Glossary

Another phrase for the aperture sights on a firearm.

Usually a shotgun term meant to describe the group or grouping of the pellets from a shotgun shell after striking the target.

A built in safeguard, internal or external, which functions apart from the shooter's control and should only be relied on in all accordance with the Four Rules of safe gun use.

When the reticle in a riflescope appears to be randomly moving when placed on the target, it is said to be in parallax. Most riflescope sights have parallax adjustments to minimize this effect.

Two shots that are fired very quickly.

Over pressure ammo or +P ammunition is generally handgun ammunition that has been loaded to a higher internal pressure than is standard for ammunition of its caliber. Since not all firearms are designed to handle the increased pressure, it is strongly recommended that a gun owner consult their owner's manual or gun manufacturer before using +P ammunition.

A semi-automatic firearm is said to be 'out of battery' when the slide does not return all the way forward again after the gun has fired due to a misfeed or a dirty gun.

A double barrel shotgun configuration where the line of sight (top) barrel is located above the bottom barrel

The metal sights on a gun that need to be lined up to shoot. Usually the front sight has to be 'buried' in the back sight to line up the target.

A revolver frame that has no top strap over the cylinder.

This is a very technical term, but a bullet ogive is defined as the 'curve of a bullet's forward section' and can be expressed in terms of a tangent ogive or secant ogive.

Open carry, is a term used to describe visibly carrying a firearm in an unconcealed manner in public places.  It is very important that you understand your state and local laws regarding how you may lawfully carry a visible, unconcealed weapon and where you may carry the weapon.

Shooting while standing and without bracing yourself against anything.

National Rifle Association

National Shooting Sports Foundation – preserves hunting and shooting sports.