What is a grain?

Rob/PA Bowyer · 07-29-2008, 08:56 AM

Here's a question we sat around the campfire at the GTG and discussed.

We measure arrow weight in grains. What is a grain? What is the standard of measurement that a grain is?

And you can thank huntingson, the threadinator for this one. winky winky.

Badger_Girl93 · 07-29-2008, 08:58 AM

It is a unit of mass. Equal to approx 64.8 milligrams.

GMMAT · 07-29-2008, 09:01 AM

Well there's your textbook answer.......lol.

In the "old days".....they used actual grains (if I'm not mistaken) to measure weight of smaller objects. Stones to measure heavier objects.....and so on.

formula1 · 07-29-2008, 09:05 AM

Grain
An ancient unit which was originally based on the weight of a grain of wheat. The grain is the smallest unit of weight.

4 grains = 1 carat
24 grains =1 pennyweight
480 grains = 1 troy ounce
5760 grains = 1 troy pound
437.5 grains = 1 ounce
7000 grains = 1 pound
1 grain = 0.0648 grams (0.06479891)
15.432 grains = 1 gram

joshw020 · 07-29-2008, 09:06 AM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: GMMAT

Well there's your textbook answer.......lol.

In the "old days".....they used actual grains (if I'm not mistaken) to measure weight of smaller objects. Stones to measure heavier objects.....and so on.

That's what we were thinking, Jeff . . .but grains of what?

GMMAT · 07-29-2008, 09:07 AM

Josh I don't know. Most everything we use is based on the british measurement systems of old.....but I have no idea what type of grain was used....and I guessed that it was an actual"grain" (based on them using stones, hands, etc...).

BobCo19-65 · 07-29-2008, 09:14 AM

Yes, it was based on a grain of wheat or barleycorn. It did become standardized at a point though. Kind of like an "arms length" or a "foot".

joshw020 · 07-29-2008, 09:16 AM

wheat wasat the topof the guessing list, thanks BobCo!

Dewbaby · 07-29-2008, 10:55 AM

apothecaries used to use grains to measure medicines... along with drachms and scruples

Rob/PA Bowyer · 07-29-2008, 11:01 AM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: formula1

Grain
An ancient unit which was originally based on the weight of a grain of wheat. The grain is the smallest unit of weight.

4 grains = 1 carat
24 grains =1 pennyweight
480 grains = 1 troy ounce
5760 grains = 1 troy pound
437.5 grains = 1 ounce
7000 grains = 1 pound
1 grain = 0.0648 grams (0.06479891)
15.432 grains = 1 gram

That's what we were after. Thank you. As we sat around the fire and solved all the worlds problems, the weight of arrows came into conversation and then of course, grains. There ya have it guys, you too huntingson. winky winky j/k/k