Why viewing bullet size by diameter is decieving

[TagEater]

I find many of the conversations surrounding the various caliber selections very interesting. Specifically, the comparisons between different calibers. Often the mindset is, "Well, the difference between a .264 and a .308 is ONLY .044 inches! That is not much at ALL!" If you are only comparing the diameter, then you are right. The issue seems to be that it is difficult for our brains to compare circles while only using diameter.
The pitfall here is convincing yourself that certain calibers are sufficient for certain game when they may not be.
My intention is not to suggest that certain calibers are better or worse than others, but to provide a bit more perspective of the surface area differences between the caliber diameters.

Just for fun I put together this little table to show how significantly different some of the calibers are. Find the smaller caliber in BLUE then move right to the caliber you are comparing it against to see the percentage difference.

Some examples:
A .264 is 40% larger than the .223
The .308 is 36% larger than the .264
The .338 is 20% larger than the .308

Which comparison is most surprising to you?
Have you ever thought about comparing calibers this way?

Thanks for checking this out!

 

[Deywalker]

The pitfall here is convincing yourself that certain calibers are sufficient for certain game when they may not be.

It's an interesting comparison, but I don't think it's all that relevant for deciding if it's good enough for your game. No matter the diameter, all the really matters is if it penetrates enough and then what kind of wound it creates. For instance, is a .264 monolithic going to create a wound that's more destructive than a 77gr TMK even if it's frontal area is 40% bigger? Could you even tell the difference between the wound of two optimized bullets in .264 and .308?

 

[sndmn11]

You lost me at caliber.

 

[HandgunHTR]

You lost me at caliber.

How so? In this instance the OP is actually using the word "caliber" in the right context. In most cases people use the word caliber, when in actuality they are referring to chambering.

In response to the OP, for hunting applications, it is commonly understood that Sectional Density plays a bigger role in how a bullet performs than the actual caliber of the bullet. Now, that being said, the caliber of the bullet is a factor in determining sectional density as for a given bullet weight, a larger caliber bullet will have a lower sectional density, so you cannot completely separate the two.
This is why it is widely held that heavier 6.5 and 7mm bullets actually perform better than similar weighted bullets in 30 or 33 caliber.

 

[Megalodon]

You lost me at caliber.

 

[sndmn11]

How so? In this instance the OP is actually using the word "caliber" in the right context. In most cases people use the word caliber, when in actuality they are referring to chambering.

Because I have a 30 carbine, a 300blackout, and 30-06. They are the same caliber.

I also have 22br, .223, and 22LR. They are the same caliber.

The caliber doesn't tell anyone much of anything at any ballistics stage beyond what size hole to send it from.

 

[Megalodon]

Because I have a 30 carbine, a 300blackout, and 30-06. They are the same caliber.

I also have 22br, .223, and 22LR. They are the same caliber.

The caliber doesn't tell anyone much of anything at any ballistics stage beyond what size hole to send it from.

No shit… OP is using the correct terminology. Did you actually read the post??

 

[sndmn11]

No shit… OP is using the correct terminology. Did you actually read the post??

Of course.

 

[AkMtnRunner]

Almost immediately after impact, the caliber of the bullet pales in comparison to the construction and mass of the bullet. I like larger calibers but more for their efficient bore ratio and higher velocity attained for a given bullet weight, and simply greater bullet mass.

 

[jhm2023]

Diameter is one consideration to think about but I think the bullet construction itself and what it does inside the animal is the more important consideration. It seems that way too often folks are making the final decision on bullet selection based on the ballistic coefficient and have little to no regard for terminal performance.

If you enjoy getting off in the terminal ballistic weeds when boredom sets in like I do, then you may enjoy delving into this treasure chest of goodness. Enjoy.

Terminal Ballistics