Rifle Introduction
Modern Hunting Firearms
For the Swedish hunter, hunting firearms can be divided into three main categories: shotguns, rifles, and combination guns (which are a mix of the first two).
Rifles fire a single bullet through a rifled barrel that causes the bullet to spin, thereby stabilizing its trajectory. Rifles are effective at long range—up to 150–200 meters in practical hunting, and up to 500 meters in competitions. The safety distance can be several kilometers (1.5 km for .22 LR caliber, 5.3 km for 6.5×55 caliber).
Shotguns fire a large number of pellets through a smoothbore barrel. A shotgun blast is effective for hunting at short distances, up to about 30 meters. The safety distance is between 200 and 400 meters (the pellet size in millimeters multiplied by 100 meters).
Bullets and shot can be compared to throwing a stone and a handful of sand. In both cases, the material weighs the same and is thrown with the same force. The stone hurts at 30 meters—if it hits. The sand hurts at 3 meters and is easier to hit with, but at longer distances the sand spreads and loses force.
From this it follows that shotguns are a good choice when hunting near populated areas or when hunting in large groups. There is no risk of stray bullets, and a shot fired in the wrong direction has a limited range.
Rifles
The grooves (rifling) in a rifle barrel are designed to make the bullet spin, resulting in a stable trajectory and high precision. The bullet diameter in modern hunting rifles typically ranges between 5.6 and 9.3 millimeters.
Rifles are categorized based on their loading mechanisms: bolt-action, semi-automatic, and double rifles.
Bolt-action rifles
These are manually operated between each shot. The most common are cylinder (turn-bolt) and lever-action mechanisms.
- Cylinder bolt-action is loaded by lifting the bolt handle, pulling the bolt back, then pushing it forward again. It is robust, reliable, and very common.
- Lever-action is known from Western movies. The shooter cycles the lever down and back up to load. This mechanism is fast and works equally well for left- and right-handed shooters.
Other types include pump-action (where the forend is pulled straight back) and straight-pull actions (where the bolt is pulled straight back), but these are rare in Sweden.
Semi-automatic Rifles
A semi-automatic rifle automatically chambers the next round after each shot. The shooter only needs to pull the trigger for each shot. Advantages include rapid follow-up shots and reduced recoil, as some recoil energy is used for reloading.
Disadvantages include an increased risk of malfunctions and jams. Semi-automatics are sensitive to ammunition type and are not known for having the best balance when firing.
FACT – Semi-automatics
- Semi-automatic rifles that hold no more than three cartridges (one in the chamber and two in the magazine) may be used for hunting wolf, bear, lynx, beaver, otter, mountain hare, marten, and birds.
- They may also be used for other game species if they hold no more than six cartridges (one in the chamber and five in the magazine).
Double Rifles
Double rifles are two-barreled guns, each barrel loaded with a single round. The main advantage is the ability to fire two shots instantly. They are durable, reliable, and fast when a quick second shot is needed.
However, they must be broken open and reloaded after two shots. They are also not known for high precision, as accuracy can differ between the two barrels.
Suppressors Require a License
Suppressors reduce the noise of a rifle shot. The shot can still be clearly heard from a distance, but not as sharply.
A suppressor also functions as a muzzle brake and can improve balance. It weighs 300–500 grams and extends the length of the firearm.
Air Rifles for Hunting
A license is required for air or CO₂-powered weapons that produce an impact energy of 10 joules or more at four meters from the muzzle.
Licenses may be granted for hunting with rifled air or CO₂ rifles in 5.5 mm (.22) caliber, loaded with expanding bullets and delivering at least 150 joules of impact energy.
Air or CO₂ rifles with at least 180 joules of impact energy may be used for hunting rats, rabbits, and birds, for example.
FACT – Air Rifles
Class 4 rifles with expanding bullets are approved for hunting certain small game species. Examples include: wild rabbit, rat, muskrat, hooded crow, jackdaw, starling, magpie, marten, and similar.
Caliber Names and Origins
The name of a rifle caliber refers to the entire cartridge, not just the bullet diameter. Examples:
- 6.5×55 (also called 6.5 Swedish Mauser): bullet diameter approx. 6.5 mm, case length 55 mm
- .30-06 Springfield: introduced by the U.S. military in 1906
- .308 Winchester: same bullet as the .30-06, but shorter case
The world’s most common civilian cartridge is .22 LR (6.5x15R), mainly used for sport shooting. The second most common is .30-06 Springfield.
Rifle Ammunition
Modern cartridges – even shotgun shells – are relatively safe to handle. You can carry them in your pocket or drop them without serious risk. However, if a cartridge is exposed to strong impact or fire, it may ignite and cause small shrapnel or flames. Still, this is much weaker than when the cartridge is fired from a gun.
A centerfire cartridge consists of four parts: case, primer, powder, and bullet. An exception is rimfire cartridges, like .22 LR, which lack a separate primer. Components are made by many manufacturers, resulting in a wide range of variations.
For the same caliber, there are different bullet types, weights, and powders. Cases and primers also vary in material and construction.
Different bullets serve different purposes. For hunting, soft-point bullets are typically used, which expand on impact. The goal is to release as much energy as possible, creating a wide wound channel and quick death. Full metal jacket (FMJ) bullets are mainly used for bird hunting or target shooting, as they cause less damage.
Factory-loaded cartridges are carefully tested to function reliably in standard firearms. Manufacturers often have their own “recipes” for optimal performance. The only way to find the best cartridge for your gun is to test-fire different types.
Rimmed Cartridges
Many break-action rifles use rimmed cartridges, which have a raised edge (flange) at the base to prevent the cartridge from going too far into the chamber.
Examples of rimmed cartridges include: .22 LR, 5.6x52R, .44 Magnum, 9.3x74R. If a caliber ends in “R”, it is a rimmed cartridge.
Rimmed cartridges were common in the past, especially in single-shot rifles. When bolt-action and semi-automatic weapons were developed, rimless cartridges became more common to allow easier reloading.
Handloading – In Practice
Handloading reuses the cartridge case. You purchase bullets, powder, and primers separately and use tools such as a reloading press, powder scale, and measuring tools. The startup cost is a few thousand SEK. There are many forums and books on the subject, including from major ammunition manufacturers.
Some hunters and sport shooters reload their own ammunition. This can reduce cost and is also a popular hobby. Experienced shooters handload to achieve optimal performance.
Handloading means developing a custom load tailored to your specific rifle and shooting needs.
Classification of Rifle Ammunition
| Class | Technical Requirements | Game Species Allowed for Hunting |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Bullet weight at least 9 g with E₁ of at least 2,700 J. Or: Bullet weight at least 10 g with E₁ of at least 2,000 J. | All game species. |
| Class 2 | Bullet weight at least 3.2 g with E₁ of at least 800 J. | All game species except moose, deer, bison, musk ox, mouflon, wolf, bear, seal, and wild boar. |
| Class 3 | Bullet weight at least 2.5 g with E₁ of at least 200 J. | All game species except moose, deer, bison, musk ox, mouflon, wolf, bear, seal, wild boar, roe deer, wolverine, lynx, and beaver. |
| Class 4 | Any bullet weight. E₀ of at least 150 J. | Rabbit, hare, ferret, marten, mink, ermine, weasel, squirrel, lemming, rat, mole, vole (also muskrat), mouse, shrew, herring gull, great black-backed gull, common gull, black-headed gull, moorhen, goldeneye, tufted duck, ptarmigan, hazel grouse, pheasant, partridge, rock pigeon, collared dove, raven, crow, rook, jackdaw, jay, fieldfare, blackbird, starling, house sparrow, tree sparrow. |