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 Post subject: Re: Discussion - Caliber vs MM
PostPosted: 31 Jan 2010 17:44 
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RenoF250 wrote:
Wikipedia says you are wrong:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caliber

I would tend to agree, caliber is just the term for the inside diameter, it can be measured in whatever unit of length you like.


You stopped reading the Wiki article too soon. :P

Scroll down to the section 1.2, "Caliber as Measurement of Length".

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 Post subject: Re: Discussion - Caliber vs MM
PostPosted: 31 Jan 2010 21:40 
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Actually, most people when asking what caliber, are asking what is that firearm chambered for.

Most non gunnuts have non clue that many of our cartridges are based on the same hole drilled in the barrel. Likewise, many just assume a bigger number means a more powerful gun. I had someone insisting to me that I was carrying a howitzer when I said I carried a .45, because Dirty Harry carried a .44, there fore, my .45 had to be much more deadly.


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 Post subject: Re: Discussion - Caliber vs MM
PostPosted: 31 Jan 2010 21:51 
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That's like saying a 9mm makes a bigger hole than a .380. :wink:

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 Post subject: Re: Discussion - Caliber vs MM
PostPosted: 31 Jan 2010 22:26 
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SpecialEd wrote:
That's like saying a 9mm makes a bigger hole than a .380. :wink:


Then you have to explain that a .357 hole isn't any smaller. :lol:

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 Post subject: Re: Discussion - Caliber vs MM
PostPosted: 31 Jan 2010 23:22 
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shep854 wrote:
SpecialEd wrote:
That's like saying a 9mm makes a bigger hole than a .380. :wink:


Then you have to explain that a .357 hole isn't any smaller. :lol:


Actually, you end up explaining that a .357 hole is LARGER!! (Ties knots in yer brain, don't it?) :lol:

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 Post subject: Re: Discussion - Caliber vs MM
PostPosted: 01 Feb 2010 00:16 
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Please... please... don't tell me you think 0.002" matters :shock:

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 Post subject: Re: Discussion - Caliber vs MM
PostPosted: 01 Feb 2010 00:21 
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Sounds like a kink is starting in Charlie's brain! :D

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 Post subject: Re: Discussion - Caliber vs MM
PostPosted: 01 Feb 2010 09:38 
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No, I don't think .002" matters....but since we are discussing a technical issue, it is the "technical" truth. And in some ways, it does matter. For instance, those revos chambered for .357 diameter bullets that come with a spare cylinder chambered for 9mm; the 9s usually don't group as well because of that .002" difference. (Not that such is a real world consideration in a snubby meant for use at close ranges.)

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 Post subject: Re: Discussion - Caliber vs MM
PostPosted: 01 Feb 2010 10:54 
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My father left me some old military manuals, one of which was from the Coast Artillery. In pendantic pre-WWII army-speak: calibre is bore diameter in whatever measurement system you're using. The standard usage was to put the term before the numerical designation, as in a calibre .50 machine gun. I expect this usage was limited to what were considered small arms. Caliber is the length of the gun tube expressed in bore diameters, as in a 5 inch, 50 caliber gun.

Most people-especially Americans-don't bother with esoteric spelling differences. You generally figure out what they're talking about from context.


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 Post subject: Re: Discussion - Caliber vs MM
PostPosted: 06 Feb 2010 12:40 
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SpecialEd wrote:
That's like saying a 9mm makes a bigger hole than a .380. :wink:


Actually Ed, it does sometimes. Depends on whether you're talking aboout a 9mmParabellum(.355) or a 9mmMak(.360). Just for clarity, I usually try to use the decimal points where needed as that tells one automatically that it's being referred to as Caliber expressed in the decimal system. For example, .357Magnum(True .357caliber or, diameter). What really confuses the uninitiated is the fractal Euro-designators such as 7.62x39mm or 7.62x54Rmm or 7.62x51mm(.308) or 7.62x63mm(30-06). the last two being Euro-designators for American Cartridges.

Oh, what a tangled web we can weave!

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 Post subject: Re: Discussion - Caliber vs MM
PostPosted: 06 Feb 2010 19:00 
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William R. Moore wrote:
My father left me some old military manuals, one of which was from the Coast Artillery. In pendantic pre-WWII army-speak: calibre is bore diameter in whatever measurement system you're using. The standard usage was to put the term before the numerical designation, as in a calibre .50 machine gun. I expect this usage was limited to what were considered small arms. Caliber is the length of the gun tube expressed in bore diameters, as in a 5 inch, 50 caliber gun...

Hmmm...
I remember this too.
It'd be a good idea to go back to this system to eliminate the confusion which began this thread.
One could say "calibre 9mm" without feeling as if it were an oxymoron.

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 Post subject: Re: Discussion - Caliber vs MM
PostPosted: 06 Feb 2010 19:18 
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Steve M1911A1 wrote:
Hmmm...
I remember this too.
It'd be a good idea to go back to this system to eliminate the confusion which began this thread.
One could say "calibre 9mm" without feeling as if it were an oxymoron.


There's still that spelling thing, though... :ek:

Or should it be pronounced "cali-BREE" (whatever) for small-arms and cali-BER for naval artillery? :ehsmile:

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 Post subject: Re: Discussion - Caliber vs MM
PostPosted: 06 Feb 2010 19:39 
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shep854 wrote:
Steve M1911A1 wrote:
Hmmm...
I remember this too.
It'd be a good idea to go back to this system to eliminate the confusion which began this thread.
One could say "calibre 9mm" without feeling as if it were an oxymoron.


There's still that spelling thing, though... :ek:

Or should it be pronounced "cali-BREE" (whatever) for small-arms and cali-BER for naval artillery? :ehsmile:

"Calibre" is from the English spelling style, whilst (also English usage) "caliber" is from US traditions.
The pronunciation remains the same, which does lead to confusion.
Perhaps the spelling need not change. The mere position of the word in the term should be enough.
To wit: For small arms it'd be "caliber 9mm," or "caliber .30-'06," while for artillery it would read "caliber 75mm, 20 calibers."

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