Embed Code - If you would like this activity on your web page, copy the script below and paste it into your web page.

Normal Size Small Size show me how

Firearm Terms

Question	Answer
The mechanism of a firearm located directly behind the barrel, by which a gun is loaded, locked, fired, unlocked, extracted and ejected.	Action
That part of the cartridge primer which is a solid surface, against which the firing pin strikes to set off the priming powder.	Anvil
An action which fires, extracts, ejects, reloads and cocks with each separate pull of the trigger and is powered by the propellant gases. (Also called semi-automatic.)	Autoloading
A firearm that will insert, fire and eject continuously all cartridges in its magazine with a single, continuous trigger pull.	Automatic
The round lead missile fired by smoothbore firearms. (The term is used today when referring to some types of bullets fired from rifled barrels.)	Ball
a number which indicates how a bullet’s shape, length, weight, diameter and nose design affect its stability, velocity and range against air resistance.	Ballistic Coefficient
The study of what happens to moving projectiles in the barrel and in flight--their trajectory, force, impact and penetration.	Ballistics
The metal tube of firearms made from iron or steel, through which the bullet or shot charge passes when the firearm is fired.	Barrel
The paper filter at the rear of the powder charge of the shotgun shell.	Base Wad
The metal arm of a flintlock mechanism, against which flint strikes to create sparks in the flash pan. (Also called the “frizzen”.)	Battery
A wide, flat fore-end of a rifle or shotgun.	Beavertail
That part of the stock into which the barrel fits.	Bedding
The narrow band around the rear section of a cartridge case just forward of the extractor groove. (The belt arrests the progress of the case into the chamber and controls headspace.)	Belt
The collective term for the chemical primer compound, cup and anvil which, when struck, ignites the powder charge.	Berdan Primer
A finely-ground mixture of three basic ingredients--saltpeter (potassium nitrate), charcoal (carbon) and sulfur.	Black Powder
A shotgun pattern with erratic shot distribution, generally caused by gas escaping past the wads and getting into the shot.	Blown Pattern
a process of treating metal gun parts in a bath of metallic salts and water, which colors them blue to prevent rust.	Bluing
The tapered rear end of a bullet. (Also called “taper heel”, this design is used to increase ballistic efficiency at long range.)	Boattail
A steel rod-like assembly which moves back and forth in a bolt action, sealing the cartridge in the chamber during firing.	Bolt
The forward end of the bolt which supports the base of the cartridge and contains the firing pin.	Boltface
The tunnel down the barrel of a firearm through which the projectiles travel.	Bore
The measurement from one side of the bore to the other. In a rifled barrel this means measurement of the bore before the rifling grooves are cut.	Bore Diameter
The collective term for the chemical primer compound, cup and anvil which, when struck, ignites the powder charge.	Boxer Primer
The rear end of the barrel (in modern arms, the portion of the barrel into which the cartridge is inserted.)	Breech
The part in the breech mechanism that locks the action against the firing of the cartridge.	Breechblock
a firearm loaded through the breech.	Breechloader
Large lead pellets used in shotshells.	Buckshot
a single projectile fired from a firearm.	Bullet
The rear end of a rifle or shotgun stock	Butt
A plate which covers the butt	Buttplate
The diameter of the bore of a rifle before the rifling grooves are cut.	Caliber
A groove around the circumference of a bullet or case	Cannelure
To tilt or lean a gun to one side when aiming.	Cant
A small metal explosive-filled cap which is placed over the nipple of a percussion firearm.	Cap
A light short-barreled rifle.	Carbine
A case, usually made of brass or copper, containing the power charge, the primer and the bullet.	Cartridge
The type of metal cartridge that has the primer in the center of the base	Center-Fire
The enlarged portion of the barrel at the breech in which the cartridge is placed ready for firing.	Chamber
A diamond-like pattern on fore-ends and grips of firearms.	Checkering
The constriction at the muzzle of a shotgun barrel by which the spread of the shot pattern is controlled.	Choke
A detachable metal case designed to hold a number of cartridges for loading into the firearm.	Clip
To set the action into position for firing.	Cock
The upper edge of a rifle or shotgun stock where the cheek rests.	Comb
The sloping portion at the front end of a shotgun chamber in which the chamber diameter is decreased to the diameter of the muzzle. Also, the rear portion of the choke at the muzzle of a shotgun.	Cone
A cone-shaped bullet.	Conical Bullet
A double-base smokeless powder made of nitro glycerin and guncotton which is used in the form of long, stringy cords.	Cordite
The part of a bullet that is covered by a jacket.	Core
The gradual eating away of the metal parts of a firearm caused by rust	Corrosion
The movement of the trigger before it releases. (Also called drag or crawl.)	Creep
The portion of a cartridge case that is bent inward to hold the bullet in place, or in the case of a shotshell, to hold the shot charge in place.	Crimp
The sighting lines in a telescopic sight.	Cross Hairs
Barrels made of strips of iron and steel welded together in a spiral fashion.	Damascus Barrels
A material added to an explosive to slow its burning rate.	Deterrent
A rapidly burning powder made by absorbing nitroglycerin into nitrocellulose (guncotton).	Double-Base Powder
A shotgun pattern with a hole in the middle generally caused by the interference of the top wad.	Doughnut Pattern
The direction from the shooting position to the target on a range.	Down Range
The departure of a bullet or shot charge from the normal line of flight. (This can be caused by wind or the unbalanced spinning of the bullet.)	Drift
A three-barrel gun with a rifle barrel beneath two shotgun barrels.	Drilling
The mechanism which throws the cartridge case free from the gun.	Ejector
The degree of adjustment of a rear sight or scope reticule necessary to cause the bullet to strike higher on the target.	Elevation
The amount of work done by a bullet, expressed in foot pounds.	Energy
The wearing away of a barrel’s metal surface by a bullet or shot charge or by the heat of powder gases.	Erosion
A hook device which pulls the case out of a chamber as the breech mechanism is opened.	Extractor
The action of moving live cartridges from the magazine of a firearm into the chamber.	Feed
The part of the breech mechanism which strikes the primer of the cartridge.	Firing Pin
To move or jerk a firearm involuntarily while shooting.	Flinch
A piece of stone held in the cock of a firearm.	Flint
The gunlock of early firearms in which flint is thrown against steel, causing sparks to ignite the powder charge.	Flintlock
The detachable metal plate at the bottom of the cartridge magazine of a bolt action rifle.	Floor Plate
The forward portion of a shoulder-arm stock.	Fore-End
Abbreviation for feet per second. A term used in expressing the velocity of a bullet.	F.P.S.
The metal arm of a flintlock mechanism, against which flint strikes to create sparks in the flash pan. (Also called the “battery”.)	Frizzen
a highly sensitive explosive used as a primer compound.	Fulminate of Mercury
Barrel rifling which increases in pitch from the breech to the muzzle to accelerate the spin of a bullet.	Gain Twist
A metal cup placed on the end of a lead bullet to protect the lead against the hot gases of the burning powder charge.	Gas Check
A small hole in the barrel of a gas-operated firearm through which expanding gases escape to power the autoloading system.	Gas Port
Measurement of shotgun bores derived from the number of bore-sized balls of lead to the pound.	Gauge
The small portion of the stock gripped by the trigger hand.	Grip
A cap fastened over the end of a pistol grip on a rifle or shotgun stock.	Grip Cap
The cut-away portions of the rifling	Grooves
A series of shots fired with the same sight setting and the same aim.	Group
The intermediate position on the action	Half-Cock
The part of the action that drives the firing pin forward.	Hammer
Refers to a firearm whose hammer and striker are concealed within the metal frame.	Hammerless
One of the variety of small, crude cannons used in the early 15th century.	Hand Cannon
Delay in firing a cartridge after the firing pin has struck the primer.	Hangfire
The rear end of the upper edge of a gunstock. Also the base of a bullet.	Heel
the distance between the base of the cartridge and the face of the bolt or breechlock.	Headspace
Refers to cartridges having velocities of 2,700 feet per second (822.96 meters per second) or more.	High Intensity
A term applied to the first smokeless powder cartridges with velocities of approximately 2,000 feet per second (609.6 meters per second).	High Power
The action of keeping the sights on the target while applying pressure to the trigger.	Holding
A bullet with a nose cavity designed to increase its expansion on impact.	Hollow Pint
The charge used to ignite the propelling charge.	Igniting Charge
A firing pin which moves freely forward and backward in the breechlock.	Inertia Firing Pin
what happens inside the barrel before the bullet or shot leaves the muzzle	Internal Ballistics
A mineral used to produce sparks in primitive firearms	Iron Pyrites
The outer covering over the inner metal core of a bullet.	Jacket
The vise-like device on a flintlock hammer used to hold the flint.	Jaws
The amount of change in the bore axis, measured both vertically and horizontally, while the projectile moves from the chamber to the muzzle when it is fired.	Jump
A flintlock rifle with a long barrel and short, crooked stock.	Kentucky Rifle
The failure of a bullet to remain balanced in flight so that it enters the target sideways, leaving an elongated opening.	Keyholing
The backward movement of a firearm generated by the discharge of the projectile.	Kick
A metal surface which contains a pattern of ridges or beads. (This rough surface aids grasping a metal part to move it.)	Knurled Surface
In the rifling of a bore, the uncut portions of the barrel’s inner surface left after the rifling grooves have been cut into the metal.	Lands
Fouling of a firearm bore by metal particles from bullets adhering to the metal surface caused by heat or friction	Leading
. The beveled portion of the rifling at the rear end of the barrel (and the forward portion of the chamber) where the bullet first engages the lands.	Lede
The distance from the front trigger of a shotgun to the center of the butt.	Length of Pull
An action operated by a lever located underneath it.	Lever Action
An imaginary straight line through the center of the bore of a firearm extending to infinity	Line of Bore
An imaginary straight line from the eye through the sights of a firearm to the target.	Line of Sight
A charge of powder, a projectile or a cartridge.	Load
The hinged cover over the opening through which cartridges are inserted into the magazine.	Loading Gate
The firing mechanism of a muzzle-loading weapon.	Lock
A series of projections on the bolt of a firearm designed to fit into corresponding slots in the receiver to lock the action in closed position for firing.	Locking Lugs
A metal plate on which the firing mechanism is mounted on percussion and earlier firearms.	Lockplate
The interval of time between trigger release and the detonation of the primer.	Lock Time
A firearm which continuously fires ammunition at a high rate of fire when the trigger is pulled only once.	Machine Gun
The part of a repeating firearm which holds the cartridges or shells in position ready to be loaded one at a time into the chamber.	Magazine
A cartridge or shell with greater power than normal, (ex. .300 magnum rifle, 3 inch magnum shot shell).	Magnum
A strong spring which activates the striker or hammer of a firearm.	Mainspring
A long cord of hemp, flax or cotton, saturated in saltpeter, which burns slowly without a flame.	Match
A firearm action which relies upon a serpentine or S-shaped piece of metal to hold a smoldering match. By pressing the lower end of the serpentine, the upper end holding the burning match contacts the priming powder in the pan.	Matchlock
A bullet with a lead core and a solid metal jacket.	Metal Cased
a cartridge with a metallic case.	Metallic Cartridge
A non-telescopic firearm sight.	Metallic Sight
the point in the trajectory halfway between the muzzle and the target.	Mid-Range
A metric measurement equaling .03907inches. (mm)	Millimeter
An elongated lead bullet with a pointed head and a cup-shaped hollow in its base which spreads as it is fired, forcing the metal into the rifle grooves.	Mini-Ball
Failure of a cartridge to discharge after the firearm's pin has struck the primer.	Misfire
The open end of a cartridge case into which the bullet is inserted.	Mouth
The shape many bullets assume when the tip expands upon striking.	Mushroom
A smooth bore shoulder gun. (Commonly used by military in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries).	Musket
A musket shortened for cavalry use.	Musketoon
The Forward end of a barrel	Muzzle
The violent disturbance in the atmosphere after discharge of a firearm, caused by release of powder gases into the air.	Muzzle Blast
A slotted device attached to the muzzle which softens the kick of the firearm.	Muzzle Brake
The energy of a bullet as it emerges from the muzzle	Muzzle Energy
The bright flash at the muzzle of a firearm resulting from burning of gases	Muzzle Flash
a firearm that is loaded through the muzzle	Muzzleloader
a bullet not covered by a metal jacket	Naked Bullet
The chemical substance which imparts movement to the projectile in a firearm.	Propellant
A large round ball of lead used in shotguns. (These projectiles are the same size as the shotgun bore.)	Pumpkin Ball
A mineral used to produce sparks in primitive firearms. (It was replaced by flint.)	Pyrites
A wood or metal rod used to force the wad and bullet down the barrel of a muzzle-loading firearm.	Ramrod
The distance traveled by a projectile from the firearm to the target. Also, a facility designed for the safe shooting of firearms.	Range
The metal frame of a rifle or shotgun which contains the breech, locking mechanism and reloading mechanism.	Receiver
The portion of the receiver which is threaded so the barrel can be attached to it.	Receiver Ring
A sight attached to the receiver.	A sight attached to the receiver
The backward force of a firearm caused by expansion of powder gases which also impels the bullet out of the barrel and is measured in foot pounds.	Recoil
A shoulder firearm with a rifled barrel designed to fire one projectile at a time	Rifle
A large, single projectile used in shotguns.	Rifled Slug
Spiral grooves cut into the inside barrel surface to cause a bullet to spin, thereby stabilizing it.	Rifling
The edge on the base of a cartridge case which stops the progress of the case into the chamber. (It's also the part of the case the extractor grips to remove it from the chamber.)	Rim
A cartridge in which the priming compound is contained in the rim at the base of the cartridge. (R.F.)	Rimfire
A device that blocks the firing mechanism of a firearm.	Safety
The part of a firearm which links the trigger and the firing pin and releases it when the trigger is pulled.	Sear
The relationship between the weight of the bullet and the cross- sectional area.	Sectional Density
An action which fires, extracts, ejects, reloads and cocks with each separate pull of the trigger and is powered by the propellant gases.	Semi-Automatic
A screw that regulates the amount of pressure needed to release the sear	Set Screw
An S-shaped piece of metal to hold a smoldering match.	Serpentine
A firearm with a smoothbore designed to fire small pellets called shot or rifled slugs.	Shotgun
All cartridges that contain shot, or small pellets, instead of a single bullet.	Shotshell
. The sharply-sloping portion of the cartridge case joining the body and neck. (Found only on the bottleneck shaped cartridge cases.)	Shoulder
. The device on a firearm designed to help the shooter aim accurately.	Sight
The amount of movement in a trigger mechanism before it engages the sear.	Slack
A strap used to carry and aid in shooting a rifle.	Sling
A metal loop, sometimes detachable, by which the sling is attached to the firearm.	Sling Swivel
Generally refers to a .22 caliber firearm.	Small Bore
The narrow portion of the stock between the comb and the receiver of a shoulder.	Small of the Stock
A nitrated chemical compound in granular form.	Smokeless Powder
A firearm with a bore that is not rifled.	Smooth Bore
A quick shot taken without deliberate aim.	Snap Shot
A small metal wrench used to wind the mechanism of a wheel-lock.	Spanner
A projectile which has lost nearly all its energy and lacks the force needed to penetrate the target.	Spent Bullet
A bullet with a sharp point for better stability during flight.	Spitzer
The part of a shoulder firearm by which it is held for firing and into which the metal parts are fitted.	Stock
A bolt action in which the bolt is pulled and pushed straight backward and forward	Straight-Pull Action
The front part of a firing pin which strikes the cartridge	Striker
A metal strip extending rearward from a rifle or shotgun receiver to attach the action to the stock.	Tang
the forward portion of the chamber where it is tapered to meet the bore.	Throat
The bottom part of the butt of a rifle or shotgun.	Toe
The path a bullet travels from muzzle to impact.	Trajectory
The part of a firearm mechanism which releases the firing pin.	Trigger
A metal loop around the trigger designed to protect it.	Trigger Guard
The metal part under the receiver of a rifle or shotgun through which the trigger projects.	Trigger Plate
A pump or slide action.	TRombone Action
A bolt action which is locked by pressing the bolt handle in and down, thereby turning its locking lugs into the receiver.	Turn-Bolt Action
the angle of rifling grooves relative to the bore axis. (Expressed as the distance in inches over which a turn or twist is completed.)	Twist
The speed at which a projectile travels. (Usually measured in feet per second or meters per second.)	Velocity
A disc used to separate powder from shot; or to seal propellant gases behind the shot; or to hold shot together in the barrel.	Wad
an early firearm mechanism in which a wheel with serrated edges is wound against the tension of a strong spring and spins against a piece of iron pyrite, sending a shower of sparks into the pan to ignite the charge.	Wheel Lock
A non-standard cartridge usually made by modifying the shape of a standard cartridge.	Wildcat Cartridge
The lateral drift of a bullet in flight caused by wind	Windage
Sight adjustment so the bullet will strike the target at the point of aim.	Zero

Created by: lynnegough

"Know" box contains:
Time elapsed:
Retries: