Firearm Terms
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| The mechanism of a firearm located directly behind the barrel, by which a gun is loaded, locked, fired, unlocked, extracted and ejected. | show 🗑
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| That part of the cartridge primer which is a solid surface, against which the firing pin strikes to set off the priming powder. | show 🗑
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| 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.) | show 🗑
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| A firearm that will insert, fire and eject continuously all cartridges in its magazine with a single, continuous trigger pull. | show 🗑
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| show | Ball
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| show | Ballistic Coefficient
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| show | Ballistics
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| show | Barrel
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| show | Base Wad
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| show | Battery
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| show | Beavertail
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| That part of the stock into which the barrel fits. | show 🗑
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| 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.) | show 🗑
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| The collective term for the chemical primer compound, cup and anvil which, when struck, ignites the powder charge. | show 🗑
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| A finely-ground mixture of three basic ingredients--saltpeter (potassium nitrate), charcoal (carbon) and sulfur. | show 🗑
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| A shotgun pattern with erratic shot distribution, generally caused by gas escaping past the wads and getting into the shot. | show 🗑
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| a process of treating metal gun parts in a bath of metallic salts and water, which colors them blue to prevent rust. | show 🗑
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| The tapered rear end of a bullet. (Also called “taper heel”, this design is used to increase ballistic efficiency at long range.) | show 🗑
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| show | Bolt
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| show | Boltface
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| The tunnel down the barrel of a firearm through which the projectiles travel. | show 🗑
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| 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. | show 🗑
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| show | Boxer Primer
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| show | Breech
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| show | Breechblock
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| show | Breechloader
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| Large lead pellets used in shotshells. | show 🗑
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| a single projectile fired from a firearm. | show 🗑
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| show | Butt
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| A plate which covers the butt | show 🗑
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| The diameter of the bore of a rifle before the rifling grooves are cut. | show 🗑
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| show | Cannelure
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| show | Cant
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| A small metal explosive-filled cap which is placed over the nipple of a percussion firearm. | show 🗑
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| A light short-barreled rifle. | show 🗑
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| A case, usually made of brass or copper, containing the power charge, the primer and the bullet. | show 🗑
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| The type of metal cartridge that has the primer in the center of the base | show 🗑
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| show | Chamber
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| A diamond-like pattern on fore-ends and grips of firearms. | show 🗑
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| show | Choke
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| show | Clip
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| show | Cock
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| show | Comb
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| 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. | show 🗑
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| A cone-shaped bullet. | show 🗑
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| show | Cordite
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| show | Core
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| The gradual eating away of the metal parts of a firearm caused by rust | show 🗑
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| show | Creep
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| 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. | show 🗑
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| show | Cross Hairs
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| Barrels made of strips of iron and steel welded together in a spiral fashion. | show 🗑
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| show | Deterrent
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| A rapidly burning powder made by absorbing nitroglycerin into nitrocellulose (guncotton). | show 🗑
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| show | Doughnut Pattern
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| show | Down Range
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| 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.) | show 🗑
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| A three-barrel gun with a rifle barrel beneath two shotgun barrels. | show 🗑
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| show | Ejector
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| show | Elevation
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| show | Energy
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| The wearing away of a barrel’s metal surface by a bullet or shot charge or by the heat of powder gases. | show 🗑
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| A hook device which pulls the case out of a chamber as the breech mechanism is opened. | show 🗑
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| show | Feed
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| show | Firing Pin
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| show | Flinch
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| show | Flint
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| The gunlock of early firearms in which flint is thrown against steel, causing sparks to ignite the powder charge. | show 🗑
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| The detachable metal plate at the bottom of the cartridge magazine of a bolt action rifle. | show 🗑
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| show | Fore-End
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| show | F.P.S.
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| show | Frizzen
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| show | Fulminate of Mercury
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| Barrel rifling which increases in pitch from the breech to the muzzle to accelerate the spin of a bullet. | show 🗑
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| show | Gas Check
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| show | Gas Port
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| show | Gauge
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| show | Grip
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| show | Grip Cap
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| show | Grooves
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| show | Group
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| show | Half-Cock
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| The part of the action that drives the firing pin forward. | show 🗑
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| Refers to a firearm whose hammer and striker are concealed within the metal frame. | show 🗑
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| One of the variety of small, crude cannons used in the early 15th century. | show 🗑
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| show | Hangfire
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| show | Heel
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| the distance between the base of the cartridge and the face of the bolt or breechlock. | show 🗑
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| Refers to cartridges having velocities of 2,700 feet per second (822.96 meters per second) or more. | show 🗑
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| show | High Power
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| The action of keeping the sights on the target while applying pressure to the trigger. | show 🗑
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| show | Hollow Pint
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| The charge used to ignite the propelling charge. | show 🗑
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| A firing pin which moves freely forward and backward in the breechlock. | show 🗑
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| what happens inside the barrel before the bullet or shot leaves the muzzle | show 🗑
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| A mineral used to produce sparks in primitive firearms | show 🗑
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| The outer covering over the inner metal core of a bullet. | show 🗑
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| The vise-like device on a flintlock hammer used to hold the flint. | show 🗑
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| 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. | show 🗑
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| A flintlock rifle with a long barrel and short, crooked stock. | show 🗑
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| The failure of a bullet to remain balanced in flight so that it enters the target sideways, leaving an elongated opening. | show 🗑
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| The backward movement of a firearm generated by the discharge of the projectile. | show 🗑
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| show | Knurled Surface
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| 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. | show 🗑
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| Fouling of a firearm bore by metal particles from bullets adhering to the metal surface caused by heat or friction | show 🗑
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| show | Lede
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| show | Length of Pull
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| show | Lever Action
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| show | Line of Bore
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| An imaginary straight line from the eye through the sights of a firearm to the target. | show 🗑
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| show | Load
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| The hinged cover over the opening through which cartridges are inserted into the magazine. | show 🗑
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| The firing mechanism of a muzzle-loading weapon. | show 🗑
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| show | Locking Lugs
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| show | Lockplate
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| show | Lock Time
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| A firearm which continuously fires ammunition at a high rate of fire when the trigger is pulled only once. | show 🗑
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| 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. | show 🗑
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| show | Magnum
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| show | Mainspring
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| show | Match
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| 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. | show 🗑
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| A bullet with a lead core and a solid metal jacket. | show 🗑
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| show | Metallic Cartridge
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| show | Metallic Sight
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| the point in the trajectory halfway between the muzzle and the target. | show 🗑
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| show | Millimeter
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| 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. | show 🗑
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| Failure of a cartridge to discharge after the firearm's pin has struck the primer. | show 🗑
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| The open end of a cartridge case into which the bullet is inserted. | show 🗑
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| The shape many bullets assume when the tip expands upon striking. | show 🗑
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| A smooth bore shoulder gun. (Commonly used by military in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries). | show 🗑
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| show | Musketoon
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| The Forward end of a barrel | show 🗑
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| show | Muzzle Blast
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| A slotted device attached to the muzzle which softens the kick of the firearm. | show 🗑
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| show | Muzzle Energy
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| The bright flash at the muzzle of a firearm resulting from burning of gases | show 🗑
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| show | Muzzleloader
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| a bullet not covered by a metal jacket | show 🗑
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| show | Propellant
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| show | Pumpkin Ball
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| A mineral used to produce sparks in primitive firearms. (It was replaced by flint.) | show 🗑
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| A wood or metal rod used to force the wad and bullet down the barrel of a muzzle-loading firearm. | show 🗑
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| show | Range
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| The metal frame of a rifle or shotgun which contains the breech, locking mechanism and reloading mechanism. | show 🗑
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| The portion of the receiver which is threaded so the barrel can be attached to it. | show 🗑
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| show | A sight attached to the receiver
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| 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. | show 🗑
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| A shoulder firearm with a rifled barrel designed to fire one projectile at a time | show 🗑
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| show | Rifled Slug
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| show | Rifling
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| show | Rim
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| A cartridge in which the priming compound is contained in the rim at the base of the cartridge. (R.F.) | show 🗑
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| show | Safety
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| The part of a firearm which links the trigger and the firing pin and releases it when the trigger is pulled. | show 🗑
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| The relationship between the weight of the bullet and the cross- sectional area. | show 🗑
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| show | Semi-Automatic
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| show | Set Screw
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| An S-shaped piece of metal to hold a smoldering match. | show 🗑
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| show | Shotgun
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| show | Shotshell
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| . The sharply-sloping portion of the cartridge case joining the body and neck. (Found only on the bottleneck shaped cartridge cases.) | show 🗑
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| show | Sight
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| show | Slack
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| A strap used to carry and aid in shooting a rifle. | show 🗑
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| A metal loop, sometimes detachable, by which the sling is attached to the firearm. | show 🗑
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| Generally refers to a .22 caliber firearm. | show 🗑
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| The narrow portion of the stock between the comb and the receiver of a shoulder. | show 🗑
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| show | Smokeless Powder
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| A firearm with a bore that is not rifled. | show 🗑
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| A quick shot taken without deliberate aim. | show 🗑
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| A small metal wrench used to wind the mechanism of a wheel-lock. | show 🗑
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| A projectile which has lost nearly all its energy and lacks the force needed to penetrate the target. | show 🗑
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| A bullet with a sharp point for better stability during flight. | show 🗑
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| The part of a shoulder firearm by which it is held for firing and into which the metal parts are fitted. | show 🗑
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| A bolt action in which the bolt is pulled and pushed straight backward and forward | show 🗑
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| show | Striker
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| show | Tang
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| the forward portion of the chamber where it is tapered to meet the bore. | show 🗑
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| The bottom part of the butt of a rifle or shotgun. | show 🗑
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| The path a bullet travels from muzzle to impact. | show 🗑
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| The part of a firearm mechanism which releases the firing pin. | show 🗑
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| show | Trigger Guard
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| show | Trigger Plate
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| A pump or slide action. | show 🗑
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| A bolt action which is locked by pressing the bolt handle in and down, thereby turning its locking lugs into the receiver. | show 🗑
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| the angle of rifling grooves relative to the bore axis. (Expressed as the distance in inches over which a turn or twist is completed.) | show 🗑
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| show | Velocity
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| A disc used to separate powder from shot; or to seal propellant gases behind the shot; or to hold shot together in the barrel. | show 🗑
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| show | Wheel Lock
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| show | Wildcat Cartridge
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| show | Windage
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| Sight adjustment so the bullet will strike the target at the point of aim. | show 🗑
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You may also shuffle the rows of the table by clicking on the "Shuffle" button.
Or sort by any of the columns using the down arrow next to any column heading.
If you know all the data on any row, you can temporarily remove it by tapping the trash can to the right of the row.
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Created by:
lynnegough