shotgun guages

albatrosdva

January 22, 2003 08:29

I would like to know how the shotgun guage system works. guns are either writen by their guage or caliber. Am i correct that the smaller the guage number the bigger the bore?
if someone could tell me the guage equal in caliber i would greatly appreciate it.
sam

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  kingjoey

  January 22, 2003 08:47

  The gauge system is older than anyone here. If you had a bore of such diameter that 12 balls of lead that diameter equaled a pound, then it was a 12 gauge. A 10 gauge is larger in diameter hence only 10 balls to equal a pound. This progressed in the English system to include an "A" gauge which was 2" in diameter if I remember correctly. I seem to remember the 12ga being .724".

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  He Dog

  January 22, 2003 10:00

  KingJoey has essentially covered it, except the .410 which is a new (well, last century anyway, not two or three ago) and is expressed as a caliber. the .410 would be a 67 guage. Any number of shotgun books can give you the nominal bore diameter of each of the guages. Today only 10, 12, 16, 20, 28 and .410 are in regular use and production. Note also there is a lot of difference in length of shells. 21/2" 12 guage shells are common in older British guns, while 23/4", 3' and 31/2" shells are used in the U.S.

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  bambihunter

  January 22, 2003 21:17

  According to blackpowder sources, a 10 gauge is equal to a .72 rifle.
  
  There is more info than you'd probably want to know here:
  http://www.gunsandcrime.org/caliber.html
  
  It doesn't matter what you shoot, just shoot it well...

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