There are two basic types of ammunition, rimfire and centerfire. They both provide the same function, igniting gunpowder and sending a projectile down the barrel, but have two totally different operating methods to achieve the same action. The two are not interchangeable but they both have their strengths and weaknesses along with their specific uses in different calibers. If you are not super familiar with the two, you likely want to know which one is best for you. Well, that depends on the application!
The differences between the two are not rocket science, but knowing the ins and outs can make you a better educated shooter and allow you to make better decisions on types and styles of ammunition for your shooting or hunting. Let’s start with the basics, how the two systems work.
How They Work
All current cartridge ammunitions today use the same principle to fire the bullet. As simple as it can be said, that means that a firing pin strikes the primer of the cartridge which creates a small explosion that ignites the gunpowder. When the gunpowder is ignited inside the cartridge, it creates gasses and force that propel the bullet from the cartridge, down the barrel of the firearm, and into your target.
Both rimfire and centerfire ammunition work in this manner. The only difference is at the beginning of this sequence. The design of the primer and how it is struck by the firing pin is the only difference between the two types of ammunition. Let’s take a closer look at each type.
How Rimfire Works
Rimfire ammunition works without a visible primer on the cartridge but the primer compound is contained completely inside the entire rim of the cartridge. That means that the firing pin of the firearm can hit any part of the rim on the cartridge to fire the bullet. Hence the name “rim”-fire.
Instead of hitting the middle of the cartridge casing, the firing pin will hit around the edge of the rim, causing it to appear pinched. This is a tell tale sign of a fired rimfire cartridge. This also means the firing pin does not need to be incredibly precise, which is one of many reasons why rimfire firearms are usually cheaper than centerfire firearms.
Due to the design of the rimfire cartridge, the cartridge lining and shell need to be thin enough and small enough for the firing pin to do its job. As a result, most rimfire ammunition comes in small calibers like the .22LR and other small rounds that are considered varmint rounds in the hunting world.
How Centerfire Works
Centerfire is the exact opposite in properties when compared to rimfire ammunition. Centerfire ammunition has a visible primer on the bottom that contains the primer compound. This primer is able to be removed from the cartridge with a punch or a special machine. In this case, it is located directly in the center of the cartridge, therefore the firing pin has to strike the very center of the cartridge to start the process of firing the bullet.
Due to the design and the firing pin hitting the center of the cartridge with a separate primer, the design and wall thickness of the cartridge can be bigger and thicker to withstand more powder, therefore allowing for bigger calibers and higher velocity bullets to be shot with this type of ammunition. Just about every modern cartridge larger than a 22LR is a centerfire cartridge.
Now that we know the difference between rimfire and centerfire ammunition, let’s talk about the strengths and weaknesses of the two with a pros and cons list for each.
Why Shoot Rimfire?
Rimfire ammunition has a variety of pros and cons that each person will gravitate towards based on the type of shooting they do. On the pro-side of rimfire ammunition, they create less pressure which creates less recoil when fired. This makes it great for kids all the way to the best shooters in the world.
There are a variety of guns available for rimfire style ammunition by all manufacturers in both handguns and rifles for very reasonable prices. A much quieter sound also makes shooting much more enjoyable during a long day of shooting, especially if you suppress your rifle.
Rimfire ammunition also tends to be much more affordable that its centerfire counterpart. Most rimfire ammunition can be found for between $.01 to $.15 per round depending on how much bulk ammunition you are buying. This makes it a perfect practice round for all shooters. Rimfire ammunition is also known to be the go-to type of ammunition for small game hunting as well. This is because it still has plenty of power to take down a squirrel or a rabbit, and $10 worth of ammunition can last a frequent hunter for years.
Rimfire ammunition cannot be reloaded either because of its solid cartridge design, but that’s the reason they are so cheap. Most rimfire ammunition is only found in .17 to .22 caliber bullets, which is a drawback in itself, but that also means that most rimfire ammunition is not adequate for longer range shooting or home/self-defense.
Even with those drawbacks, many shooters will use rimfire ammunition to practice their shooting because they can get a better feel for their shooting process without getting beat up by recoil and their wallet doesn’t take as big of a hit on long range days.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Lower Pressure = Less Recoil | Reliability of Ammo |
| Great for Small Game Hunting & Target Shooting | No Reloading Cartridges |
| Lower Cost | Not Good for Home/Self-Defense |
| Less Noise | Typically Shorter Range |
| Variety of Guns Available for Every Type of Shooter | Less Caliber Availability |
There are many uses for the small caliber rimfire rounds on the market today. The .22LR is one of the most popular rounds on the market and has been for a long time. They are small and versatile for both small game hunting and target practice. Due to their extremely low price compared to centerfire, they are a perfect practice round even if you are practicing shooting to use larger caliber rifles and pistols.
For example, Glock makes their G19 in 9mm but also has the G44 which is the exact same size and weight as the G19, but it is chambered in .22LR. This allows shooters to practice with the same platform set up at a cheaper cost.
The same can be done for rimfire rifles when practicing for big game hunts with high-powered rifles. This is great practice, especially if you can practice at longer distances out to 100 yards with a rimfire rifle. It can simulate bullet drop and wind effects that are proportional to shooting a high-powered rifle at 200 to 300 yards. And it’s much cheaper!
Rimfire ammunition is also great for new shooters who are just learning the ropes. Little to no recoil allows shooters to learn proper form and technique without getting knocked on their butt time and again. A .17HMR or .22LR are also great beginner guns for introducing kids to the shooting world.
Why Use Centerfire?
Centerfire ammunition can definitely be considered the bigger brother of rimfire ammunition because of its design. Unlike rimfire ammunition, centerfire ammunition basically runs the gambit in caliber availability anywhere between .22 and .50 BMG. Anything from handguns to high powered rifles will fire centerfire ammunition. No matter what you shoot, there is probably a centerfire option available.
With bigger calibers comes more knock down power and there are calibers available that are great for home/self-defense. The most popular self-defense pistols fire centerfire ammunition with hollow points or self-defense rounds, ensuring the shooter will be able to protect themselves in the time of need.
Centerfire ammunition all tends to be more reliable due to the style of primer it contains in the cartridge. Due to its design, centerfire ammunition has a very high rate of reliability with extremely rare instances of having a misfire because of a dud. On top of that, centerfire ammunition is also reloadable with a specific set of tools and the know-how. This makes centerfire ammunition very popular amongst firearm enthusiasts who like to reload their own ammunition.
On the slight downside, centerfire ammunition is vastly more expensive than its rimfire counterparts. This is caused by a more complex manufacturing process along with more materials. Even though you can reload your own ammunition, which makes it cheaper, reaching the price that you can purchase rimfire ammunition for is impossible.
Even though there are bigger calibers available in centerfire, that also comes with more recoil. Bigger isn’t always better and a day at the range with larger caliber centerfire ammunition can make you sore for a couple of days afterwards.
Finally, if you are a small game hunter, you will want to avoid most centerfire rifle rounds because they are too big to harvest the animal you are hunting for. At least if you want to have anything to eat afterwards. Although shotgun shells also use centerfire primers, and they are perfect for small game hunting.
If you are going after big game animals the more powerful centerfire ammunition is the only way to go. Small rimfire ammunition is actually illegal to use for large game in just about every state because of its lack of power.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Much More Caliber Availability | Higher Cost |
| More Knock Down Power | More Pressure = More Recoil |
| Great Home/Self-Defense | |
| Reloadable | |
| Reliable |
Centerfire ammunition covers such a large range of ammunition that it can literally be used for just about any shooting application that you can think of. It could be target shooting all the way to taking down a huge animal like a moose or bear.
Centerfire ammunition has the upside of being reloadable or avid shooters may want to load their own rounds for their personal preferences. Centerfire ammunition is very versatile with so many options available.
But, it comes with a price tag. If you are just going out to practice, it can be a very pricey day depending on how much ammunition you go through. Some shooters are fine with the cost and would prefer to practice with the firearm that they are going to use more regularly. That is perfectly fine!
So Is Rimfire or Centerfire Ammo Better?
After looking at the pros and cons of rimfire and centerfire ammunition, you might be wondering: Which type is better to shoot? That is a loaded question for this comparison. When truly looking at these rounds, we are comparing apples and bananas. Though they are formulated to perform the same process and task, their designs put them in two different categories.
You can look at them like weight classes in boxing or MMA. The rimfire ammunition is in the featherweight division while the centerfire ammunition covers anything from the lightweight division all the way to heavyweight division.
It all comes down to the person shooting and what their needs are at the time. Most shooters will have a variety of firearms that use both types of ammunition. How they use them is up to them. Happy shooting!
