Bowling Pins Weight and Dimensions Explained

Do you ever wonder what goes on on the other side of the lane while you stand on the opposite and roll your ball? Well, a lot! But the pins you knock down, again and again, all of them look the same, right? Although each pin has its individual number, do you think bowling pins weigh the same? Do they all have the same dimensions?

Here in this article, you will find the answers to all of your questions regarding the bowling pin’s weight and dimensions. So if you’re an interested bowler who loves to know what they are dealing with, continue to read this article to the end.

How much Bowling Pin Weighs?

The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) has set pin specifications for all kinds of bowling. How much the bowling pins will weigh depends on the kind of game you’re playing. And, The most common and popular bowling game is, of course, ten-pin bowling. 

To understand bowling pin weight, you might wanna consider the idea behind the weight ratio for standard bowling pins. The general idea is that an individual bowling pin should be around 24% of the heaviest bowling ball’s weight, which is 16 lbs. This is why the standard bowling pins weigh at least 3.6 lbs (1.5 kg) and a maximum of 3.10 lbs (1.6 kg)

Doesn’t matter where you are on earth, there are always some ten-pin bowling alleys available for bowling enthusiasts. In ten-pin bowling, there are exactly ten pins and they are made with precisions and specifications. This is why the weight of all the bowling pins is the same. They also share the same shape, space , weight ratio, dimensions, and center of gravity. 

What are the Bowling Pin Dimensions?

The Bowling pin’s dimensions depend on what kind of bowling game you’re playing. As I have just mentioned, ten-pin is the most popular form of bowling and they are about 15 inches tall and 4.75 inches wide. Other forms of bowling like 9 pin, duckpin, candlepin, etc, have different dimensions as well as weights. Let me tell you all about that now.

Ten Pin Weight and Dimensions

Generally, in ten-pin bowling, the bowling pins weigh about 3.8 lbs (1.6 kg). Sometimes there can be 2 ounces (0.057 kg) of difference in overall weight. Each bowling pin is 4.75 inches (121 millimeters) in width, 15 inches (38 centimeters) in length, and 2.03 inches (51.6 millimeters) in base diameter. 

9 Pin Weight and Dimensions

The 9-pin bowling is often called German bowling. This game is popular in various parts of Europe. Sometimes Ninepin bowling is recognized as Kegel. By the look of it, the nine-pin bowling pins look almost like the standard ten-pin bowling pins because they share the same shape.

However, it will look like a smaller version of the ten-pin bowling pins. The small size is pretty comparable to duckpins. Just like five-pin bowling pins, kegel pins have some strings attached on top. This is what connects the pins to the pinsetter. Each nine-pin bowling pins weigh about 2.86 (or 2.9) pounds. In terms of dimensions, the measurements are pretty much the same. 

5 Pin Weight and Dimensions

The pins of the 5-pin bowling game are significantly smaller. These bowling pins stand about 12.5 inches in height with a 1.625 inches base (width). The belly is 5 inches in width, and the neck area is roughly 1.625 inches in width. These particular pins weigh around 2.7 lbs.

Duckpin Weight and Dimensions

So let’s talk about duckpins now. No, there is no duck involved here, haha! A duckpin bowling pin weighs around 1.5 lbs. Some bowlers like to call it a mini-version of the ten-pin bowling pins. The only significant difference is the smaller base circumference and diameter at the widest point. On every duckpin bowling pin, you can see a 0.5-1 inch wide rubber band wrapped around the widest point of the pin. What does it do? Well, it helps with the increased pin action. The total weight of the duckpin is around 1.8 lbs. 

Candlepin Weight and Dimensions

In this form of bowling, there are ten pins used for playing. However, they are significantly different from the standard bowling pin types. By the look of it, candlepin pins have a cylinder-like shape but they are slightly tapered at the tops and the bottoms. A candlepin bowling pin is 15.75 inches in height, the tops and the bottom are 2.125 inches wide and the widest part expands to 2.94 inches which is the center of the pins. These bowling pins do not have a neck. Most candlepin bowling pins weigh around 2.7 lbs.

Conclusion

There you go, folks. Now you know everything about the bowling pin’s dimensions and weight. These pieces are what you hit with your bowling ball on repeat. So learning about them is paramount. This article describes the dimensions of each kind of bowling pin and how they generally weigh. I hope, the information I have put together was helpful enough for you to learn about this sport. For any further queries or assistance, feel free to leave a comment, and I will get back to you in a bit. So good luck with your future endeavors and never stop having fun while bowling!