Caliber: Difference between revisions

From Citizendium
Jump to navigation Jump to search
imported>Howard C. Berkowitz
(Linked to assault rifle section of rifle)
imported>Howard C. Berkowitz
(other notations)
Line 9: Line 9:


Weapons first developed under a metric system may acquire a decimal designation as well, such as 9mm pistol ammunition being called .380.  
Weapons first developed under a metric system may acquire a decimal designation as well, such as 9mm pistol ammunition being called .380.  
==Alternative shotgun notation==
To complicate matters, shotguns are most often referred to by "gauge", or the number of lead ball projectiles, in a single round, that would weigh one pound. 10 gauge shotguns have the largest calibers of shotguns in common use, at a very wide .775 inch, and 12 gauge = .729 inch. Shotguns chambered for .410 ammunition, are being described with respect to caliber alone.
==Alternative artillery notation==
Barrel length in calibers is used only with respect to [[artillery]]. While the diameter measurement is the most common measurement, until the [[Second World War]], and especially during the days of sail, cannon were destribed in terms of the weight of their projectile, a 32 pounder being a heavy gun on a ship of the line. Those were spherical projectiles, and both the change in shape to the streamlined bullet, as well as high explosive filler, made "pound" notation hard to compare.


Barrel length in calibers is used only with respect to [[artillery]].
In WWII, the 2-pounder was a 40mm, the 6-Pounder was 57mm.The 17-Pounder was 76.2mm. The 77mm gun was actually 76.2mm. It fired the same projectile as the 17-Pounder but used a less powerful charge.


To complicate matters, shotguns are most often referred to by "gauge", or the number of lead bal projectiles, in a single round, that would weigh one pound. 10 gauge shotguns have the largest calibers of shotguns in common use, at a very wide .775 inch, and 12 gauge = .729 inch. Shotguns chambered for .410 ammunition, are being described with respect to caliber alone.
 
 
Yet another

Revision as of 23:38, 28 July 2008

This article is developing and not approved.
Main Article
Discussion
Related Articles  [?]
Bibliography  [?]
External Links  [?]
Citable Version  [?]
 
This editable Main Article is under development and subject to a disclaimer.

When referring to projectile weapons, the term caliber, somewhat confusingly, refers to projectile weapons in two ways:

  • The inside diameter of the barrel (e.g., 5 inches/127 mm)
  • The length of the barrel in calibers (e.g., a 5"/54 caliber gun has a barrel that is 270 inches long).

The inside diameter measurement is used for both small arms (e.g., rifles, pistols, etc.) and for larger artillery. While all militaries have gone to metric measurements for the caliber of new weapons, in English-speaking countries, it is still common to find the calibers of small arms expressed in decimal fractions of an inch:

Weapons first developed under a metric system may acquire a decimal designation as well, such as 9mm pistol ammunition being called .380.

Alternative shotgun notation

To complicate matters, shotguns are most often referred to by "gauge", or the number of lead ball projectiles, in a single round, that would weigh one pound. 10 gauge shotguns have the largest calibers of shotguns in common use, at a very wide .775 inch, and 12 gauge = .729 inch. Shotguns chambered for .410 ammunition, are being described with respect to caliber alone.

Alternative artillery notation

Barrel length in calibers is used only with respect to artillery. While the diameter measurement is the most common measurement, until the Second World War, and especially during the days of sail, cannon were destribed in terms of the weight of their projectile, a 32 pounder being a heavy gun on a ship of the line. Those were spherical projectiles, and both the change in shape to the streamlined bullet, as well as high explosive filler, made "pound" notation hard to compare.

In WWII, the 2-pounder was a 40mm, the 6-Pounder was 57mm.The 17-Pounder was 76.2mm. The 77mm gun was actually 76.2mm. It fired the same projectile as the 17-Pounder but used a less powerful charge.


Yet another