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Can someone have a look at File:Breech-Loader Cartridges.1860s.jpg, is the cartridge described as the 56-50 the 56-56, the description links here although the description is different. Is the description a typo, 56-50 in my mind would suggest bottle shaped cartridge. I originally added the pic to this page but got cold feet over the discription. Thanks. KTo288 ( talk) 08:55, 25 April 2009 (UTC) reply

Why bottle shaped ?? in my (very humble, trust me) opinion the cartridge on the right side of that picture, if described as a 56-50 Spencer is equal in caliber to a 56.56 Spencer... since (correct me if I'm wrong) the second number doens'nt indicate the caliber but the grain density of the powder contained in the cartridge... I'm far from being an expert... sorry if I said some nonsens or just wasn't helpful... Cheers! Kintaro ( talk) 05:41, 12 June 2010 (UTC) reply

Spencer rimfire cartridge .56-56 has base diameter of .56" and neck diameter diameter of .56".

Spencer rimfire cartridge .56-50 has base diameter of .56" and neck diameter diameter of .50". More a taper than a bottleneck.

Winchester centerfire cartidges (.44-40, .38-40, .32-20, etc) used rough point inch caliber of bullet, grain weight of powder charge. Some black powder cartridges include grain weight of bullet (eg .45-70-405) and a few smokeless powder cartridge manufacturers followed tradition (you can find old ammo boxes labelled .30-40-220 and .30-30-160).

And in .30-03 and .30-06 the second number is the date of adoption (1903 and 1906 respectively). A rule I learned early about guns is there are always exceptions to general rules. -- Naaman Brown ( talk) 16:30, 22 August 2018 (UTC) reply