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The round lead projectile usually wrapped in a greased fabric patch and fired by muzzleloading firearms. |
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A term generally used by the military for a cartridge with a full metal jacketed bullet or solid metal projectiles. |
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The study of what happens to moving projectiles. Internal/Interior Ballistics studies what happens inside the firearm from the moment of ignition until it leaves the barrel. Exterior/External Ballistics studies the motion of the projectile after it leaves the barrel. Terminal Ballistics studies the projectile's impact on the target. |
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The tube through which the bullet or shot charge passes when the firearm is fired and gases created by the ignition of the powder or compressed air act as the projectile's propellant. May be rifled or smooth. |
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An insert of special
material placed in a barrel to reduce bore
erosion, renew an eroded bore. They are also
used to strengthen a
barrel
or alter the diameter to accept a different caliber of ammunition. Also called a
sleeve. |
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A general term
for any projection extending at right angles to the
barrel
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The movement of the
barrel
as the projectile
moves through it. |
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A rifle or shotgun lacking
only the
stock. |
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The portion of
the cartridge case that contains the primer, also
called the head. |
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In Shotgun shells, BB shot has a
diameter of .180 inches. For use in air
guns, a BB is .175 inches in diameter. |
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The narrow band around the rear section of
a cartridge case and forward of the extractor groove that is intended to
strengthen the case and usually associated with magnum calibers. |
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A finely
ground mixture of three basic ingredients: saltpeter
(potassium nitrate), charcoal (carbon), and sulfur. |
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An integral
magazine with a permanently closed bottom. |
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A system where the pressure and energy
from the
cartridge discharge pushing
rearward against the empty cartridge case is used to operate the unloading and
loading cycle of a
semi automatic or
automatic firearm. |
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A tapered rear end of a bullet designed to
increase ballistic efficiency at long range. |
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The two main types of bolt action are the
turn bolt and straight pull. The bolt action is manually operated by
means of a steel rod or handle-like assembly that contains the means to lock a
cartridge into the barrel or
chamber (located at the rear of the chamber into which the cartridge or
propellant is inserted), the
firing pin,
and the mechanism to extract and eject the spent cartridge case. |
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The interior or tunnel down the
barrel and forward of the
chamber through
which the projectiles travel. |
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This type of
action is usually found on
double-barrel shotguns. The
hammer and hammer springs are located within the
frame or
receiver
(the basic unit of a firearm that contains the
firing and breech mechanism and to which the barrel
and stock are attached). The trigger assembly is in
the lower tang (the rearward projecting tongue on a
receiver or frame to which the
butt stock is
attached). |
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A rectangular
receptacle attached to or inserted into a firearm
that holds
cartridges stacked on top of one another ready
for feeding into the chamber. |
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The rear of the
barrel into which the cartridge or propellant is inserted. Also called
chamber. |
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The locking and cartridge head
support mechanism of firearms that operate in line with the axis of the bore. |
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That part of the breechblock or breech
bolt against which the head of the cartridge case or shot shell rests during
firing. |
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The part of the action that fits securely
against the cartridge keeping it snug in the breech and locks the action to
allow maximum efficiency and safety during firing. |
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A cartridge
containing a round ball and shot. |
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Large lead
pellets ranging in size from .20 inches to .36
inches in diameter used in shot shells. |
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A single,
non-spherical projectile fired from a rifled barrel. |
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The normal
fall from a bullet during its flight from the
firearm to the target resultant from the influence
of gravity. |
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Bullet jump -
The distance a bullet must travel from its place in
the cartridge case to the initial engagement of the
barrel's rifling. |
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A bullet that
has expanded upon impact to a mushroom-like shape. |
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The curved
forward part of a bullet. |
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The act of
steadying a bullet in flight by use of the proper
rifling twist and bullet velocity. |
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In a handgun,
the butt is the bottom part of the grip or grip
frame. In a rifle or shotgun, it is the rear or
shoulder end of the stock. |
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This is the
covering made of metal, rubber, plastic or other
materials that protects and reinforces the butt of
the firearm stock. |
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United
States -
Canada
Gun
Glossary
Education
