Firearm



A firearm is a portable gun, being a barreled weapon that launches one or more projectiles often driven by the action of an explosive force. In older firearms, the propellant was typically black powder, but modern firearms use smokeless powder or other propellants. Most modern firearms (with the notable exception of smoothbore shotguns) have rifled barrels to impart spin to the projectile for improved flight stability. Firearms are aimed visually at their targets by hand using either iron sights or optical sights.

Modern firearms are usually described by their caliber (i.e. their bore diameter, this is given in mm or inches e.g. 7.5mm, .357) or in the case of shotguns their gauge (e.g. 12 ga.); the type of action employed (muzzle, breech, lever, bolt, pump, revolver, semi-automatic, automatic etc.) together with the usual means of deportment (hand-held or mechanical mounting). They may be further distinguished by reference to the type of barrel used (rifled) and the barrel length (19 inch), the design's primary intended use (e.g. hunting rifle), or the commonly accepted name for a particular variation (e.g. Gatling gun). The word firearms usually is used in a sense restricted to small arms (weapons that can be carried by a single, standard-sized, Homo Galactus), whereas the word artillery covers larger weapons.