So I have another stupid firearm related question.

ghostsniper1

Real simple. Why is "barrel," abbreviated as "bbl?" There is obviously only one "B" in barrel. Wth? Am I missing something here?

NN

Somethings just are.

Linefinder

ghostsniper1 wrote: »

Real simple. Why is "barrel," abbreviated as "bbl?" There is obviously only one "B" in barrel. Wth? Am I missing something here?

While we're at it, why is ounce abbreviated "oz."?

Mike

SirGeorgeKillian

Linefinder wrote: »

While we're at it, why is ounce abbreviated "oz."?

Mike

Ounces get real confusing when used to describe weight and fluent ounces.....

breamfisher

Comes from barrel as in the unit. It's short for blue barrel if you believe some of the stuff I've read...
http://seekingalpha.com/article/18636-where-does-that-2nd-b-in-the-abbreviation-for-crude-barrels-bbl-come-from
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071221222720AABWDjU
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrel_%28unit%29#History

Linefinder

I think we need to make a new rule...

bbl = blued barrel.
sbl = stainless barrel.
rbl = rusted barrel.
bbbl = bead blasted blued barrel
bbsbl = bead blasted stainless barrel
fbbbl = fluted bead blasted blued barrel
dbfbbbl = damn bent fluted bead blasted blued barrel

Makes sense to me.

Mike

NN

The barrel BBL comes from other industries adopting the oil industry's BBL for a 42 gal barrel of oil
that was usually a black or blue barrel.

breamfisher

Linefinder wrote: »

While we're at it, why is ounce abbreviated "oz."?

Mike

Ounce in Italian is onza. Pound (16 oz.) is from libra (which actually weighed 12 oz.)

snake284-1

Wow, now it's all clear as mud.

timc

Why is lead (PB)

Gene L

There are over 100 definitions for "BL". A lot less for BBL.

ghostsniper1

snake284-1 wrote: »

Wow, now it's all clear as mud.

+1 My head hurts now

breamfisher

timc wrote: »

Why is lead (PB)

Latin name is plumbum.

Tungsten is called volfram (changed to wolfram) in Swedish. Its chemical symbol is W.

Linefinder

breamfisher wrote: »

Latin name is plumbum.

Tungsten is called volfram (changed to wolfram) in Swedish. Its chemical symbol is W.

Excuse me....I'm gonna go take some Alieve. Thanks, Mr. Einstein.........

Mike

breamfisher

Einstein was a physicist, not a chemist...

Linefinder

breamfisher wrote: »

Einstein was a physicist, not a chemist...

Why would you want to confound an already confusing conundrum with common facts? Curmudgeon, maybe?

Mike

breamfisher

No. Correcting clarification.

Linefinder

I cee.

steffen19k

Hmm...And here I thought I was the only one who asked stupid questions... let alone admitting to asking stupid questions...And lets not get started on the implied acceptance that I usually ask stupid questions...

ghostsniper1

steffen19k wrote: »

Hmm...And here I thought I was the only one who asked stupid questions... let alone admitting to asking stupid questions...And lets not get started on the implied acceptance that I usually ask stupid questions...

Ahhh. I have a friend in ignorance. Sweeeet :jester:

olesniper

Blue barrel theory falls through. "BBL" was used in ship's manifest, to denote barrels, long before there was an oil industry.

steffen19k

IIRC... (and I'll even hand you the hangin' rope for later...)

BBL hails from the days of sail, and probably slightly more specifically whaling when ships carried wooden barrels in knockdown form, and barrel makers (coopers) were part of the crew, to assemble the barrels.

If my memory is anywhere in the neighborhood of right... The "B" means "Built" and no one really ever bothered updating the lingo to accomodate the unbuildable steel barrels.

I'm gonna go start making right with my conscience before I go.

Bigslug

SirGeorgeKillian wrote: »

Ounces get real confusing when used to describe weight and fluent ounces.....

But what language are the ounces fluent IN?

ghostsniper1

Bigslug wrote: »

But what language are the ounces fluent IN?

Spanish..... duh.

ghostsniper1

cpj wrote: »

Now that I think about it, you wouldnt want your BBL over a BBL of BM either. A bucket would be/is bad, a BBL? Wow.

Dude :uhm: Simplify for the elevated alcohol brain. Im super confused.

ghostsniper1

cpj wrote: »

You never heard the story behind linefinders avatar?

Oh yeah.... Duh. Delayed comprehension lol. Gotcha now. Funny story btw. hahaha

DoctorWho

steffen19k wrote: »

IIRC... (and I'll even hand you the hangin' rope for later...)

BBL hails from the days of sail, and probably slightly more specifically whaling when ships carried wooden barrels in knockdown form, and barrel makers (coopers) were part of the crew, to assemble the barrels.

If my memory is anywhere in the neighborhood of right... The "B" means "Built" and no one really ever bothered updating the lingo to accomodate the unbuildable steel barrels.

I'm gonna go start making right with my conscience before I go.

Store High In Transit ? :tooth:

robert38-55

timc wrote: »

Why is lead (PB)

for the same reason mercury is Hg.

Big Chief

So why do inches get " and a foot only gets one ' hash mark? Feets is longer............:tooth:

NN

Big Chief wrote: »

So why do inches get " and a foot only gets one ' hash mark? Feets is longer............:tooth:

What about yards?

bisley

SirGeorgeKillian wrote: »

Ounces get real confusing when used to describe weight and fluent ounces.....

And, even more confusing, is trying to figure out the difference between 'fluent' ounce and its less educated cousin, the 'fluid' ounce.