Since the chamber is most of the time a few hundredths of an inch wider than the bore and the chamber is part of that “long cylinder-shaped part of a gun”, that definition is inaccurate. The chamber and the barrel of any of these guns are formed from the same piece of steel, but the chamber has a different measurement compared to that of the bore.

Think semi-auto handguns, rifles and shotguns. Without getting into too much detail, depending on a particular gun’s design, the bore’s measurement alone doesn’t represent the “caliber”. Where it says “the long cylinder-shaped part of a gun”, I think we can all pretty much agree that it’s a gun’s barrel they were referring to, specifically the measurement of the bore.

I can agree with the first definition, but being a firearms enthusiast, I think the second one has some inaccuracies. The Cambridge Dictionary defines “caliber” as either “the quality of someone or something, especially someone’s ability,” or “the width of the inside of a pipe, especially of the long cylinder-shaped part of a gun, or the width of a bullet”. The key is to look at your own needs, and to match them with a choice in our guide. Of course, the need for caliber does differ depending on the gun’s usage – whether it is law enforcement, concealed carry, personal defense, or more. Through this article, we plan to give you a comprehensive guide on understanding caliber, so that you can make the best decision for yourself in regard to purchasing a gun for yourself. You might be surprised at how little you know about this often used term. This means that we will explain about calibers and how they function, and then will provide some recommendations for you. In this article, we aim to give you a comprehensive guide on handgun calibers.

Δ A Comprehensive Guide to Handgun Calibers

Gun calibre meaning