bbl

[4t5]

When a firearm has a listing such as... 5" bbl, what do the letters actually stand for?

[Stevie]

Barrel...as in oil barrel...unit of measurement...but I guess it's used to mean gun barrel too.

[Pisgah]

Some say that "bbl" was the abbreviation for the blue barrels Standard Oil originally used for shipment. Prior to their use of the blue barrel, most barrels (of beer, wine, etc.) were 40 gallons. The blue barrels were 42 gallons, the extra two gallons to account for evaporation and leakage in shipment; thus, when a buyer purchased oil in "blue barrels" he knew he was getting at least a minimum of 40 gallons, and the 42-gallon "bbl" became the standard unit of petroleum measurement, as well as the Standard measurement!

To most folks a barrel is a barrel, so a gun barrel became abbreviated as bbl, as well.

That's the story, anyhow, although some say the abbreviation came in to being earlier.

[KWK]

... although some say the abbreviation came in to being earlier.

One oil industry historical society says "the abbreviation 'bbl' had been in use before the 1859 birth of the petroleum industry." The Wikipedia article on "barrel" cites this work and others.

[Pete44ru]

To most folks a barrel is a barrel, so a gun barrel became abbreviated as bbl, as well.

Yep - That's my story, too, and I'm keepin' to it !



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[Chuck 100 yd]

To most folks a barrel is a barrel, so a gun barrel became abbreviated as bbl, as well.

Yep - That's my story, too, and I'm keepin' to it !



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+1.