Band books

The caliber of empty tubes.

Reid.

A battery composed of three guns of small
caliber.

Prescott.

&fist; The caliber of firearms is expressed in various
ways. Cannon are often designated by the weight of a solid
spherical shot that will fit the bore; as, a 12-pounder; pieces
of ordnance that project shell or hollow shot are designated by
the diameter of their bore; as, a 12 inch mortar or a 14 inch
shell gun; small arms are designated by hundredths of an inch
expressed decimally; as, a rifle of .44 inch caliber.

2. The diameter of round or cylindrical
body, as of a bullet or column.

3. Fig.: Capacity or compass of
mind. Burke.

Caliber compasses. See
Calipers. -- Caliber rule, a
gunner's calipers, an instrument having two scales arranged to
determine a ball's weight from its diameter, and conversely.
-- A ship's caliber, the weight of her
armament.

Cal"i*brate (?), v. i. To
ascertain the caliber of, as of a thermometer tube; also, more
generally, to determine or rectify the graduation of, as of the
various standards or graduated instruments.


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