colt pistols
Writers often need to know exactly what kind of weaponry their protagonists use. Here is a useful introduction to the various terms and their meanings.
CALIBER (or class) is "usually" a numerical term, without
decimal point, on behalf of a cartridge to indicate the diameter ball.
Alternatively, it may be a measure of the diameter of the gun
barrel.
It is described in most glossaries that: "The internal diameter of a
canon of arme's. "This can be measured in either English units or
metric. The measure can be taken as an arm of land rifled or
land or groove to groove. For example, in most U.S. .30 caliber rifles, the
diameter of the bore down to earth is 300 inches, while groove to
Groove is, 308 inches (Earth is the raised part of stripes
the barrel, groove is the part behind the stripes)
In the United States measure is usually expressed in hundreds of inches;
in Great Britain in thousandths, Europe and elsewhere in
millimeters. That's why you see the caliber of often handguns
expressed in different units.
Just to complicate things even in the same country, size city
does not always indicate the diameter Boring but true measure
diameter of the barrel from outside. "
Not all gauges indicate bore diameter. The .44 Magnum is not, 44
inches in diameter. It is 429 inches in diameter. A 38 Special
not 38 inches. It is 357 inches. The .357 Magnum, however, really
, 357 inches in diameter. A 9mm is 355 inches. Some sizes are also
confusion. A .45 Colt is a revolver cartridge. A .45 ACP (Automatic
Colt Pistol) cartridge is automatic. They are not interchangeable.
Caliber also has an alternative meaning when it refers to the length
barrel in larger, artillery pieces, such as a piece of artillery in May
be described as 5 inch/50 class, which would say he has a gun
50 times the bore diameter, or 250 cm long.
Gauge refers to shotguns and is the diameter the bore of a shotgun determined
by the number of round lead balls of bore diameter that equals a pound
For example, twelve lead balls that fit the diameter of a 12-gauge
shotgun book a tie. The most common sizes of shotgun gauge is 10
gauge, 12 gauge, 16 gauge, 20 gauge and .410. (Again, just to
complicate matters, the, 410 is the exception in guns as being
measured by a caliber not a gauge, so that, 410 A gun, 410
inches wide.)
Thus, using this system, as the gauge goes up, the bore diameter Password
down. The opposite of a class. Just remember, writer, Your duty is to do things. And remember too, there will always be someone there who tells you your mistakes, so try to get the first time.
William Meikle is a Scottish writer, with seven novels published in the States and three more coming in 2007/8, all in the independent fantasy and horror press. His short work and articles have appeared in the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Greece, Saudi Arabia and India.
Read free fiction at his web site http://www.williammeikle.com
1911 Colt WW1 replica
