BB

JAK71454

It's driving me nuts. Where did the term BB come from? What does BB stand for? Jim

Jim Kammerer

rufe-snow

It dates to the 1840's in France. A Guy named Flobert invented the rimfire cartridge for target shooting. It was like the current Mexican Colibri rimfire ammo. No powder in the case, just the primeing compound.

"BB" stood for BULLETED BREECH.

JAK71454

THANKS!!!!

Jim Kammerer

nononsense

rufe-snow,

I was checking some other references and wondered if you have ever seen the BB referred to as a "ball bullet"?

The articles that I was reading were in a couple of Ophthalmic Journals (UK & U.S.) and they were concerned about the number of "BB (ball bullet)" injuries taking place in America. That was their way of writing it in the article. I'm curious if any others have seen this use of the term BB?

It's odd though that I never gave it any thought...

Best.

Iconoclast

Are we talking apples and oranges here?

The term "BB" in speaking of loaded ammo did indeed originate as a short way of saying "Bulleted Breech cap" but that was first found in .22 caliber and later loaded in .32 (round ball in super short case).

However, the "BB" shot size is nominally .18" - hence .177" skirted air pellets - while the .22" shot size is "F." Frankly, I don't know the origin of the shot size nomenclature, but the two terms are not, I believe, related?

"There is nothing lower than the human race - except the french." (Mark Twain)

nononsense

Iconoclast,

I'm sure that we're talking apples and oranges but I think that's my point. I'm not questioning anyone's information, I'm trying to figure out what the answer would be for the little copper plated balls that we referred to as 'BB's such as we shot out of our Daisy BB guns.

This is one of those things that give us flat foreheads from smacking ourselves with the palm of our hands while saying "Why didn't I think of that?" I don't remember ever questioning what the term 'BB' stood for and I don't have many notes on the subject at all. Maybe Jim can clarify if he was talking about the the Daisy version or the Flobert version.

In the mean time, does anyone have more informaion on this subject?

Best.


ADDED:

Bumping this to the top to see if anyone can add anything.

Iconoclast

Bill, I, too, would be interested in the origin of the nomenclature of the shot sizes. It is purely speculation, but the fact that "BB" shot and the round pellets called "BBs" and used in air guns are essentially the same diameter seems to suggest the shot size was adopted for use in the air guns. When one looks at all the intentional marketing efforts found in the various names of things related to firearms, especially cartridges, it seems almost certain this is not accidental . . . but this still doesn't address where / why the term "BB" originated! [?][?][?]

"There is nothing lower than the human race - except the french." (Mark Twain)

TRAP55

Shot is termed either bird shot or buckshot depending on the shot size. Informally, bird shot pellets have a diameter smaller than 0.20 inches (5 mm) and buckshot larger. Pellet size is indicated by a number, for bird shot this ranges from the smallest 12 (0.05 in) to 2 (0.15 in) and then BB (0.18 in), for buckshot the numbers usually start at 4 (0.24 in) and go down to 1, 0, 00 and finally 000 (0.36 in). A different informal distinction is that "bird shot" pellets are small enough that they can be measured into the cartridge by weight, and just poured in, whereas "buckshot" pellets are so large that they won't all fit unless they're stacked inside the cartridge one by one in a certain particular geometric arrangement; by this definition, #4 buckshot, 0.24 in in diameter (6.3 mm) is buckshot because the pellets have to be stacked in a certain arrangement inside the cartridge or else they won't all fit, but anything smaller can be measured by weight and just dumped in. The diameter in hundredths of inches of bird shot sizes from #9 to #1 can be obtained by subtracting the shot size from 17. Thus, #4 bird shot is 17 - 4 = 13 = 0.13 inches (3.3 mm) in diameter.



"Aim small, Miss small"

Shansei45

No "apples and oranges" here gang. The BB referred to is that little ball we've all pumped through our Red Ryder carbines at countless sparrows, cans, bottles, etc. No, the replies here come closer to the "mountains from mole hills" category. For my two-cents worth I have to go along with rufe-snow's very first reply. If anyone can come up with an earlier than 1840 reference to "BB" THEN we can think it over again. All my life I too have gone along with the Flobert definition of this ultra-simple ammo. Anyone got an EARLIER reference? shansei45
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness." ---unknown

dcinffxva

Here is a link that may help a little.

http://www.airguns.net/bb.html

My take on it is that the "Bulleted Breech", and airgun BB are different terms here.

drsck

Don't have a whole lot to add, except maybe a reference to the SAAMI website which is where I often turn when I want something resembling an "official" definition. According to SAAMI:

"BB
The designation of spherical shot having a diameter of .180" used in shotshell loads. The term BB is also used to designate steel or lead air rifle shot of .175" diameter. Although the two definitions cause some confusion, they have coexisted for many years.


BB CAP
The abbreviation for Bulleted Breech Cap. The original design in 1845 was a percussion cap without a well defined head loaded with a 22 caliber ball. A rimfire cartridge designed for use in Flobert rifles for indoor use. Several variations followed."

There's lots of stuff there, just look under glossary. http://www.saami.org/