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ACP
An acronym for Automatic Colt Pistol. This term is used along with the caliber to specify a certain cartridge. Ex: .380 ACP versus 9mm; both cartridges have the same diameter, but different lengths and cannot be used interchangeably.
Action
The internal moving parts of a gun that work together, allowing a gun to be loaded, fired, and unloaded.
Automatic revolver
A revolver that uses recoil energy to operate a mechanism and prepare the gun for the next shot.
Backstrap
The rear portion of the frame that lies between the grip panels.
Blowback
A design of semi-automatic pistol operation that uses recoil energy to eject the empty case and feed a new cartridge into the chamber. In the blowback system, the mass of the slide and the resistance of the recoil spring are the only things preventing the breech from opening before the bullet has exited the muzzle (if the breech is opened before the bullet exits, the gas pressure that forces the bullet out would be vented out the breech instead, creating a dangerous situation that can injure the shooter). This system is only sufficient for lower power cartridges such as the .380 ACP and below.
Blow forward
Analogous to blowback (above), but working in the opposite direction. This is an unusual system and is rarely encountered. Ex: Semmerling LM-4, Hino-Komuro, Schwarzlose.
Bolt
A device which closes the breech of the firearm, usually a separately moving piece within the action.
Bore
The inside of the barrel of a gun.
Breech block
A device which closes the breech of the firearm. This is similar to a bolt, but usually entails a part of the slide rather than a separately moving piece.
Browning Link
A method of locking the breech of a firearm developed by John M. Browning in the 1890's. It involves a swinging link which is connected to the frame of the gun at one end and the barrel at the other. When a round is fired, the slide and barrel are initially locked together and start to move backwards at the same time -- the swinging link allows this travel for a short period, enough for the bullet to exit the muzzle. After that point, the barrel is pulled downward slightly, disingaging the slide which opens the breech. The spent case is then ejected and a new cartridge is inserted into the chamber. Also referred to as the "Browning swinging link."
Browning Cam
An improved version of the Browning Link which utilizes a piece of metal beneath the barrel which has been shaped into a cam path, that rides atop a pin in the frame. It performs the same function as the Browning Link but is mechanically more reliable.
Caliber
The diameter of a projectile, or the distance between the "lands" in a bore of a firearm.
Cartridge
A single unit of ammunition that is composed of a projectile (bullet head), case, primer, and a powder charge.
Center-fire
A type of cartridge that has its primer located centrally in the base of the case.
Chamber
The part of a firearm in which a cartridge is held prior to firing.
Chambering
The act of cutting a chamber into a barrel. Also refers to the caliber of ammunition for which a firearm has been produced, or the act of loading a round of ammunition into the chamber.
Clip
A strip-like device used to hold rounds of ammunition.
Compensator
A device on the muzzle of a firearm that diverts some of the emerging gas upwards to counteract the upward muzzle jump of a gun when a cartridge is fired.
Crane
The hinged arm attached to the frame of a revolver on which the cylinder rotates.
Cylinder
The part on a revolver that holds the ammunition. The cylinder is rotated, and the next cartridge brought into position to be fired, by the action of pulling the trigger or cocking the hammer.
De-cocker
A mechanism on a firearm that is used to release the hammer from tension (its cocked position) without allowing it to strike the firing pin.
Delayed blowback
A system of blowback semi-automatic operation in which the breech opening is delayed (usually by utilizing the expanding gas from the powder burn) to allow the bullet to exit the muzzle first. This allows the use of a blowback design on a higher power cartridge such as the 9mm Luger. Ex: HK P7, Steyr GB.
Disconnector
The part of a trigger mechanism of a semi-automatic pistol which disconnects the trigger from the rest of the firing chain after each shot. The shooter must release pressure on the trigger and pull it again to fire again. This device prevents a pistol from firing continuously as long as the trigger is activated.
Double-action
A type of pistol action wherein squeezing the trigger performs two functions: cocking the hammer, and releasing the hammer to fire a cartridge.
Ejector
A device that throws the empty cases out of the breech and away from the gun after a round has been fired.
Extractor
A device that pulls the empty case out of the chamber once a round has been fired.
Fluted chamber
A chamber that has grooves cut into it which allow some of the expanding gas to leak backward and surround the case. This prevents the case wall from sticking firmly to the inside of the chamber which can cause extraction problems with some high pressure cartridges.
Grip safety
A safety device incorporated into the grip of a gun which prevents a cartridge from being fired unless the device is deactivated by a proper grip in the hand of an operator. It is intended to prevent accidental discharges in the event that a gun is dropped.
Grooves
The shallow, spiral cuts in a bore that together with the lands make up the rifling in the bore of a barrel.
Hammer
The part of a pistol that is held under tension, and when released by a trigger pull, falls onto the firing pin causing a round to be fired.
Hammerless
A design that uses a striker instead of a hammer to provide the percussive force necessary to crush a primer and fire a cartridge. Ex: Glocks, Smith & Wesson Sigma, Semmerling LM-4. Pseudo-hammerless guns present the appearance of a hammerless design, but actually contain a conventional hammer inside the body of the firearm. Ex: Ruger Mark II, Browning 1903, Duo.
Hangfire
A delay in the ignition of a primer after it has been struck by the firing pin.
Lands
The raised portions of a bore between the rifling grooves.
Machine pistol
A fully automatic pistol that continues to fire as long as the trigger is depressed. Strictly speaking, an "automatic pistol" is a machine pistol, but the term is used loosely to refer to semi-automatics.
Magazine
A spring loaded removable (usually) box that holds ammunition for a firearm.
Magazine safety
A safety device that prevents a gun from being fired unless a magazine is inserted.
Main spring
The spring that propels the hammer.
Misfire
A failure of a cartridge to fire after the primer has been struck by the firing pin.
Muzzle
The front end of the barrel from which the bullet exits.
Muzzle brake
A device that is similar to a compensator, but which diverts emerging gases rearward to lessen recoil. This is rarely seen on handguns.
Pistol
A gun which has a short barrel and can be fired with only one hand.
+P
Cartridges that are loaded to generate higher pressures than standard ammunition. Hence higher projectile velocities.
+P+
Cartridges that are loaded to generate higher pressures than +P ammunition.
Plinking
Informal shooting at a variety of targets.
Recoil spring
This is the spring that returns the slide forward after a cartridge has been fired. Also referred to as the "return spring."
Revolver
A pistol that has a rotating cylinder containing the ammunition. A pull on the trigger rotates the cylinder and brings another cartridge into alignment with the barrel and firing pin.
Rifling
Spiral lands and grooves cut into the barrel bore that cause a bullet to spin as it travels down the barrel. A spinning bullet is more stable in flight and therefore more accurate.
Rimfire
A cartridge that has its primer located inside the rim of the case.
Rimless
A type of cartridge with an extraction groove cut into the base of the case, allowing the base to be the same diameter as the head. This is a more feed reliable design for auto-loading guns.
Rimmed
A type of cartridge with a protruding extraction rim that is also used for correct positioning of ammunition. Rimmed cartridges are usually confied to revolvers, however there are some auto-loaders which use rimmed cartridges. Ex: Desert Eagle, Grizzly, Coonan.
Round
Another term for cartridge.
Sear
A lever or catch that is connected to the trigger and holds the hammer under tension.
Semi-automatic
A pistol that fires a single cartridge each time the trigger is pulled, and which automatically ejects a spent case and inserts a new cartridge into the chamber. Semi-automatics are also referred to as "auto-loaders," "automatic pistols" (a term which, strictly speaking, means a fully automatic, repeating pistol), or more loosely as just "pistols."
Silencer
A device attached to the muzzle end of the barrel which detains emerging gases, preventing the usual noise associated with gunfire. Also commonly referred to as a suppressor.
Single-action
A type of pistol in which a trigger pull only performs one function -- releasing the hammer. This is opposed to a double-action trigger which can cock and release the hammer with a single pull.
Sights
Mechanical, optical, or electronic devices that are used for aiming a gun.
Squib load
A cartridge which develops less than normal pressure. This can sometimes result in a bullet being lodged in the barrel.
Striker
A large firing pin which is driven by a spring to acquire sufficient momentum to crush a primer and thereby fire a cartridge.
Wadcutter
A design of bullet head with no tapering of the tip. Designed to punch large, clean holes in paper targets for competitive shooting sports.
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