Glossary of firearms terminology

The following are terms related to firearms and ammunition topics.

A

*accurize, accurizing: The process of altering a stock firearm to improve its accuracy.

B

*back bore, backbored barrel: A shotgun barrel whose internal diameter is greater than nominal for the gauge, but less than the SAAMI maximum. Done in an attempt to reduce felt recoil, improve patterning, or change the balance of the shotgun.

C

*Caliber/Calibre: 1. In small arms, the internal diameter of a firearm's barrel or a cartridge's bullet, usually expressed in millimeters or hundredths of an inch; in measuring rifled barrels this may be measured across the lands (such as ".303 British" or grooves, such as ".308 Winchester"). 2. A specific cartridge for which a firemarm is chambered, such as ".44 Magnum". 3. In artillery, the length of the barrel expressed in terms of the internal diameter; for example, a 3 inch, 30 caliber gun would have a barrel 3 inches in internal diameter and 90 (30 times 3) inches in length.

*Carbine: 1. A shortened version of a service rifle, often chambered in a less potent cartridge. The M4 Carbine is an example which uses the same cartridge but a shorter barrel, whereas the M1 Carbine is an example using a different cartridge. 2. A shortened version of the infantryman's musket or rifle suited for use by cavalry.

D

*damascus barrel: An obsolete method of manufacturing a firearm barrel made by twisting strips of metal around a mandrel and forge welding it into shape. See also Damascus steel.

E

F

*fouling shot: A shot fired through a clean bore, intended to leave some residue of firing and prepare the bore for more consistent performance in subsequent shots. The first shot through a clean bore will behave differently than subsequent shots through a bore with traces of powder residue, resulting in a different point of impact. Also, the Fouling Shot Journal, a publication of the Cast Bullet Association [cite web |url=http://www.castbulletassoc.org/foulingshotindex.shtml |title=Fouling Shot Index |accessdate=2007-10-01]

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References

*cite web |url=http://saami.org/Glossary/index.cfm |title=SAAMI glossary |accessdate=2007-09-20
*cite web |url=http://www.midwayusa.com/guntecdictionary.exe/home |title=GunTec Dictionary of Shooting, Reloading, Gunsmithing, Hunting & Outdoor Terms |accessdate=2007-10-01