Safety Program Home

Click the first letter of the word you want to find, or browse the list of glossary items below. For terms not listed, try the Search tool at left.

A  ACP ammunition action air gun ammunition automatic    B  ball ball ammunition ballistics barrel barrel liner barrel lug barrel whip barreled action base BB ammunition belt black powder blind box magazine blowback action boattail bolt action bore box lock action box magazine breech breech bolt breech face breechblock buck & ball buckshot bullet bullet drop bullet jump bullet mushroom bullet ogive bullet stabilization butt butt plate    C  caliber carbine cartridge caseless ammunition centerfire cartridge chamber chamber throat charging handle checkering cheek piece choke clip cock cocking handle cocking knob comb cook-off creep crimp cross hairs cylinder cylinder gap cylinder stop    D  Damascus barrels Derringer detachable magazine double action doubling drilling drum magazine    E  ejector ejector rod extractor    F  falling block action feed feed ramp field load firearm firing pin flintlock floorplate forcing cone frame frangible bullet full choke full metal jacket fulminate of mercury

G  gas check gas port gas-operated gauge grip grip safety grooves gunpowder half cock    H  hammer hammer block hammer spur hammerless handgun head head space high brass/high cup hinged frame action hollow point bullet    I  improved cyl. choke iron sights    J  jacket    K  keyhole kick    L  lands lever action line of sight loading gate loading port lock locking lugs lockplate lock-time low brass/low cup    M  magazine magazine floorplate magazine follower magazine plug magazine release magazine safety magazine throat magazine well magnum cartridge mainspring mainspring guide mainspring housing Martini action match matchlock metallic sights mini ball modified choke musket musketoon muzzle muzzle blast muzzle brake muzzle crown muzzle energy muzzle flash muzzle loader muzzle velocity    N  necking down nipple    O  open bolt system open sight operating handle operating rod optical sight out of battery over and under

P  pan partition bullet patch patch box percussion cap pistol point of aim point of impact pressure pressure barrel primer proof mark proof test pump action    Q  Quaker gun    R  ramrod rate of twist receiver receiver ring recoil recoil shield recoil spring reload revolver revolver action rib ricochet rifling rimfire cartridge rimless cartridge case rimmed cartridge case rolling block action rotary magazine    S  safety sear selector semi-automatic serial number shot shotshell side-by-side shotgun sidelock action sight sleeve slide action smallbore smokeless powders smoothbore spitzer bullet staggered col. magazine stock stripper clip    T  throat toe top strap trajectory trap door action trigger trigger guard trigger pull tubular magazine    U  unload    V  velocity    W-Z  wadcutter bullet wheel-lock wildcat cartridge windage yaw zero

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John McCain
appeared on 2,500 movie screens in Spring 2001 to urge parents and children to save lives by keeping guns locked up and out of schools. play video read more

 Safe Carry
What are the best ways to carry a firearm comfortably and safely? Our Gun Safety Program explains which carrying techniques are safe in specific situations.

 Safety Gear
You should always wear equipment to protect your eyes and ears when firearms are discharged, whether you are shooting or simply observing.

 Cleaning Firearms
See our Gun Safety Program for expert tips on how to safely clean and maintain firearms.