Where did shotgun gauges come from?

This originated in the days when you would buy lead by the pound to make your own ammo. The gauge told you how many rounds you could make for the gun from 1 pound of lead.

Why are shotguns called gauge?

Shotguns are classified by gauge, which is a measure related to the diameter of the smooth shotgun bore and the size of the shotshell designed for that bore. Gauge is determined by the number of lead balls of size equal to the approximate diameter of the bore that it takes to weigh one pound. …

When was the gauge shotgun invented?

Parker deserves credit for having popularized the 28 ga and for producing the first standard-production guns in that gauge (in 1903 according to one source) but they did not invent it, although they may have claimed to. Europeans used a wide variety of gauge sizes long before Parker’s time.

Is the gauge of a shotgun related to the diameter of the barrel?

Shotguns are classified by gauge, which is a measure related to the diameter of the smooth shotgun bore and the size of the shotshell designed for that bore.

How is the gauge of a shotgun determined?

The gauge of firearms is determined by. 1 pound / gauge = weight of lead sphere. Caliber of lead sphere is then measured. This is essential information for understanding gauges. Since shotguns were not originally intended to fire solid projectiles, but rather a compressible mass of shot, the actual diameter of the bore can vary.

How big is a 12 gauge shotgun compared to a 10 gauge shotgun?

So, we have a system where a 10 gauge shotgun has a bore diameter the same size as a 1/10 pound ball of lead and the diameter of the barrel on a 12 gauge shotgun is the size of a 1/12 pound lead ball. Obviously, if they’re made out of the same material, a 12 pound round ball will be larger in diameter than an 8 pound ball.

Where did the number of the gauge come from?

This originated in the days when you would buy lead by the pound to make your own ammo. The gauge told you how many rounds you could make for the gun from 1 pound of lead. The smaller the gauge number, the wider the barrel. The largest shotgun is a 4-gauge.

How big is the barrel of a 67 gauge shotgun?

If it were named like all the other popular shotgun bores, it would be approximately 67 gauge. Fortunately, it’s no longer necessary to actually do the calculations necessary to determine the internal diameter of the barrel for the most popular shotgun bores.