Convert Caliber to Chain
Convert calibers to chains instantly. 1 caliber = 1.262626e-5 chain — use the live calculator, the exact formula, a conversion table and worked examples. Also check the Chain to Caliber converter for the reverse conversion.
Units explained
Caliber
In length-measurement context, a caliber is a unit equal to one hundredth of an inch (2.54×10⁻⁴ m). The same word also refers to a firearm's bore diameter; in that context the value depends on the specific cartridge.
The caliber as a length unit derives from the inch by hundredth subdivision. Standardised through the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement.
Calibers appear in ballistics literature (alongside the more common usage as bore diameter), historical small-arms specifications, and a few precision-engineering contexts. Often confused with the cartridge-naming caliber, which is a different concept.
Length-unit usage standardised through the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement; the bore-diameter usage long predates this.
Chain
A chain is an Imperial unit of length equal to 66 feet (20.1168 m), or exactly 4 rods or 100 links. It is the central unit in the Gunter chain-based land-survey system.
Defined by Edmund Gunter in 1620 specifically to make land-area arithmetic easy: 10 square chains = 1 acre exactly. The 66-foot length and 100-link subdivision were chosen so chain measurements could be added decimally.
Chains are the fundamental unit of legacy US public land surveys (the entire US township-and-range system uses chains). Modern survey work generally uses meters or feet, but legacy deeds remain in chains.
Invented by Edmund Gunter in 1620; standardised throughout English and American land survey; became exact via the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement.
Caliber to Chain conversion formula
The relationship between calibers and chains:
To convert calibers to chains, multiply the value in calibers by 1.262626e-5. To reverse, multiply chains by 79200.
How to use this converter
Type a value into the calculator. The result in chains updates as you type. Tap a quick value, copy the result with one click, or use the swap arrow to jump straight to the Chain to Caliber converter for the reverse direction.
Step-by-step: convert calibers to chains
- Write down the value in calibers (cl).
- Multiply that value by the factor 1.262626e-5.
- The product is the equivalent value in chains (ch).
- To reverse, multiply the chain value by 79200.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Convert 1 cl to ch:
1 × 1.262626e-5 = 1.262626e-5 ch
Example 2 — Convert 100 cl to ch:
100 × 1.262626e-5 = 0.0012626263 ch
Real-world example — Plastic-film thickness alternates
A 150-caliber plastic film converts cleanly to chains — useful for packaging buyers reconciling supplier datasheets across metric and US measurement systems.
150 cl × 1.262626e-5 = 0.0018939394 ch
Real-world example — Hair-width scale measurements
A 70-caliber measurement (about the diameter of a human hair) is the kind of value materials engineers regularly express in adjacent micro-scale units like chains for direct comparison across supplier datasheets.
70 cl × 1.262626e-5 = 0.0008838384 ch
Real-world example — Paper and film thicknesses
At the thickness of office paper (roughly 3 calibers), converting between sub-millimeter units is routine for packaging and printing buyers comparing quotes from metric and US suppliers.
3 cl × 1.262626e-5 = 3.787879e-5 ch
Caliber to Chain conversion table
Standard reference values for converting calibers to chains:
| Caliber [cl] | Chain [ch] |
|---|---|
| 0.01 | 1.262626e-7 |
| 0.1 | 1.262626e-6 |
| 1 | 1.262626e-5 |
| 2 | 2.525253e-5 |
| 3 | 3.787879e-5 |
| 4 | 5.050505e-5 |
| 5 | 6.313131e-5 |
| 10 | 0.0001262626 |
| 20 | 0.0002525253 |
| 30 | 0.0003787879 |
| 40 | 0.0005050505 |
| 50 | 0.0006313131 |
| 100 | 0.0012626263 |
| 500 | 0.0063131313 |
| 1000 | 0.0126262626 |
Frequently asked questions
How many chains is 1 caliber?
How do I convert calibers to chains?
How do I convert chains back to calibers?
How many chains is 100 calibers?
Popular length unit conversions
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Metric / SI (4 units)
Imperial / US Customary (26 units)
Sources & references
Conversion factor (1 cl = 1.262626e-5 ch) verified against the following authoritative sources:
- BIPM — The International System of Units (SI Brochure 9th ed.)
Official BIPM publication defining the seven SI base units (including the meter) and the rules for their use. The global authority on units of measurement.
- NIST — Guide to the SI
US National Institute of Standards and Technology reference covering the SI base and derived units with definitions and usage rules for US technical practice.
- NIST Special Publication 811 — Guide for the Use of the International System of Units
Detailed NIST guide covering exact conversion factors between SI and US customary units along with formatting and rounding conventions.
- NIST — Refinement of values for the yard and pound (Federal Register 1959)
The treaty (signed by US
- International Hydrographic Organization — Resolution on the Nautical Mile
International authority that standardised the nautical mile at exactly 1852 m in 1929 — the value adopted worldwide for sea and air navigation.