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Caliber
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate diameter of the barrel and by extension the
projectile used in it, measured in inches or millimeters.

In a rifled barrel, the distance is measured between opposing lands or grooves; groove measurements are
common in cartridge designations originating in the United States, while land measurements are more common
elsewhere. It is important to performance that a bullet should closely match the groove diameter of a barrel to
ensure a good seal. When the barrel diameter is given in inches, the abbreviation "cal" is used in place of
"inches." For example, a small bore rifle with a diameter of 0.22 inch is a .22 cal; however, the decimal point is
generally dropped when spoken, making it "twenty-two caliber" or a "two-two caliber". Calibers of weapons can
be referred to in millimeters, as in a "caliber of eighty-eight millimeters" (88 mm) or "a hundred and
five-millimeter caliber gun" (often abbreviated as "105 mm gun").

While modern cartridges and cartridge firearms are generally referred to by the cartridge name, they are still
lumped together based on bore diameter. For example, a firearm might be described as a ".30 caliber rifle",
which could be any of a wide range of cartridges using a roughly .30 inch projectile; or a ".22 rimfire", referring
to any rimfire cartridge using a .22 caliber projectile.

In some contexts, e.g. guns aboard a warship, "caliber" is used to describe the barrel length as multiples of the
bore diameter. A "5-inch 50 caliber" gun has a bore diameter of 5 inches (127 mm) and a barrel length of 50
times 5 inches = 250 inches (6.35 m).

Contents
1 Cartridge naming conventions
2 Metric versus Imperial
3 Shotguns
4 Caliber as measurement of length
5 Pounds as a measure of cannon bore
6 See also
7 Notes
8 References

Cartridge naming conventions

Makers of early cartridge arms had to invent methods of naming[1] the cartridges, since there was at the time no
established convention. One of the early established cartridge arms was the Spencer repeating rifle, which saw
service in the American Civil War. It was named based on the chamber dimensions, rather than the bore
diameter, with the earliest cartridge called the "No. 56 cartridge," indicating a chamber diameter of .56 inch; the
bore diameter varied considerably, from .52 to .54 inch. Later various derivatives were created using the same
basic cartridge but with smaller diameter bullets; these were named by the cartridge diameter at the base and
mouth. The original No. 56 became the .56-56, and the smaller versions, .56-52, .56-50, and .56-46. The .56-52,
the most common of the new calibers, used a .50 caliber bullet.

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Other early black powder-era cartridges used naming schemes that appeared similar, but measured entirely
different characteristics. .45-70, .38-40, and .32-20 were designated by bullet diameter in hundredths of an inch
and standard black powder charge in grains. Optionally the bullet weight in grains was designated, e.g.
.45-70-405. This scheme was far more popular and was carried over after the advent of early smokeless powder
cartridges such as the .30-30Short and .22 Long; or a relative power, such as .44 Special and .44 Magnum.
Variations on these methods persist today, with new cartridges such as the .204 Ruger and .17 HMR (Hornady
Magnum Rimfire).

Metric calibers for small arms are usually expressed with an "x" between the width and the length; for example,
7.62x51 NATO. This indicates that the cartridge uses a 7.62 mm diameter bullet, loaded in a case 51 mm long.
Similarly, the 6.5x55 Swedish cartridge has a bullet diameter of 6.5 mm and a case length of 55 mm. The means
of measuring a rifled bore varies, and may refer to the diameter of the lands or the grooves of the rifling; this is
why the .303 British, measured across the lands, actually uses a .311 inch bullet (7.70 mm vs. 7.90 mm), while
the .308 Winchester, while dimensionally similar to (but should not be considered interchangeable with) the
7.62x51 mm NATO cartridge, is measured across the grooves and uses a .308" diameter (7.62 mm) bullet. An
exception to this rule are the proprietary cartridges used by U.S. maker Lazzaroni, which are named based on
the groove diameter in millimeters, such as the 7.82 Warbird.[1][2]

Modern small arms range in bore size from approximately .17 (4.5 mm) up to .50 caliber (12.7 mm). Arms used
to hunt large dangerous game, such as those used in express rifles, may be as large as .80 caliber. In the middle
of the 19th century, muskets and muzzle-loading rifles were .58 caliber or larger; the Brown Bess flintlock, for
example, had a bore diameter of about .75 caliber (19 mm). Paintball guns (or "markers") are typically .68
caliber (17 mm).

Metric versus Imperial

The following table lists some commonly used calibers with their metric and imperial equivalents. Due to
variations in naming conventions, and the whims of the cartridge manufacturers, bullet diameters can vary
widely from the diameter implied by the name. For example, the '.38 caliber' cartridges cover a range of
approximately 0.045 inches (1.15 mm), from smallest to largest bullet diameter.

Common calibers in inch and their metric equivalents[3][4][5][6]

Typical
Metric
Caliber bullet Common cartridges Notes
equivalent
diameter
.17 4.4 mm 0.172 in .17 Remington, .17 HMR
.177 lead, Airgun and BB gun .177
.177 4.5 mm
.175 BB caliber
.204 Ruger, 5 mm
.20, .204 5 mm 0.204 in Remington Rimfire
Magnum
.22, .218, .219
.22 Long Rifle, .223
.220, .221,
5.5, 5.56, 0.223-0.224 Remington (5.56mm
.222, .223, NATO Round, M4/M16
5.7 mm in NATO), 5.7 x 28 mm,
.224, .225,
.22-250 Remington
.226

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Bullets formerly available from

Barnes, in heavily constructed 70
.228 none 0.228 in .228 Ackley Magnum
and 90 grain weights for medium
game use
.243 Winchester, 6 mm
.24 6 mm 0.243 in Remington, 6mm plastic
(airsoft) BBs
0.25 in, a.k.a .25 Auto and 6.35 mm
.25 6.35 mm .25 ACP, 6.35x16mmSR
6.35 mm Browning
0.257 in, .257 Roberts, .25-06 typical 25 cal, not normally
.257 6.5 mm
6.527 mm Remington called 6.5
0.264 in, cartridges commonly known as
.26 6.5 mm 6.5 x 55 mm
6.7 mm 6.5
6.8 mm, 0.277 in,
.27 .270 Winchester, 6.8 SPC not called 7 mm
7 mm 7.035 mm
0.284 in, 7 mm Remington Magnum,
.28 7 mm commonly called 7 mm
7.213 mm 7 x 57 mm
30-06, .308 Winchester
.30 7.62 mm 0.308 in (7.62mm NATO), .300 American ".30 caliber"
Winchester Magnum
.303 British, 7.62x39,
.30 7.62 mm 0.311 in Other ".30 caliber"
7.62x54R
0.309 - 0.312 .32 ACP, .32 S&W, .327
.32, .327 7.65 mm .32 caliber handgun cartridges
in Federal Magnum
.325 WSM, 8 mm
.32, .325 8 mm 0.323 in Remington Magnum, 8mm .32 caliber rifle cartridges
plastic (airsoft) BBs
.338 Lapua, .338
.338 8.58 mm 0.338 in Winchester Magnum, .338 .338 Rifle cartridge
Federal
.38 Special, .380 ACP, .357
.38, .380, .357, 0.355-0.357 Magnum, .357 SIG, .35 Generally .357 for revolvers and
9 mm
.35 in Remington, 9 mm Luger, rifles, .355 in autoloaders
9x18mm Makarov
.38 10 mm 0.400 in .38-40 Old black powder cartridge
.40 10 mm 0.400 in .40 S&W, 10 mm Auto
.404 10.25 mm 0.423 in .404 Jeffery
.405 10.75 mm 0.411 in .405 Winchester
.408 10.4 mm 0.408 in .408 Chey Tac CheyTac Intervention
.41 Magnum .41 Action
.41 10.25 mm 0.410 in
Express

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.416 Barrett, .416

Remington Magnum, .416
.416 10.6 mm 0.416 in Long-range sniper rounds
Rigby, .416 Weatherby
Magnum
.43 11 mm 0.43 in Sl .43 SL large
0.427 - 0.430
.44 10.8 mm .44 Magnum
in
0.451-0.452 Handgun .45 calibers, .451 autos
.45 11.45 mm .45 ACP, 45GAP
in and .452 in revolvers
.45 11.6 mm 0.458 in .45-70 Government Most rifle .45 calibers
Once considered a wildcat
.454 11.53 mm 0.454 in .454 Casull cartridge, becoming more
common
.460 Weatherby, .458
.458, .46 11.6 mm 0.458 in
Winchester Magnum
.475, .480 12 mm 0.475 in .480 Ruger, .475 Linebaugh
Desert Eagle, S&W X-Frame,
.50 AE, .500 S&W, .50
.50 12.7 mm 0.50 in Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf,
Beowulf, .50 GI
Guncrafter Industries 1911 .50
M2 Browning machine gun and
other heavy machine guns, long
.50 12.95 mm 0.510 in .50 BMG, 12.7 x 108 mm
range rifles typified by Barrett
Firearms Manufacturing products
0.683-0.696 .689 Caliber Paintball Typically .689 Caliber, not called
.68 17.5 mm
in markers 17.5mm (Not actually a firearm)
autocannon caliber, about the
.79 20 mm 0.787 in various smallest caliber capable of an
explosive filling

Firearm calibers outside the range of .17 to .50 (4.5 to 12.7 mm) exist, but are rarely encountered. Wildcat
cartridges, for example, can be found in .10, .12, and .14 caliber (2.5, 3.0, & 3.6 mm), typically used for short
range varmint hunting, where the high velocity, lightweight bullets provide devastating terminal ballistics with
little risk of ricochet. Larger calibers, such as .577, .585, .600, .700, and .729 (14.7, 14.9, 15.2, 17.8, &
18.5 mm) are generally found in proprietary cartridges chambered in express rifles or similar guns intended for
use on dangerous game.[7]

Shotguns
Main article: Gauge (bore diameter)

Shotguns are classed according to gauge, a related expression. The gauge of a shotgun refers to how many lead
spheres the diameter of the bore would equal a pound. In the case of a 12-gauge shotgun, it would take twelve
spheres the size of the shotgun's bore to equal a pound. A numerically larger gauge indicates a smaller barrel: a
20-gauge shotgun requires more spheres to equal a pound; therefore, its barrel is smaller than the 12 gauge. This

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metric is used in Russia as "caliber number": e.g., "shotgun of the twelve caliber." The sixteenth caliber is
known as "lordly" (Russian: барский). While shotgun bores can be expressed in calibers (the .410 bore shotgun
is in fact a caliber measure of .41 caliber [11 mm]), the nature of shotshells is such that the barrel diameter often
varies significantly down the length of the shotgun barrel, with various levels of choke and backboring.

Caliber as measurement of length

Main article: Caliber (artillery)

The length of artillery barrels has often been described in terms of multiples of the bore diameter e.g. a 4-inch
gun of 50 calibers would have a barrel 50 x 4 inches = 200 inches long.

Pounds as a measure of cannon bore

Smoothbore cannon and carronade bores are designated by the weight in Imperial pounds of round solid iron
shot of diameter to fit the bore. Standard sizes are 6, 12, 18, 24, 32 and 42 pounds, with some 68 pound
weapons, and other nonstandard weapons using the same scheme. See Carronade#Ordnance.

From about the middle of the 17th century until the middle of the 19th century, measurement of the bore of large
gunpowder weapons was usually expressed as the weight of its iron shot in pounds. Iron shot was used as the
standard reference because iron was the most common material used for artillery ammunition during that period
and solid spherical shot the most common form encountered. Artillery was classified thereby into standard
categories, with 3 pounders (pdr.), 4 pdr., 6 pdr., 8 pdr., 9 pdr, 12 pdr, 18 pdr., 24 pdr. and 32 pdr. being the
most common sizes encountered; although larger, smaller and intermediate sizes existed.

However, in practice there was significant variation in the actual mass of the projectile for a given nominal shot
weight. The country of manufacture is a significant consideration when determining bore diameters. For
example, the French livre, until 1812, had a mass of 489.5 g whilst the contemporary English (Avoirdupois)
pound massed approximately 454 g. Thus, a French 32 pdr. at the Battle of Trafalgar threw a shot with 1.138 kg
more mass than an English 32 pdr.

Complicating matters further, muzzle loaded weapons require a significant gap between the sides of the tube
bore and the surface of the shot. This is necessary so that the projectile may be inserted from the mouth to the
base of the tube and seated securely adjacent the propellant charge with relative ease. The gap, called windage,
increases the size of the bore with respect to the diameter of the shot somewhere between 10% and 20%
depending upon the year the tube was cast and the foundry responsible.

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English gun classes c. 1800[citation needed]

gun class shot diameter shot volume approx. service bore mass of projectile
(pdr.) (cm) (cm3) (cm) (kg)
2 6.04 172.76 6.64 0.90846
3 6.91 172.76 7.60 1.36028
4 7.60 230.30 8.37 1.81339
6 8.71 345.39 9.58 2.71957
9 10.00 518.28 11.00 4.08091
12 10.97 691.22 12.07 5.44269
18 12.56 1036.96 13.81 8.16499
24 13.82 1382.65 15.20 10.88696
32 15.21 1843.50 16.73 14.51572
64 19.17 3686.90 21.08 29.03063

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The relationship between bore diameter and projectile weight was severed following the widespread adoption of
rifled weapons during the latter part of the 19th century. While guns continued to be classed by the weight of
their projectile into the middle of the 20th century, particularly British service, this value no longer had any
relation to the bore diameter as the projectiles themselves were no longer simple spheres and in any case were
now more often hollow shells with explosive fillings rather than solid iron shot.

See also
Caliber (artillery)
Gauge (bore diameter)
List of cartridges by caliber
List of handgun cartridges
List of rifle cartridges
List of the largest cannon by caliber
Search for guns by their caliber (http://gunvgun.com/calibers)

Notes
1. ^ a b Barnes, Frank C. (1997) [1965]. McPherson, M.L.. ed. Cartridges of the World (8th Edition ed.). DBI Books.
pp. 8–12. ISBN 0-87349-178-5.
2. ^ Lazzeroni Arms. "Reloading Data" (http://www.lazzeroni.com/ct_reload.htm) . http://www.lazzeroni.com
/ct_reload.htm.
3. ^ Accurate (2000). Accurate Smokeless Powders Loading Guide (Number Two (Revised) ed.). Prescott, AZ:
Wolfe Publishing. p. 392. barcode 94794 00200.
4. ^ "Pistol and Rifle Lead Bullets" (http://www.blue-star-inc.com/catalog/lprbullet.htm) . http://www.blue-
star-inc.com/catalog/lprbullet.htm.
5. ^ "Rifle Bullets" (http://www.blue-star-inc.com/catalog/lprbullet.htm) . http://www.blue-star-inc.com/catalog
/lprbullet.htm.
6. ^ "LeadSafe Total Copper Jacket ("TCJ") Bullet List" (http://www.rainierballistics.com/mainframe.htm) .
http://www.rainierballistics.com/mainframe.htm.
7. ^ Frank C. Barnes, ed. Stan Skinner. Cartridges of the World, 10th Ed.. Krause Publications.
ISBN 0-87349-605-1.

References
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