Term | Definition |
Caliber | the diameter of the bore. |
Bore | the interior diameter of a gun barrel |
Gauge | the interior diameter of a shotgun barrel |
Shot | lead spheres in a shotgun shell |
Slug | a single shot or bullet in a shotgun shell |
Grains | basic unit of weight in the British system. |
Rifled | the bore of a gun barrel that has been machined to form a grooved spiral like a helix |
Lands | raised areas between two grooved in the rifling of a gun barrel that impart grooves on the bullet |
Grooves | spiral cuts into the bore of a barrel that give the bullet its spin as it moves down the barrel |
Striae | parallel sets of scratches on a bullet caused by unique markings in the bore of a rifled weapon |
Cannelures | grooves around a bullet that provide a means of crimping the cartridge case to the bullet |
Head Stamp | numerals, letters, and symbols on the base of a cartridge showing the manufacturer, caliber, and code |
Breech | portion of the gun that contains the firing mechanism |
Extractor | hooked or cresent-shaped part attached to the breechblock which withdraws the spent casing fromt the chamber when the breechblock separated from the barrel after firing |
Ejector | the part on the firearm whose function is to throw a spent casing from the gun after firing |
Magazine | a container that holds cartridges under spring pressure to be fed into the gun's chamber; also called a clip |
Chamber | part of the firearm that contains a cartridge for firing |
Greiss Test | a color test for the presence of nitrite in gunpowder residue |
GSR | gunshot residue |
Sodium Rhodizonate Test | a color test for the presence of lead in gunshot residue |
Buffer | a solution containing either a weak acid and its salt or a weak base and its salt, which is resistant to changes in pH |
Outsoles | the outer soles of shoes at the bottom of the shoe |
Gait | a manner of walking or moving on foot, individualized to your personality |
Wheelbase | distance from center of front wheel hub to center of rear wheel |
Stance | distance from the centerline of the right tire to the centerline of the left tire |