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How is the caliber measured?

Anonymous

∙ 10y ago

Updated: 9/25/2023

That is a very good question and leads to some discrepancy between firearm manufacturers.

Since most modern weapons have rifled barrels--spiral grooves cut into the barrel to impart spin to the projectile, how one measures caliber can vary.

I'm told that American manufacturers measure the maximum diameter, that is from the depths of one rifling groove to the depths of the groove 180' opposite of it.

European manufacturers tend to measure the minimal distance, from the top of a land (the opposite of the groove), 180' across to the top of the land.

So the exact same barrel might be measured as 7.65mm in the US, while in Britain, its measured as 7.62mm.

Wiki User

∙ 10y ago

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They are most certainly measured differently. The "50" in 50 caliber is measuring in inches and should actually be referred in writing as ".50 Caliber." The "5.56" is in millimeters (mm) and should be written as "5.56mm".To compare the two:.50 Caliber = 1/2 inch = 12.7mm5.56mm = ~ .2189 inchSo the .50 caliber bullet is roughly 2.28 times wider than the 5.56mm caliber bullet.

What caliber is a 410 shotgun?

The 410 Shotgun is really .410 Caliber. Unlike all other sizes of shotgun, (10,12,16,20,28gauge), the 410 is measured in caliber. I believe it works out to something like 36 gauge. So the 410 shotgun is .41 Caliber

What is the highest caliber bullet ever made?

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A .50 caliber bullet is measured by its diameter, which is half an inch (or approximately 12.7 millimeters). Measurement can be done using specialized calipers or micrometers. The caliber of a bullet refers to the diameter of the projectile it can fire.

Which is a bigger handgun a 40 caliber or a 45 caliber?

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What does the caliber of a pistol mean?

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If the metric system was invented in 70s how were bullet sizes measured before then?

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What is the caliber of the 9mm?

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