this is not strictly a wildcat question, but this is the only forum dedicated to no particular caliber, so here goes.

Why is it that most cartridges are not named after their nominal diameter?

ie: .223rem, .219wasp & zipper, .222, .220 = .224
.222 = .218bee
.280rem = .284
.300, .303sav, 307win = .308

...why?

I believe it is related to manufacturing companies advertising departments

Just look at how the major US companies use both inch and metric measurements in their cartridge names.

If you look at the .224" bore, you have the 218 bee, 219 wasp, 22 hornet, 221 fireball, 222 Rem, 223 rem, 224 Whetherby and 225 Winchester. Actually I think there is a 217 as well.

Ditto what Paul said.

Who wants to introduce the .224 "Not Much Better Than the Rest?"

Also, you've got metric measurements vs Imperial measurements, etc.

The .270, is of course, a .277.

I guess the "Two-Seventy" just sounded cooler than the "Two-Seven-Seven."

Gatehouse, what is worse is that the .277 is a true 7mm bore...... LOL! Dutch.

Express,

Cartridges have been named for both the bore diameter (i.e. .300 Savage), and the groove and bullet diameter (.308 Norma Magnum). There are three basic schools of cartridge naming: American, English and Continental (i.e. European).

As noted, namers often want to differentiate their cartridge from the others of the same caliber. (.376 Steyr for example)

jim dodd

Basically, so people can differentiate them. Back when Remington briefly changed the name of the .280 Rem. to 7mm Express Rem., there were people who tried to shoot this ammo in 7mm Rem. Magnums. All of a sudden, the .280 was back!! What if we called every .22 Varmint rifle caliber a .224-something. Like, .224 Weatherby, .224 Rem., .224 Varminter, .224 Swift, etc. Don't you think it would confuse a lot of novices? I remember when the .308 Norma Magnum was popular. A lot of people confused it with the .308 Winchester!!