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The Dead Calibers Archive

Documenting the Persuit of Ballistic Perfection

Dead Calibers started in 2016, created by Anders E.T. Herzberg as a standalone project to document the history and development of various small arms cartridges. From handgun to rifle, popular to obscure wildcat cartridges, Dead Calibers seeks to preserve the history of these often overlooked and forgotten chamberings.

Each caliber in the Dead Calibers Archive is listed with a condition, denoting how popular and easy to find it is. More information on the classifications that we use is listed below.

Today the project lives on here at Cap & Ball and will continue to expand and grow. If you have any suggestions or information on a cartridge or caliber that you’d like to see featured in Dead Calibers, email us at [email protected]

The Dead Calibers Archive

The Dead Calibers Archive

Categories

10mm Auto history and comparison to .40 S&W
Anders Herzberg

10mm auto vs .40 S&W: The Brother War | The Dead Calibers Archive

We begin with origins – the 10mm Auto was introduced in 1983, and after the FBI’s notorious 1986 Miami shootout (which exposed the limits of ammo at the time), Smith & Wesson/Winchester developed the shorter .40 S&W round in 1990 to meet the FBI’s performance expectations. However, there’s much more to this story and we dive into some of the earliest 10mm/.40 Caliber pistol cartridge experiments and how we ended up with the 10mm Auto and the .40 S&W we know today.

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Anders Herzberg June 14, 2025
Norma AD-LER Shotshells
Anders Herzberg

Norma AD-LER 12 Guage Shotgun Shells: A Fad or A Start?

Condition Modern Threats, Classic Solutions In recent years, the proliferation of small, agile drones—particularly First-Person View (FPV) models—has introduced new challenges on the battlefield. These drones, often employed for reconnaissance or direct attacks, necessitate innovative countermeasures. Some we have already covered in the past. However, the Norma AD-LER loading is

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Anders Herzberg March 7, 2025
Folded Ammunition - 30mm Cartridge Design
Anders Herzberg

Folded Ammunition: Frankford Arsenal’s Revolutionary Concept?

Condition Andrew J. Grandy’s Big Idea The 1970s were a period of intense innovation in small arms development, and one of the most unique and ambitious ammunition concepts to emerge from this era was folded ammunition. Developed by Andrew J. Grandy at Frankford Arsenal, this radical departure from conventional cartridge

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Anders Herzberg February 19, 2025
545 Anti-Drone Early Tests
Anders Herzberg

5.45 Anti-Drone Round: Ingenious Solutions for Modern Warfare?

Condition The Ukraine War Has Changed Things Drones have quickly become one of the most challenging threats on today’s battlefields. With these FPV drones popping up everywhere, Russian and Ukrainian forces fighting in Ukraine have been forced to think outside the box. Enter the 5.45 Anti-Drone round—an improvised buckshot cartridge

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Anders Herzberg February 18, 2025

Caliber Conditions

Living

A popular and actively in production caliber. Easy to find both firearms and ammunition.

Living

Injured

A strong contender but currently overshadowed by other cartridges. Ammo and firearms are still available, but selections have declined.  

Critical

Limited in both options for firearms and ammunition. Guns chambered in this round will either be limited in selection or out of production. Ammunition may be limited to few or only a handful of manufacturers. 

Dead

Completely out of production for both firearms and ammunition. Most firearms may be collectors’ items. Ammunition will be limited to only handloading options though brass and bullets may still be available. 

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