BP charges weight vs. volume

[pohill]

Caliber is one/hundreths inch. Gauge is what you're describing.

Educate me. I thought gauge referred to shotguns.
So, the number of roundballs (or conicals) that you can get out of a pound of lead (.36 for example), refers to the gauge of the revolver, which in turn is indicative of caliber? If the caliber is measured in the barrel, then what would you call the size of (for example) a .380 roundball? Would you say that you are holding a 36 (or 38) caliber ball, or a 36 gauge ball?
Thanks.

 

[dwave]

I know that a given caliber designates how many round balls per pound of lead

Sounds like you are talking about gauge to me also.

If the caliber is measured in the barrel, then what would you call the size of (for example) a .380 roundball? Would you say that you are holding a 36 (or 38) caliber ball, or a 36 gauge ball?

Caliber designations have nothing to do with bullet weight, it is measured by the barrel and sometimes the cases for cartridge guns (.38 special). I have noticed that some caliber designations goes by the lands and others by the grooves and some I have no idea how they got the designation .

I put a .375 RB on my scale and got close to 81 grs. for the RB. At 81 grs. that would be around an 86 gauge by that standard. 7000/81=86.4 (rounded).

Anyways, you would be holding a .36 caliber RB (since it is for a .36), or an 84 gauge ball.