Bullet frontal area is an important element in the killing power of rifle bullets. Other factors being equal, the bigger the diameter of the bullet, the bigger the diameter of the bullet hole.

What follows is a list of common rifle bullet diameters showing their frontal area (cross-sectional area), rounded off to four decimal places, in square inches. Under each bullet diameter are listed some of the common calibers using that bullet diameter. These frontal areas were collected from various sources (including the A-Square handloading manual Any Shot You Want) or computed by the simple formula: area = pi (3.1416) times the radius (1/2 the bullet diameter) squared.

For an expanded list showing many more calibers see the Expanded Bullet Cross-Sectional Area List.

.172" diameter bullets = .0232 frontal area.

• .17 HMR
• .17 Remington

.224" (5.56mm) diameter bullets = .0394 frontal area

• .22 Mag. (WMR)
• .222 Remington
• .223 Remington
• .22-250 Remington
• .223 WSSM

.243" (6mm) diameter bullets = .0464 frontal area

• .243 Winchester
• .243 WSSM
• 6mm Remington
• .240 Wby Mag.

.257" diameter bullets = .0519 frontal area

• .25-06 Remington
• .257 Wby. Mag.

.264" (6.5mm) diameter bullsts = .0547 frontal area

• .260 Remington
• 6.5x55 Swede
• .264 Win. Mag.

.277" diameter bullsts = .0603 frontal area

• .270 Wincheser
• .270 WSM
• .270 Wby. Mag.

.284" (7mm) diameter bullets = .0633 frontal area

• 7mm-08 Remington
• 7x57 Mauser
• .280 Remington
• 7mm Magnum (all)

.308" (7.62mm) diameter bullets = .0745 frontal area

• .30 Carbine
• .30-30 Winchester
• .300 Savage
• .308 Winchester
• .30-06 Springfield
• .300 Magnum (all)

.311-.312" diameter (.303 caliber) bullets = .0760

• 7.62x39 Soviet
• .303 British

.32" (8mm) diameter bullets = .0819 frontal area

• .32 Win. Spec.
• 8x57JS Mauser

.338" diameter bullets = .0897 frontal area

• .338-57 O'Connor
• .338 Win. Mag.
• .340 Wby. Mag.

.35" diameter bullets = .1007 frontal area

• .357 Magnum
• .35 Remington
• .35 Whelen
• .350 Rem. Mag.

.375" diameter bullets = .1104 frontal area

• .375 Magnum (all)
• .378 Wby. Mag.

.416" diameter bullets = .1359 frontal area

• .416 Rigby
• .416 Rem. Mag.
• .416 Wby. Mag.

.429" diameter bullets = .1445 frontal area

• .44 Rem. Mag.
• .444 Marlin

.458" diameter bullets = .1647 frontal area

• .45-70 Government
• .450 Marlin
• .458 Win. Mag.
• .460 Wby. Mag.