A long, thin sub-projectile has increased sectional density and thus penetration potential.

All else being equal, the higher the sectional density, the deeper the bullet will penetrate.

In addition, the high sectional density of the projectile causes the bullet to overpenetrate.

It has a rather short neck length that can make it difficult to seat bullets with a large sectional density.

What the 6.5 mm (.264 caliber) bullets offered was excellent sectional density and ballistic coefficients.

The limit to bore diameter is generally the sectional density of the projectile (see external ballistics).

And it still had enough sectional density to punch through the atmosphere with no important drag, even if it was clumsy.

The sectional density of a projectile can be employed in two area of ballistics.

A study regarding hunting bullets shows that besides sectional density several other parameters determine bullet penetration.

Only if all other factors are equal, the projectile with the greatest amount of sectional density will penetrate the deepest.