Rimfire vs Centerfire Ammunition

The ammunition is classified as rimfire or centerfire based on where the primer is located.
Centerfire

- Primer is located in the center of the base.
- Centerfire - used for rifles, shotguns, and handguns.
Rimfire

- Primer is contained in the rim of the ammunition
- Limited to low pressure
- .22 caliber loads are most common
- Casings cannot be reloaded
Magnum loads
Magnum loads have more powder and/or shot than target or field loads. The same ammunition can be filled with several power charges. The boxes may be marked target, field or magnum load.
Magnum cartridge

Magnum shotshell
