Shooting Terminology
These are commonly used gun, ammunition, and shooting terms.
Action The part of a gun that loads and fires cartridges and ejects empty cases. In handguns there are three types: single action revolvers, double action revolvers, and semi-automatic pistols. In rifles and shotguns there are five types of actions: semi-automatic, bolt, break, pump, and lever.
Ammunition The cartridge or round used in a gun. It contains a case, primer or priming compound, gun powder, and bullet. It comes in various calibers to fit different caliber guns.
Barrel The tube that the bullet is fired through. The muzzle is the end the bullet comes out and the breech is the opposite end.
Bore The hole in the center of the barrel.
Breech The opposite end of the barrel than the muzzle.
Bullet The projectile in a cartridge of ammunition. They are usually made of lead and can come with or without a metal jacket. Bullets come in various shapes including wadcutters, semiwadcutters, round nose, and hollow point.
Caliber The measurement across the bore of a gun. Usually it is the distance between the lands. American calibers are measured in hundredths of an inch, for example .45 caliber. European calibers are measured in millimeters, for example 9 mm.
Cartridge A round of ammunition which includes a case, primer, gun powder, andbullet.
Case The part of a cartridge that holds the other components. Often made if brass (and called brass), silver plated, or aluminum.
Chamber The part of the gun that the cartridge is placed into to be fired. In revolvers there are a number of chambers in the cylinder. In semi-automatic pistols there is one chamber at the breech end of the barrel.
Double tap Shooting two shots in rapid succession at the same target.
Dry fire Shooting an unloaded gun.
Ejection port The opening on a semi-automatic pistol, rifle, or shotgun slide through which empty cases are ejected when the gun is fired.
Firing pin The part of a gun that hits the primer causing the gun to fire.
Guide rod A metal rod in a semi-automatic action that assists in the operation of the slide.
Guide rod spring A spring that encloses the guide rod.
Hangfire When the firing pin hits a primer and it does not immediately ignite, but nignites a few seconds later. If there is a click (not a bang) when you pull the trigger, wait a few seconds with the muzzle pointed down range before you eject the cartridge, in case it is a hangfire.
Misfire The failure of a cartridge to fire after the firing pin hits the primer.
Primer The part of a cartridge that when it is hit by the firing pin, causes a spark that ignites the powder.
Recoil he kick or movement of a gun when it is fired.
Round A cartridge.
Safety A mechanical devise that prevents a gun from firing when the safety devise is in the safe position.
Semi-automatic A type of action that when the trigger is pulled it fires the cartridge in the chamber, ejects the empty case of the cartridge just fired, and loads the next cartridge into the chamber from the magazine. When the trigger is pulled only none shot is fired and a semi-automatic firearm requires one trigger pull for each shot fired.
Serial number A unique number stamped onto the frame of a gun by the manufacturer.
Sight alignment Positioning the gun so you see the front sight in the notch of the rear sight in a way that the top of the front sight is level with the top of the rear sight and it is equal distance between the two walls of the notch in the rear sight.
Sight picture Sight alignment when it is in the center of the target.Sights The mechanical parts on the top of the barrel that allow you to aim the gun. There is a front sight which is usually a post on the top of the muzzle, and a rear sight which has a notch in it. The rear sight may be an adjustable device non the breech end of the barrel or just a groove cut into the top of the breech end of the barrel.
Stance The position of a shooter''s body when shooting.
Trigger The device that is pressed to fire a gun.
Trigger guard A circular metal band that protects the trigger from accidental touching.
Trigger squeeze A smooth finger movement on the trigger.
