Talk:.50 BMG/Archives/2023/January

Correct Caliber Designation

Computers and electronic use of data continues to increase and is being relied on more and more.  Incorrect use of data exponentially causes issues when left in an inconsistent error state.  There is a lot of confusion when people are looking at cartridge or firearm chamberings.  It is extremely important that effort is put forth to remediate these issues.  Everyone needs to represent caliber the same way, which would be the correct way.

WikipediA is misleading many regarding to this issue.

The unit or designation of measure is Caliber.  This unit is the standard for industry, standards, documentation, and other.   Caliber is a unit "based" on inches and/or millimeter (mm).  When using the designation of caliber it is not represented directly as a measurement of inches.  Refer to the definition of caliber.  Caliber is expressed in hundredths or thousands of an inch depending on the number of digits.  When referring to cartridges, bullets or chambers the units or designation used is caliber.  This would be expressed without any leading decimal.   Example: 22 LR is the 22 caliber Long Rifle cartridge.  It may be approximately 0.22 inches in diameter; however, the Caliber is 22.   If one were to  say/list ".45 Cal" , this would convert in inches to 0.0045".

Leaving the decimal out of imperial specifications is intentional.  It is not common language to say "Point 22 LR"  or "Dot 22 LR", the common phrase is "Twenty Two LR".    It is also easy to miss read or not see markings with a leading dot, thus another reason the unit of caliber is used.   If it was desired to have the decimal in place, the units would be left as inches and not caliber.   This would also be a little misleading as most of the time the caliber does not match the exact measurement of inches.  When specifying exact measurements in drawings the units of inches (") or millimeter (mm) are used.

It is important to know that Caliber is its own "Unit" of measurement.   It is quite unique as it is based of inches and/or millimeters, however caliber is it's own unique designation.   Knowing and using the correct unit designation is important.

The most common units are Kilograms (kg) Meters (m), and Seconds (s).  Kilograms cannot be interchangeably uses with Pounds (lbs).  Meters cannot be directly interchanged with Yards, Caliber cannot be directly interchanged with inches.  When misrepresenting caliber, it is similar to using minutes for seconds without doing proper conversion of value "and" units.  They are directly related but they have a different value and units.    Values and the units used are separated by a space.   Example 7 mm is correct,  7mm is accepted in some cases depending on font and spacing, however it is not correct, (proportional spacing with fonts). Correct case of letters (upper, lower) is critically important, mm = millimeters, MM who knows that that would be.   Another example (5.56 x 45 mm).  Both 5.46 and 45 are in mm (millimeters), note the spacing around the x and between the number (value) and the units (mm).

Finding reference that support something that is incorrect does not validate arguments of incorrect designation.

To summarize, the units are Caliber not inches.  The inches are not an exact or consistent measurement  depending on where they are measured, lands, grooves, bullet diameter…. , therefore caliber is the unit used, and it does not have  a leading decimal.

~~~~Scimernet Scimernet (talk) 18:57, 13 November 2022 (UTC)

Wikipedia goes by what reliable sources say, and reliable sources refer to it with a leading decimal. You've brought up this issue plenty of times before, and nothing regarding the situation has changed, so I suggest you drop the stick. Loafiewa (talk) 19:34, 13 November 2022 (UTC)

It is wrong, These are not dimensions. it is the caliber. Scimernet (talk) 21:17, 22 November 2022 (UTC)

It is completely wrong, Read what I have posted. Refer to what Caliber is. and make it right. Look at industry standards for reliable resources. They are already listed here. Posted articles with same mistakes may be out there. This does not make them correct. Scimernet (talk) 17:00, 11 December 2022 (UTC)

I'd recommend you read WP:VNT. Regardless of how you may feel about it, the purpose of Wikipedia is to summarise what reliable sources say, and only what they say, not to alternate their details and engage in original research. If you believe there is a case to be made that it should be 50 BMG and not .50, then you're going to have to find a reliable source that supports that assertion. Loafiewa (talk) 23:58, 22 November 2022 (UTC)

Reliable resource is knowledgeable people not confusing measurement in inches with designation of caliber. https://saami.org — Preceding unsigned comment added by Scimernet (talk • contribs) 15:46, 31 December 2022 (UTC)

The most rudimentary of google searches shows that the decimal point is used completely randomly. Even so much as the same website sometimes using it and sometimes not (see hit #3 in previous link). That being said, a quick look at Category:WikiProject Firearms articles shows that our standard (whether a guideline/policy or not, any WP:Firearm members?) is to use the decimal point. That's my uninvolved opinion on the subject, unless someone has a source that can indisputably verify one being more correct than the other. - Adolphus79 (talk) 22:09, 31 December 2022 (UTC)