Just wondering how many know the difference between calibre and cartridge?

[Wild Bill G]

Interchanging 2 words that do not mean the same thing does matter. Do you pay attention to the color of the lights at a traffic light of couarse you do. You would not interchange a red light for a green one would hope. Some of us can figure out when someone changes caliber for cartridge but to a newbie just learning it will get very confusing. Why not as long time shooters do we not teach them right from wrong to make their lives simpler. If the 2 terms are interchangeable try and buy some 280 cal bullets. Now by that I mean a box of 50 or 100 280 bullets not cartridges.
To say there is no danger is wrong because a beginner starting out will not likely look at his barrel to confirm what cartridges he needs. He will go to the store and tell the clerk what he thinks he needs. Then depending on the clerk he may get what he really needs or something completely wrong. If the cartridges are wrong hopefully they will not chamber and blow up.
I don't think anyone here is trying to be better then anyone else only to help explain the difference and hazards that could take place in a mix up.

 

[HARPERC]

.....A beginner in owning firearms has got to learn the very basics as to safety, what I assume is being talked about here !.....They didn't take the time to learn the basics, they haven't learned to walk yet !..........

Zero disagreement with most of what's being said from the technical side, nor is there an issue that education is necessary. The conversation in my mind centers around education, how much is necessary, and who is going to provide it? What is your advice to a beginner wishing entry level education? Do you mandate it?

If I owned Dick's I would have ended firearms sales long ago, from the safety standpoint of sales training.

 

[Wild Bill G]

Who teaches a beginner can make all the difference in the world. It needs to be some one they respect and has the knowledge they need to learn. If it is not some one they respect I believe they will not absorb as much info as they should. That being said dome times the situation they are learning in can go a long way. If some one offers you help or info in this case listen to it. If you disagree with it and it is weong tell the person but make sure what you say is right. Cutting down some one telling the truth will not help some one wanting to learn as the advice will then be seen as rubbish. If you know what is stated is true and feel it is not needed to be stated keep quiet so others can learn from it. I am saying this because of the members who knew the truth but seem to think being wrong is ok,

 

[Vortex!]

Interchanging 2 words that do not mean the same thing does matter. Do you pay attention to the color of the lights at a traffic light of couarse you do. You would not interchange a red light for a green one would hope. Some of us can figure out when someone changes caliber for cartridge but to a newbie just learning it will get very confusing. Why not as long time shooters do we not teach them right from wrong to make their lives simpler. If the 2 terms are interchangeable try and buy some 280 cal bullets. Now by that I mean a box of 50 or 100 280 bullets not cartridges.
To say there is no danger is wrong because a beginner starting out will not likely look at his barrel to confirm what cartridges he needs. He will go to the store and tell the clerk what he thinks he needs. Then depending on the clerk he may get what he really needs or something completely wrong. If the cartridges are wrong hopefully they will not chamber and blow up.
I don't think anyone here is trying to be better then anyone else only to help explain the difference and hazards that could take place in a mix up.

I was not disagreeing with what has been said in fact I do agree with the technical aspects. However what I meant to say is that it's annoying when people take this as a personal attack as if we were saying they didn't know the difference. My apologies if you thought I was saying this thread is pointless. It's a valuable thread and lots of material here that newbies would find helpful!

 

[Buck Buster]

Zero disagreement with most of what's being said from the technical side, nor is there an issue that education is necessary. The conversation in my mind centers around education, how much is necessary, and who is going to provide it? What is your advice to a beginner wishing entry level education? Do you mandate it?

If I owned Dick's I would have ended firearms sales long ago, from the safety standpoint of sales training.

Using common sense is a good start, If your not sure of something ask someone that is familiar with guns or go to a gunsmith. When I got into hunting and shooting I read a lot of books and still do ! you are never done learning ! Never assume something be sure or you may pay dearly!

 

[Buck Buster]

At the end of the day, interchanging the terms doesn't make a bit of difference to new shooters or old to guys. Nor does it make anyone less safe. If you can't simply read the side of the barrel and match the ammo to that, then knowing the difference between caliber, cartridge and chambering isn't going to help you.

Isn't that using common sense ? warnings are also on the ammo boxes, now can everyone read ?

 

[Buck Buster]

Interchanging 2 words that do not mean the same thing does matter. Do you pay attention to the color of the lights at a traffic light of couarse you do. You would not interchange a red light for a green one would hope. Some of us can figure out when someone changes caliber for cartridge but to a newbie just learning it will get very confusing. Why not as long time shooters do we not teach them right from wrong to make their lives simpler. If the 2 terms are interchangeable try and buy some 280 cal bullets. Now by that I mean a box of 50 or 100 280 bullets not cartridges.
To say there is no danger is wrong because a beginner starting out will not likely look at his barrel to confirm what cartridges he needs. He will go to the store and tell the clerk what he thinks he needs. Then depending on the clerk he may get what he really needs or something completely wrong. If the cartridges are wrong hopefully they will not chamber and blow up.
I don't think anyone here is trying to be better then anyone else only to help explain the difference and hazards that could take place in a mix up.

I agree, and that is what I was trying to do! Then you get some stupid questions or statements from someone. The last thing I will add is that the beginner has got to take the first step and ask someone if he doesn't know. And if he doesn't buy the gun from a reputable gun shop, the seller probably won't explain anything to him or her .

 

[Wild Bill G]

Vortek I was not pointing my last post at you. In fact I agreed with your earlier post just forgot to say so.

Buck Buster you have made many good points. I think though some times new comers to this sport are afraid to ask what they think may be a stupid question. In reality when you are learning there are no stupid questions even though more experienced shooters may think they are. From the time we were little right up to now we learn by asking questions. Your point about reputable gun shops may be a little off now a days with the big chain stores forcing the private guys out. The bigger the store it seems the less the staff seem to know in some cases.

 

[WildRose]

I do not want this to come across as snarky but it seems several on here have a confusion between the 2. The calibre is the ize of the bore of your rifle for example .308,.264,.284 and so on. Cartridge is the chambering of the rifle or case that we load in our given rifle. For example 300 Winchester Magnum,6.5x55 Sweedish Mauser and so on. There are times it can get confusing for instance the 308 Winchester is often shortened to just 308. I hope this will help some and if someone can clear it up a little better please do so .

Both are actually correct, just look at the stampings on factory ammo boxes.

The difference is technical. In general English they are interchangeable, for the technical crowd caliber is about diameter alone, and cartridge refers to the official SAAMI designation.

 

[Buck Buster]

Vortek I was not pointing my last post at you. In fact I agreed with your earlier post just forgot to say so.

Buck Buster you have made many good points. I think though some times new comers to this sport are afraid to ask what they think may be a stupid question. In reality when you are learning there are no stupid questions even though more experienced shooters may think they are. From the time we were little right up to now we learn by asking questions. Your point about reputable gun shops may be a little off now a days with the big chain stores forcing the private guys out. The bigger the store it seems the less the staff seem to know in some cases.

Again I agree totally: that's why I said a gun shop or a gunsmith should be asked I guess I forgot to also add a person that they know has been around firearms for a while. The big chain stores on the most part will only sell, and not take the time to give you some much needed safety information. The buyer may luck out and have a person that has handled guns and knows what he is doing, give them some initial safety tips and pointers. Also a new gun bought will usually have a booklet with the basic things in it that we are talking about, if they can't read they should have a family member read it to them. But what if the buyer buys from a private individual ? There will be no booklet and perhaps the firearm may not even be safe. That's a mistake right there, they should have somebody that knows guns go with them if they are buying from a private party and that will kill two birds with one stone because they will already have a person looking out for their safety by looking at the gun before they buy it. I'm sorry but if they want to own a gun they have to be responsible enough to get the basic knowledge it takes to be safe. Their family members may know that they are not familiar with firearms but how would anybody else know ? It is the buyers responsibility to find this information, or pay the consequence.

 

[CaptnC]

I've seen this thread for the last few weeks, but I have not been reading any of the post. I'm very surprised it's still going.

I learned the difference so many years ago it's almost like it was pre-programed in my brain. I'm sure I've made post or two where I interchanged the two terms.

I have only read a few posts on page 8 of the thread...some mentioned "everyone can read"...that statement I will disagree with. The youth of today can't comprehend what they read, they used YouTube instead. I have even used it a couple times in place of reading up on something! To be honest I was a bit embarrassed that I did it.

 

[J E Custom]

In my opinion, There are three types of people that this thread highlights.

Those that know and use the proper terms (Most of the time).

Those that don't know all of the proper terms to use, But would like to be familiar with, and use them.

And those that don't care or give a dam what is correct and the importance of it.

Those that fit the first group have a responsibility (In my opinion) to at least explain the difference and the importance to group number two.

Those in group number two that are interested, should make a point of asking people in group number one "ANY" question about ANY subject so you can learn.

And to those in group number three that don't care and assume that they know everything or can find the answer on the internet, are missing out on lots of expertise and will not have a very bright future
in the shooting sports. Group number one and number two should distance them selves from this group so you don't get contaminated
with their way of thinking.

I am 77 years old and learn something new almost everyday because i keep an open mind and listen to everyone. I may cull someones comments, but i still read and listen to hopefully find that pearl of wisdom or idea.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Wild Bill G]

Ok so I just looked up the defintions of both caliber and cartridge. What I find is they are in no way interchangeable or the same. Caliber is the inside diameter of the barrel or width of the bullet or projectile. This measurement is given in millimeters or hundredths of an inch. Cartridge is the entire round we load into our gun. It consists of the case the primer the propellant and the bullet. According to Guns and Ammo Magazine these 2 get mixed up a lot along with switching of bullet and cartridge. Now why our ammo and rifle manufacturers have got lazy and interchange caliber and cartridge I do not know. Maybe they do it because caliber takes less space on whatever platform they use for the info we read. Whe you get right down to why do the difle companies no print chambers instead of caliber. Both could be placed in order from smallest to largest the same way. If these big companies did it right we may not have needed this thread. That would have made some of the arguement less confusing at least.

 

[Rich Coyle]

Using common sense is a good start, If your not sure of something ask someone that is familiar with guns or go to a gunsmith. When I got into hunting and shooting I read a lot of books and still do ! you are never done learning ! Never assume something be sure or you may pay dearly!

You flatter the newer generation. They already know more than you.