Glossary

The first shot from a rifle that has been cleaned, and not fired recently. This first shot is referred to as being a shot from a cold, clean bore.

The act of manually drawing back the hammer of a gun against its spring. This action arms the hammer to release when the trigger is pulled. Some firearms with internal hammers are cocked automatically when the shooter pulls the trigger.

Using the peep sights even when an optic sight is mounted to the firearm. Sometimes called 'see-through' sights.

In a closed bolt firing system, after the bolt is forced backwards by firing the gun, it ejects the empty casing and immediately returns forward, pushing a new round into the chamber.

Often confused with a magazine, a clip holds cartridges or rounds together and is used to either reload magazines (stripper clip) or is inserted into the firearm directly (en-bloc clip).

Units of adjustment used when tuning the sights of a gun. Mainly when sighting in a scope.

Unloading a firearm and double checking to make sure that it is unloaded or 'clear.'

Once made from clay disks that are thrown by way of a launcher as a flying target for shotgun related shooting sports, clay pigeons are now primarily made from other materials.

This is when the diameter at the end of a shotgun barrel is reduced to alter the spread of a shot as it leaves the gun.

A speed loading device that holds multiple cartridges together in a single unit for easier loading of a firearm's magazine.

The term used to describe the round a gun is designed to fire – “This rifle is available in the following chamberings…, i.e. .30-06 Springfield, .223 Remington, etc.”

This refers to the portion of the barrel where the cartridge is seated before firing the gun. Rifles and pistols both have single chambers within the barrel. Revolvers have multiple chambers.

A complete cartridge with the primer located in the center of the base of its case.

This is the container portion of a cartridge or round. It holds the gunpowder, projectile, and a primer in the casing unit. For rifles and handguns, casings are usually metal. Plastic casings or “shells” are made for shotguns.

The empty brass casing or container that holds the primer, powder and bullet. For shotguns, the case is usually plastic with a brass 'head.'