# Centerfire vs rimfire cartridges **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 11, 2012, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centerfire-vs-rimfire-cartridges/640644 "2012-11-11T01:46:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centerfire-vs-rimfire-cartridges/640644/1 "2012-11-11T01:46:12Z")
Rimfire isn’t seen on many cartridges yet is used in one of the most common calibers there is; The 22lr. What are the different design implications of choosing centerfire vs rimfire? Centerfire can be reloaded which means it can lower costs, especially for bigger calibers where it can start being worth it to reload. I understand that the firing process renders rimfire cartridges unusable except as scrap. Rimfire is likely cheaper than centerfire since it seems to be simpler and it’s used in the cheapest caliber there is. How come it’s not more broadly used, considering most people don’t reload their cartridges? What are the other advantages and disadvantages of both designs? ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centerfire-vs-rimfire-cartridges/640644/2 "2012-11-11T02:01:22Z")
the pressures required by most modern centerfire rounds would blow out the thin-wall case required to make them rimfire. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centerfire-vs-rimfire-cartridges/640644/3 "2012-11-11T02:03:05Z")
Wouldn’t it be possible to have a thick-walled case but thin at the rim? Even if that wouldn’t be possible/economic, why don’t we see handgun cartridges with rimfire? They tend to be low pressure. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centerfire-vs-rimfire-cartridges/640644/4 "2012-11-11T03:55:08Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > Rimfire isn’t seen on many cartridges yet is used in one of the most common calibers there is; The 22lr. > > What are the different design implications of choosing centerfire vs rimfire? > > Centerfire can be reloaded which means it can lower costs, especially for bigger calibers where it can start being worth it to reload. I understand that the firing process renders rimfire cartridges unusable except as scrap. > Rimfire is likely cheaper than centerfire since it seems to be simpler and it’s used in the cheapest caliber there is. How come it’s not more broadly used, considering most people don’t reload their cartridges? > What are the other advantages and disadvantages of both designs? I’m sure others will be along but a couple things to consider. .22LR is great for target shooting and other “high volume” pursuits. Its also a good reliable gun for country folk with enough land to need to repel the occasional big critter as well as occasionally dispatching small animals for slaughter. Ammo is cheap and available anywhere. Its so cheap its hardly worth the effort to even try and reload it. Centerfire loads tend to be used in much lower volumes. My dad used to go deer hunting with 5 rounds and regularly came back with 3-4 and a deer. Target shooting with centerfire is an expensive process even when reloading your own. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centerfire-vs-rimfire-cartridges/640644/5 "2012-11-11T04:56:18Z")
Aren’t there some accuracy differences? Or is that old news. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centerfire-vs-rimfire-cartridges/640644/6 "2012-11-11T05:08:30Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > Wouldn’t it be possible to have a thick-walled case but thin at the rim? > > Even if that wouldn’t be possible/economic, why don’t we see handgun cartridges with rimfire? They tend to be low pressure. The rim contains the primer. As it’s open to the main case space/powder charge, any thinness in the rim is the same as thinness in the case. ---
**Author:** ![Gbro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Gbro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gbro)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centerfire-vs-rimfire-cartridges/640644/7 "2012-11-11T05:19:56Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > Aren’t there some accuracy differences? Or is that old news. Yes there certainly is. The cheap bulk is very erratic. Target shooters (Small Bore) use premium target ammo that can cost almost as much as center fire ammo. Reloading is the main reason rimfire fell as the case is the most expensive cartridge component. Today there are cheap “Central Fire” Cartridges that are basically considered non-reloadable. They are steel & aluminum alloy and most often Berdain primed. Here is a sort list of obsolete rim fire cartridges from the past. 5mm Remington Rimfire Magnum 22 extra long 22 Winchester Rimfire (WRF) a few reproduction runs on this. 22 Winchester Automatic 22 Remington Automatic 22 ILARCO 22 short Magnum rimfire25 Short 25 Stevens Short 25 Stevens 30 Short 30 Long 32 Extra Short 32 Short 32 Long 32 Long Rifle 32 Extra Long 38 Short 38 Long 38 Extra Long 41 Short (Derringer) 41 Long 41 Swiss 44 Short 44 Long 44 Extra Long 44 Henry Flat 46 Short 46 Long 46 extra long 50 Remington Navy 56-46 Spencer 56-50 Spencer 56-52 Spencer 56-56 Spencer 58 Miller, 58 Allin, 585 Springfield, 58 Musket, 58 Allen and 58 Ball all same cartridge ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/centerfire-vs-rimfire-cartridges/640644/8 "2012-11-11T21:45:20Z")
Early designs were rimfire, and it was adequate for the relatively low-pressure early metallic cartridge. But not later ones. There was also the perception that if you dropped a large, heavy cartridge onto a hard surface, the rim might detonate.