Glossary

In some semi-automatic pistols and shotguns, for instance, in which the barrel and breechblock or bolt are locked together during recoil, after which the barrel returns forward, while the breechblock is held back. After the barrel has fully returned, the bolt is released and forced closed by its recoil spring, chambering a fresh round.

A trigger with an extended length of pull.

A firearm with a long, extended barrel designed to be fired with two hands while it is in contact with the shoulder of the shooter. Includes rifles and shotguns.

Like high kneeling, one or both of the shooter's knees are touching the ground, but in this case, the shooter remains as low as possible.

A safety device on a gun designed to alert the operator in a visual way that a round is loaded in the chamber.

Any firearm that has a cartridge or round of ammunition in its chamber ready to fire. Rule number one of the 'Four Rules' is to treat every firearm like it is loaded and could potentially fire the round.

A weak-handed or floppy, limp-wristed grip while shooting.

Lever action rifles use a lever to load and unload cartridges and empty cases by pulling the lever down and away from the stock of the rifle.

Many states offer a license to carry a handgun.

With this firearm action, the shooter uses a manually cycled lever to extract a spent casing and load a fresh cartridge into the chamber. In other words, it is not a semi-automatic action.

(noun) The metal from which bullets are sometimes made. Other metals may be steel, copper, tungsten or other materials.

Lead round nose.

(verb) The process of aiming at a spot just in front of a moving target, such as a bird or a clay pigeon, so that the target itself moves into the line of fire just as the trigger is pulled.

An accessory for handguns that contains a pressure-activated laser pointer which enables the shooter to quickly see where the firearm is aimed.

A technical term for the raised portions of the bore left between the grooves of the rifling inside the bore of a firearm barrel that has been machined.