From: grl@drutx.ATT.COM (Randy Lyman)
Subject: Cartridge Interchangeability
Organization: AT&T, Denver, CO

Recently, Harry Johnson <Harry.Johnson@lambada.oit.unc.edu> posted:

# . . . Gee whiz, I thought, how
# cool.  Get a gun that actually takes radically different ammo and can
# shoot the various types interchangably.
#
# Does anybody have information about what other sorts of exchangable loads
# there are?

Another poster, William Oreagan <oreagan@oasys.dt.navy.mil> asks:

# I have a question for all. Can you fire .38 special cartridges in any
# .357 mag revolver or must the gun be made somehow special?

Here's a summary of popular cartridges that interchange well:

	 CARTRIDGE INTERCHANGEABILITY CHART
	------------------------------------
Cartridges within the groups shown are interchangeable.  Other
substitutions should not be made without specific recommendation
of the firearms manufacturer, since improper combinations could
result in firearm damage or personal injury.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
RIMFIRE
22 W.R.F.
22 Remington Special
22 Win. Model 2890 in a 22 Win. Mag Rimfire but not conversely
-----------------------------------------------------------------
CENTERFIRE
25-20 Remington
25-20 W.C.F.
25-20 Win.
25-20 Win. High Speed
25-20 Marlin
25 W.C.F.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
6mm Rem. (80 & 90 grain)
244 Rem.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
25 Automatic
25 Auto. Colt Pistol (ACP)
25 (6.35mm) Automatic Pistol
6.35 Browning
-----------------------------------------------------------------
7mm Express (TM) Rem.
280 Rem.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
30-30 Sav.
30-30 Win.
30-30 Win. Accelerator*
30-30 Marlin
30-30 Win. High Speed
30 W.C.F
-----------------------------------------------------------------
32 Colt Automatic
32 Automatic Colt Pistol (ACP)
32 (7.65mm) Automatic Pistol
7.65mm Automatic Pistol
7.65mm Browning (not interchangeable with 7.65mm Luger)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
32 Short Colt in 32 Long Colt but not conversely
	SEE NOTE C
-----------------------------------------------------------------
32 S. & W. in 32 S. & W. Long but not conversely
-----------------------------------------------------------------
32 S. & W. Long
32 Colt New Police
32 Colt Police Positive
-----------------------------------------------------------------
32 W.C.F.*
32 Win.*
32-20 Win. High Speed*
	SEE NOTE A
-----------------------------------------------------------------
32-20 Colt L.M.R.
32-20 W.C.F.
32-20 Win. and Marlin
	SEE NOTE G
-----------------------------------------------------------------
38 S. & W.
38 Colt New Police
380 Webley
-----------------------------------------------------------------
38 Colt Special
38 S. & W. Special
38 Targetmaster (R)
38 S. & W. Special Mid-Rage
38 Special (+P)
38-44 Special (+P)
38 Special
38 Special Flat Point
	SEE NOTES B & D
-----------------------------------------------------------------
38 Short Colt in 38 Long Colt but not conversely;
	Both can be used in 38 Special
-----------------------------------------------------------------
38 Marlin
38 Win.*
	SEE NOTE A
-----------------------------------------------------------------
38 Remington*
38-40 Win.
38 W.C.F.*
	SEE NOTE A
-----------------------------------------------------------------
38 Automatic in 38 Super (+P) but not conversely
-----------------------------------------------------------------
380 Automatic
9mm Browning Short (Corto, Kurz)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
9mm Luger
9mm Parabellum
	SEE NOTE E
-----------------------------------------------------------------
44 S. & W. Special
	SEE NOTE F
-----------------------------------------------------------------
44 Marlin
44 Win.
44 Remington
44-40 Win.
44 W.C.F.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
45-70 Government
45-70 Marlin
45-70 Win.
45-70-405
-----------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE A:  *High-speed cartridges must not be used in revolvers.
	They should be used only in rifles made expecially for
	them.
NOTE B:  Ammunition with (+P) on the case headstamp is loaded to
	higher pressure.  Use only in firearms designated for
	this cartridge and so recommended by the gun manufacturer.
NOTE C:  Not for use in revolvers chambered for 32 S. & W. or
	32 S. & W. Long.
NOTE D:  All 38 Special cartridges can be used in 357 Magnum
	revolvers but not conversely.
NOTE E:  9mm sub-machine gun cartridges should not be used in
	handguns.
NOTE F:  44 Russian and 44 S. & W. Special can be used in 44
	Remington Magnum revolvers but not conversely.
NOTE G:  Not to be used in Win. M-66 and M-73.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCE:  1993 Remington Products Catalog

Not listed in Remington's information are the following:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
.38 Special and .357 Mag. in .357 Maximum, but not conversely
-----------------------------------------------------------------
.44 Special and .44 Mag. in .445 Super Mag, but not conversely
-----------------------------------------------------------------
.45 Long Colt in .454 Casull, but not conversely
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Also, there are many examples of cartridges that can be "fire-
formed" in larger chambers (eg. firing a .300 H&H in a .300 Wby)
but I'll leave off here for now.
. . . . . . . . .

Randy Lyman		grl@drutx.att.com		"I'm the NMLRA!"
		Don't blame me, I voted Libertarian.