What is the difference between a rimfire rifle and a centerfire rifle?

Question

Also what is the difference in performance.

Answer 1

Centerfire cartridges have the primer used to ignite the powder charge right in the middle of the case. The primer also tends to be removable so that the primer can be replaced and the case reloaded.

A rimfire cartridge has its priming charge built into the rim at the bottom of the case. Unlike a centerfire round, the primer on a rimfire is not a visable, seperate component. The firing pin hits the edge of the case to ignite the charge rather than the center.

Rimfire cartridges tend to be small rounds with much less power. Typically, rimfire cartridges are limited for use only on small game (for hunting). Center fire rounds vary gretly in terms of their power and use. They are used for anything from small game to anti-tank weapons.

Answer 2

A centerfire cartridge has the device that ignites the gunpowder in the very center of the bottom of the cartridge. The firing pin of the gun that strikes this device (called the primer) moves from directly behind the primer, impacting it, causing a small spark inside the cartridge, igniting the gunpowder. Centerfire cartridges range from miniscule power to virtually unreal power, and a centerfire cartridge can have it's components replaced (called reloading it) and it can be fired again.
A rimfire cartridge has this primer in the rear edge of the cartridge (the rim, hence rimfire), the firing pin has to hit this primer as an axe would hit something, instead of from directly behind. A rimfire cartridge cannot be reloaded, and the power of most rimfire cartridges (such as the .22 Long Rifle, the most popular gun/cartridge on the planet) is much less than the average centerfire cartridge.
The differences in the guns themselves is usually no more than how the firing pin strikes the cartridge, it is then a matter of cartridge size and power that must be withstood by the gun.
Hope this helps.

Answer 3

You already got the bit about rimfire means the primer is in the rim and centerfire means it is in the center.

I didn't read all the responses carefully - what else this means is that the "hammer" strikes either the rim or the center - depending upon where the primer is. (This is why you should never dry-fire .22)

And - it is very difficult to reload rimfire - basically impossible. But, since most centerfire cartridges have a separate "cup" that holds the primer - they are reloadable (But not always worth reloading!)

Finally, in most common, modern cartridges, the only thing that is usually rimfire is .22 While this is a GREAT caliber for target practice (It's cheaper than anything else!), it has less stopping power than any other common cartridge. This isn't inherit in it being rimfire, but only because it is a small, light-weight bullet.


Hope you got the answer you wanted!

Answer 4

Bound's hubby here:

It is true the firing pin design is different. The rimfire pin is rectangular with a flat face. The centerfire firing pin is round with a curved face. But there is more...

On a rimfire rifle the bolt's locking lug is usually one lug because the round is of lower pressure. A typical rimfire round (.22 LR) will move between 1100 and 1300 feet per second. Maximum accurate range is about 200 yards. Maximum realistic accuracy is typically 100 yards.

For centerfire rifles the bolt has at least two locking lugs, some have as many as nine. High power rifles fire cartridges of significantly higher chamber pressure, between 50,000 and 70,000 C.U.P.s (copper units of pressure). The maximum accuracy of a centerfire rifle can exceed 1000 yards, depending upon the cartridge selected, the bullet selected and the rifle used.

As you are aware, rimfire cartridges can not be reloaded. Centerfire rifle cartridges can. Rimfire cartridges are of lower power. Centerfire cartridges are of higher power. Rimfire cartridges are adequate for small game (rabbit, skunk, squirrel and snakes). Centerfire cartridges are typically adequate for hunting boar, deer, bear, elk, etc. Use of a rimfire on larger game is dangerous, ineffective, inhumane and just downright irresponsible. Yes, you could have that rare, well-placed shot with a .22 that could drop a bear is it's tracks. Don't bank on it.


Good luck.

Answer 5

Rimfire rifles- the primer is located in the rim of the cartridge. Centerfire- Primer is behind the powder, in the back-center of the cartridge. You have to have the correct ammo for your gun, becasue you don't want the firing pin to hit the rim of a centerfire cartridge and vice versa.

Answer 6

A rimfire the firing pin hits on the edge of cartridge. A center fire the pin hits the center of cartridge.

Answer 7

center fire has the primer in the center of the amo where rim fire has it around the outer primiter of the amo so basicaly the difference is the firing pin and the type of amo you have to purchase. there is do difference in performance.