Gentlemen,

What is the deal with pistol calibers? I mean to say, why does a 38 use .357" bullets; a 44 use .4295" bullets; a 32 use .311" bullets? Why the devil doesn't a 45 use .458" bullets like a rifle or, vice versa? Why don't we just call these cartridges by caliber like we do with a rifle? When reloading for a 308 Winchester, there really is no mystery what diameter of bullet you'll need to buy...

Who came up with all this and why didn't they just name the cartridges by diameter instead of what we presently have and why are certain pistol bullets smaller than same caliber rifle bullets? Anyone have any ideas?

Just curious,

Tex

No different than the .223,.225 Win, .280 Rem.,.356 Win.....etc. How about the .220 Swift, .307 Win.... this could take all night. Dan

its in the marketing.
Some calibers faded away only to come back into the market with a new name.

Also, think of how many 35 claiber cartridges there are. You'd get just as confused with 50 different 9mm/35 cal choices at the store if they were all named by actually bullet size.

It's kinda complicated, and even then, it doesn't follow much reason.

The 38 caliber started out as a healed bullet, ie the same as a 22 rimfire, where the bullet is the same dia as the case, so it really was a 38 caliber. Then the same case was used for an inside lubricated bullet, but instead of calling it a 36 caliber, the 38 was retained.

45's can use .451", .452" or .454" dia bullets. The 44 mag and special fire a 43 caliber bullet.

When you consider firearms have been around for hundreds of years, it is no mystery that there are differences of several thousands of an inch that have developed over the years, because way back when, it was pretty tough to measure to that level of accuracy, let alone hold those tollerances. Naming conventions are all over the mag, depending on country of origin, and the whims of the originator.

Rifles are no better or worse off. The 450 Watts, 458 win mag and 460 Weatherby all fire .458" bullets.

The 44 mag is called a "44" because it is based on the older 44 Special. The 44 Special was named "44" because the Russians were calling a .429 caliber pistol "44" and ours shouldn't be smaller. (Or something like that...)

Point is, manufacturers pretty much call their calibers whatever they want. Consider the 454 Casull. If Dick Casull had been a little more humble he would have named it the 45 Magnum.

Thanks guys,

I just couldn't get my mind around why a 38 was really a 35 and a 43 was a 44.

I understand now.

Thanks,

Tex

Don't forget, sometimes a .38 is a .40 as in .38-40.

Part of it is where the measurement is . Bore diameter,groove diameter ,even case diameter.

quote:

Originally posted by recoiljunky:
The 44 mag is called a "44" because it is based on the older 44 Special. The 44 Special was named "44" because the Russians were calling a .429 caliber pistol "44" and ours shouldn't be smaller. (Or something like that...)

Point is, manufacturers pretty much call their calibers whatever they want. Consider the 454 Casull. If Dick Casull had been a little more humble he would have named it the 45 Magnum.

Makes sense to me when talking to non reloading friends I call my 454 Casull a 45 Mag they seem to understand easier.