I have seen a lot of posts on this and other forums discussing the best "caliber" to use for this or that. If one is discussing the merits of say a 300 Weatherby Magnum versus a 7mm Remington Magnum the term caliber could be partially correct. If one were discussing a 300 Weatherby Magnum versus a 300 Winchester Magnum, the term caliber would not be correct in distinguishing them; they are both of the same caliber.

From a dictionary:

"caliber...the internal diameter of the barrel of a gun...expressed in decimals of an inch...and millimeters"

Just today, I was reading an article in Safari magazine in which the author apparently didn't know what caliber meant. I would have assumed that an editor would have caught this error but perhaps the editor doesn't know the difference either.

I would think that those with a more than casual interest in hunting and firearms would want to use correct terminology. If not, I guess it doesn't really matter if one doesn't know the difference between a clip and a magazine, a caliber and a chambering, a cartridge and a shell, a bullet and a cartridge, etc.

You have reminded me of a Man that worked for the circus and was shot out of a cannon over a lion cage but was killed one day when a "too small" charge was used.

They had to cancell the event for many years as they couldn't find another man of his caliber!

Many words have multiple meanings which can be determined by the context of use.

For example, the word "caliber" is also used to define the barrel length of a naval rifle. A 16" 50 caliber weapon is a 16" gun with a barrel 50 times the bore diameter ... or 66' 8" long.

Your comment accurately reflects the common "slang" misuse of one meaning, but not all meanings of this word.

Anyone with a junior high education and a internet access can find out in five minutes.

http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/index.html

quote:

For example, the word "caliber" is also used to define the barrel length of a naval rifle. A 16" 50 caliber weapon is a 16" gun with a barrel 50 times the bore diameter ... or 66' 8" long.

It's true, I didn't mention all proper uses of the word caliber. Some day, when I have too much time on my hands, I may try to figure out the caliber of my 30/06 using the above method.

quote:

I have seen a lot of posts on this and other forums discussing the best "caliber" to use for this or that. If one is discussing the merits of say a 300 Weatherby Magnum versus a 7mm Remington Magnum the term caliber could be partially correct. If one were discussing a 300 Weatherby Magnum versus a 300 Winchester Magnum, the term caliber would not be correct in distinguishing them; they are both of the same caliber.

All of those listed above are cartridges not calibers, eg. the 300 weatherby and 300 win mag are both 308 caliber, same with the 7mm weatherby mag and the 7mm rem mag, both of those cartridges are 7mm or .284 caliber.

Thats how I see it.

quote:

Originally posted by Tumbo:

quote:

I have seen a lot of posts on this and other forums discussing the best "caliber" to use for this or that. If one is discussing the merits of say a 300 Weatherby Magnum versus a 7mm Remington Magnum the term caliber could be partially correct. If one were discussing a 300 Weatherby Magnum versus a 300 Winchester Magnum, the term caliber would not be correct in distinguishing them; they are both of the same caliber.

All of those listed above are cartridges not calibers, eg. the 300 weatherby and 300 win mag are both 308 caliber, same with the 7mm weatherby mag and the 7mm rem mag, both of those cartridges are 7mm or .284 caliber.

Thats how I see it.

I totally agree!!! roger

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I totally agree!!! roger

Me too.

Dang I knew I should of went to school for

smupin .

We enjoy a "technical" activity and too few of us are technicians; our use of the language shows it!

How about these common examples of reloader mis-speak:

A cartridge is called a "bullet"
A bullet is called a "bullet head" or "tip"
A rifle is called a "gun"
A revolver is called a "pistol"
A brass case is called a "shell"
A die is called a "dye"
A powder measure is called a "thrower" or "drop"

No wonder we often fail to communicate properly, so few know the terminoligy well enough to hear what's being said!

I just love it when a trapshooter heads to his car to get more "bullets"

"caliber" is a ber many people in california have up there ass

quote:

Originally posted by GSP7:
"caliber" is a ber many people in california have up there ass

Verrry in-terestting. roger

A caliber is a diameter. In some places it is the bore diameter, to some it is the groove diameter or it may be some other arbitrary nominal figure, like the 3 line Russian. The 5"-38 I shot had a five inch bore (nominal) and 5"x38 tube (190") nominal length.

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A bullet is called a "bullet head" or "tip"
A rifle is called a "gun"
A revolver is called a "pistol"

In fact head is a regional thing, and should be so regarded, even though care needs to be exercised to distinguish that from the base area or diameter of the cartridge case at the other end.
A rifle is a gun, as is a pistol, a shotgun a rifled cannon or a stud gun.
Colt's patented pocket pistol is a revolver, as is the Mossburg Brownie.
If we get caught up in military indoctrination we may be narrowing our vistas and ignoring others to scratch our own pedantry.
Hey, some people even mispronounce Lapua and Leupold, but that does not confuse the listener into believing something false.
The distinctions can be useful, but when a generality is used it may be useful too.
Sorry for the rant, I do not wish to be uppity, but let's not alienate all those who have not our facility with the nomenclature. We need to attract, not repel new shooters.
Cheers from Darkest California,
Ross

quote:

Originally posted by GSP7:
"caliber" is a ber many people in california have up there ass

Now I know what caliber means. But will I have to look up California people's asses to find out what a "ber" is? I hope not! Cause God knows I don't wanna have to scratch anyone's pedantry.

Touché.
Best regards from Darkest Kalifornian Kansantasavallasta,
Ross

quote:

Originally posted by GSP7:
"caliber" is a ber many people in california have up there ass

That would be spelled "burr" -- speaking of terms and usage.

"Caliber" in one sense connotes 1/100 inch -- 0.01"

But if you read down the list of definitions you'll see that "caliber" refers to status, qualifications, or stature -- as in "a person of his caliber."

In firearms, "caliber" can refer to bullet diameter, but also refers to the specific ammo for a specific firearm. "38 Special" is not the same "caliber" as "38 Police." It's the same diameter bullet, shell case, but it's not the same ammo, not the same "caliber."

Same, same with "44 Russian," "44 Special" and "44 magnum."

A "revolver" is a pistol. But a "pistol" may not be a revolver. "Yer a pistol!" demonstrates this usage.

But the "caliber" designation referring to 0.01" is not accuate in many instances with regard to bullet diameter.

"38 cal." is actually 0.357"

"44 cal." is 0.429"

"30 cal." in a rifle is 0.308"

"45 cal." in a handgun is 0.452" -- in a rifle like 45-70 Govt. it's 0.458"

"22 cal." is 0.223" except in some varmint rifles where it's 0.222"

When you get into muzzle loaders and black powder, "caliber" gets complicated. "Bore diameter" falls somewhere between the dia. of the lands and the grooves.

You choose your ball diameter, bullet diameter according to your bore rifling, thickness of your patch, hardness of your lead bullet, and what your bore does with it all.

A "54 cal" muzzle loader may use a bullet ranging from 0.52xx" to MAYBE in the range of 0.55" depending on bullet, bore, and a slew of other ballistic considerations.

But if I tell you a gun is "270" or "338" you have a fair idea about bore diameter. Doesn't tell you much -- in some instances -- about the charge behind the bullet.

*LMAO*

"Gauge" -- on the other hand, last time I looked, refers to the number of lead balls in bore diameter required to comprise a pound avoirdupois -- 16 oz.

It must be winter.

Ray

quote:

Originally posted by Cheechako:
It must be winter.

Ray

It IS winter. I have a new Dodge Ram, Arctic Cat 500 cc utility quad parked in the barn -- ice on the road. Two new rifles: Ruger No. 1 45-70 Govt. Leupold VXIII, and Weatherby Vanguard 30-06, Leupold VXII.

Iced in . . . roads suck.

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"22 cal." is 0.223" except in some varmint rifles where it's 0.222"

I beg to differ on the above point only, all else seemed in order.

A 22 rimfire is .222"
This was stated in a magazine article where they answered the question, "Why does my 22 rimfire revolver with the optional 22 mag cylinder shoot such poor groups?"
Seems the magnum uses .224" lead bullets and so the barrel must also be .224" When you change the cylinder those undersized 22 rimfire bullets just skid down the barrel. Seemed plausible to me.
A 22 centerfire is .224" except some old 22 Hornet's which were .223"

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jim C. <><:
revolver is called a "pistol"
QUOTE]

A revolver is a pistol where I come from, as in horse pistol, (even in the States.)
We can have all sorts of pistol action types.

How about round balls being called "shot" in the early cannons?

Shells in modern cannon/guns? what has shells got to do with anything? Keep em on the beach I reckon.

I won't even mention calibres. They're all over the place.

But between friends, call anything anything as long as it's not going to be a dangerous misunderstanding.
One lad here is always "charging" his cases. I usually sneek up on mine.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim C. <><:
We enjoy a "technical" activity and too few of us are technicians; our use of the language shows it!

How about these common examples of reloader mis-speak:

A cartridge is called a "bullet"
A bullet is called a "bullet head" or "tip"
A rifle is called a "gun"
A revolver is called a "pistol"
A brass case is called a "shell"
A die is called a "dye"
A powder measure is called a "thrower" or "drop"

No wonder we often fail to communicate properly, so few know the terminoligy well enough to hear what's being said!

If the projectile is cast, it is called a booolit. That's ok, Jim C, I can dig your verbage, dude!!