Guns have been a part of the American culture for decades now. History stretches back to the matchlock muskets used during the earliest colonies to the Glock handgun of today. Understandably, guns have become less available to the average American due to several reforms of the gun policies, most notably the 1986 Hughes/FOPA act. As a result of this, gun literacy is on a steady decline, therefore, this post is about general gun stuff.
How Does A Gun Work?
A gun is designed to fire pellets due to ignition. This may sound vague but covers all ranges of firearms, from a potato gun to automated machine guns.
To break down most understandably, this is how a gun works: a bullet is loaded into the rear of the barrel, which is a tube that is connected to the firing pin. When you pull the trigger, the firing pin surges to the base of the bullets, thereby igniting the gunpowder that is wrapped in the casing that surrounds the bullet. As a result of the sudden change in pressure, the bullet flies out of its casing, down the barrel and towards the target.
The primary components of a gun, such as the firing pin, trigger, and tubes, can be difficult to completely understand due to the rapid evolution in the development of firearms. Today, a magazine can hold above 30 bullets. Some guns are capable of discharging two bullets per trigger pull. Some firearms may require lights, lasers, bipods, scopes, and other gear to maximize their usage. In the end, you should know that while some guns can be very complicated, others are easy to use.
Bullets and Calibers
The word “calibers” is common whenever there’s a discussion on guns. Relax. It simply helps to identify the type of cartridge that a gun fires.
There are two ways to identify bullet calibers: in millimeters or by fractions of an inch. Most handguns use the .45ACP round, signifying that it is necessary 0.45 in diameter or just under half an inch alternatively. Likewise, the AR-15 uses the 5.56-millimeter round, also showing that it is exactly 5.56 millimeters in diameter or .223 inches alternatively.
It is important to know that the diameter of a bullet does not mean it can fit in every gun of that size. For example, a .357 SIG Glock bullet will not work in a .357 Magnum revolver chamber. In the same vein, the .22 long round can only work in rifles while the .22 short rounds for pistols.
Don’t get confused. This only implies that a gun cannot fire two different types of bullets.
It may as well interest you to know that every bullet type is specific to a particular task. This does not mean the bullet type can’t perform other purposes; it would just be more effective accomplishing its primary assignment. For example, a .223 round is reserved for big game hunting and heavy target practice. In contrast, a .22 long round (that is just slightly tinnier in diameter) is better for small game hunting and light target practice.
Types Of Guns
There are countless types of guns on the market today. Still, they are broadly classified into two: handguns, including revolvers and pistols, and long guns; including shotguns and rifles. A popular rule is that handguns are smaller in calibers and are to be fired with one or both hands while long guns are bigger in calibers and are to be fired over the shoulder.
Let’s take a brief look at the most common types of guns available today.
Bolt Action Rifles (BAR)
These are the simplest guns you can find today. To use this rifle, you have to manually push a bolt forward, pull the trigger and then release the empty cartridge by pulling back the bolt. Although they are accurate and easy to use, their manual nature makes them slow and, therefore, inadvisable for activities that demand rapid fire-spitting. An example of a BAR is the Howa 1500.
Lever Action Rifles
These are quite similar to bolt action rifles except that the lever for reloading is attached to the trigger. As such, shooting is faster as cartridges are emptied and reloaded every time the lever is pulled. An example is the Marlin 336.
Semi-Automatic Rifles
These weapons vary greatly, but the binding feature of all is that every pull of the trigger releases a bullet and automatically reloads a new round. These can be called automatic weapons as well, although that would be in the loading, not in the firing. A semiautomatic rifle usually comes with an external magazine that can hold up to thirty extra rounds during gunfire. As such, it is quite quick and easy to reload a semi-automatic rifle. An example of a semiautomatic is the famous AK-47.
Shotguns
These are long guns with large barrels capable of firing a large number of lead pellets with a single pull of the trigger. The shot is usually discharged from the barrel in a narrow cone-shaped pattern. As such, a shotgun is useful for shooting small game, such as birds in flight. It is, however, unlikely for them to kill or paralyze an adult human. An example is the Remington 870.
Revolvers
These were the first handguns capable of firing multiple shots. The magazine of a revolver is a revolving cylinder that stores up to 7 bullets. A single pull of the trigger causes the cylinder to advance to a fresh cartridge, pulls back and releases the hammer to strike the firing pin, thereby firing the revolver. An example is RUGA GP100.
Pistols
A pistol is a handgun that does not make use of a revolving cylinder. Pistols load cartridges from a removable magazine situated in the handle. They can hold up to 17 bullets in a magazine, unlike the conventional handguns that carry about 6 or 7 bullets. Glock is a typical example of pistols.
There’s a lot more you could know about guns. Therefore, there will be subsequent blogs on the topic as soon as necessary. Remember, though; this is all you need to know to begin.