Re: Firearm calibers

In message 1519, [email removed] (Steven J. Owens) writes:

>       What kinds of pistols are there out there commonly available in
>our society today that use "non-standard" (for a pistol) caliber?  We usually
>here about .22, 9mm, .38, .45, and similar rounds, and of course there are
>the fabled .44 and .357 rounds, favorites of filmmakers everywhere.  What
>other calibers are out there?  For example, is the 7.62 Nato round fired by
>a pistol?  Would it make sense for it to be fired by a pistol, or not?  Why?
>What factors determine which calibers can and cannot be used in pistols?

To give you an idea of the range of calibers available for handguns on the
market today, "Cartridges of the World (6th Ed.)" lists the 2.7mm Kolibri
Auto as the smallest, and .455 Webley Auto as the largest.  Bear in mind
that this refers to MASS-PRODUCED ammunition only for standard caliber,
multi-shot pistols.

For more exotic rounds, you could look at weapons like the Remington XP-101
bolt-action match pistol, or the Thompson Contender.  The Contender, in
particular, warrents mention due to the fact that, as a single-shot target
or hunting pistol, it has a wide variety of interchangable barrels and,
in addition to a broad selection of pistol ammo, it can also fire is
surprisingly large number of different rifle rounds, up to and including
the massive 30-06.  I, personally cannot imagine firing a round that large
without a stock and a massive recoil pad.

Speaking of 7.62 rounds: while the 7.62 NATO rifle round is never fired as
a pistol round (with the possible exception of a custom weapon), the Russian
Tokarev pistol (the standard sidearm for Soviet officers, from 1930 until
the end of WWII, when it was discarded in favor of the 9mm Makarov) DOES
chamber a 7.62mm pistol round.  This round was adopted in 1930 for the Model
TT-33 auto pistol.  This cartridge is very similar to the 7.63mm Mauser (also
known as the 30 Mauser).

One response you got already, was from Alvin M. Chan at
[email removed], who writes:

>some other pistol calibres besides the 'popular' .22 .38 .357 (same as .38
>just a longer case length for more powder) 9mm .44 .45ACP  are for instance :
>
>.40   .41  .50  .454  .457  .32  .375 .25ACP  .177 (4.5mm)  .451 magnum
>.380 ACP,auto  .22 short, .22 long rifle (LR) , 7.65 parabellum, 10mm

I'm familiar with most of these rounds, but a few of them puzzle me.  The
only .454 round I know of is the 454 Casull, which is a proprietary pistol
round.  I can't find ANY references to a .451 magnum.  Only the 451 Detonics
comes close and it, again, is a proprietary round.  I assume the 7.65 para
refers to the 32 (7.65mm) auto pistol round.  I can't find references to
a .457 pistol (OR rifle) round anywhere.  Maybe you could site a reference,
Alvin, because now I'm really curious.

Later,

        Mark F. Cook

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