What caliber do you shoot your deer with?

[gitano]

I don't want to be a prig, but please can we use the correct terms?
 
The .308 Win, the .30-30, the .30-06 the .300 Win Mag and all the other "30s" are ALL .308 CALIBER. Each of the above are different CARTRIDGES. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE for goodness sakes! Using the correct terminology when discussing what is for many of us the most important non-work, non-family "thing" we do, doesn't seem too much to ask.
 
Paul

[Brithunter]

Hi Gitano,
 
Oh dear I am sorry my friend, but I seem to have been infected with the "constabulary disease" despite you being right and in the English language Calibre is size of bore and ntohing to do the the cartridge designation the Police insist on putting cartirdges down on your licence:rolleyes:
 
I do not actually have permission to have any ammuntition for that 30-06 I just got, sure I had the space for a 30 cal rifle but my ammuntiion slots say .308, 30-30, 7.62mm etc. Now I persuaded the dealer to let me have that part box of ammo to try it with as the metric label on European ammo for the 06 Springfield cartridge says 7.62x63mm:p
 
Of course certain cartridges blur the line like .303 British, some folks say it's a .30 cal others a .31 cal:rolleyes: if we use land diameter I suppose it's a .30 cal, but bullet diameter it's a .31 cal.
 
I will certainly try harder in future to be correct, but I must point out that this goes much deeper really, the correct label for the German 8mm service round for WW1 & WW2 is 7.92mm and not 8x57mm:D

[gitano]

I was certain that there would be some "discussion" of the very issues you raise. However, I would argue (in this case, strongly), that what ever small confusion that might be generated by using 8mm instead of 7.92mm, grossly pales in comparison to the confusion when one calls a .30-06 and a .308 and a .300 WIn Mag three diffferent CALIBERS! My point is actually made by your post - confusion is eliminated when the correct CALIBER, whether 8mm or 7.92mm or .323" is used, OR the CARTRIDGE name is used. And that's the point.
 
WRT this poll, personally, I find differences in bore diameter far more interesting than the minute differences between the myriad .308 - .311 cases. In fact, I'll go so far as to start a new poll to illustrate the point.
 
Paul

[NUMBERFARMER]

Sorry for offending you Gitano.  I didn't realize that it was necessary to be technically correct on a forum that was intended for enjoyment and fun.  Correct me if I am wrong (and I am sure you will not hesitate to do so), but I would guess that 90+% of the people who ask about the caliber that is being used are asking what cartridge you are shooting.  I understand that while this is incorrect, it is the common verbage among most who deal with firearms just as in many other areas of discussion words have come to represent more than their original or correct definition.   However, since it appears that this is unacceptable to you, and since you are a moderator, in the future if I can't express my thoughts correctly, I will refrain from responding at all.  That being the case, since I do not have the potential to always be correct nor do I wish to offend you or any others who need all communications to be technically correct, I will take this opportunity to thank everyone for the wonderful interaction that I have been allowed on most occasions and wish you all farewell.

[Kanibal]

I really dont think you should leave the forum and your friends just because of a little misunderstanding. I think I speak for everyone when I say that you are a very enjoyable person to have around the boards and we all enjoy your thoughts and outdoor experiences. Nobody is perfect and we all make minor mistakes in our vocabulary on this forum, so its really not that big of deal. If everybody could adjust to the differences in our choice of words we would all get along just fine.
 
  -Richard

[gitano]

Numberfarmer,
 
I am genuinely sorry YOU were offended. I assure you, I was not.
 
First, none of my posts were directed specifically at you. While I doubt that 90% of the people using the terms in question use them incorrectly, it is certailnly true that many do. In my opinion, too many. You'll note that no one else seemed to be too upset with my request.
 
I would ask you to reconsider your departure.
 
Second, this is a hunting-based forum. In it, we discuss many aspect of the "Hunter's Life". Here, we do not correct each other's spelling nor do we correct each other's grammar. As a matter of policy however, we DO correct each other's word usage. For example, profanity is not tolerated, neither are rude or "flaming" posts. For the most part, the reasons for this are obvious. However, on the subtler side, is the fact that we have young members here, and we are trying to teach them by example. While a great deal of the English-speaking people in the US use the words "ain't" instead of "am not", and "aks" instead of "ask", most of us try to teach our children "proper" word usage and correct ain't and aks. The fact that a large part of the population of gun owners misuses the term "caliber" is no reason to perpetuate its continued misuse in the next generation of hunters and shooters. The next generation, as well as all of us, are better served by the use of the correct terminology in an area in which many would consider all of us "expert". Imagine a group of fishermen that were managing the lakes where you fished calling a whale a fish.
 
My "intensity" is borne of the constant and repeated mis-use of these terms on this forum. Imagine if 90% of the people using this forum consistently used the "aks" form of "ask". Would'nt it be reasonable to suggest that it be "corrected"? I think so anyway.
 
So, again I apologize - genuinely - for offending you and any others that might have been, and ask you to reconsider your departure.
 
Paul

[Vermonster]

Depends where I am.......

 
In California, the shots are alot longer, so I use a 30-06..... In Vermont, I have max shots, mostly, of 50-60 yds., so I use a Marlin 30-30 lever action........
 
:)

[Brithunter]

Hi All,
 
     I can see no reason for NumberFarmer to leave, however that is a decision he has to make for himself:confused: .
 
      Also I can see Gitano's point about  the correct useage of terms. Another expample is those referring to Bullets as complete catridges:rolleyes:  of the projectiles themselves as "heads"  I have never found out why the Mouth of a cartridge case is the opposite end to the mouth:o  but it is and we have headstamps and people readily talk about "Case head seperation" of the risk of it.
 
    Now the Fireamrm amnufactuers must carry a lot of the blame for this poor usage of the langueage, nearly all  rifles are marked to the cartridge and not calibre which is sensible however they insist on stamping CAL next the the cartridge designation:(
 
    Oh dear............ perhaps some one caould point this error or oversight by them out those in charge of these firms:D

[gitano]

It is precisely because there are SO MANY confusing terms associated with the shooting sports, that I submit that correcting a few basic ones here and there is not being too 'arrogant'.
 
BH, your point about the markings on a rifle barrel are well made. In fact, I am going to send a letter to all of the major US arms manufacturers and express my opinion that they should change their ways. (In this age of e-mail, not such a daunting task.) I will not be surprised to find out that there is some government mandate requiring the use of "cal." or "caliber" in the mandatory barrel stamp.
 
I'll keep you posted.
 
Paul
 
Oh yeah, bullets vs cartridges rubs me the wrong way too. I guess I'm just turnng into an old crank.
 
Paul

[NUMBERFARMER]

Paul
Thank you for your gracious apology.  I don't really feel that it was necessary, but in return I apologize to you for being short.  You have every right to direct the conversations on this forum and it is through your vision and the vision of others that this forum has developed its personality and direction.  I would openly encourage you to continue to pursue the excellance that is in your heart.  
 
As to offense, my wife has many times told me that I am not really sharp enough to know when I should be offended since I am so direct in the way that I speak. Especially I am reminded as I reread my post from yesterday, that after 18 or so hours of dealing with the challenges of life, I should just keep my mouth shut.  To all of you that have been offended by my post I apologize and hope that you will continue to support the moderators like paul who have made this such a great place to be.  Just as my avatar indicates all that I have to offer to the world is sin and only through the cross have I become a bearable person to be around.  Again sorry for disrupting the thread, I truly do apologize to you all.

[gitano]

NumberFarmer and I took this matter up "off-line", and I can say with some certainty that he is a "stand-up kinda guy". He's the kind of square-shooter that is a welcome asset to THL.
 
Paul

[gitano]

BH,
 
I'm glad I checked first. I have Remingtons, Rugers, Winchesters, and Brownings that are "civilian" rifles and have the barrels stamped with the cartridge. The only one that actually uses the word "caliber" is the Belgian Browning manufactured in 1952. It says, "Caliber 30-06 only". I have no newer Browning rifles to see if more recent ones have dropped the word "caliber". All the shotguns I have, including Brownings of much earlier vintage than 1952, use the word "gauge", which is of course not a terminology issue except for the .410 bore.
 
All of the rest of the manufacturers simply stamp the cartridge on the bbl. For example, 7x57, or .338 Mag, or 7mm Mag, or .17 Rem, etc. There is no use of the word "caliber".
 
Guess I won't be writing those emails.
 
Paul

[Brithunter]

Hi Gitano,
 
Hmm well as you may know my collection is rather light on American rifles, in fact it consisits of one Winchester made P-14 which of course is not marked. Anyway I also checked and found the following:-
 
BSA do not mark the calibre, relying upon the proof mark to denote the cartridge it's chambered for:D
 
Parker-Hale do mark, or rather DID mark their barrels CAL 7.92, 30-06, .458 etc:rolleyes:
 
CZ-Brno mark their rifles CAL my 601 is marked CAL 308:rolleyes:
 
Husqvarna do mark it CAL but actually mean that and do not mark the cartridge it's chambered for
 
My late Obendorf Mauser M96 (slide bolt) the barrel is marked by the rear sigth Cal 6.5x55
 
So perhaps this is a European thing? seeing as how FN Herstal are also guilty of it:rolleyes:
 
Thank you for going to the trouble of checking:D for me!

[Hunterbug]

My Savage 340 says "Cal. 222 Rem". My father-in-laws Westernfield says "30-06 Caliber" on the barrel. Most of the others like my Ruger just say "338 Win Mag" on the barrel.

[kombi1976]

Where's 8mm?
Harry, I appreciate your point but didn't you mean cartridge rather than calibre?
I think the cal question is a worthy one.
It reflects the use of particular cartridges without being cartridge specific.
Everyone knows there are about 4 different popular .30 cal rounds.
But there are a heap of guys here who hunt deer and use alot of different rounds and yet there've only been 5 votes all up, basically 'cause the options are cartridge specific and don't even include 30-30, let alone 25 cal., 6.5 cal. and 338 cal..
How about someone starts this again?