrior or Springfield Operator.

09-01-2005, 06:44 PM	#4
JD McDorce XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Westland, MI Posts: 1,267	My belief is that one would need to get well down a long list of items that potentially effect accuracy before you even get to cartridge length. The gun needs to be matched to the shooter, the ammo needs to matched to the gun, shooting distance, shooting conditions, etc. all become variables that figure into accuracy. One could try to approach it from an everything else being equal position, but in the real world everything else isn't equal. __________________ XD9 Service/XD9 Tactical/XD40 Tactical/XD45ACP Service Colt Series 80 GCNM/Springfield Black Stainless/Browning Hi-Power Practical/SIG P220

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09-01-2005, 10:24 AM	#2
RipRip XDTalk Newbie Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: IA Posts: 9	Look at the new WSSM they aren't the end all be all in accuracy. I think it has more to do with less case taper and sharper shoulder than over all length.

09-03-2005, 04:28 AM	#5
dogjaw XDTalk Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 56	On bottle neck rounds, it has a lot to do with shoulder angle and length of neck. .222 Remington was king of the hill in bench rest shooting until the PPC family of cartridges came along. The 45 GAP was developed to offer 45 ACP performance out of a shorter case so existing 9mm and 40 cal framed pistols could be used. The 308 is inherently more accurate than a 30-06, but was developed to offer a shorter overall round for machine guns than the 30-06, with the same performance. If case length were the only criteria, the 30-30 would be a highly accurate round, which isn't the case.