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What does 50 caliber mean?

Updated: 9/27/2023
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12y ago

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Caliber refers to the diameter of the bullet. A 50 caliber bullet is .50 of an inch (half an inch) in diameter. It's also used to refer to a gun that shoots a 50 caliber bullet.

The problem with the word "caliber" is that it has two different and confusing meanings. In small arms, "caliber" usually refers to the diameter of the bullet, NOT the casing, and is measured in inches (i.e. .50 caliber is 50/100ths of an inch, or a half-inch). [Note: your original question should be ".50" caliber, not "50" caliber.] The biggest problem with this usage is that it's not exact - the most common .50 caliber bullet (the .50 BMG of the Browning .50-caliber Heavy Machinegun) is actually .510 inches at the widest point.

The other use of the word caliber is the ratio of the barrel bore (inside) diameter to its length. For instance, the huge 16" guns on the US's Iowa-class battleships are properly classified as 16"/50-caliber guns, which means that the barrel length is 15 times the bore length; thus, the 16/50 is 800 inches long (66 feet, 8 inches). While this usage of caliber is most common for cannon (and not small arms), it nonetheless can be found in discussions of rifles.

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Q: What does 50 caliber mean?
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Related questions

How do they measure a 50 caliber bullet?

It depends on what you mean by measure, but if you mean in regard to the "50 caliber" part, caliber is the diameter of the piece of lead.


Is it better if the caliber on a gun is lower or higher?

Depends on the application. If you mean power, the higher the caliber, the more powerful it is. for example, a .22 caliber rifle is much less powerful than a .50 caliber rifle.


Is a 50 caliber half an inch?

Yes. .50 caliber refers to .5 of an inch.


Is a 50 caliber bullet measured differently than a 5.56 caliber bullet. if so how is the 50 larger than the 5.56?

They are most certainly measured differently. The "50" in 50 caliber is measuring in inches and should actually be referred in writing as ".50 Caliber." The "5.56" is in millimeters (mm) and should be written as "5.56mm".To compare the two:.50 Caliber = 1/2 inch = 12.7mm5.56mm = ~ .2189 inchSo the .50 caliber bullet is roughly 2.28 times wider than the 5.56mm caliber bullet.


What was the caliber of the so called Kentucky Rifle?

50 caliber


Can you name one 50 caliber rifle?

Yes, I can. A Barrett M107 is a .50 caliber sniper rifle.


How big is a 50 caliber bullet?

Any bullet that has a diameter of one half inch is a .50 caliber bullet. There are different .50 caliber bullets- my Hawken muzzle loading rifle shoots a .50 caliber lead bullet, but different from the .50 Browning Machine Gun (that is also used in the .50 Barret sniper rifle)


What is the Difference between 50 Cal and Cal 50?

its the same thing. it doesnt matter where you put the word caliber. its still a .50 caliber


When was the 50 caliber invented?

The 50 BMG - @ 1910.


Small caliber to large caliber for riflesin size?

.22-.50


What is the difference between a 40 caliber and 50 caliber bullet?

Size and relative power. A .40 caliber bullet is .40 of an inch and the entire cartridge is 28.8 millimeters long. A .50 caliber (handgun) bullet is .50 of an inch and the entire cartridge is 40.99 millimeters long. The .50 caliber has more powder, more velocity, and more muzzle energy.


How far does the bullet go out of a 50 caliber shoot accuratly?

how far does a 50 caliber sniper rifle shoot accuratly