cal
n. C / Un. a short way to say 'caliber,' which is the size or width of a gun's barrel or a bullet. You use it when talking about how powerful or large a weapon is.
n. a truncated form of caliber, referring to the internal diameter of a firearm barrel or the diameter of a projectile. Used primarily in technical, military, or ballistics contexts to specify weapon specifications.
The soldier carried a .50 cal machine gun.
The range officer specified that only small cal firearms were permitted on the indoor practice course for safety reasons.
While the heavy machine gun's .50 cal rounds provided superior penetration against light armor, the logistical burden of transporting such heavy ammunition limited the unit's mobility during the mountain operation.
Various origins: * Borrowed from Spanish Cal. This surname is mostly found in Guatemala. * Borrowed from Polish Cal. * Borrowed from Turkish Çal.