Concept in Definition ABC

The study of bullets in all their amplitude receives the denomination of ballistics and within this discipline there would be a subsection, the caliber of the ammunition.

Each firearm has a specific caliber, that is, a measure of its bullets. As for his measurement It must be said that there are two accepted measurements: in millimeters or in inches (one inch is equal to 2.54 mm), using inches in the Anglo-Saxon world and millimeters in other countries, as is the case with miles and the subway.

The measurement carried out refers to the diameter from the bottom of the bullet. Thus, a 22 caliber bullet, measured in inches has 0.22 and to indicate this quantity a point is used before the exact number (.22).

There is another measurement in the bullets, the length of the casing and it can also be indicated in millimeters or inches.

Bullet types

There are subsonic bullets, which are the ones used in pistols or revolvers and usually have a velocity lower than the sound or slightly higher. On the other hand, there are supersonic bullets, which are those used for rifles or machine guns and have the characteristic of exceeding the speed of sound (the head of supersonic bullets is more aerodynamic and elongated). As is logical, the ammunition of each weapon depends on the function that it intends to fulfill (an antiaircraft weapon is not the same as a field artillery weapon, to give a simple example).

Ballistics caliber reading

Suppose we know the following data for an ammunition: 7.62 x 25. The first number corresponds to the diameter of the bullet and the second number refers to the length of the shell of the bullet. In this way, the larger its size, the greater the amount of gunpowder it can contain and, therefore, the destructive capacity of the ammunition will be increased. The instrument to measure the dimensions of the bullet is called precisely caliber and they also have other uses than ballistics.

Different uses of gauges

The structure of a caliper is simple: a ruler on which the measurements are indicated and an attached square that slides to establish the exact measurement.

The caliper as a measuring instrument receives different names (foot of King, vernier or caliper). Regarding its applications, it can be used in geographical measurements, in topography, to verify angles, to design pieces and a long etcetera.