Dead Calibers started in 2016, created by Anders E.T. Herzberg as a standalone project to document the history and development of various small arms cartridges. From handgun to rifle, popular to obscure wildcat cartridges, Dead Calibers seeks to preserve the history of these often overlooked and forgotten chamberings.
Each caliber in the Dead Calibers Archive is listed with a condition, denoting how popular and easy to find it is. More information on the classifications that we use is listed below.
Today the project lives on here at Cap & Ball and will continue to expand and grow. If you have any suggestions or information on a cartridge or caliber that you’d like to see featured in Dead Calibers, email us at [email protected]
Condition The “other” 1911 round The 1911 is not exclusively the domain of the 45 ACP. In fact another cartridge the .38 Super has for just as long been a mainstay of the 1911 platform. The .38 Super, or .38 Super Automatic, has a long and storied history dating back
Condition An IPSC Wildcat The IPSC has been responsible for the creation of many different wildcat cartridges, with the 9X25mm Dillon being one of many cartridges to be developed specifically for use in the shooting competition. The cartridge was initially created by an employee of Dillon Precision to compete with
Alofs Repeating Shotgun: If It Works It Isn’t Stupid From the mid-1920s onward, inventive marksman and handyman Herman Gerrit Alofs captivated firearm enthusiasts with a unique contraption designed to transform single-shot break action shotguns into repeaters. This mechanism, now famously known as the Alofs repeating Shotgun, bolted onto the side
Condition The .45 2.0 The .45 Super was born out of the desire to update the venerable cartridge that fathered it. The .45 ACP was developed in 1906, because of this the .45 ACP has thinner walls than modern case designs, and is only able to handle lower pressures when
A popular and actively in production caliber. Easy to find both firearms and ammunition.
A strong contender but currently overshadowed by other cartridges. Ammo and firearms are still available, but selections have declined.
Limited in both options for firearms and ammunition. Guns chambered in this round will either be limited in selection or out of production. Ammunition may be limited to few or only a handful of manufacturers.
Completely out of production for both firearms and ammunition. Most firearms may be collectors’ items. Ammunition will be limited to only handloading options though brass and bullets may still be available.
