November 4th, 2026

Case Pressure Animation — What Happens When a Round is Fired

long range only 6.5 creedmoor case ignition pressure video simulation animation .300 PRC

Here is a great LongRangeOnly.com animated video that shows what happens when a 6.5 Creedmoor rifle cartridge is fired. The video shows how the primer ignites the powder and then how the ignited powder drives the bullet out the barrel. What makes this animation unique is that it includes charted data for the pressure levels at each stage of the process. Remarkably, this entire process — from primer flash to bullet exit from the muzzle — takes less than two (2) milliseconds. And peak pressure hits before the bullet has moved two inches. WATCH the full video below:

This animation was created by the team at Long Range Only, which has a YouTube Channel and Facebook Page with videos. The text accompanying the animation explains:

This is a true-to-scale look inside a 6.5 Creedmoor case during the 1.4 milliseconds after the firing pin falls, built from SAAMI dimensions and real load data:

— The primer lights the powder and the brass swells out to seal the chamber.
— The neck lets go of the bullet at about 3,600 PSI.
— Pressure peaks near 62,000 PSI while the bullet is only 1.96” down the bore.
— The chamber steel stretches about .0016″ and the brass goes with it.
— The bullet leaves the muzzle at roughly 3000 FPS with nearly 10,000 PSI still behind it.

Then everything springs back, and that tiny gap is what lets your bolt open. NOTE: If the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge is loaded just 6% hotter the peak pressure can jump to around 76,000 PSI. The steel stretches farther than the brass can spring back, and that’s your sticky bolt. Have you ever had a sticky bolt or flattened primers on a hot load?

long range only 6.5 creedmoor case ignition pressure video simulation animation .300 PRC

Along with other animations, you can find full cartridge guides and load information at longrangeonly.com. Below is another related animation of a .300 PRC showing pressure during firing. There is no voice-over, but text paragraphs near the top explain what is happening step-by-step.


.300 PRC Firing Pressure Animation

NOTE: This is a visual representation, not measured data. The listed pressure, velocity and timing come from a computer model of a .300 PRC cartridge with a 215gr Berger bullet in a 26” barrel. Some clearances are exaggerated so you can see them. Your rifle, powder lot and seating depth will produce different numbers. This is not load data.

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