Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Fanfic Related Fanfic Question: Firearms and calibers

Hey all

And again I come up with a weird fanfic question. Sue me.

Okay, the question is, can an expert recognise the make of a revolver just by looking at a bullet? Is there anything that would make it obvious?

Also, are .36 calibers rare these days? Are they used only in old collection guns?

Any info will be greatly appreciated.

Kaethel

If you watch the different law shows then yes. I remember on several of the CSI shows particularly CSI Miami where they can at least narrow it down to one or two by several things. If they have the bullet they can determine the caliber. If it is in good enough shape they can determine I believe usually the maker by the way the groove are in the bullet. I remember they rattling off characteristics about a bullet including the twist of the grooves on the bullet and then naming a couple of manufactures of that caliber with those groove/twist characteristics.

They can also match a shelling casing to a particular gun by the marks the firing pin leaves on the bottom of the casing.

As I said I got this from watching Law & Order, and CSI and CSI Miami.

Thank you thank you thank you!! Between your post and another very helpful private emails from one of my BRs, you guys just solved one of my plot problems. Woohoo!!

Off to write more then.

Kaethel

ps: but if anybody knows if .36 (or .44 or any other) calibers are rare these days, that answer would be very helpful as well.

Kae, I'm hardly an expert on firearms, but I just did some searching around on the web.

.44 caliber bullets are still around, although they have been redesigned since their earlier introduction.

.36 caliber shells, however, seem to have given way to .357 magnums (which were introduced in 1935) and, later, various .38 caliber and 9mm designs (all of which are fairly close in size to .36 caliber). I can find references to .36 caliber bullets (and guns that used them) in sites talking about the civil war and the 1850's, but they don't seem to be in modern production.

So, yes. .36 caliber bullets are rare. They can still be found amongst collectors (I found several sites about cartridge collecting), but that's about it.

.44s still exist, but I'm not sure if an antique .44 caliber pistol would be able to use a modern .44 caliber shell. I suspect not. Don't know how obvious the difference would be after firing, though. So, you might have some leeway there. Maybe.

Hope this helps.

Paul

Hi Kae:
Here's a cool site to help you: http://www.firearmsid.com/A_bulletIDcal.htm
There are also .41 and .50 caliber guns and bullets. Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood) carried a 44 Magnum. Magnum refers to the explosive load in that is more powerful than typical. 9 mm is popular because both men and women can fire them easily. It takes a strong steady hand to fire a 41 or 45 handgun. There is a huge amount of recoil, so most women don't use them. Also the gun itself is heavy to reduce the recoil.
Paul said:
Be aware than many true gun afficinadoes hand load their bullets. That means they make them themselves and can make them to fit any firearm. There are standard kits for loading the common caliber of bullets, but loading kits can also be custom made. Chemical analysis can tell the type of lead with impurities used for loading a single run of ammunition.
Hope this gives you some more ideas!

Artemis

Paul and Artemis, thanks for your advice and answers. Very helpful! Now I can continue that scene I was writing.

Kaethel