The caliber of the weapon is measured. Calibers of smoothbore hunting rifles, expressed in millimeters

Caliber of rifled small arms

The most popular pistol calibers:

577 (14.7 mm) - the largest of the serial ones, the Eley revolver (Great Britain);

45 (11.4 mm) - the "national" caliber of the United States, most common in the Wild West. In 1911, the Colt M1911 automatic pistol of this caliber entered service with the Army and Navy and, having been modernized several times, served until 1985, when the US Armed Forces switched to 9mm for the Beretta_92.

38; .357 (9mm) - is currently considered optimal for handguns (less - the bullet is too “weak”, more - the gun is too heavy).

25 (6.35 mm) - TOZ-8.

2.7 mm - the smallest of the serial ones, had a “Hummingbird” pistol of the Pieper system (Belgium).

Caliber of smoothbore hunting weapons

For smoothbore hunting rifles, calibers are measured differently: caliber number means number of bullets, which can be cast from 1 English pound of lead (453.6 g). The bullets must be spherical, identical in mass and diameter, which is equal to the internal diameter of the barrel in its middle part. The smaller the trunk diameter, the more quantity bullets Thus twenty gauge is less than sixteen, A sixteenth less than twelfth.

Caliber designation	Designation option	Barrel diameter, mm	Varieties
36	.410	10.4	-
32	.50	12.5	-
28	-	13.8	-
24	-	14.7	-
20	-	15.6 (15.5 magnum)	-
16	-	16.8	-
12	-	18.5 (18.2 magnum)	-
10	-	19.7	-
4	-	26.5	-

In the designation of cartridges for smooth-bore weapons, as in the designation of cartridges for rifled weapons, it is customary to indicate the length of the sleeve, for example: 12/70 - a 12-gauge cartridge with a sleeve 70 mm long. The most common case lengths: 65, 70, 76 (magnum). Along with them there are: 60 and 89 (super magnum). The most common hunting rifles in Russia are 12 gauge. There are (in descending order of prevalence) 16, 20, 36 (.410), 32, 28, and the spread of caliber 36 (.410) is due solely to the release of Saiga carbines of the corresponding caliber.

The actual bore diameter of a given caliber in each country may differ from those indicated within certain limits. In addition, we should not forget that the shotgun barrel hunting weapons usually has various types constrictions (chokes), through which not any bullet of its caliber can pass through without damaging the barrel, so in many cases bullets are made according to the diameter of the choke and are equipped with easily cut sealing bands, which are cut off when passing through the choke. It should be noted that the common caliber of signal pistols - 26.5 mm - is nothing more than the 4th hunting caliber.

Caliber of Russian artillery, aerial bombs, torpedoes and rockets

In Europe the term artillery caliber appeared in 1546, when Hartmann of Nuremberg developed a device called the Hartmann scale. It was a prismatic tetrahedral ruler. On one side the units of measurement (inches) were marked, on the other three the actual dimensions, depending on the weight in pounds, of the iron, lead and stone cores respectively.

Example(approximately):

1 face - mark lead kernels weighing 1 lb - corresponds to 1.5 inches

2nd face - iron cores 1 lb. - from 2.5

3rd side - stone cores 1 lb. - from 3

Thus, knowing either the size or weight of the projectile, it was possible to easily assemble, and most importantly, manufacture ammunition. A similar system existed in the world for about 300 years.

In Russia before Peter 1, no standards existed. At the beginning of the 18th century, on behalf of Peter 1, Feldzeichmeister General Count Bruce, based on the Hartmann scale, developed domestic system calibers She divided the tools according to artillery weight projectile (cast iron core). The unit of measurement was the artillery pound - a cast iron ball with a diameter of 2 inches and a weight of 115 spools (about 490 grams). A scale was also created that correlated artillery weight with the diameter of the bore, that is, with what we now call caliber. It did not matter what types of projectiles the gun fired - buckshot, bombs or anything else. Only the theoretical artillery weight that a gun could fire given its size was taken into account. This system was introduced by royal decree in the city and lasted for a century and a half.

Example:

3-pounder gun, 3-pounder gun - official name;

artillery weight 3 pounds- the main characteristics of the weapon.

scale size 2.8 inches- bore diameter, an auxiliary characteristic of the gun.

In practice, it was a small cannon that fired cannonballs weighing about 1.5 kg and had a caliber (in our understanding) of about 70 mm.

D. E. Kozlovsky in his book translates Russian artillery weights into metric calibers:

3 lbs - 76 mm.

Explosive shells (bombs) occupied a special place in this system. Their weight was measured in pounds (1 pood = 40 trade pounds = approx. 16.3 kg). This is due to the fact that the bombs were hollow, with explosives inside, that is, made of materials of different densities. During their production, it was much more convenient to operate with generally accepted weight units.

D. Kozlovsky gives the following. ratios:

1/4 pood - 120 mm

A special weapon was intended for bombs - a bombard, or mortar. Her performance characteristics, combat missions and calibration system allow us to talk about a special type of artillery. In practice, small bombards often fired ordinary cannonballs, and then the same gun had different calibers- general at 12 pounds and special at 10 pounds.

The introduction of calibers, among other things, became a good financial incentive for soldiers and officers. Thus, in the “Book of Marine Charter”, printed in St. Petersburg in 1720, in the chapter “On rewarding” the amounts of reward payments for guns taken from the enemy are given:

30 pound - 300 rubles

In the second half of the 19th century, with the introduction of rifled artillery, the scale was adjusted due to changes in the characteristics of the projectile, but the principle remained the same.

Interesting fact: Nowadays artillery pieces, calibrated by weight, are still in service. This is due to the fact that in Great Britain a similar system was maintained until the end of the Second World War. Upon completion a large number of guns were sold and transferred to countries like this. called Third world. In the WB itself, 25-pound (87.6 mm) guns were in service until the end of the 70s. last century, and now remain in fireworks units.

In 1877, the inch system was introduced. At the same time, the previous sizes on the “bruce” scale to new system had nothing to do with it. True, the “Bryusov” scale and artillery weight remained for some time after 1877 due to the fact that many obsolete guns remained in the army.

Example:

Notes

The caliber of aerial bombs is measured in kilograms.

general information

Let's first try to formulate in simple, understandable words what a caliber is: this is the diameter of the barrel from the inside, characterizing a certain firearm. It must be remembered that all weapons known in our time are divided into two large categories depending on the internal arrangement of the barrel: it can be smooth or rifled. Each type is characterized by its own unique calibers, the measurement of which is carried out according to certain rules that are strictly characteristic of this weapon category.

If we consider, for example, a rifled weapon, then the caliber for it will have to be calculated in millimeters or inches, or rather, in hundredths or thousandths. It should be remembered that an inch is equal to 25.4 mm. If a meter system with inches is used to classify small arms, then a zero is not placed before the dot in the notation; only this symbol itself and the numbers after it are written: “.45.” Such rifled gauge- this is 0.45 inches, that is, 11.43 mm.

What about the smooth trunk?

Weapons in this category are usually classified depending on the features of the barrel design somewhat differently. Quite a long time ago in the UK they developed a fairly harmonious, reasonable system, and it is this system that is still in use today. To determine the caliber, it is necessary to predict which lead bullets of the maximum size can be used when firing a weapon. Calculate how many such bullets can be made from a lead alloy weighing 0.454 kg. The weight was not chosen by chance; it corresponds to the traditional English pound. The higher the number in the description of a specific shooting device, the larger the caliber, the more bullets that can be used in this product can be made from almost half a kilogram of lead. It is logical to assume that the diameter of each individual shooting consumable will be smaller.

Traditional twelve-gauge shotguns are in quite high demand. Normally, their barrel diameter is 18.4 mm, although much depends on the specific manufacturer: some make products with an 18.2 mm barrel, while for others the value reaches even 18.8 mm. The caliber of a weapon, characterized in the generally accepted system as twentieth, can be described by a weapon diameter of about 15.7 mm. The minimum value is indicated; a specific manufacturer can produce a product with a larger barrel. The twenty-eight gauge is described as having a diameter of 13.8 mm. However, wherever there are rules, there are also exceptions. For example, barrel caliber .410: it is used to characterize shotguns with a smooth barrel, and is indicated by a parameter characteristic of rifled ones. Similar confusion is observed in the description of a relatively new development by the gunsmiths of our country - the .366TKM cartridge.

Many people are interested in why bullet size and caliber are different parameters for a weapon. This is due to the structural features of the products used to hit the target. For example, if we are talking about rifled ones, then calibers can be measured using as many as two methods, taking into account either the fields of the rifling or the bottom part. Usually the bullet is sized to match the bottom rifling parameter. Minor tolerances may apply. That is, the caliber of a weapon is a somewhat more informative characteristic than the size of the bullet.

Previously in the Soviet Union, and now on the territory of our state, it was customary to measure caliber using rifled fields. Consequently, cartridges that show 5.45 mm when measured are in fact characterized by a bullet diameter of 5.7 mm. The nine-millimeter caliber can be described by a bullet whose size is 9.2 mm. But abroad they often prefer to focus on bottom rifling. When considering what the Luger caliber is, they usually talk about the 9*19 cartridge, and when measuring the bullet, you can get an accurate characteristic of 9.02 mm.

The further into the forest...

In relation to some types of weapons, caliber becomes a very conditional, imprecise characteristic. This is most typical for a parameter measured in inches. Thus, the caliber of revolver cartridges, marketed as .38 (special edition), when accurately measuring the bottom rifling shows a bullet diameter of 9.1 mm, which in the English metric system is 0.358 inches (+/-0.001). But for the Magnum, ammunition belonging to the .357 is used. Their bullet diameter is the same as those described above, but compared to the special edition .38, the case is longer, and the powder charge is increased for greater force.

Similar confusion occurs when considering different rifle calibers. For example, a bullet diameter of 0.224 inches can be designated completely different symbols in relation to different brands and types of weapons. For the Hornet it will be a twenty-second caliber, for the Remington it will be .222, .223, and for the Fireball it will be .221. It is absolutely impossible for a layman to even assume that we are talking about the same bullet diameter parameter!

Same caliber, different cartridges

This is precisely the astonishing discrepancy that is currently observed. Truly, the world of firearm classification is extremely confusing. On the other hand, to some extent this simplifies the work of experts who are able to determine from the charge which gun it was fired from. Currently, there are countless such cartridges that are sold in the same caliber, but it is not possible to replace one with another, since in fact these products are very, very different, despite the similarity of the bullet diameter. This also applies to hunting calibers, and for everyone else. Currently, for example, there are more than a dozen types of commercial twenty-second caliber in use in America alone. For all of them, the bullet diameter is described as 0.224 inches, but the products differ from each other in various parameters and characteristics. All currently used varieties have been included in a single standardized system called SAAMI. However, as can be seen from practice, even this systematization did not make the task of navigating the abundance of weapon ammunition any easier for those who do not have specific knowledge.

When considering what the caliber of a weapon is, you must always remember this feature, understand that often the phrase has a rather broad meaning. In fact, from it you can get an accurate idea of what type of cartridge is used in a weapon, but it is not often possible to understand which particular instance is suitable - here you already need to have specific knowledge about a specific model of firearm.

Marking

Smoothbore calibers are most often marked according to a system developed in the UK. This indicates how large the chamber is. Thus, with the designation 12/76, we can talk about mutual interchangeability with the 12/3” common in America. This caliber is intended for use in firearms whose chamber is three-inch, which is 76 in millimeters. From practice it is clear that most modern short cartridges can be used when firing from weapons whose chamber is larger in size, but in reverse side this rule does not work; such use of a gun will be extremely dangerous to the health and life of the shooter. Having 12/70 cartridges at your disposal, you can use them if you get your hands on a 12/76 gun. When using in practice a seventy-millimeter chamber and cartridge cases, the length of which is 76 mm, a person puts himself at risk.

If we consider the currently widespread rifled small arms, it will become clear that the calibers of cartridges are often formal. In this case, the sleeve length is expressed in millimeters. It is not uncommon for cartridges with equal metric parameters to differ in some important respects. In such a situation, the name is supplemented with suffixes or special unique names that make it possible to distinguish products from each other, giving the arrow the opportunity to select suitable consumables on sale so that the process of using the products is not fraught with danger to life.

How does this work in practice?

Let's imagine that we are interested in a nine-millimeter caliber. You can find two cartridges that formally belong to this class: police 9*18 and PM 9*18. In addition to the formal classification, they also coincide in case length - 18 mm. True, the 9*18 PM actually has a slightly larger bullet than its police “analogue.” The reason for this inconsistency is that these cartridges were developed in different countries, the national weapon classification system was applied to them, and local features of the manufacture of firearms were taken into account. As in the case of a mismatch between the caliber of the pistol and the consumables used, if you choose the described cartridges carelessly, you can encounter unpleasant consequences. For example, if you put cartridges intended for 9*18 PM into a police model of a weapon, this could end disastrously for the shooter himself.

In some cases, additional suffixes are added to help more accurately identify the features of a particular product by name. Most often in practice you can find the suffix “P”. If one is indicated, therefore bright design feature- protruding edge. In our country, these were used, for example, in some TOZ models. But the most famous and popular cartridge at different times, which had a protruding rim, is on sale under the name 7.62 * 54P. It is designed for use in matching rifles.

Curious Features

As experts note, 12 gauge is currently in greatest demand in our country. There is nothing surprising in this, because it is intended for hunting. Any hunter who plans to go hunting for wild birds - pheasant, quail or goose - should acquire a gun in which such consumables can be used, and loads for it. With skills and enough ammunition, you can please your pets with wood grouse, black grouse, and duck. However, the prey will not be limited to birds alone; with good luck, the hunter will bring a hare or fox as a reward for his talents and perseverance.

As professionals note, 12 gauge has a number of important positive features, thanks to which it has become so widespread among hunters. With decent speed characteristics, a gun loaded with such cartridges will have a greater firepower. Since the cartridge develops good speed from the very beginning, this helps save on lead calculations if the prey flies across. Consequently, even novice hunters who do not have much experience in this difficult hobby will have decent results. Even in winter conditions the shot will be sharp, which means the trip into the forest itself will be successful.

Rules and laws

Some time ago, a .308 caliber hunting carbine was considered completely unacceptable for ethical hunting, and people who used it were automatically relegated from the category of specialists to poachers. In principle, this approach applied not only to the specified model, but to all rifled semi-automatic machines in general. Indeed, the speed of the repeated shot makes it possible to shoot at a wounded animal several times in a row with minimal time intervals - the prey will definitely not escape.

There are currently quite a few rifled semi-automatic machines of the mentioned caliber on sale. Opinions still differ, but there is no such absolute, total condemnation from the public. Many believe that any person can poach, and even the shortcomings of a weapon will not hinder him if this is the goal set for him, while an ethical hunter, even with a rifled semi-automatic machine, having high firepower among his capabilities, will still hunt adequately, in compliance with standards. Since the issue is largely ethical, and manufacturers have released several new products in the last few years that attract the attention of a wide circle, it is likely that the near future will show which way the pendulum will swing public opinion and whether a stable position on this issue will finally be determined.

Systematics and metrics

Many people are interested in whether there is any single standardized system for transferring between calibers. Professionals answer this question categorically in the negative. Despite the serious confusion on this issue, to this day it has not been possible to develop a unified approach to the designation. Many believe that nothing like this will appear in the future - at least not in the next few decades.

Artillery and small arms

Currently in our country it is customary to refer to small arms such specimens that are characterized by a stem diameter within two tens of millimeters. If the indicator exceeds this limit, the product will have to be classified as small-caliber artillery. However, such standards are typical for our country and for the present time. But in different countries and at different time periods, people’s ideas about the correct classification of concepts differed quite greatly. Thus, at a certain point, the Germans perceived as artillery only those weapons whose barrel diameter was 30 millimeters or more. However, exceptions to the rules seem to be the basic rule of the weapons world. In our country, two interesting domestic developments are on sale - “Selezen” (a fourth-caliber hunting rifle), KS-23. Despite the barrel size exceeding the established limit, such products are not classified as artillery.

As experts point out, when using weapons, it is advisable to follow the operating rules, in particular, select only suitable cartridges. The use of somewhat different ammunition is always associated with increased danger for the shooter himself. When choosing consumables, you need to take into account both formal calibration and the type of cartridge recommended by the manufacturer for a particular weapon.

Chamber of calibers

It is no secret that in our world standardization is the area of activity of special government agencies. There are those who are responsible for the rules for measuring weight, others - for footage. In the same way, a chamber was introduced that deals with weapon calibers. At the international level, the permanent commission running the show is the testing of firearms for hand-held use. All of Europe is subject to its provisions. Our country also became a member of this commission, therefore all weapons that are produced and sold within the country must comply with the standards of the Secondary Military Commission. This fact must be verified. The rule applies to both products for personal use and those intended for officials.

The verification process involves identifying compliance with established standards in terms of chamber size, barrel bore, and pressure levels allowed for a particular barrel. The characteristics of the cartridges must be monitored.

The American commission SAAMI has a similar area of activity. This organization is included in large system ANSI actually implements the same powers as those described for the PMC.

In relation to rifled weapons, caliber is a numerical expression of the diameter of the bore, measured between opposing fields, or (which happens much less often) rifling. Even less common is measuring the rifling and rifling field of the bore that are opposite to each other. In most countries, the caliber of a rifle is expressed in millimeters and fractions thereof (usually accurate to the second decimal place when written as a decimal).

In the UK and the USA, as well as in countries where the English system of measures is adopted, the caliber is indicated in fractions of an inch - in thousandths in the UK and in hundredths in the USA, and the written designations have a peculiar form - the decimal fraction is written as an integer with a dot in front ( for example, the caliber designation “three lines” is 0.3" = 7,"62 mm, looks like .30 or .300).

The caliber is also indicated in lines, the ratios are as follows: 1 "= 25.4 mm, 1 line = 2.54 mm; and in points: 1 inch = 10 lines = 100 points. Thus, the three-line SI rifle. Mosin has a caliber 3x2.54 = 7.62 mm, and the calibers of the three lines, .30, .300, 7.62 are equal to each other.Recently, in England and the USA there is no dot before the designation of calibers.

For example, US caliber 30 should be multiplied by 0.254, and English caliber 300 by 0.0254g. As a result, we obtain that US caliber 30 is equal to 30 x 0.254 = 7.62 mm, and English caliber 300 is equal to 300x0.0254 = 7, 62 mm. Similarly, caliber 410 corresponds to 10.41 mm.

In rifled weapons, the diameter of the bore is measured either by the rifling or by the margins. Therefore, the same caliber can be designated differently. Thus, the 9 mm caliber of the “Los” carbine is designated by the margins (9 mm), and the TOZ-55 “Bison” caliber is designated by the rifling (9.27 mm). The caliber of a 5.6 mm rifle is sometimes designated as 5.45 mm: the first is a change in caliber by rifling, the second by margin. The 7.62x53R three-line cartridge has a leading bullet diameter of 7.92 mm. In general, in traditionally domestic cartridges the diameters of the leading parts of the bullet are larger than the caliber. The diameters of bullets for rifled weapons always exceed the diameters of the bores (for the possibility of cutting into the rifling and acquiring rotational motion). The excesses of bullet diameters over the diameters of the bores are far from the same, since they depend on many reasons (depth, shape and number of rifling, bullet hardness, length of its leading part, quality of gunpowder, and others).

It is clear that of the several numbers mentioned above, obtained from various measurements of the diameters of the bore of a rifled barrel, as well as the diameter of the bullet, only one will correspond to the designated caliber. Typically this number refers to one of the dimensions of the bore, so the designated caliber of rifle ammunition is essentially the caliber of the weapon for which the ammunition is intended. The actual dimensions of the bullets never correspond to the designated caliber. Only in cases where the caliber of a weapon is measured by rifling do the designated calibers of the weapon and the true diameters of the bullets turn out to be very close to each other, close, but still different. It should be added to the above that among the caliber designations there may be those that do not correspond to the size of either the weapon or the bullets. They are simply traditional and do not act as information about size, but as a symbol of a particular cartridge. As a result, a mixed designation system has been adopted in world practice, in which a given cartridge is designated as it was designated in the country that issued it.

Perhaps the only one prerequisite is the presence in the name or designation of the cartridge of information about its caliber. Typically, caliber designations in the inch system are not translated into millimeters, since they are often either approximate or conditional, being only a symbol of a given cartridge, and not a carrier of information about the true size of the caliber. So, when formally converting, for example, designation 38 into millimeters, the value obtained is 9.65 mm. But this is a non-existent caliber - a symbol. 38 is actually a 9 mm cartridge used in weapons with a true caliber of 8.83 mm. Perhaps only specialists know that the .38 Special revolver cartridge uses .357 caliber bullets." The main reason for the discrepancies, as mentioned above, is the measurement of the bore diameter - by rifling or by margin.

Strictly speaking, the caliber of a cartridge is the caliber of the weapon for which the cartridge is intended to be fired. The caliber of the bullet itself almost never coincides with that indicated in the name of the cartridge, since its diameter is always greater than the diameter of the gun barrel, measured “along the margins”. For most cartridges developed in Europe, their name includes the numerical value of the caliber in millimeters, and for cartridges created in the USA and England, the name indicates the caliber in hundredths or thousandths of an inch. Although there are exceptions to this rule. For example, the purely European cartridge .30R Blaser (.30 Air Blaser) received a typical Anglo-American designation, and in the name of the American cartridges 7 mm Remington Magnum (7 mm "Remington Magnum") and 7mm-08 Remington (7 mm-08 "Remington") 19 gauge is indicated according to European traditions - in millimeters.

In the name of European cartridges, in addition to the caliber in millimeters, the length of the cartridge case in millimeters and its type are usually indicated - 7x64, 7x65R, 7x57R. The letter R means the presence of a protruding edge - a flange. Often in catalogs they add the name of the developer company - 7x64 Brenneke, 7x65R Brenneke. The designation of Russian cartridges is also based on this principle, however, as mentioned above, in domestic cartridges the diameters of the leading parts of the bullet are larger than the caliber. So, our 7.62x39 mm cartridge is actually loaded with 7.87-7.92 mm bullets, with the exception of its variants produced in the USA, which use regular bullets with a diameter of .308, i.e. 7.62 mm.

A certain specificity is found in the designation of old large-caliber (big bore) English cartridges for smoky and smokeless powder. Since all of these cartridges were rimmed, the case type designation was not indicated. Thus, .450-3 1/4 Rigby denotes the caliber in thousandths of an inch (.450), the length of the case in inches (3 1/4) and the company that produced this cartridge and/or weapons for it.

The .577 Nitro Express cartridge (3"&2 3/4") had two loading options - in a 3-inch (76.2 mm) long case and in a 2 3/4-inch (67.7 mm) long case.

In the designation of American and English cartridges there is no information about the length of the cartridge case, and the numerical designation of the caliber is followed by the name of the developer: .375 A-Square, .300 Dakota, .300 Holland & Holland, .308 Winchester.

Caliber and name of the designer who created this cartridge. More often found in the designation of American cartridges. Thus, one of the most powerful hunting revolver cartridges is the .454 Casull (.454 “Casull”) created by Richard Casull, or the rifle .300 Jarrett (.300 “Jarrett”), developed by Kenneth Jarrett. The name of Weatherby's most famous cartridge, the .300 Weatherby Magnum (.300 Weatherby Magnum), contains both the name of the company and the surname of its developer, Roy Weatherby.

Double hyphenated designations are historically common in American cartridges. So, in the days of black powder (practically until 1890), in type designations .44-40, .45-70, the first number showed the nominal value of the caliber, and the second - the amount of black powder charge in grains (1 grain = 64.8 mg). However, the first American rifle cartridge for smokeless powder, .30-30, created in 1895, also retained this principle in its name. The most notable exception to this rule was the famous cartridge .30-06 Springfield (.30-06 "Springfield"), in the designation of which the numbers 06 indicate the date of its adoption by the US Army - 1906.

Most modern dual designations are due to the fact that a particular cartridge was created from an existing cartridge case. The creators of such ammunition are often single designers - enthusiasts who produce them in limited quantities for use in weapons of their own systems. (So-called "wildcat" cartridges). For example, the .25-06 is a cartridge with a nominal .25 caliber, created on the basis of a .30-06 cartridge case, compressed for a .257 diameter bullet. The .22-250 cartridge with a .22 caliber bullet is created on the basis of the .250 Savage (.250 Savage) cartridge case. The designation of the new cartridge .30-378 Weatherby (.30-378 "Weatherby") refers to another cartridge - .378 Weatherby (.378 "Weatherby"), the sleeve of which was used as the base.

When creating the 7mm-08 Remington cartridge (7mm-08 "Remington"), loaded with bullets with a diameter of .284, a recompressed .308 Winchester case (.308 "Winchester") was used.

England uses its own designation system for “converted” cartridges, which is completely opposite to the American one. If the American cartridge .338-.378 Weatherby Magnum has a caliber .338 and is created on the basis of a re-compressed cartridge case of the .378 Weatherby Magnum cartridge, then the British would call such a cartridge .378/.338. The English cartridge .500/.465 Nitro Express is a .465 caliber cartridge that uses a re-compressed .500 NE cartridge case, similarly the .500/416 designates a cartridge with a .416 Caliber bullet based on a .500 NE cartridge case. Express (Express) and Nitro Express (Humpo Express).

Some English cartridges have two versions of equipment: a less powerful one for black powder, intended for old guns, and a more powerful one with smokeless powder, designed for modern, more durable weapons. The latter variants are designated Express or Nitro Express, which indicates that such a cartridge throws a bullet as fast as the train of the same name rushes.

Particularly powerful cartridges that, when fired, develop excessively in the bore of a weapon high pressure powder gases, have the definition Magnum (“Magnum”) in their name: .222 Remington Magnum, .300 Winchester Magnum, .338 Lapua Magnum (.338 “Lapua Magnum”). Until the early 1980s, the word "magnum" was usually present in the designation of cartridges, especially American ones. Modern magnums and ultramagnums may not have these names, designers, but only assign figurative names to them (300 Pegasus) or their own names and initials (300 Jarret, 375 JRS).

Also, at present, it is already difficult to assert that the so-called “search” design of the sleeve is a prerequisite for including a cartridge in the magnum group with the assignment of the term “magnum”. Two other criteria play a significantly larger role - pressure and bullet speed. Some European high-velocity magnum cartridges have the letter 5 in their designation: 5.6x61SE, 6.5x68S, 8x68S.

Some designers give their cartridges fancy proper names, like .300 Pegasus, .338 Excalibur and .577 Tyrannosaur (cartridges by Arthur Alfin, A-Square), apparently wanting to emphasize their unique speed and power. Abbreviations in names. When writing to save space (especially when marking on case heads), abbreviations are often included in the designation of cartridges. For example, the name of the revolver cartridge .44 Remington Magnum (.44 "Remington Magnum"), due to its wide popularity and the absence of similar competing cartridges in production, is increasingly being shortened to .44 Magnum or simply .44 Mag. The names of well-known companies that are present in the official designation of the cartridge are also usually abbreviated: Winchester - Win, Remington - Rem, Weatherby - Wby.

As you can see, various notation systems are very arbitrary and therefore do not allow one to calculate the real capabilities of a cartridge based on its name. It happens that a large caliber cartridge with a long case, like the 9.3x72R, in fact turns out to be not at all as powerful as one might expect. The energy of its bullet at a distance of 100 m from the muzzle is three times lower than that of a bullet from a much smaller caliber .300 Weatherby Magnum cartridge (.300 Weatherby Magnum). The difference is about 3500 J, which is comparable to the muzzle energy of the .308 Winchester cartridge (.308 Winchester).

Over time, the concepts of “weapon caliber” and “cartridge caliber” became more comprehensive, expanding to the full designation of a cartridge. This is quite logical, since different models of weapons with barrels of the same caliber can, differing in the shape of the chamber, be designed to use completely different cartridges with cartridges of different sizes and shapes. Therefore, the purely digital designation of the caliber, without the additions usually accompanying it, is now used only in relation to the bullet itself. Instead of the vague formulation “hunting carbine of 7.62 mm caliber”, another, more accurate and informative one is increasingly being used - “carbine (or cartridge) of 7.62x51 caliber”.

As is known, cartridges of the same caliber, even with the same diameters of the leading parts of the bullets, but with sleeves of different sizes and shapes, with flanges or grooves near the bottom, are absolutely non-interchangeable. In addition to the discrepancy between the cartridges, the non-interchangeability of cartridges is associated with the amount and type of gunpowder. Thus, the amount of gunpowder determines the pressure of the powder gases at strictly defined values of the weight and diameter of the outer part of the bullet, the diameters of the rifling and fields of a particular gun, and the material of the bullet shell. For example, the nitroglycerin spherical powder used in the 7.62x51 cartridge cannot be used to reload 7.62x53R cartridges. Nitroglycerin spherical powder in a 7.62x51 cartridge with a semi-jacketed bullet weighing 9.7 g raises the pressure of the powder gases when fired to 3400 kgf/cm2. If this charge is poured into a 7.62x53R case, which uses a bullet weighing 13 g, then the pressure will rise even higher and can destroy the weapon. Weapons chambered for 7.62x53R are designed for operating pressures no higher than 3150 kgf/cm2.

Hunters should be aware that bullets for the same caliber of rifled weapons are in many cases not interchangeable. So, the diameter of the barrel bore along the rifling is domestic weapons for the 7.62x51 cartridge is 7.83 mm, and for the 7.62x53R cartridge the diameter of the leading part of the semi-shell and combat bullets is 7.92 (the diameter of the bore along the rifling for this cartridge is also 7.92), that is, larger. If a 7.62x53R hunting semi-jacket or combat bullet is removed and inserted into a 7.62x51 cartridge, when fired, this will result in a sharp jump pressure, which in turn can lead to the destruction of the weapon. Considering that the semi-jacketed bullet of the 7.62x53 cartridge weighs 3.3 g more, then such a shot is life-threatening. Foreign manufacturers always indicate the bullet diameter.

Trofimov V.N., Trofimov A.V. “MODERN HUNTING AMMUNITION for rifled weapons. CASES, POWDER, CAPSULES, BULLETS, CARTRIDGES, BALLISTICS ELEMENTS"

The caliber of a cartridge or weapon is a numerical expression of the diameter of the barrel, which was measured between opposite fields. This standard definition became conventional with the advent of numerous types of rifled weapons.

Smoothbore weapons and their calibers

Right choice weapons and ammunition plays a key role during hunting. Russian hunters most often use smooth-bore shotguns, which have a smooth inside bore.

Smoothbore weapons appeared in 1498 in Germany. It is considered universal for hunting and self-defense. In Russia, such guns began to be produced in the 16th century. Our product received its official name - rifle.

Caliber designations

The caliber of the weapon must be indicated on its body. Also sometimes information about the dimensions of the cartridge is placed on the cartridge case.

In those countries where the English system of measures is used, the caliber of weapons and ammunition is indicated in inches. Typically, it is written in both hundredths and thousandths of an inch. In our country, until 1917, it was customary to measure caliber in lines. One line was equal to 0.1 inches or 0.254 centimeters. After the formation of the USSR, the calibers of weapons and cartridges began to be measured in millimeters.

The first digit indicated the diameter of the bore, and after the multiplication sign, the second digit, the length of the ammunition casing, was also noted. The last characteristic relates specifically to the cartridge, so even with the same caliber it may not fit the weapon. In countries Western Europe, USA, Canada and other countries included in the NATO bloc, such markings are used only for army weapons.

For civilian ammunition in foreign countries Other designations apply, where the name of the manufacturer or cartridge standard is assigned to the caliber. For example, 220 Russian or 38 Super.

Classification of calibers

All cartridge calibers have their own classification. It looks like this:

Today, civilians and military personnel are presented with numerous types of small arms and ammunition of various sizes, including the caliber 45 indicated in the table (in mm - from 11.26 to 11.35). Such cartridges are used in both civilian and military weapons. To understand what main projectiles are used in modern world, they must be presented in the form of a table of cartridge calibers. It is discussed below.

Russian designation of calibers in millimeters.	Designation in inches.	The internal diameter of the weapon's barrel is in millimeters.	Weapons of this caliber.
		from 5.42 to 5.6	MTs-3 pistol, TOZ-12 rifle, Ruger revolver.
		from 8.7 to 9.25	Beretta, Glock and GSh-18.
			Colt Double Eagle, Thompson and De Lisle carbine.
			AR-15, CAR-15, INSAS, Vektor R4 and AK102.
			Winchester model 70, Remington Model 700.
	30-06 Springfield		Browning M1919, M1 Garand, Johnson machine gun.

Small caliber cartridge

So, we looked at the table of weapon calibers. The most popular rifled civilian weapon among novice hunters is .22 LR or 5.6 millimeters. It is used for shooting small animals, such as fur-bearing wild animals and rodents. This ammunition is also widely used in sports.

5.6mm cartridges and weapons were first demonstrated by the J. Stevens Arm & Tool Company in the late 19th century. They were originally intended for indoor shooting at paper targets. It is worth noting that the first 5.6 mm cartridge was a piston, which was placed in a copper cup. Small shot also fell there. Subsequently, various enterprises produced different variations of the cartridge with a bullet with a diameter of 5.6 millimeters. The length of the sleeve changed, as well as the filling options for the projectile for throwing. Today there are several types of this ammunition left:

.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire.
.22 Short.
.22 Long.
.22 Long Rifle.

The last type is the most popular. It is equipped with a bullet weighing 2.6 grams. The initial speed of the projectile reaches 410 meters per second. Muzzle energy is about 190 J. The maximum range of guaranteed target destruction is 150 meters.

The popularity of the .22 LR cartridge is explained by its high accuracy, quiet pop when fired, minimal recoil and low cost. Among the shortcomings we can highlight the following factors:

lack of stopping effect;
low projectile power.

Cartridge 5.6 x 39

The table of all calibers shows a cartridge measuring 5.6 x 39 mm. This is a hunting ammunition for rifles that is of Soviet origin. You need to know that its length is 48.7 mm from the tip of the bullet to the bottom of the cartridge case.

It was created in 1955 by designer M. Blum to kill large and medium-sized animals. The caliber was 7.62 x 39 mm. It is interesting to note that this cartridge was only used for game hunting.

There are two options for manufacturing this ammunition:

With a jacketed bullet. Weight - 2.8 grams. It is designed to kill fur-bearing animals.
With a semi-sheathed bullet, the mass of which is 3.5 grams. The cartridge is used for shooting at wolves and roe deer.

The main advantages of the cartridge are low price and high initial speed. Among the shortcomings, many hunters note poor workmanship and rapid loss of bullet speed.

Popular pistol cartridge

The most popular pistol cartridge is the 9 mm Luger caliber ammunition, created in Germany in 1902. It was designed by Georg Luger to fire the Parabellum pistol. After 2 years it was accepted into service. The first versions were produced in the shape of a cone with a flat head. Later, a projectile with an ogive head appeared. The bullet had a steel jacket and a lead core. After 1917 it was modified; now it is varnished on the outside with tombak.

Cases for this caliber were produced from various metals: brass, steel, with or without copper plating. Bullets exist different types, including plastic ones. The 9 x 19 caliber pistol cartridge is a general purpose ammunition consisting of a shell containing a lead core.

.45 caliber cartridges

According to the information from the above table, .45 caliber (in mm 11.43) comes in several types. The most popular cartridges given size are ammunition referred to as the .45 Automatic Colt Pistole (ACP) and .45 Colt. The first option is called the grandfather of all American pistols. The cartridge was invented by John Moses Browning for the 1905 model pistol. After its commissioning, the device was immediately loved in the USA. It was used by the army and also by the police until 1985.

45 ACP has earned the love of many Americans thanks to its heavy 12.58 gram bullet and weak load. At low speed and low recoil, the bullet hits the target exactly. It has a strong stopping effect. The ammunition is still used by American police today.

The Colt M1911 pistol was created for this cartridge. Subsequently, American designers came up with the Thompson and M3 submachine guns, which also used a 0.45-inch bullet. Such weapons were actively used in the First World War.

Since caliber .45 ACP has a low muzzle velocity, several types of silent subsonic rifles were invented for it - including those equipped with silencers - for hidden shooting. Such weapons are needed by intelligence services and special forces.

The British used the .45 ACP cartridge to fire pistols of the Webley-Scott system. The .45 Colt revolver cartridge was invented in 1873. It was used when shooting from the Single Action Army revolver of the 1873 model. These weapons were supplied to horse artillery and cavalry. Despite the fact that .45 Colt ammunition has not been used in the army for more than 100 years, it is in demand in hunting and in civilian shooting ranges.

The cartridge has a lead bullet without a jacket. Its weight is 17.3 grams. The initial speed is about 260 m/s, and the muzzle energy is 570 J.

Cartridge.223 Remington

Among cartridges of all calibers, the .223 Rem ammunition stands out the most. or 5.56 x 45 mm, which has been actively used in NATO countries since 1980. When creating a new ammunition, the designers decided to use the .222 Remington cartridge as a basis.

Caliber of rifled weapons.222 Rem. was needed for small rifles, but later it turned out that its power was not enough to defeat enemy personnel. Then he appeared the new kind ammunition - .222 Remington Special. To avoid confusion, it was later renamed the .223 Rem. This rifle caliber was used to fire the famous AR-15 rifles. It is better known to the Russian-speaking public as M-16.

The advantage of this cartridge is the high destructive power of the projectile, and the main disadvantage is the low initial speed of the projectile being thrown.

Ammunition.243 Winchester

In addition to the .45 caliber, the table shows the .243 Win cartridge in mm. The ammunition is especially popular among professional hunters of large animals. It is excellent at hitting targets such as antelope, wild boar or deer.

The cartridge was invented in 1955 by the American company Winchester for high-precision sports shooting. The ammunition was distinguished by its high initial velocity and mild recoil.

The ammunition was greatly loved by many Americans. Subsequently, it was widely used by shooters from Western Europe and Russia.

The advantages of such a cartridge are high speed and high power. The main disadvantage is the extremely high price compared to the prices set by competitors.

Cartridge.30-06 Sprg

The 7.62 x 63 mm caliber (.30-06 Springfield) is designed for rifle shooting. It was used extensively by American soldiers during World War I and World War II, as well as during the Korean conflict.

The ammunition was adopted for service in 1906 for firing from M1 Garand rifles.

It is worth noting that the advantages of the .30-06 Springfield cartridge were highly appreciated by Russian hunters, who used it against large and medium-sized wild animals. The ammunition - thanks to the large cartridge case and the large mass of gunpowder in it - is very powerful, not giving the target a single chance of salvation. Due to the fact that this type of American-made ammunition is produced in Russia, it has a relatively low cost.

Hello. Please tell me the real caliber of this howitzer. As far as I know, the fitting is anything larger than a 12 gauge. Somewhere I found an article about 4-caliber elephant killers. From a pound of lead there are four ball bullets. I can't wrap my head around it. These are, perhaps, the nuclei. Vitaly Galishanov.

Photo by Evgeniy Kopeiko

From a pound of lead, four ball bullets are really 113g shells for an old quarter pounder.

But such colossal bullets have not been and are not fired from hunting weapons, even large-caliber ones.

The point is not only in calculating the caliber of a weapon based on the number of round bullets, but also in the actual size of the shells of a hunting weapon.

A hunting rifle is a rifled weapon with a folding block of barrels of the same caliber (traditional) or different (the so-called “mountain”).

It is not at all necessary that its caliber be larger than 12 gauge, or .729 inches. Of the modern ones, the smallest is the Peter Hofer caliber 17WMR, and the largest is the Holland-Holland Royal caliber 700N.E., or the same Verney-Carron, or Ziegenhahn.

By the way, rifled caliber 700N.E. The diameter is very close to 14 gauge. It is the large-caliber Verney-Carron fitting, presented by the company at the Moscow exhibition ARMS&Hunting-2017 in Gostiny Dvor.

Large-caliber hunting weapons can be any type of hunting weapon, both smooth-bore guns and rifles; caliber is a parameter of the barrels, and not a characteristic of the type of weapon.

In the century before last - the 19th century, fittings of larger calibers were produced for cartridges with black powder; the calibers of these weapons were calculated by the number of round bullets cast from one pound of lead according to the British measurement system, that is, weighing 453.6 grams.

But the bullets for these “elephant” and other fittings were not necessarily spherical; as a rule, they were of a sealed design and weighed less than the nominal spherical ones.

There were large smoothbore guns of 10, 8, 4, and even 4 calibers. The essence of these large-caliber samples lies in their purpose; they were usually shot with shot, and, if necessary, with a bullet.

Among them were the so-called “clarifiers” for hunting in places where waterfowl accumulated. These are heavy guns, and especially large ones were fired from special rests installed on a boat or in a hideout.

But it is not at all necessary that supposedly large-caliber rifles were fired with shells of nominal caliber.

Nowadays, a projectile weighing 45 g for a 12-mag caliber shotgun is not surprising; there are also magnum category shotguns and cartridges on sale, but this is a 10-gauge projectile. And then a projectile of such mass was almost the limit; not everyone dared to fire heavy projectiles.

But there were, and still are, typical large-caliber hunting rifles; these are examples of a traditional design with a folding block of barrels, certainly heavy and brutal, but whose somewhat lower mass to some extent allows them to be shot handheld. Usually these are 10- and 8-gauge shotguns; they were produced in different countries.

Let me remind you that the nominal bore diameter of the 10th caliber is 19.69 mm, and that of the 8th caliber is 21.21 mm, respectively. Shotguns of 10 and 8 gauges were common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; hunters needed models for large shot shells.

The chambers did not exceed a length of 85 mm; such a cartridge case could accommodate a shot shell up to the nominal value. They not only hunted with them, but even shot at them in “pigeon” cages.

Photo by Anton Zhuravkov.

And our ITOZ plant produced a 10-gauge single-barrel breech-loading trigger gun with a folding barrel, as well as an 8-gauge one with a barrel length from 890 to 980 mm.

They cost much more, respectively 30 and 50 rubles in terms of the 1911 exchange rate, than the same smaller gun - 12 gauge, offered for 26 rubles. Prices and photographs 2 and 3 are taken from “Rates No. 9 for 1910/11.” armory A.A. Bitkova in Moscow" from my archive.

By the way, the Tula company TsKIB SOO also produced a 10-gauge MTs10-10 double-barreled shotgun. Now I’ll just remind you of its main parameters: the barrels are heavy, weighing 1.9 kg, the block is steel, the weight of the gun is 4.13 kg.

I draw your attention to the length of the chambers - 70 mm; This gun is intended to fire only pellets of nominal caliber, weighing 45 g or less, but not more. The permitted pressure is indicated by the inscription “no more than 700 kg/cm2” on the barrels.

It is obvious that this solid double-barreled shotgun, despite its mass, does not belong to the now common “magnum” category.

Once upon a time in Moscow, a Belgian 8-gauge hunting horizontal rifle was offered, massive, but very interesting and in very good condition. The design is standard, a folding barrel block, locks in the block, triple locking of the barrel block, a pistol-shaped stock.

Of course, you can shoot such a double-barreled shotgun once or twice, and then put it on your backpack to concentrate and gather strength before the next doublet. It had to be abandoned, but only due to the lack of branded cartridges; now it is no longer possible to find them, unless collected abroad individually at specialized auctions.

Such a rare gun requires real factory cartridges with paper shells, and not homemade ones.

By the way, the absence of shell casings determined its good condition, since the previous owner had nothing to shoot with.

As an example of a very large-caliber hunting weapon, an ancient French muzzle-loading single-barrel 4-caliber gun, made in the 1830-1840s in Saint-Etienne, deserves attention.

Its weight is only 3.0 kg with a barrel length of 700 mm, and the bore diameter of the 42 caliber corresponds to 26.72 mm in the metric system. However, no one was ever going to shoot nominal caliber shot shells from it, which would have amounted to 113 grams every time.

Neither this gun with very ordinary parameters, nor the hunter himself could withstand such shooting due to excessive recoil.

In fact, this is a small, elegant gun, albeit a 4-caliber one, it was created with the goal of producing a wide scatter of shot at the usual distance of 35 meters when shooting shot shells of no more than 36 grams that are familiar to a hunter of average physical ability.

Photo by Evgeniy Kopeiko

This Saint-Etienne antique ramrod with a primer lock, despite the colossal 4-gauge, is a typical hunting rifle of the second quarter of the 19th century, made in Western Europe.

So, in the Saint-Etienne Museum, I examined a muzzle-loading double-barreled shotgun from 1836-1840. locally made with the same stock, decorated in the Rocaille style, safety bracket, semicircular hammers with a capsule lock. A similar gun of similar decoration and design is also in the Liege Museum.

Unfortunately, the photographs of the Saint-Etienne 4-caliber single-barreled gun turned out to be mediocre, and the owner wished to remain incognito, so we will have to limit ourselves to only a slightly more detailed description.

It is important that the barrel on it is steel, very durable, although it would be more logical to see a Damascus barrel on a gun of that period. The length of the steel barrel is only 672 mm, and with a breech screw it is equal to 701 mm, this is quite a bit for a 4-caliber gun, but fully corresponds to its purpose - creating a wide scree at a normal distance.

At the breech, the barrel is octagonal, in the middle with a large number of edges, sixteen of them, and in the last third of the length towards the muzzle it is round. The lock is a capsule lock, with a spectacular semicircular trigger. All parts are steel, from the breech and lower base of the trigger mechanism to the safety guard and butt plate with a long upper shank.

The stock is long, with a protrusion under the cheek and a semi-pistol neck, decorated with carvings in the “smooth rocaille” style. Branded swivels indicate that this gun was intended to be carried for hunting.

The Saint-Etienne single-barreled 4-caliber gun is an expensive individually self made high class. The trunk is decorated in gold in the Empire style with floral ornaments in the form of vines, leaves and flowers, among which two fabulous birds in the French style are depicted in gold, we call them firebirds.

The steel parts of the gun are also decorated with engraving, right down to the breech and trigger. The ramrod in the muzzle-loading model is a necessary and trivial item; without it, the gun cannot be loaded, but the grade hardwood, horn tip and precise, neat work allow it to be classified as a decorative element of a gun.

Now the old 10- and 8-gauge shotguns have supplanted modern models of the magnum category, but the owners of the surviving large-caliber models carefully store and shoot them, loading the cartridges in branded cartridge cases from the previous stocks.

You can ask your question to Evgeniy Kopeiko by email: [email protected]