Glossary

Also referred to as “black powder,” this is the component of ammunition that is used as a propellant in firearms.

A series of shots that have been fired and have hit the target that is measured in group size by finding the furthest apart from each shot and measuring from the center of one hole to the center of the other hole.

Spiral machining in the bore of a barrel that give the bullet its rotation as it moves down and through the barrel, also known as rifling inside of the bore.

The front strap and the backstrap of a handgun or the exposed portion of a handgun's frame.

The area of a gun which is grasped in the web of the trigger hand which can be placed below the top exposed portion of the trigger while firing.

An external safety located on the backstrap, typically on a pistol, which must be fully depressed to release the trigger as a natural consequence of holding the firearm in a firing position.

The interchangeable grip surfaces that are on the part of the gun that you hold, whether for a better look to the firearm or feel to the hand when using it.

The grip of a gun refers to the handle of a handgun or side panels of the gun’s handle.

Ammunition that has no lead of any kind in any component of the ammo.

A unit of weight used for both bullets and gunpowder. The higher amount of grains, the heavier the bullet. Powder is also measured by grains, about 437.5 grains to an ounce.

This term is used as a unit of measurement that defines the weight of a bullet or the amount of powder in a single cartridge. One pound is equal to 7,000 grains.

This is a series of popular semi-automatic, short recoil-operated pistols designed and produced by the Austrian company, Glock Ges.m.b.H. Although this term is sometimes incorrectly used as slang for any handgun, it should only be used when referring to the Austrian branded pistols.

A type of rear aperture sight with a bigger opening and a thin rim that fades out when the shooter looks through it, hence the name ghost ring sight.

Gas Check; a copper-zinc cup used on the base of a lead bullet to protect the base from hot gasses. It keeps down distortion and seals the bore so there is less blow-by increasing velocity.

Similar to calibers of handguns and rifles, this term is used to reference the bore size of a shotgun.