"Caliber" is a term commonly used and misused when discussing guns. "Handgun Calibers" even more so.

I was shooting earlier in the week, as two of my closest buddies were discussing which one is better which is the 45 or 40. For me, it was an endless debate however it was the sheer number of times that both used the word "caliber" to me that was entertaining and amusing and slightly irritating too..

Being the self-critical individual I have become, I had to think: Were there ever occasions when I may have misinterpreted the word? And are some aspects about it that I'm not conscious of?

If, like me, you're asking custom leather holsters the same questions, or you're new to firearms , or you're looking to broaden your knowledge on handgun calibers generally take a look.

This article will hope to provide you with a complete guide to handgun calibers. That means that we'll describe calibers, and their functions and give you some suggestions. You might be surprised by how you are not aware of this term, which is frequently used.

In this article, we intend to provide you with a thorough guide to understanding caliber to help you make the right choice regarding buying a gun. It is true that the necessity for caliber will differ based on the purpose of the gun - whether it's police or personal defense, concealed carry or other. The most important thing is to consider your personal requirements, and then compare them to the choices from our list of recommendations.

What Is a Caliber?

The Cambridge Dictionary defines "caliber" as "the qualities of something or someone that is, in particular, the ability of someone," or "the size that a pipe's inside can be, in particular that of the long, cylinder-shaped portion of firearm, or of the size of the gun's bullet".

In the section that says "the long cylinder-shaped portion of the barrel of a gun" I think we're all likely to be of the opinion that it's the barrel of a gun that they were in reference to specifically how long the barrel is.

Without going into too much details, based on the gun's model the bore's measurement by itself doesn't necessarily represent what's known as the "caliber". Consider semi-auto handguns, guns, or shotguns. The barrel and chamber of the guns are constructed out of the same steel However, the chamber is an entirely different size than the bore.

Caliber is Not the Barrel

The chamber is typically times a few centimeters larger than the bore, and the chamber is a part of the "long cylindrical part of an gun" the definition is not accurate.

When it states "the length of the bullet" I'm sure we're all able to believe that it's the bullet's cylindrical part that the dictionary was talking about -however, it doesn't provide a clear definition in regards to what portion of the bullet "caliber" can be a measurement of.

The bullet's nose which comes custom shoulder holsters in contact with grooves in the rifling of the barrel's bore when it is fired by burning gunpowder measured in millimeters or inches and is often called "caliber". What about its nose? Doesn't that not also belong to the caliber? Nope.

What is a Bullet's Nose Called?

The nose of a bullet is known as it's " ogive" and it is measured in a different manner (but we'll not go into it). This is why, The Cambridge Dictionary is not accurate.

Before I really got into handguns I was able to recall the kinds of questions I'd frequently have to ask myself:

Do numbers of 38 outdo nine because 38 is greater than 9?

Are the 357 guns more powerful than other handgun calibers since it's got three figures, whereas other calibers only have two?

In the event that the 357 is more powerful than a 44 is it equally as powerful as an 44?

What is it that makes the 44 have a Special and Magnum, when the 357 has only one Magnum and not a Special?

What's up with all the various suffixes following the numbers? What's an ACP? What's a WinMag? What's a Super? What's a Magnum? Why do people refer to"the 40 "short or weak" even though they know of the S&W in front of it refers to SmithWesson?

I admit that I used to be that dumb.

For me, the term "caliber" in relation to guns is an designation that is not just measuring a bullet's diameter or bore's dimensions, but it is a method of identifying the fundamental features of a particular cartridge that make it distinctive.

What happens to a specific caliber when a shooter pulls the trigger on a gun, how quickly the bullet moves and the kind of trajectory it follows as well as the type of wounds it's capable to create when it hits tissues or other tissue. These are the issues that immediately come to me when I hear that word.

To provide the specifics I made the following table, which lists the top common (and less-common) handgun calibers, as well as the important information on the calibers: