Old English 12 Bore conversion

[conradin]

Anyone knows what does "12 bore" mean, as in translating that into "gauge"? I have an old English shotgun.

 

[nwtradegun]

12 ga. . 12 round lead balls the size of the bore equal 1 pound

 

[Stumpkiller]

"Bore" refers to the hollow part of a [firearm] barrel or tube.

"Gauge" refers to the number of lead balls of bore size that it takes to make one pound.

Thus, a 16 gauge is a firearm with a barrel having an inside diameter of a size that 16 bore sized lead balls make one pound.

But they are used interchangably. A 12-bore is the same as a 12 gauge.

Now "Caliber" originally referred to the number of bore diameter lengths the BARREL of a cannon or rifled-gun is. So 30 caliber of a one pounder gun is actually 43.7" long.

And a .54 caliber Hawken had a mold labeled "30" as a .530" lead ball weighs 233 grains. 7000grains per lb/233grains = 30 to the pound.

 

[conradin]

0.781"

 

[coloradoclyde]

.781=25/32

10 gauge is .775

Heres a chart. http://www.hallowellco.com/bore_size_chart.htm

 

[Stumpkiller]

And just to further mess with us: 12 gauge steel is 0.1046" thick.

 

[Artificer]

Now "Caliber" originally referred to the number of bore diameter lengths the BARREL of a cannon or rifled-gun is. So 30 caliber of a one pounder gun is actually 43.7" long.

Boy, did I find that out the hard way.
Gus