Firearms Dictionary Gun Glossary Collectors Guns Encyclopedia Terms Definitions Illustrated Sporting Shotgun Rifle Pistol Shooting Terminology Lexicon Ammunition Ballistics Hunting

by Morris L. Hallowell IV

Click on the Photo or other green-highlighted link for diagrams, photographs, charts, cross-references and further explanations.

If you find an error, or if you would like to see another term added to this glossary, please email morris@hallowellco.com

If you find this glossary useful, Bookmark it. Contents © 1996 - 2018 Hallowell & Co., Inc.

A

Acanthus Scroll - An engraving design patterned after any of a variety of plants of the genus Acanthus, native to the Mediterranean, with large, segmented, thistle-like leaves. Photo

Accuracy - The inherent ability of a firearm to shoot consistently to the same point of impact. Sight adjustment and marksmanship are separate issues.

ACP - Automatic Colt Pistol. Colt's proprietary designation for a type of rimless cartridge design for reliable feeding from the magazine in a semi-automatic handgun. Example: .45 ACP. Photo

Action - The receiver of a gun containing the breech-locking and firing mechanism. The serially-numbered, legal soul of a firearm. Major types are: Boxlock, Sidelock, Blitz, Falling Block and Bolt.

ADL, BDL - Suffix designations used by Remington to signify grades of various models of bolt action rifles. The ADL version is generally the basic model. The BDL version generally adds a hinged floorplate, slightly better wood, checkering, contrasting forend tip and pistol grip cap. ADL and BDL stand for A Grade DeLuxe and B Grade DeLuxe. Photo

AE or Automatic Ejectors - fittings inset into the breech end of barrels of a break-open gun that kick out fired shells, while only raising unfired shells enough to be removed by hand. Photo

Alex Henry Forend - A forend with a circumferential groove at the tip, typical of this fine Scottish maker, (for tying a rifle into a vehicle-mounted rack?). Adopted by the traditionalist Bill Ruger for his single shot Model No. 1. Photo

Alkanet Root - Alkanna tinctoria or Anchusa officinalis, related plants of the Boraginaceae family, whose root, when steeped in a solution of turpentine and/or linseed oil makes a reddish stain favored by the London gun trade to impart an underlying reddish hue to fine gun stocks. Dyers' Bugloss. Photo

Ambidextrous Safety - A safety catch that can be operated by either hand. Of benefit to left-handed shooters and in the event of an injury to the right hand. Photo

Ampersand "&" - A mark used by Colt to indicate a revolver having been returned to the factory for repair or refinishing. Photo

ANIB - As new in original box. Perhaps fired, but in virtually new condition.

Annealing - Heating [steel] to above its austenitic temperature (around 1800 °F depending on the alloy; to incandescent orange; just no longer magnetic) and then letting it cool as slowly as possible in order to relax inner stresses and to make it as soft as possible for ease of machining, filing, engraving, etc.

Annulus - A tiny circular recess at the base of a cartridge case surrounding the primer pocket. Recoil from fired cartridges invariably impress a discernable ring on the breech or bolt face of a firearm, providing some evidence of the amount of use it has seen. Photo

Anson & Deeley Action - A type of boxlock action design for a break-open gun, patented in 1875, the essence of simplicity utilizing only two springs and three moving parts (per barrel). One of the most successful action designs ever, and still produced to this day by innumerable makers in many countries. Photo

Anson Forend Release - A catch for securing the forend to the barrels of a break-open gun, operated, via a longitudinal rod, by a pushbutton exposed at the very tip of the forend. Typically seen on Purdey and Boss guns. Photo

Antique Firearm - Defined according to Section 921 (a) (16), Title 18, U.S.C. as:

A. any firearm (including any firearm with matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system) manufactured in or before 1898; and

B. any replica of any firearm described in subparagraph (A) if such replica (i) is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition, or (ii) uses rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition which is no longer manufactured in the United States and which is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade.

Anvil - A small metal block, inside a Boxer primer, against which the blow of the firing pin causes the priming compound to be pinched sharply---and thus detonated. In the Berdan system, the anvil is built into the cartridge case's primer pocket. Photo

Aperture Sight - See Peep Sight

APUN - Action Patent Use Number. Under patent law during the period of greatest creativity in the British firearms trade (circa 1860 - 1910) gunmakers typically numbered each patented component with its own number of use of the patent (not the number of the patent itself as registered with the patent office as in the USA)---irrespective of the serial number of the firearm. Photo

Arcaded Fences- Fences on a side-by-side gun decorated with a series of engraved crescents. A particular signature of James Woodward guns. Photo

Arrowheads - A signature stock-carving detail of Robert G Owen, renown English-born American stockmaker, active 1920s - 1950s. Photo

Articulated Front Trigger - A spring-loaded hinged front trigger, built to cushion its impact on one's trigger finger as the gun recoils when the rear trigger is pulled. Photo

Assault Weapon - A vague, emotional term, used to instill fear into the ignorant, by persons with political agenda. Any weapon used in an attack: 18th century boarding pikes, Civil War Springfield muskets, World War II Garands, Vietnam M-16s are all assault weapons.

Autoloading [Action] - A type of firearm which, utilizing some of the recoil or some of the expanding-gas energy from the firing cartridge, cycles the action to eject the spent shell, to chamber a fresh one from a magazine, and to cock the mainspring in preparation for firing with a manual pull of the trigger. Semi-Automatic. Photo

Automatic [Action] - A type of firearm which, utilizing some of the recoil or some of the expanding-gas energy from the firing cartridge, cycles the action to eject the spent shell, to chamber a fresh one from a magazine, to cock the mainspring and to fire again. Such a firearm will fire continuously as long as the trigger is held back, until the magazine is empty. A machine gun. A firearm thus activated, but which shoots only one bullet with each separate pull of the trigger, while often erroneously referred to as "automatic" is more properly termed Semi-Automatic. Photo

Automatic Safety - A safety catch on a break-open gun that resets to the "safe" position each time the gun is opened, usually via a limb attached to the toplever spindle.

B

%blue - Bluing is a thin surface coloring, induced either by heat or by polishing and the repeated application of an acid solution to form a type of blue-black rust. Bluing reduces the reflectivity of polished steel parts and helps inhibit further rust. The percentage of original blue finish remaining is a quick indicator of the condition of a gun. In our condition descriptions, 98%blue means raw steel is showing through 2% of the overall blued surface. We try to describe the percentage of finish neither optimistically nor conservatively but exactly as it is.

B.Blind é e - A Belgian proofmark indicating a rifled barrel suitable for use with jacketed bullets; Balle Blind é e being French for Jacketed Ball, or bullet. [It is not a maker's name.] Photo

Back Action - A sidelock action where the mainspring is mounted rearward towards the butt. The back action is often used in double rifles where the need for strength requires as little steel as possible be removed from the bar of the action. Photo

Backboring - Enlarging the internal diameter of a shotgun barrel beyond its proper standard (.729" in 12 gauge) by reaming, in an effort to reduce the recoil or to improve the shot pattern. Backboring removes steel and therefore strength from the barrels---possibly making them unsafe. While there is no proof law in the USA, in England, to ream out the bore of a shotgun by more than 8 thousandths of an inch would render it out of proof and illegal to sell without passing re-proof.

Backstrap - Rear, metal, part of a handgun---which together with the frontstrap, provides a mounting frame for the grips. Photo

Baker Ejectors - A type of mechanism, built into the forend of a break-open firearm, utilizing a direct-acting coil spring to kick out a spent shell while only raising an unfired shell far enough to remove manually. Photo

Balance - The handling characteristic of a break-open gun. Traditionally, the fulcrum of balance should be right at the hingepin. If the balance point is ahead of the hingepin the gun would be said to be barrel-heavy with more forward inertia; slower to swing and slower to stop. If the balance point is behind the hingepin the gun would be said to be stock-heavy with less forward inertia; whippier; faster to swing and faster to stop. Photo

Ball - A spherical projectile, normally of lead, as discharged from a firearm---as opposed to a cylindroid bullet. Photo

Ball Screw - See Worm

Ball & Shot Gun - A firearm, built to be able to shoot either a single projectile or a load of shot pellets; generally built heavier than their shotgun counterparts and fitted with rudimentary rifle sights; often either with robust rifling just at the muzzle or with Lancaster Oval Boring. See Paradox

Ballistics - The study of the action of propellant powders upon projectiles, their speeds, energies and trajectories. Ballistics can be categorized into three phases: Interior (the projectile's behavior inside the bore), Exterior (the projectile's behavior in flight), and Terminal (the projectile's behavior upon contact with the target).

Banknote Engraving - See Bulino

Bar - The portion of a break-open gun's action extending forward from the bottom of the standing breech, supporting the hingepin. In modern side-by-side guns, it is usually machined to accept the cocking limbs and the main locking bolts as well. Photo

Bar Action - A sidelock action where the mainspring is mounted forward into the bar of the action. Often more graceful in appearance than the back action and theoretically allowing faster lock times. Photo

Bar-In-Wood - A style of gun configuration of breech-loading guns, aesthetically vestigial to muzzle loaders, where the hinge-pin and the knuckle of the action is housed as far as possible in wood. Photo

Barrel - An essential component of a firearm; a tube, sealed at one end (the breech) in which a propellant is ignited, whose rapidly expanding gasses create powerful pressure to force a single or multiple projectiles through its bore, out the open end (the muzzle) and down range towards a target. Photo

Barrel Band - A steel band encircling the barrel and forestock of a rifle or musket, helping to secure the barrel to the stock. Almost universal on US military firearms from the Revolution through World War II. Inherent to the definition of Carbine, in Winchester terminology. Photo

Barrel Band Front Sight; Barrel Band Swivel Base - A front sight base completely encircling a rifle barrel at the muzzle; a loop completely encircling the barrel of a rifle into which a provision for a sling swivel is integrally machined. Both details are in the interest of a more positive and reliable joint than a simple soldered attachment. Photo

Barrel Channel - The concave groove in the forend of a rifle stock into which the barrel is fitted. Photo

Barrel Length - The length of a barrel as measured from the muzzle to the standing breech in a break-open gun or to the bolt face in a closed bolt-action rifle, including the chamber. A revolver barrel measurement, by convention, does not include the cylinder, only the barrel itself.

Barrel Shroud - A covering attached to a barrel designed to protect the shooter from burns when the barrel inside becomes too hot to touch as a result of heavy shooting. Photo

Barrel Wall Thickness - The thickness of the walls of a shotgun barrel tube.

It is reasonable to assume that guns built by responsible manufacturers are safe to shoot, when new, with the loads for which they were intended. As the decades go by, however, as barrels are drawfiled or buffed for rebluing and as occasional pits are honed out of the bores, steel is gradually removed from the barrels. The barrel walls, already built thin for lightness, become thinner still. At some point they become too thin for safety. It is important to know the minimum barrel wall thickness of an old, well-used shotgun before shooting it. While no substitute for an actual proof test, a useful rule of thumb states that the minimum barrel wall thickness as measured with a proper Barrel Wall Thickness Gauge should be .020" in a 12 gauge gun.

bbls - abbreviation for Barrels

Battery - A group of firearms selected, as taken together, to be able to accomplish a broad variety of hunting or shooting situations. A 3-gun battery for Africa might consist of a .243 bolt rifle, a .338 Win. Mag. bolt rifle and a .470 Nitro Express double rifle. One could argue ad nauseum the relative merits of various combinations.

[In] Battery - A condition of a firearm where it is loaded, with the action closed, cocked and (with the possible exception of an engaged safety catch) ready to fire.

Bayonet - A knife, optionally mountable to the muzzle-end of a rifle or musket to add the function of a spear. For close-range combat and as a last resort when the ammunition is exhausted. Photo

BDL, ADL - Suffix designations used by Remington to signify grades of various models of bolt action rifles. The ADL version is generally the basic model. The BDL version generally adds a hinged floorplate, slightly better wood, checkering, contrasting forend tip and pistol grip cap. ADL and BDL stand for A Grade DeLuxe and B Grade DeLuxe. Photo

Beaded cheekpiece - A raised-carved cheek rest on the side of a buttstock, specifically with the extra detail of a shadow line around its perimeter where it blends into the buttstock proper. Photo

Beaded Triggerguard - A thickened, rolled edge on the side of a triggerguard bow. This extra detail allows the triggerguard to be made light, thin and graceful while at the same time thick enough to avoid finger injury when the gun recoils---theoretically possible with a sharp-edged triggerguard. Photo

Beavertail Forend - A broad forend, wrapping partially around the barrel(s) to give a more positive grip and to better protect the hand from hot barrels than does a splinter forend. Photo

Beach Combination Sight - A type of front sight, hinged, to show either an ordinary bead or a very fine bead necessarily encircled by a protective ring. Photo

Beesley Action - An inherently assisted-opening action, designed by Frederick Beesley in 1880, the patent sold to Purdey who have used it for every side-by-side sidelock firearm they have built since that year. Photo

Benchrest - (1) A stout table from which to fire a rifle, removing as much human error as possible in the interest of testing rifles, loads and/or adjusting sights. (2) Both a type of rifle and the competition in which it is used. A heavy, invariably single shot rifle, made for stationary target shooting. The rifle often having a flat underside for unaided stability on the bench. An exercise for ultimate accuracy of rifle and load with the variables of human marksmanship purged from the formula. Photo

Belt - A circumferential ridgeline around the base of a cartridge case, typically found on some high powered or "magnum" rifle cartridges to aid in the establishment of proper headspace. Photo

Belt Pistol - A general term referring to an antique handgun with a prominent clip on the side for easy attachment to a belt, sash or trouser. Photo

Bend - British term for Drop.

Bent - (British) A notch in a hammer or firing-pin housing. The sear rests in this notch when the firearm is cocked. When the trigger is pulled, the sear moves out of the bent, allowing the firing-pin to fall under the tension of the mainspring and fire the gun. Photo

Berdan - Normally a cartridge case having a primer pocket with two, off-center touchholes and an integral anvil built into the center. Commonly used in Europe. Theoretically provides more reliable ignition than Boxer primers by better distribution of the flash. Berdan primers must be pierced from the outside and pried out to remove for reloading. Photo

Best Gun - A pretentious English term for a gun that must have several specific details. To qualify for the title, it must have a Sidelock action with Intercepting Sears, have Chopper Lump Barrels, be Stocked to the Fences and have its lumps concealed by its floorplate. While almost any respectable gunmaker can accomplish these requirements, the implication, of course, is that it is also built to the highest standard of quality.

Bifurcated Lumps - A locking system for over & under guns whereby the barrels are mounted to the receiver via trunnions on either side of the lower barrel and where a pair of bolts move forward into recesses on either side of the barrel-set when the gun is closed. This system makes it possible to build an over & under gun with a sleeker, lower profile than possible when mounting the lumps, hook, and locking bites to the underside of the bottom barrel. Boss and Woodward over&under guns are built with bifurcated lumps. Browning and Merkel over&under guns are built with traditional lumps under the bottom barrel. Photo

Big Five - Traditionally, the panoply of dangerous game to be accomplished by a determined, and necessarily wealthy hunter---consisting of elephant, rhinocerous, cape buffalo, lion and leopard.

Bipod - A two-legged stand, usually hinged and attached to the forend of a rifle, for use as a rest in the interest of increased stability in aiming. Photo

Bisley - Village in Surry, England, at which, in 1890, the national location for firearms competition was established, hosting the Olympic Games in 1908. The Colt Bisley Target revolver is named in its honor.

Bissell Rising Bite - A lockup design for break-open guns, usually serving as a third fastener to strengthen the lockup of a gun with double Purdey underbolts. Designed by J Rigby and T Bissell, patent number 1141 of 1879. A loop-shaped rearward extension of the rib, drops into a mating female recess in the top of the standing breech, surrounds a fixed central buttress and is secured by a rising post at the rear. Often seen on Rigby double rifles of the period circa 1880 - 1920; after which even Rigby discontinued it in favor of the Doll's Head, because it had been exceedingly expensive to build. A marvelous feat of gunmaking. Photo

Bite - A notch cut into a barrel's lump(s) into which a bolt slides to lock the barrels in battery. Photo

Black Powder- The first successful propellant harnessed for use in firearms. Composed, generally of 3 parts potassium nitrate, 2 parts powdered charcoal and 1 part sulphur. Black powder explodes---expending its energy in an instant of time, produces volumes of vision-impairing smoke, its residue promotes rust in gun bores and it is unpredictably dangerous to handle. Black powder was replaced in the marketplace by nitro-glycerin-based powders around the turn of the last century because they burned more slowly (maintaining pressure on the projectile longer during its travel through the bore, allowing higher velocities), did not blind shooters with the smoke, did not promote rust in bores and was much safer to store and to handle. For these reasons, it is dangerous to shoot modern nitro powders in vintage guns (such as those with barrels of damascus steel) originally designed and contoured for the pressure curve of Black Powder.

Blacking - British for Bluing; see below.

BLE - Acronym for Boxlock Ejector

Blind Magazine - A rifle magazine without a floorplate. Must be loaded from the top only. While less convenient to unload, it allows for slightly cleaner lines and slightly lighter weight. Photo

Blitz Action - A design where the moving parts of a break-open gun's action are mounted to the trigger plate. Similar in construction to a Dickson Round Action. Often seen on German and Austrian guns. Identified externally by a broader-than-usual trigger plate. Photo

Blowback - A type of action in an autoloading firearm where the breech is not locked. Rather, the recoil of the firing cartridge overcomes the inertia of a spring-loaded breechblock, forcing it back to cycle the action. A simple design, but limited to relatively low powered firearms---typically pistols of calibre .380ACP or less---or an impractically heavy breechblock would be required.

Bluing - A controlled chemical rust process that produces a very dark, almost black, blue finish to the steel parts of a firearm which enhances the appearance and provides some protection from unwanted rust. Sometimes it can have a slight brownish undertone. The percentage of blue finish remaining on a gun can be a proxy for describing its condition. Photo

Blunderbuss - A short firearm with a barrel of expanding diameter and a bell-shaped muzzle. Enjoyed some popularity in the 18th century. It was supposed to fire a charge of shot with a widely dispersed pattern, suitable for stagecoach defense or for boarding an enemy ship. But, the theory didn't work; just because the barrel walls fell away from the body of discharging shot did not draw the shot pattern wider. Photo

Boat Tail - A type of bullet, tapered at the rear in order to decrease turbulence in flight and increase accuracy. More prevalent in target rather than hunting bullets. Photo

Bockb ü chsflinte - German term for an over & under combination gun with one shotgun barrel over one rifle barrel. Photo

Bolstered Frame - A firearms action, most commonly on a heavily recoiling break-open weapon, in which the action forging has been enlarged with extra steel at its weakest point---the line extending downwards from the standing breech, at the beginning of the watertable. Also called a reinforced frame. Photo

Bolt - A cylindrical shaft, controlled by an attached lever, which rotates a partial revolution engaging locking lugs in complementary recesses, contains an internal spring-loaded firing pin, and becomes the breech-block of a bolt-action firearm. Photo

Bolt Action - An action type, most frequently used on rifles, perfected by Peter Paul Mauser in 1898, whereby a cylindrical shaft, controlled by an attached lever, manually feeds a cartridge into the chamber, rotates a partial revolution engaging locking lugs in complementary recesses in the front receiver ring, allows firing by the fall of an internal spring-loaded pin, opening, extraction, re-cocking and ejection with the same lever in preparation for the next shot. Photo

Bolt Stop - A displaceable flange, usually towards the rear of a bolt action firearm which in normal position, either detented or under spring tension, prevents the bolt from falling completely out the rear when cycling the action. It is readily moved aside by the bolt stop release to allow removal of the bolt for cleaning or disassembly. Photo

Bolted Safety - A secondary catch on the safety, often seen on big-bore double rifles, designed to prevent its inadvertent disengagement by a careless gunbearer. Photo

Bore (1) - The inside surface of a firearm's barrel.

Bore ( 2) - British term for Gauge. See Calibre, Gauge, Table

Bore Sight (v) - A process by which sights are adjusted to converge on the same line as the bore. Accomplished by placing a rifle in a rest, sighting down the open bore on a prominent distant point at an appropriate range, then aligning the sights to superimpose on the same point. Alternatively, may be accomplished with a device known as a collimator. The process should conserve ammunition when sighting-in a rifle by approaching proper sight adjustment before actually firing the rifle with live ammunition. Photo

Bottleneck - A type of cartridge with a pronounced shoulder between the body of the case and the mouth---where the bullet diameter is noticeably less than the case diameter, allowing a larger powder capacity than would otherwise be possible in an altogether more cylindrical case, and to provide a datum point to establish correct headspace. Photo

Boxer - A cartridge case having a primer pocket with one central touchhole at the center bottom. A tiny anvil is built into the primer to provide a surface against which the detonating compound may be sharply pinched by the action of the firing pin. Most commonly used in the USA today. It is simple to remove the spent Boxer primer for re-loading the shell casing with a single, central, pin-shaped decapping punch. Photo

Boxlock - A type of action (receiver) for a break-open gun where the lockwork is contained within a box-shaped housing. (see also: Sidelock). A boxlock is superior to a sidelock because although more metal needs to be removed from the action body, less wood needs be removed from the head of the stock---and wood is generally more vulnerable than metal. The Anson & Deeley boxlock, patented in 1875, the simplest, most reliable and most successful action design, is identified by two pins spanning the width of the action, one at the bottom rear and one slightly forward and higher, upon which the sears and hammers, respectively, rotate. Photo See also: Sidelock

BPE - Black Powder Express. A cartridge "as powerful as an express train."

Brass - An alloy of approximately 2 parts copper and 1 part zinc, which because of its combination of strength and ductility, is commonly used for making cartridge cases, which fit easily into the chamber of a firearm and then when discharged, expand to seal the breech. Also, slang for cartridge cases.

Break-Action - A configuration of breech-loading firearm where upon the release of some kind of latch, the barrel(s), revolving about a hingepin, drop down some 45 degrees, exposing the breech for loading/unloading. Photo

Breech - The end of a barrel where the powder charge is ignited; the end closest to the shooter. Photo

Breechloader - A firearm that is loaded from the breech end of the barrel, usually with a cartridge (as opposed to a muzzle-loader). Photo

Breech Face - The flat, normally-vertically-oriented steel wall through which the firing pin passes and which supports the base of a cartridge when it is fired. Photo

Breechblock - A moveable block of steel, sliding in a mortised raceway, or rotating on a hingepin, that seals the breech of a cartridge firearm and through which the firing pin passes to detonate the primer. Photo

Bridle - A small secondary plate, mounted behind and parallel to a sidelock gun's lockplate which supports the inside ends of the pins about which the moving parts rotate. Photo

Broadway Rib - Browning term for a particularly wide rib for their over & under target guns. Photo

Browning - An oxidation process applied to the surface of raw steel, undertaken with acids, to produce a finish that resists further rusting, providing as you might expect a brownish color, allowing the pattern of damascus barrels to show through. Popular in the 19th century and with people today desirous of evoking that time. Photo See also Bluing.

Browning, John Moses - The world's greatest firearms inventor. Born in Ogden, Utah. While he made some guns himself, normally, he licensed his designs to prominent manufacturers such as Colt, Fabrique National and Winchester. While Samuel Colt and Paul Mauser achieved fame basically as a result of one idea, John M. Browning produced dozens of the most successful firearms designs, including the Winchester 1885, 1886, 1892, 1894 and 1895 rifles; The Colt 1903, 1908, 1911 and Woodsman pistols; the Browning Auto-5 and Superposed shotguns; as well as the BAR, 1917 and M2 .50 calibre machine guns. Photo

BT or Beavertail Forend - A broad forend, wrapping partially around the barrel(s) to give a more positive grip and to better protect the hand from hot barrels than does a splinter forend. Photo

Buckhorn Sight - A rear barrel iron sight, normally used on rifles, where the open-topped viewport is formed by a pair of symmetrical crescents. Rocky Mountain sight. Photo

Bulino Engraving - Shallow, pictorial engraving designs, often of photographic quality, executed directly by hand onto the steel with a fine-pointed scribe called a burin, without the use of a chasing hammer. Also called banknote engraving. Often seen on high-grade, contemporary Italian shotguns. Photo

Bull Barrel - A general term for a large-diameter, heavy, rifle barrel, used for target or varmint shooting. Photo

Bullet - A single cylindroid projectile fired from a rifle or handgun; either loaded from the muzzle or loaded into a cartridge which in turn is loaded into the breech of a firearm. A ball is not a bullet. Photo

Bullet Mold - A hand tool, in the general shape of a pair of pliers, with a two-part cavity of specific dimension at the working end, into which is poured molten lead in order to cast a bullet for a specific firearm. Normally affixed with a sprue-cutter to trim the excess lead from the bullet. Photo

Bullet Starter - A tool fitted with a concentric plunger used for starting a bullet on a balanced path into the bore of a rifle from the muzzle. Often used in conjunction with a false muzzle built for the specific rifle. Photo

Burgess Front Sight - An excellent easily retractable front sight blade, designed and built by genius gunsmith Tom Burgess. Photo

Burgess Mounts - An excellent quick-detachable scope mounting system, designed and built by gunsmith Tom Burgess. Operated by turning locking levers a detented 90 degrees. Photo

Burgess Folding Peep Sight - An excellent easily retractable rear aperture sight, built into the rear receiver bridge of a bolt action rifle, which when in the down position does not interfere with scope mounting. Designed and built by genius gunsmith Tom Burgess. Photo

Burnish (v) - To smooth a (steel) surface to a mirror finish by firmly rubbing with a hard, polished steel tool, compressing unevenness in the surface. Photo

Bushed Firing Pins - Circular steel fittings, about 1/2 inch in diameter, screwed into the breech face of a gun and through which the firing pins pass. Firing pin bushings allow the convenient replacement of broken firing pins. They also allow the renewal of an older gun where, over the decades, leakage of high-pressure gas from corrosive primers has eroded the breech face around the firing pins. In British: Disk-set strikers. Photo

Butt (1) - The end of a gun stock; the part that rests on the shoulder when the gun is mounted. Photo

Butt (2) - A fixed-position shooting station for British-style driven bird shooting, often rock-lined and partially underground, providing some effect of a blind for the shooter (the Gun) and his loader. Photo

Buttplate - A plate made of some material harder than the wood of the buttstock, fitted to the end of same to protect it. It may be made of hardrubber, horn, plastic or steel. It may be shaped relatively flat like a Winchester "Shotgun" butt on a rifle, like a crescent, or with all manner of protruding appendages in the interest of achieving consistency of mounting position as in a Swiss or scheutzen buttplate. It may be finished smooth, checkered, striated or engraved. Photo

C

C-Fastener - Westley Richards' proprietary toplever-actuated bolting system for break-open guns and rifles, whereby the toplever, when pushed to the right, cams against a facet on the top of the action body and withdraws the locking bolts rearward from their respective bites. Photo

C-Ring - An internal web machined in the front receiver ring of a Mauser Model 98 and of all the proper copies of this famous action. Not only does this internal ring provide additional strength to the receiver at its most stress-bearing point, this essential part of the design provides a stop for the barrel when screwed into the receiver, allowing positive control of headspace. Because there is a cut-out for the bolt's claw extractor, it appears in the form of a "C" when viewed from the loading ramp. Being difficult to machine, lesser actions' front receiver rings are simply bored straight through. Photo

Cal. or Calibre - System of measurement for the internal bore diameter of a rifled-barreled firearm (rifle or pistol) based on the decimal part of an inch. For example, .25 calibre and .250 calibre both signify a bore size of 1/4 inch. American calibre designations refer to the distance from land to land, not groove to groove. Ammunition companies' marketing departments occasionally take liberties with exact measurements. For example, a .270 Winchester bullet actually measures .277 inch in diameter.

Call Bead - A flat gold or brass disc, mounted into the face of a front sight, seen as a crisp circle. Photo

Camp Perry - National Guard facility near Port Clinton, Ohio containing the largest rifle range in the world. Site, since 1912 of the NRA's national rifle matches. Also, in its honor, the name of a model of Colt .22LR calibre single shot target pistol. Photo

Cannelure - A crimped or knurled groove, rolled onto a bullet or the neck of a cartridge case, to help retain a bullet in its case, and/or to provide a space for bullet lubricant. Photo

Cant (v) - To tilt a gun to one side or the other, complicating sighting considerably. Can cause material loss of accuracy, particularly with a rifle at longer ranges. Some better long range target rifles are equipped with Spirit Level sights to help the marksman control canting.

Cap - A percussion cap; a separate primer; fit over the tip of the nipple of a muzzle-loading percussion-actioned firearm. Photo

Cape Gun - A two-barreled, side-by-side, shoulder-fired gun having one smoothbore shotgun barrel and one rifled barrel. Photo

Capper / De-Capper - A hand tool used in the field for inserting live and removing spent primers from cartridges. Photo

Captive Ramrod - A rod, for loading and/or cleaning a muzzle-loading firearm (usually a pistol) that is permanently connected to the gun by some sort of swivel, so as to be utilized easily, but never lost. Photo

Carbine - A general term referring to relatively short-barreled, quick-handling rifle, often intended for use on horseback. Photo In Winchester lever-action terminology, a carbine has a single barrel band. In German, a Stutzen.

Cartouche - A mark within a border. On an American military rifle it is typically stamped into the wood and shows the initials of the name of the accepting inspector and often, the date he accepted the firearm into service. Notable gunmakers have used the concept by stamping their mark onto a bit of precious metal in a small recess in the steel. Photo

Cartridge - In its definition valid from circa 1870 to the present: a small usually cylindrical packet, containing a detonating primer, a powder charge, a load---either a single projectile for a rifle or a quantity of small pellets for a shotgun---and possibly some attendant wadding. The cartridge is placed into the breech of a firearm, comprising all required consumables for the firing of the weapon. Photo

Cartridge Trap - A compartment built into the buttstock of a long gun, usually with a hinged cover, in which are drilled holes deep enough to hold several spare cartridges of the type suitable for use in the specific gun. Photo

Cast Off - An offset of a gun stock to the right, so that the line of sight aligns comfortably with the right eye while the butt of the stock rests comfortably on the right shoulder. Almost all right-handed shooters benefit from a little castoff and most custom built guns are made this way. The only question is how much. The castoff of a gun is about correct when, with the gun comfortably mounted, the front bead lines up to one's eye with the center of the standing breech. Production guns are normally manufactured with no cast either way---so that the right handed and left handed can shoot them equally poorly. Photo See also: Eye Dominance.

Cast On - An offset of a gun stock to the left, so that the line of sight aligns comfortably with the left eye while the butt of the stock rests comfortably on the left shoulder. Almost all left-handed shooters benefit from a little cast-on and most guns custom built for left-handed shooters are made this way. The only question is how much. The cast-on of a gun is about correct when, with the gun comfortably mounted, the front bead lines up to one's eye with the center of the standing breech. Photo See also: Eye Dominance.

Casehardening Colors - mottled blue/green/brown colors on a shotgun or double rifle receiver, vintage Winchester receiver or Colt Single Action frame. The colors are the by-product of a heat-treating process that incorporates carbon into the surface molecular structure of the steel, providing a hard-wearing surface without making the entire receiver brittle. The parts to be casehardened are packed in a crucible with carbon-rich media such as bone meal and charcoal, heated to bright orange, about 1800 °F , then quenched in bubbling oil. Also called Carbonizing. The colors themselves are fairly perishable both from wear and from sunlight. The percentage of original case colors remaining is therefore a quick proxy for the cosmetic condition of the gun. Photo

Guns should never be rehardened in the vain interest of restoring the cosmetic effect of the colors. Casehardening is a heat process which alters the surface molecular structure of the steel. Rehardening an action can warp it. Subsequent efforts to straighten the metalwork, either by bending or filing can only harm the fine original metal-to-metal fit and adversely alter the workings of carefully aligned internal parts.

Castellated Fences - See Arcaded Fences

Centerfire Cartridge - A cartridge with a separate removable/replaceable detonating primer pressed into the center of its base---as opposed to a rimfire cartridge.

Central Vision - A form of stock design, particularly for shotguns, having considerable cast, perhaps an inch and a half, to bring the line of sight centrally between the shooter's two eyes.

Chamber - An area at the breech end of a barrel, of about the diameter of the cartridge for which the gun was intended, and into which the cartridge is inserted. The nominal length of a shotgun chamber will accommodate the loaded cartridge for which it was intended and allow for its crimp to open fully when the cartridge is fired. Although one can easily insert a longer-than-nominal-length loaded cartridge in a shotgun chamber, it is not advisable to do so because when it is fired the crimp will open into the forcing cone. Because of the taper of the forcing cone, the crimp will not be able to open fully and the gun will develop far greater pressure than it was designed to handle. Photo

While most 12 gauge shotguns built today have nominal 2 3/4" chambers, this was not always the case. Prewar American guns and many modern English guns often have shorter chambers. It is important to know the length of a gun's chambers and to use the ammunition for which it was intended.

Chamber Cast - To pour a low-melting-point material such as "Cerrosafe" into the chamber of a firearm, let it just cool, knock out the plug and measure it with a micrometer against published dimensional specifications to determine the chambering of a possibly-unmarked or possibly-altered firearm. Photo

Chamber Depth Gauge - A cylindrical plug of hardened steel, precisely machined in relation to the standard dimensional specifications of a given cartridge, engraved with circumferential lines demarking the different typical lengths of cartridges available for that bore. By inserting the appropriate bore's plug-gauge into the chamber, one can read off the line indicating the nominal maximum length of the cartridge which should safely be able to be shot from that gun (provided, of course, the gun be in sound condition). Photo

Charger - A simple, disposable narrow spring-lined channel-rail in which cartridges are supplied for military weapons. The shooter positions the clip vertically above the firearm's internal magazine, then pressing down with the thumb, slides the cartridges from the charger and down into the magazine.. Photo

Checkered Butt - Checkering, applied to the otherwise-unfinished butt end of a gunstock. Photo

Checkering - A regular pattern of fine grooves cut into the surface of a stock to aid in gripping a gun. Originally done for utility only, checkering has become an art form in itself; craftsmen adorning the borders with ribbons, fleur-de-lys, floral carving, etc. The amount of coverage, the precise regularity, and the number of lines per inch indicate the quality of the work. Too-fine checkering, however, defeats the purpose of the work altogether. Photo

Cheekpiece - A broad, flat, raised area on the side of a buttstock. While considered a sign of a well-appointed gun, it actually may interfere with natural mounting and pointing---somewhat negating the positive effect of cast-off. The cheekpiece is carved on the left side of a stock for a right-handed shooter; it is on the right side for a left-handed shooter. Photo

Cherry - A rotary machine-tool cutting bit, in the precise shape of a specific bullet. Used for cutting the internal cavity of a bullet mold. Photo

Choke - A carefully measured constriction of the bore of a shotgun at the muzzle, designed to control the spread of the shot as it leaves the barrel. Photo

Hallowell & Co.'s descriptions of choke borings are determined by measuring with a bore micrometer, irrespective of any markings on the barrels. The internal diameter is measured four inches from the muzzle and again just at the muzzle. Subtracting gives the amount of constriction in thousandths of an inch. In our descriptions of each gun, chokes are listed in the order of the normal sequence of firing.

Measurements of muzzle constriction by micrometer are useful to predict the pattern thrown by a shotgun barrel, but they remain merely a prediction. Patterns can vary depending on atmospheric pressure, humidity, length of cartridge, type of wad, size of shot, and numerous other factors. Terms such as "Improved Cylinder" and "Full" are only words, based on relative rules of thumb. The only way to determine the actual pattern thrown by a shotgun barrel is to shoot it, by convention at 40 yards, count the percentage of pellets falling within a 30" circle placed around the visual center of the pattern, then do it a few more times and take an average. Chart

Choke tubes - Short, interchangeable cylinders, of subtly different internal tapers, that screw into a threaded recess at the muzzle of a shotgun. By inserting different choke tubes, one can alter the shot pattern thrown by the gun. Choke tubes should be tightened until snug. Guns fitted for choke tubes should never be fired without tubes in place. Photo

Chopper-lump barrels (also called Demi-bloc barrels) - A method of joining the two separate tubes of a set of barrels where the right-hand half of the pair of lumps under the barrels are forged integrally with the right barrel and the left-hand half of the pair of lumps under the barrels are forged integrally with the left barrel. Chopper-lump barrels can be recognized by the fine joint-line running longitudinally down the center of each lump. This method of jointing barrels is the best because: 1. It is the strongest in relation to its weight, and 2. Because it allows the two barrels to be mounted closest to each other at the breech end, reducing problems regulating the points of aim of the two separate barrels. Photo

Chronograph - An device with a set of sensors through which a bullet is made to pass, connected to an electronic instrument which calculates bullet velocity. Photo

Churchill Rib - A relatively tall, narrow, matted, solid, top rib on a pair of side-by-side barrels, developed by Robert Churchill. Photo

Claw Extractor - An essential design element of the Mauser 98 bolt action and its derivatives: the Springfield '03 and the Winchester pre-'64 Model 70. A large, long extractor is mounted to and revolves around the bolt shaft---or more properly, remains stationary in the receiver raceway when the bolt revolves. This claw takes positive hold of the cartridge coming from the magazine and places it in the chamber when the bolt is closed. Then, when the bolt is opened, the claw, never having relinquished its grip on the rim of the cartridge, withdraws it from the chamber with absolute reliability. Lesser bolt actions have a small clip built into the bolt face which snaps over the chambered cartridge rim when the bolt is closed. While cheaper to manufacture, this system allows the possibility of the clip slipping back off the rim of the expanded spent case during extraction. Most experienced hunters prefer an action with a Mauser-type claw extractor for its reliability, especially when facing dangerous game. Photo

Claw Mounts - A quick-detachable scope mounting system, popular in Germany and Austria. The front of the scope is fitted with a hook-shaped tentacle which is inserted into a slot in a fixed front scope base. The rear of the scope is fitted with another set of hook-shaped tentacles. When these are pressed sharply downwards into their opposing receptacles they snap into place, held by a spring-loaded clasp, locking the scope into position. When properly installed, claw mounts are generally considered the best quick-detachable system for scope mounting: the cleanest looking, the easiest to operate and the most accurate in returning to zero. But, it is not an off-the-shelf, bolt-on system; claw mounts must be custom-fitted by a skilled gunsmith. Photo

Clip - A simple, disposable narrow spring-lined channel-rail in which cartridges are supplied for military weapons. The shooter positions the clip vertically above the firearm's magazine, then pressing down with the thumb, slides the cartridges from the clip and down into the magazine. Also: Stripper Clip or Charger. See Magazine.

Cock (n) - A firearm's exposed hammer. Photo

Cock (v) - To tension the mainspring of a gun in preparation for firing, such as by pulling back the external hammer, pulling back the slide of a pistol, or opening and closing the barrel(s) of a break-open gun.

Cocked and Locked - Proper condition for active carrying of a Colt 1911 pistol: a round in the chamber, the hammer cocked, and the thumb safety engaged. Somewhat unnerving to the uninitiated. Photo

Cocker/De-Cocker - A type of action on a break-open gun or rifle where, in place of a traditional top tang safety, a somewhat more robust tab is fitted. Normally such a gun is carried in the field loaded, but with the action not cocked---an exceedingly safe condition. Then, when ready to fire, the shooter, instead of pushing a safety tab forward, pushes this larger tab forward, cocking the mainspring, making the gun ready to fire. Then, if the shot is not taken, he may simply slide this tab rearwards again, de-cocking the gun and returning it to the still-loaded, but very safe position. Or, in German: Handspanner. Photo

Cocking Indicators - Small devices attached to the internal hammers of a break-open gun and visible from the exterior of the gun to show when each lock is cocked and when it has been fired. These are usually in the form of protruding pins on a boxlock gun or in the form of engraved or gold inlaid lines on the tumbler pins of a sidelock gun. Photo

Coin-finish generally refers to a high-polish finish, bright steel on the receiver of a break-open gun. Other action-body finishes could be case-hardened , blued or French-gray (a chemical-finish, dull gray steel color). Coin-finish, when appearing typically on a modern, high grade Italian shotgun shows off the exquisite and delicate engraving better than other finishes. The term is sometimes used (incorrectly) by people dealing in old guns to describe the finish on a well-worn gun’s receiver when all the original case-hardening colors have worn or have been polished off. Photo

Collimator - An optical device, mounted to the muzzle of a rifle via a bore-sized mandrel, the purpose of which is to allow a reasonable approximation of correct sight adjustment before actually firing live ammunition. Photo

Comb - The top of a gun's stock, where a shooter rests his cheek when mounting a gun. As it is the top of the stock that determines the position of one's eye, and one's eye is the rear sight on a shotgun, the position of the comb is very important in determining the proper fit of a shotgun. Photo

Combination Gun - A firearm with various different configurations of rifle and shotgun barrels. See various specific types: Bockb üchesflinte , Cape Gun, Paradox, Drilling, Doppelbuches-Drilling, Vierling, German Combination Gun names, Compared

Commemorative - In firearms parlance, a gun that was manufactured in "limited" numbers (often into the thousands), marked, stamped or fitted with extra bells and whistles in such a way as to evoke reverence to some famous person, place or historical event. Rather than to be manufactured for honest use, a commemorative is manufactured specifically to be collected. Actually to shoot one will normally delete any supposed extra value such a questionable concept ever had in the first place. Photo

Concealed Third Fastener - An extension protruding rearward from the breech end of a set of side-by-side barrels and entering a complementary recess in the breech face. The top of the extension is locked down by a cam attached to the toplever spindle. When the gun is closed this extra fastener is not visible from the exterior of the gun. Also called a Secret Bite. Photo

Condition - Descriptions of the condition of vintage firearms can be exceedingly subjective. Hallowell & Co endeavours to describe guns in terms of their mechanical function and their percentages of remaining original finish in different specified areas. Decent photography, however, can allow more accurate evaluation of current condition than any verbal description. While not exactly relevant for the evaluation of vintage modern firearms of the type handled by Hallowell & Co., the NRA has established formal definitions for various levels of condition for Antique firearms. NRA Condition Definitions

Controlled Feed - Aspect of the design of the Mauser 98 bolt action and its derivatives: the Springfield '03 and the Winchester pre-'64 Model 70. A large, long extractor is mounted to and revolves around the bolt shaft---or more properly, remains stationary in the receiver raceway when the bolt revolves. This claw takes positive hold of the cartridge coming from the magazine and places it in the chamber when the bolt is closed. Then, when the bolt is opened, the claw, never having relinquished its grip on the rim of the cartridge, withdraws it from the chamber with absolute reliability. Lesser bolt actions have a small clip built into the bolt face which snaps over the chambered cartridge rim when the bolt is closed. While cheaper to manufacture, this system allows the possibility of the clip slipping back off the rim of the expanded spent case during extraction. Most experienced hunters prefer an action with a Mauser-type claw extractor for its reliability, especially when facing dangerous game. Photo

Cordite - An early form of smokeless powder, developed in England in the late 1880s, taking the physical form of little strings---or cords. Unlike black powder which preceded it, it burned a bit more slowly, enabling pressure to build in a barrel more evenly, increasing the duration of the motive force, increasing its efficiency propelling the projectile down the bore to higher velocities. And, it didn't generate nearly as much smoke---which hitherto both obscured the vision of the shooter while revealing his position to an adversary. Photo

Counterbored Cylinder - In Smith & Wesson parlance, Recessed; which see. Photo

Crane - A swing-out arm on a revolver, to which the cylinder is mounted, and when opened facilitates loading and cleaning. Also: Yoke. Photo

Creedmoor - Site, from 1872 until 1912, in Queens, Long Island, of the National Rifle Association's first national matches. Name used by several riflemakers to invoke the concept of accuracy in their products.

Creep - Sloppy, indeterminate movement of a trigger before the actual point of let-off.

Crescent Buttplate - A sturdy, cast metal buttplate fitted particularly to many early lever-action rifles with a deep curve in the center of the butt, durable under rough use, but uncomfortable in use and extremely painful when carelessly mounting and firing a powerful rifle. Photo

Crimp - The star-shaped folded closure at the mouth of a shotgun shell. The nominal length of the cartridge is measured with the crimp open---for which the gun's chamber must be long enough to accommodate. Photo

Crossbolt - A steel bolt, mounted transversely through a rifle stock just under and behind the front (and sometimes rear) receiver ring, sometimes concealed in the wood and usually against which the action is carefully bedded. When properly fitted, it helps distribute the recoil and reinforces stock at the point where wood has been removed to accept the action. Recoil crossbolts can be recognized by the flush-mounted circular steel fittings on the side of the stock, but are sometimes finished with contrasting wooden plugs and sometimes concealed completely. Also called Reinforcing Crossbolt. Photo

Crosshairs - Basic form of telescopic sight reticle, having one fine vertical line and one fine horizontal line with which to establish the point of aim.

Cross-eyed or Crossover Stock - A gunstock with extreme cast (Cast-off or Cast-on), usually custom made, for use by persons with disability so as to be able to shoot from the right shoulder using the left eye (or from the left shoulder using the right eye). Or, for a right-handed shooter with a left master eye. Photo

Cross Pin Fastener - A horizontal wedge, press-fit through the forend of a vintage gun, through a lump attached to the underside of the barrel and out the other side of the forend. To secure the forend in position. Also called a key fastener. Photo

Crown - The finish contour of the muzzle of a rifle. May be flat or rounded. Often shows effective chamfering to protect the critical rifling at the absolute end of the muzzle. Photo

Crystal Cocking Indicator - W & C Scott's Scott's patent, which allows the shooter actually to see the position of the hammer through a glass window in the lockplate. Scott's patent, No.3223 of 1875. Photo Curios or Relics - is defined in 27 CFR 178.11 as follows: "Firearms which are of special interest to collectors by reason of some quality other than is associated with firearms intended for sporting use or as offensive or defensive weapons. To be recognized as curios or relics, firearms must fall within one of the following categories: Firearms which were manufactured at least 50 years prior to the current date, unaltered, but not including replicas thereof; Firearms which are certified by the curator of a municipal, State, or Federal museum which exhibits firearms to be curios or relics of museum interest; and Any other firearms which derive a substantial part of their monetary value from the fact that they are novel, rare, bizarre, or because of their association with some historical figure, period, or event. Proof of qualification of a particular firearm under this category may be established by evidence of present value and evidence that like firearms are not available except as collector's items, or that the value of like firearms available in ordinary channels is substantially less." A list of acknowledged "Curios or Relics" is available from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Firearms Technology Branch, Room 6450, 650 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20226 or at: http://www.atf.gov/publications/download/p/atf-p-5300-11/atf-p-5300-11.pdf A special Curios or Relics license is available from the BATF, which allows collectors to buy eligible firearms in interstate commerce. A licensed collector is not authorized to engage in business as a dealer in any firearms, including curios or relics. Cut-Away - A firearm that has had numerous careful machining cuts taken in its exterior with a view to exposing and demonstrating the functioning of critical parts of its mechanism Photo Cutts Compensator - A cylindrical muzzle extension, with slots on the top, designed to push the muzzle down when a gun is fired, counteracting its tendency to rise. Photo Cylinder (1) - That part of a modern revolver that holds cartridges in separate chambers radially around a central hingepin. The cylinder revolves as the handgun is cocked, bringing each successive cartridge into position, and locked into alignment with the barrel for firing. Photo Cylinder (2) - A shotgun barrel with no choke constriction at the muzzle. Index: A B C D E F G H I K M P R S T U Hallowell & Co., Fine Sporting Guns

D

DA or Double Action - An action type, typical on revolvers, where pulling the trigger through a long stroke revolves the cylinder, cocks the hammer and fires the gun---and alternatively, where manually cocking the hammer and then pulling the resulting single-stage trigger fires it also. Photo

Damascus Barrels - Barrel tubes built up by twisting alternate strips of iron and steel around a fixed rod (mandrel) and forge-welding them together in varying combinations according to the intended quality and the skill of the maker. The rod was withdrawn, the interior reamed and the exterior filed until the finished tube was achieved. Damascus barrels may be recognized by any of a variety of twist or spiral patterns visible in the surface of the steel. Before the 20th century, barrels were typically built in this manner because gunmakers did not have the technology to drill a deep hole the full length of a bar of steel without coming out the side.

Damascus barrels were usually intended for use with black powder---the standard of the day. The contour of the barrel wall thickness, intended for the fast explosion of black powder, was quite thick at the breech and tapered thinner towards the muzzle. It is not advisable to shoot modern smokeless powder in a damascus barrel. Apart from giving due deference to the age of such barrels and to the method of their construction, smokeless powder burns more slowly, lowering the pressure at the breech end, but considerably raising it further down the barrel to a level such barrels were rarely designed to handle. Photo

Damascene - A form of decoration sometimes performed on firearms whereby very thin precious metal (normally gold) is hammered in artful designs directly onto the steel surface of the gun. Cheaper to accomplish, normally gaudier, and certainly less durable than gold inlay. Photo

Darne - A gunmaker founded 1881 in St. Etienne, France, famous for its sliding-breech action. (Pronounced: darn, not darnay) Photo

Date Codes - Chart

DBM - Detachable Box Magazine Photo

De-Cocker - A type of action, usually of a break-open firearm, which readily allows release of mainspring tension, rendering the gun safe. In German: Handspanner. Photo

Deeley Forend Release - A latch for securing the forend to the barrels of a break-open gun, operated by a short pull-down lever mounted to the center of the forend. Typically seen on Parker and Prussian Charles Daly guns. More properly known as a Deeley & Edge Fastener. Photo

Demi-bloc Barrels - (called Chopper-lump barrels in British) - A method of joining the two separate tubes of a set of barrels where the right-hand half of the pair of lumps under the barrels are forged integrally with the right barrel and the left-hand half of the pair of lumps under the barrels are forged integrally with the left barrel. Chopper-lump barrels can be recognized by the fine joint-line running longitudinally down the center of each lump. This method of jointing barrels is the best because: 1. It is the strongest in relation to its weight, and 2. Because it allows the two barrels to be mounted closest to each other at the breech end, reducing problems regulating the points of aim of the two separate barrels. Photo

Dent - Damage to a shotgun barrel from having taken a hit from a hard object. Thinner-walled barrels are more subject to the risk than thicker ones. While dents a few thousandths of an inch deep may not be dangerous, deeper ones ought to be raised by a skilled gunsmith before firing the gun, best done using a hydraulic dent-raising tool. Photo

Deringer - A small, single-shot, percussion pistol designed and manufactured by Henry Deringer of Philadelphia. Photo

Derringer - Spelled with two rs, any very small easily concealed handgun. Photo

Detonating - A gunmaker's term originally referring to the fitting of percussion hammers, Purdey uses it today to refer to the shaping of the action, particularly the fences.

Diamond Grip - The cross-sectional shape at the wrist of a long gun, describing a soft diamond shape (as opposed to a circle or an oval) in the interest of comfort---and a better frame of reference for the gun's position. Photo

Die - A piece of tooling used to form a sequence of uniform parts through the use of heat and/or pressure; especially, in firearms terminology used to form brass cartridge cases accurately to their correct size for reloading. Photo

Disc-Set Strikers - Circular steel fittings, about 1/2 inch in diameter, screwed into the breech face of a gun and through which the firing pins pass. Firing pin bushings allow the convenient replacement of broken firing pins. They also allow the renewal of an older gun where, over the decades, leakage of high-pressure gas from corrosive primers has eroded the breech face around the firing pins; and replacing these bushings with new ones, slightly oversized can compensate for a situation where proper headspace has been compromised. In American: Bushed Firing Pins. Photo

Dog Lock - An early form of Flintlock, incorporating an external catch to lock the hammer. See a Summary of the development of firearms ignition systems .

Doll's Head - A rib extension on a break-open gun, ending in a circular or semi-circular shape in plan (resembling the head of a doll), mating into a similarly-shaped recess in the top of the receiver, designed to resist the tendency of the barrels to pull away from the standing breech when firing. Because an action's centerpoint of flexing when firing is at the base of the standing breech, not at the hingepin, a passive doll's head extension makes an effective extra fastener, even without additional mechanical locks operated by the opening lever. Photo

Doppelb ü chs-Drilling - German term for a three-barrel firearm comprising two side-by-side rifle barrels over one shotgun barrel. Photo

Double Action - An action type, typical on handguns, where the hammer may be cocked manually prior to each shot, OR, one may pull the trigger through a long throw which cocks the hammer (and in the case of a revolver, advances the cylinder) and fires the revolver in one complete motion. Photo

Double Rifle - Two independent rifles, built on one frame, designed to allow two virtually instantaneously quick, totally reliable shots. The barrels may be arranged either side-by-side or over-and-under. The apogee of the gunmaker's art. Particularly useful against dangerous game, which may be moving, and in your direction, with vengeance on its mind. Photo Regulation of Double Rifles. Double Rifles for Sale

Doubling - The unwanted tendency for a double barreled gun to fire both barrels virtually simultaneously---the recoil from the first barrel's discharge jarring the sear for the second barrel of its notch, causing it, too, to fire. The result of worn parts, coagulated old oil or unskilled maintenance..

Dovetailed barrels - The usual way of building a set of side-by-side barrels. Two raw tubes are filed to approximate their final contour. A solid block of steel is then filed to shape, fitted between the two tubes at the breech end with about 3/4" exposed on the underside and soldered or brazed into place to form the lump(s). Photo Alternatively, see Chopper-Lump Barrels

Dram - A unit of measure traditionally used for black powder shotgun charges. Today, used for smokeless powders on the basis of the new propellant's equivalent performance to that weight of black powder. Thus, a shotgun shell marked 3 - 1 1/8 would be loaded with the smokeless powder equivalent of 3 drams of black powder, and with 1 1/8ounce of shot. 1 Dram = 1/16 ounce = 27.34 grains.

Drilling - A three-barrel shoulder-fired gun, typically with two identical side-by-side shotgun barrels mounted above one rifle barrel. Built primarily in Germany and Austria. If with two rifled barrels above a single rifled barrel, it is called a Bock Drilling. Photo

Drop - The distance from an imaginary straight line of sight extended along the rib of a shotgun rearward towards the butt---to the top of the stock at the comb or the heel. (In British: Bend). The amount of drop determines how high or how low a gun will naturally point. Browning, in its infinite wisdom, considers that 2 3/8" drop at the heel will best fit the broadest range of shooters for field use. This measurement can therefore be considered "normal." A gun with less drop will shoot higher, while a gun with more drop will shoot lower for a given individual. When the gun is comfortably mounted with the cheek snugly on the comb, the drop is about right when you can see the front bead and just a little rib over the standing breech. Trap guns usually have less drop because they are supposed to shoot a little high in order to hit an almost universally rising target. Standard wisdom indicates that the drop is about right for a mounted trap gun when the front bead seems to rest just on top of the middle bead like two parts of a snowman, or forming a figure-eight. Photo

Drop-Box Magazine - An extra-deep magazine typical of large calibre rifles for dangerous game. The line of the underside of the wrist does not carry straight forward as with ordinary rifles. Rather the rear of the magazine aligns more towards the center of the forward edge of the triggerguard, typically allowing at least one extra cartridge to be carried. Photo

Droplock - A variation on the Anson & Deeley boxlock design, introduced by Westley Richards at the end of the 19th Century, whereby the locks themselves are removable, without tools, from the action body for cleaning or repair through a hinged or a detachable floorplate. A droplock action may be distinguished from an ordinary Anson & Deeley action at sight because it has no action pins visible on the side of the receiver. Photo

Drop Points - Small, raised-carved details on either side of a double gun, behind the lockplates of a sidelock or behind the flat sidepanels of a boxlock, in the shape of a hanging drop of water. Also called teardrops. Photo

DRP - Deutsches Reichspatent. Marked on patented inventions (including guns), adopted by recently-united Germany in 1877.

DRGM - Deutches Reichs Gebrauchs Muster. In Germany, a pre-patent registration of a (hopefully) patentable idea. A simpler, patent-like document of shorter duration. "Patent angemeldet" means, patent applied for.

Dry Fire (v) - To pull the trigger and release the hammer of a firearm without having a cartridge in the chamber. While benign enough with a Mauser action, it can shatter the differentially-hardened internal parts of a break-open gun which, upon firing, are designed to have the shock of the hammer's blow absorbed somewhat by the soft brass of the primer. If you must experiment with the trigger(s) and the action of a fine double gun, be sure to use snap caps---which safely replicate the buffering effect of an actual cartridge.

DST or Double-Set Trigger - On a rifle, optionally pulling the rear (set) trigger converts the front (main) trigger to a light, hair trigger---too light and sensitive to be carried safely in the field. While the front trigger is always at the ready, if one has the time, using the set trigger feature may allow for a more accurate long-distance shot. Operates using its own miniature firing mechanism (sear, spring and hammer) when cocked, to multiply the force of a pull on the main trigger. Photo

DT or Double Triggers - one for each barrel. Double triggers are better than single triggers on a double gun because: 1. They are simpler in design, therefore making the gun lighter and more reliable. 2. They are less prone to double-firing. 3. In the hands of an experienced shooter they are faster. 4. They allow immediate selection of which barrel to fire - the immediate selection of the pattern to throw - even while the grouse is flushing. Photo

Duelling Pistols - Single shot pistols, of a design originating in England, in vogue circa 1770 - 1850, built necessarily in pairs, either of flintlock or percussion ignition, usually finely made and cased together with loading accessories. Dueling pistols tended to be lighter and sleeker than their contemporary service pistols. They tended to have smoothbore (or sometimes secret, scratch-rifling), octagon (or octagon-to-round) barrels around nine or ten inches long of some form of damascus steel, bores just over a half-inch, ramrods, rudimentary sights front and rear, single-set triggers, roller-bearing frizzens and curved grips integral with full or half-stocks. They were usually of high quality construction, sometimes with silver furniture, but normally of relatively plain decoration. Photo

Dural - An early alloy of aluminum containing 4% copper which, after being quenched, hardens over a period of several days. Often used as a substitute for steel in the receivers of German and Austrian combination guns to save weight. Photo

Dust Cover - A small hinged or sliding door covering the ejection port of a firearm to prevent detritus from clogging the works. Photo

E

Ejectors - Fittings inset into the breech end of a pair of barrels of a break-open gun that kick out fired shells, while only raising unfired shells enough to be removed by hand. Recognizable at a glance on the breech end of a double gun because the fitting is split in two---one ejector for each barrel. Photo

Ejector Timing - The adjustment of the ejector mechanism by gunmaker or gunsmith so that both ejectors of a double gun will fire at the correct instant when gape is sufficient as the barrels are dropped, simultaneously, and with identical force.

Elevation - Adjustment of the point of impact of a firearm in the vertical plane; the knob used on an iron sight or telescopic sight to raise or lower the point of impact. Photo

Energy - Capability to perform work. As measured in foot-pounds, the amount of force it takes to lift and object weighing one pound, one foot. To calculate the energy, in foot-pounds, of a bullet in flight at any point on its trajectory:

W = Weight of the bullet in grains. V = Velocity in feet per second

Engine Turned - An jeweled treatment on a steel part done both for a finished look and to hold oil on the surface. An abrasive-impregnated rubber bit is used to describe a circular pattern on the surface of the steel, then moved just a little less than distance of the diameter of the bit, touched to the surface again, and the process repeated until the steel surface is covered with small regular rows of circular swirls. Photo

English Casing - A style of gun case whereby all the cased components are secured into more open box-like compartments---the barrels and action secured well enough, but the accessories liable to moving about a bit. An alternative to French casing, where all the cased components---barrels, action and accessories are fitted into shaped compartments with no space around them. Photo

English Grip - A straight-wrist grip, typical on English shotguns, built for graceful aesthetics, light weight and fast handling. May be ovoid or somewhat diamond-shaped in cross-section. Photo

Erosion - Deterioration of the inner surface of a firearm's barrel due to the intense heat of a cartridge's discharge. High-velocity rifles are particularly susceptible to this wear, especially near the throat.

Escutcheon - A plate, typically of more complex outline than a simple oval, typically of brass or precious metal, inlaid into a gunstock or a gun case, upon which is engraved the initials, monogram or coat-of-arms of the owner. Photo

Explora - Westley Richards' trademark name for a Paradox-rifled gun, in 12-bore. See: Paradox

Express - Marketing term coined by Purdey around 1855 to denote a high velocity rifle---as powerful as an express train.

Express Sights - "V" shaped rear leaf sights mounted to a rifle barrel on a block or on a quarter-rib, sometimes solid standing, sometimes folding, and often mounted in a row of similar leaves, each of a slightly different height, marked with the range for which each is regulated. Photo

Extended Top Tang - A display of gunmaking skill with a possible benefit of strengthening the wrist of a heavily-recoiling rifle, whereby the top tang of the action is made extra long, shaped and inletted into the top of the buttstock, extending along the top of the wrist and up over the comb. Popularized by Holland & Holland and adopted by several of the finest contemporary riflemakers in the USA. Photo

Extractors - A fitting inset into the breech end of a pair of barrels of a break-open gun. When the gun is opened the extractor lifts the cartridges so they may be removed by hand. Recognizable at a glance on the breech end of a double gun because the fitting is solid---one extractor taking care of both barrels together. Photo

Eye Dominance - Although we have two eyes for depth perception and for spare parts, there is a natural tendency for one eye (the master eye) to take precedence over the other, regardless of the relative visual acuity of each eye. It is a fortunate condition when the eye on the side of the shoulder where one is comfortable mounting a gun is also the dominant eye.

To test for eye dominance, pick out a small object several feet away. With both eyes open, center your right index finger vertically over the object. Close your right eye. If your finger appears to jump to the right, you are right eye dominant. Then open your right eye and close your left eye. If your finger remains in position in front of the object, you have confirmed your right eye dominance. Alternatively, if in the above test, upon closing your right eye your finger remains in position covering the object, you are left eye dominant. If you close your left eye instead and your finger appears to jump to the left you have confirmed your left eye dominance.

Eye dominance problems can be treated with 1. A severely-cast, crossover stock to bring the dominant eye in line with the gun's line of sight, 2. A patch over the dominant eye, or just a small piece of frosty Scotch tape on shooting glasses intercepting the dominant eye's line of sight, 3. Fully or partially closing the dominant eye, or 4. Learning to shoot from the dominant-eye shoulder. While less convenient, methods that retain the use of both eyes better preserve the ability to perceive depth in three-dimensional space---a great benefit in wingshooting.

Eye Relief - The distance that equates the exit pupil size of a rifle scope's ocular lens to the entrance pupil of the user, in order to achieve the largest, unvignetted view. This distance must be sufficient to ensure that the ocular rim of the scope does not lacerate the shooter's eyebrow upon recoil. And, the scope should be positioned so that eye relief is suitable when the rifle is comfortably mounted.

F

Facile Princeps - "Easily the Best". A proprietary boxlock action design by W W Greener, similar to the Anson & Deeley, but more easily cocked with the fall of the barrels; the forend iron pressing on a rod passing through the front barrel lump and acting upon cocking bars just below and behind the front Purdey underbolt. Photo

Falling Block - A type of action used primarily for single shot rifles whereby some kind of lever actuates a breechblock, moving it downwards in a vertical recess to expose the chamber. May have visible or enclosed hammer. For any given barrel length, it allows a shorter overall rifle length compared to a bolt action because no space is taken up by the forward-and-back cycling of the bolt. Most of the better British makers produced them in limited numbers around the turn of the last century, the Farquharson being the most iconic. Perhaps the best-known falling block action today is the Ruger No.1. Photo

False Muzzle - An attachment made for the muzzle of an individual rifle barrel in the interest of extreme accuracy. The bullet is loaded through the false muzzle, which begins to swage grooves into the projectile exactly in line with the rifle's bore, and is then ramrodded fully to the breech. Then, the rifle (which can be either breech or muzzle loading) is set up to fire a mechanical bullet, precisely pre-rifled to fit that particular bore. Often used in conjunction with a bullet starter. Photo

Fancy Back - Any of a number of different contour variations to the rear of a boxlock action abutting the head of the stock to improve the look and justify a higher price than for a plain gun. Also: Scalloped Receiver. Photo

Farquharson Action - One of the classic British falling block single shot rifle actions, patented by John Farquharson in 1872, adopted by George Gibbs and others. Photo

Fauneta - Westley Richard's trademark name for a Paradox-rifled-barreled gun, in 20 and 28-bore. See Paradox

Feed Ramp - An inclined, polished area on a repeating firearm, just behind the chamber, that helps guide a cartridge into the chamber when pushed forward by the closing bolt. Photo

Fences - Hemispherical outgrowths of the receiver of a double gun that mate with the breech ends of the barrels. The term derives from the flanges (or fences) in this position on a muzzle loading gun that were designed to protect the eyes of the shooter from sparks and escaping gasses. Photo

Ferlach - A city in south-central Austria, famous since the 1500s for its concentration of makers of fine sporting guns and rifles. Home of the Technical school and an Austrian proof house. Even if no maker's name be found on a Ferlach-built gun, his identity should be revealed by the first two digits of the serial number. Table

FFL - Federal Firearms [Dealer's] License. Under federal law, to ship a firearm, a selling dealer must have in his possession a copy of the receiving dealer's license. Photo

Field Forend - A relatively slender forend on an over & under gun (as opposed to a beavertail forend). Over & Under counterpart of a Splinter Forend. Photo

Field Grade - A generic term for a plain, functional, unembellished firearm used to hunt in rough terrain where one might prefer not to put a more expensive, deluxe grade gun at risk of damage. Photo

Field Gun - A shotgun, generally stocked to shoot where it is pointed and of relatively light weight because one often carries it a great distance for upland birds---the consequent recoil not being an important factor because one actually shoots it very little.

Figured Walnut - Every piece of walnut is different in terms of its figure or fancy, streaked, fiddleback, burled, grain pattern. It is difficult to describe a beautiful gunstock in a couple of words, but at Hallowell & Co., we use the following terms:

[No mention] Plain wood, perhaps with visible grain but without swirls. Straight and strong. Lightly figured walnut Some figure to elevate it from the ordinary. Figured walnut Very pleasing figure, covering about half the buttstock Highly figured walnut Beautiful figure, covering virtually all the buttstock Exhibition walnut Stunning figure, dramatically covering the entire stock. We rarely use this term.

Fingers - The forward-most part of a sidelock gun's stock; the slender flutes of wood extending along the lockplates, heading up to the receiver body. Also: Horns Photo

Firearm - A device which, on demand by activating some sort of switch like a trigger, ignites a very-rapidly burning propellant or an explosive, expels a projectile such as a bullet, or projectiles such as shot, from a tubular barrel (or barrels) with sufficient force as to cause acute bodily harm to the target, animal, or person which it hits.

Fire Blue - A Brilliant, slightly iridescent, and perishable blue finish on highly-polished steel achieved by heating to a temperature of about 500 °F. Often seen as small-part details on pre-World War I Colts and the best contemporary American custom rifles. Photo

Fire Form - The act of firing a relatively smaller cartridge in a rifle with a relatively somewhat larger chamber in order to expand the cartridge case to the larger size. This action should not be undertaken except in very particular instances or catastrophic damage may occur. It should only be done when the larger chamber is of a closely related design to that of the smaller cartridge case---such as firing a .375 H&H Magnum cartridge in a .375 Weatherby chamber, or firing a .22 Hornet cartridge in a .22 K-Hornet chamber to re-form the brass to the latter "improved" cartridges.

Firing Pin - The narrowly rounded, pointed component of a cartridge firearm that impacts and causes detonation of the primer. This may be mounted coaxially with a coil mainspring in a bolt rifle, may be a small replaceable tit mounted into the breech face of a sidelock break-open gun or an integral part of the [enclosed] hammer of a boxlock gun. Photo

Five-Screw - Four Screw - Three Screw - Terms relating to Smith & Wesson double-action revolvers. The five screws were four retaining the sideplate and one at the front of the triggerguard. From the introduction of the Hand Ejector in 1905, there were five screws. Then, around 1955 S&W deleted the top sideplate screw. Around 1961, they deleted the triggerguard screw. Collectors find cheapening of fine products irritating. Consequently, all other things being equal, with Smith & Wesson revolvers, the more screws, the better. Photo

Flaking - The tendency for blue finish to deteriorate into rust, seemingly without either wear or ill treatment. Winchester Model 1892 receivers are particularly vulnerable to this defect. But, at least the condition indicates that, almost certainly, the remaining finish at least is original. Photo

Flanged - A cartridge with a pronounced rim at the base. While not as easy-feeding in a repeating firearm as a rimless cartridge, far more reliably extracting in a break-open firearm---particularly important in a heavy double rifle for use against big game that might fight back. Photo

Flash Pan - A tiny bowl-shaped vessel, attached to the side of a flint lock, to hold the priming charge of gunpowder, which in turn is protected from wind, rain and the adverse effects of gravity by the combination hinged frizzen-flashpan cover. Photo

Flat-Point Checkering - A traditional English style of checkering gunstocks whereby the diamonds are not brought to sharp points. While not offering as firm a grip as standard sharp point-pattern checkering, it is both more durable and allows the grain structure of the wood to show through better. Photo

Fleur-de-Lys - A design element used on the French royal coat of arms, a stylized lily flower, frequently appearing in the checkering designs of American custom rifles. Photo

Flinch (v) - To jerk a firearm off target inadvertently at the instant of firing in timid anticipation of recoil.

Flint - A hard, sedimentary , sub-micro-crystalline form of quartz , which when knapped (dressed to shape by chipping) and then struck against steel can be used to create sparks. Photo

Flintlock - A system of firearms ignition, in general use circa 1660 - 1825, whereby the pull of a trigger releases a sear from a notch in a spring-loaded hammer, which holding a properly knapped piece of flint, strikes a vertical slab of steel (called a frizzen) scraping off tiny molten particles of the steel, and pushing it forward causes an integral flashpan cover to open forward, exposing a bit of fine gunpowder below, which when contacted by the falling sparks, ignites and sends a flash of fire through the touchhole, into the loaded breech setting off the main charge and firing the gun. Photo The Flintlock system was supplanted by the Percussion system around 1820.

Floated barrel - A rifle barrel mounted firmly to the receiver (which, in turn, is mounted firmly to the stock) but not touching the forend. Done so that the stock will not adversely effect accuracy by impinging upon the natural free vibration of the barrel when the rifle is fired. Photo

Floorplate - A cover, usually of metal, usually hinged and latched, on the bottom of a bolt action rifle action which, when opened, allows the internal magazine to be emptied. Photo

Fluid Steel barrels - Barrels made of homogeneous steel (not damascus steel) --- standard practice for over a century . Photo

Fluted Barrel - A rifle or pistol barrel, into which longitudinal grooves have been milled. Fluted barrels, while more expensive to make than round barrels, dissipate heat more rapidly and they provide a better stiffness-to-weight ratio. Photo

Fluted Comb - A carved detail at the point of the comb---a concave groove---for more graceful aesthetics, and to allow a more clearance for a more comfortable position for the thumb as it wraps over the wrist than does a fatter, non-fluted comb. Photo

Follower - A smooth, sometimes contoured plate, within a magazine, at the top of a spring, across which cartridges slide when being loaded into a chamber. Photo

Forcing Cone - In a shotgun barrel, A tapered area a few inches from the breech end, providing a transition between the chamber (approximately the diameter of the outside of a shotgun shell) to the bore proper (approximately the diameter of the inside of a shotgun shell). The forcing cone provides the transition between the exterior and the interior diameters of the cartridge. Older shotguns usually have more abrupt forcing cones suitable for then-current thick-walled paper shells with fibre wads. Newer shotguns usually have more gradual, longer forcing cones suitable for thinner modern plastic shells with obturating plastic shot-cup wads. Photo

Forend - One of the three major dismountable components of a break-open gun (the others being the barrel(s) and the action/buttstock) which secures the barrels to the receiver, often houses the ejector mechanism, and for some, provides a handle for the one's secondary hand. Photo

Forend Iron - The steel skeleton of the forend (above), into which any moving parts are fitted and which mates to and revolves about the action knuckle when the gun is opened. Photo

Francotte, Auguste - A prominent gunmaker founded in Liege, Belgium in 1805. (Pronounced frauncot, not francottie)

French Casing - A style of gun case, where all the cased components---barrels, action and accessories are fitted into shaped compartments with no space around them. An alternative to English Casing whereby all the cased components are secured into more open box-like compartments---the barrels and action secured well enough, but the accessories liable to moving around a bit. Photo

French Gray - An acid etched or phosphate finish, applied typically to shotgun actions, forming a gray-colored, non-reflective matte finish which also provides some protection from rust. Also called, gray-etched. Photo

Frizzen - That part of a flintlock action that receives the blow of the flint-tipped hammer, which then yields tiny molten fragments of steel---sparks---which fall into the flashpan, igniting the priming charge and thence, through the touchhole, the main charge. Photo

Frontstrap - Front, metal, part of a handgun's grip---which together with the backstrap, provides a mounting frame for the grip panels. Photo

FTF - Acronym for Failure to Fire.

FTE - Acronym for Failure to Eject.

Fugger, Josef - Austrian-born engraver, spent most of his professional life at Griffin & Howe in New York. Photo

Full Stock - A rifle or carbine with a one-piece stock extending to the muzzle. Sometimes called a Mannlicher stock, although such a term is confusing because Mannlicher Schoenauer rifles are built with both full and half stocks. Traditional in Europe for close-range woodland hunting, but not noted for extreme, long-range accuracy. Photo

Funeral Grade - A colloquial term to describe a break-open gun, of any quality but often of the very highest, bearing the least possible decoration; having an all-blued receiver with either no engraving at all or only a simple borderline. Photo

Furniture - in British-speak, the visible small steel parts of a double gun: toplever, triggerguard, safety tab, forend release lever, etc. These parts are normally blued. Photo

G

Gain Twist - A form of rifling where the helical angle sharpens progressively down the bore in the interest of maximizing the bullets ultimate rotational speed by initiating it slowly.

Gape - The degree to which the barrel(s) of a break-open gun drop down; the size of the opening space---which should be sufficient to allow for ease of loading, unloading and properly-functioning ejection. A good gape is easier to achieve on a side-by-side than an over & under where the bottom barrel is well-enclosed by the action body. Photo

Garniture - A deluxe set of several different associated weapons, being any combination of rifle, shotgun, various handguns, and possibly a knife or two, cased together with appropriate cleaning and loading tools. Photo

Gas Vent - A passage built into a firearm to allow the safe conduct of unexpected gas, as from a pierced primer, to minimize damage both to the gun and to the shooter. Photo

Gauge - System of measurement for the internal bore diameter of a smooth-bore firearm based on the diameter of each of that number of spherical lead balls whose total weight equals one pound. The internal diameter of a 12 gauge shotgun barrel is therefore equal to the diameter of a lead ball weighing 1/12 pound, which happens to be .729" (Or in British: Bore.) The Gauge/Bore system is also used, by convention, to describe the internal barrel diameter of large-bore, 19th century, English, single-shot and double-barrel rifles. Table

Gesichert - German word for SAFE. Photo

Glassbedding - Swabbing wet epoxy over the inletted portion of a stock, covering the metalwork with a release agent and pressing the barreled action into the wood. A process undertaken to compensate for imperfect wood-to-metal fit. Photo

Gloaming Sight - A second, folding or pop-up front sight bead of larger than usual size, perhaps not as accurate as a normal fine bead, but easier to see in the gloaming (twilight) or dawn. Photo

Globe Sight - A front sight assembly, primarily for target rifles, consisting of a tube, housing interchangeable beads and blades. The tube guards against imperfect aiming due to sight pictures influenced by reflections. Photo

Grain - A unit of weight widely used to express the weight of bullets and of powder charges. 1 Grain = 1/7000 pound = 1/437.5 ounce = 1/27.34 dram.

Graticule - British for Reticle.

Greener Crossbolt - A tapered round bar, operated by the toplever of a shotgun, passing transversely behind the standing breech of a side-by-side gun and through a matching hole in a rib extension; to strengthen the lock-up. Scott's crossbolt operates similarly, but is square in cross-section. Photo

Greener Safety - A safety catch mounted to the left side of a gun, just behind the receiver, which swivels fore and aft on a transverse rod. Often seen on drillings as well as on Greener's own shotguns. Photo

Griffin & Howe Sidemount - A quick-detachable scope mount system built by the company of that name. The base fits to the side rail of a bolt action. The slide locks in place on the rail with two levers. (Pre-war mounts had a single lever.) Rings of various heights and diameters attach the scope of your choice to the slide. Mounting a scope high enough allows use of iron sights. Photo

Grip - The area of a gunstock held by the shooter's rearmost hand. Also, in British: the Hand. Photo

Grip Safety - An interlock, often found on semi-automatic handguns, which helps prevent accidental discharge while adding no perceptible inconvenience when firing the arm intentionally. By the mere act of gripping the pistol in the hand, the shooter operates the grip safety, releasing its lock on the firing mechanism. Photo

Grooves - The cut-away, concave portions of the rifling inside the barrel of a firearm discharging a single projectile. See Rifling

Group - A set of holes in a target left by a succession of bullets fired from the same rifle or handgun, using the same ammunition and sight setting. Fired (within the limits of one's marksmanship ability) to determine the inherent accuracy of the rifle/ammunition combination---and to aid in the proper adjustment of the sights. Measured by the distance, on center, of the two widest-disbursed holes. Photo

"Guild Gun" - Deriving from the concept of the "Masterpiece" required of applicants to submit to their guild for formal admission to the trade, a generous (but inaccurate) term used to describe a (usually Belgian or Germanic) gun with no maker's name at all. Before World War II, thousands of provincial gunsmiths would purchase unmarked finished guns and/or semi-finished components from larger gun factories and build individual shotguns for customers, some engraved with the retailer's name, some with no makers' name to be found anywhere on the gun. Photo

Gun - (American) A firearm. (British) 1. A shotgun. 2. A person shooting a shotgun from a butt at a formal driven shoot.

Gutta-percha - A tree, of the genus Palaquium, noted for the rigid natural latex produced from its sap. An early form of "plastic", preceding Bakelite. Used to make molded handgun grips and cases for Smith & Wesson Model One revolvers. Photo

H

Hagn Action - A modern, strong, simple, solid, well-engineered, falling-block, single-shot action designed by Munich-born Martin Hagn, now of British Columbia and made both by him and by Hartmann & Weiss of Hamburg. Photo

Half Cock - A middle position for an external hammer that effectively provides a safety function. With a firearm with non-rebounding hammers, when on half-cock, the firing pin will not rest on the firing-pin. And, whether rebounding or non-rebounding, an inadvertent pull of the trigger should not release the hammer and fire the gun. Photo

Half grip - Round knob, semi pistol grip (Prince of Wales grip) Photo

Hammer - The part of a gun lock, which driven by a spring and released by a pull of the trigger, falls and (usually via an intervening firing pin) strikes the detonating primer of the load and discharges the gun. Hammers may be external or internal. Photo

Hammer Shroud - A cover, fitted normally to a double-action revolver, to allow its quick, easy and safe withdrawl directly from a pocket. Photo

Hammerless - A firearm with a coil-spring-actuated firing pin, or with its hammer enclosed inside the action body; i.e.. no externally visible hammer. Photo

Hand (1) - In any mechanism, a small lever that engages a notch to actuate movement in one direction only. Specifically, a small spring-loaded lever attached to the hammer of a revolver which actuates the cylinder to advance one increment and move the next chamber into battery as the hammer is cocked. Also: Pawl. Photo

Hand (2, British) - The wrist, or the grip of a long gun. Photo

Hand-Detachable Locks - The firing mechanism of a break-open gun which may be removed for inspection or cleaning without the use of tools. The release latch may be plainly visible or concealed. A feature typically seen on sidelock guns but also on the Westley Richards "droplock" boxlock action. Photo

Handgun - A small, short-barreled firearm, possibly small enough to be concealed on the person, and able to be held and discharged in one hand. The term includes antique dueling pistols, modern single-shot, semi-automatic pistols and revolvers. Photo

Handloading - The process of assembling cartridge case, bullet or shot, wads and primer to produce a complete cartridge with the use of hand tools in the interest of loading for firearms for which cartridges are not available, experimenting with loads to achieve better performance, or to save money. Not to be attempted without knowledgeable instruction and careful study of the process.

Handspanner - German for Hand-Cocking or Cocker/De-Cocker. A type of action on a break-open gun or rifle where, in place of a traditional top tang safety, a somewhat more robust tab is fitted. Normally such a gun is carried in the field loaded, but with the action not cocked---an exceedingly safe condition. Then, when ready to fire, the shooter, instead of pushing a safety tab forward, pushes this larger tab forward, cocking the mainspring, making the gun ready to fire. Then, if the shot is not taken, he may simply slide this tab rearwards again, de-cocking the gun and returning it to the still-loaded, but very safe position. Photo

Hang Fire - A dangerous situation resulting occasionally from the use of outdated old ammunition where the primer does not fire instantly upon being struck by the firing pin. The cartridge may fire in a virtual instant or some seconds later. In the event that a cartridge fails to fire immediately upon the pull of the trigger, always count out ten seconds before opening the breech.

Hanging Tag - The manufacturer's descriptive tag, tied to the triggerguard of a brand new gun on the dealer's sales rack. For such ephemera to have survived in the company of an older gun is both unusual and a small indication of the care it has enjoyed since new. Photo

Head [of a Stock] - The forward end of a buttstock, where it meets the receiver and accepts the bulk of the gun's recoil when fired. Photo

Headspace - The distance, or clearance, between the base of a chambered cartridge and the breech face (or bolt face) of a firearm. This is a critical dimension, particularly in high powered rifles. If there is too little headspace, the bolt will not close. If there is too much headspace the cartridge will not be properly supported in the chamber and the cartridge will expand upon firing and may rupture, blasting high-pressure gas into the action and possibly into the body of the shooter. Headspace should be .003" - .006" in a centerfire rifle. It can be checked with a set of "Go and No-Go" gauges specific to the calibre in question. (See below.) With a standard cartridge, the headspace is registered by the shoulder, with a belted cartridge, the headspace is registered by the forward edge of the belt.

Headspace Gauge - Plugs of hardened steel, precisely machined in relation to the standard dimensional specifications of a given cartridge, normally in sets of three: "GO", "No-Go" and "Field". By loading these plug-gauges into the chamber in succession, one can check that the action should close on the "Go" gauge. It should not close on the "No-Go" gauge---but might were enough force to be used. And, it absolutely should not close on the "Field" gauge. Photo

Headstamp - Markings impressed into the base of a cartridge case, normally identifying the maker's name,