What term describes the size of a rifle or handgun bore and the size of cartridges used with different bores?

• A. Caliber
• B. Gauge
• C. Diameter
• D. Bullet weight

Answer: (A)

Caliber is the term that describes the size of a rifle or handgun bore and the cartridges used with different bores. It’s expressed in inches or millimeters and ties the barrel’s interior diameter to the bullet size it’s designed to shoot, so a firearm and its ammunition are compatible. For example, a firearm described as 9 mm uses bullets about 0.355 inches in diameter, while a .30 caliber uses bullets around 0.30 inches in diameter. Gauge belongs to shotguns and is based on how many lead balls of a given size would weigh a pound, so it isn’t the right term for rifles or handguns. Diameter is too general a word here, since caliber is the standard firearm-specific term that links bore size to cartridge size. Bullet weight refers to how heavy the bullet is, not the bore or cartridge size.