Firearms Terminology

noun A sudden loud noise

verb To strike or hit something with a loud noise

adverb In a sudden and intense manner

• The loud bang of the fireworks echoed through the night sky.
• I heard a loud bang coming from the kitchen, I think something fell.
• That party was a real bang, everyone was having a great time.
• She slammed the door with a bang, signifying the end of their relationship.

noun a cylindrical container, typically bulging at the center, made of wooden staves with metal hoops around them

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• The barrel was filled with wine and sealed for aging.
• I found a barrel of pickles in the pantry.
• Let's go to the bar and shoot some barrels.
• She's really scraping the bottom of the barrel with that excuse.

noun a yellow alloy of copper and zinc

adjective made of or resembling brass

• The brass section of the orchestra sounded magnificent during the performance.
• I love the sound of a brass instrument in a jazz band.
• She's got a lot of brass to talk to me like that.
• His words were like brass, harsh and unyielding.

noun the lower rear part of the human trunk; the buttocks

• The doctor successfully delivered the baby in the breech position.
• The baby was born butt-first, but everything turned out fine.
• The little one decided to make a grand entrance with a breech birth.
• The project was in a breech situation, but we managed to turn it around in the end.

noun the internal diameter or bore of a gun barrel

• The new recruit has shown exceptional caliber in handling complex projects.
• I heard that new guy is top caliber when it comes to getting things done.
• That basketball player is of a different caliber - he's unstoppable on the court.
• Her singing voice is of such high caliber that it can move people to tears.

adjective not properly prepared or thought out; impulsive or rash

adverb in a hasty or impulsive manner

• The soldier was reprimanded for going into battle with his weapon half cocked.
• Don't go into that meeting half cocked, make sure you're fully prepared.
• He always shows up to parties half cocked, never fully sober.
• She went into the job interview half cocked, not fully understanding the position's requirements.

noun the activity of pursuing wild animals or game as a sport or for food

adjective related to the activity of hunting

• Hunting is a popular recreational activity in many rural areas.
• My uncle loves hunting in the woods behind his house.
• Let's go hunting for some good deals at the mall.
• She was hunting for the perfect words to express her feelings.

verb past tense of load, meaning to fill or place a large amount of something into or onto something else

adjective describing something that is heavily filled or covered with something

• The truck was loaded with supplies for the remote village.
• I'm feeling loaded after that big meal.
• She's always loaded with cash, it's like she never runs out.
• His words were loaded with hidden meaning, making it hard to decipher his true intentions.

noun a close range at which a firearm can be aimed directly at a target without consideration for the bullet's drop or travel time

adjective direct and straightforward, without any attempt to disguise or soften the truth

adverb directly and straightaway, without any hesitation or deviation

• The detective questioned the suspect point blank about his whereabouts on the night of the crime.
• I told him point blank that I wasn't interested in going out on a date with him.
• She told him point blank to back off and stop bothering her.
• The CEO's decision to cut costs was like a point blank shot to the company's morale.

adjective direct and straightforward, without any hesitation or evasion

adverb in a direct and straightforward manner, without any hesitation or evasion

• The detective asked the suspect point-blank if he had committed the crime.
• I told him point-blank that I wasn't interested in going out with him.
• She shot him point-blank with the water gun during the prank war.
• The CEO made it clear point-blank that there would be consequences for missing the deadline.

noun a small grid or pattern of lines placed in the focus of an optical device, such as a telescope or microscope, used for precise measurement or alignment

• The reticle in the telescope helped the astronomer pinpoint the exact location of the star.
• Make sure to center the reticle before taking a picture through the camera.
• I'll just aim down the reticle and see if I can hit the target.
• Her focus was like a sharp reticle, honing in on the details others might miss.

noun a type of handgun with a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers for bullets

• The detective found a revolver at the crime scene and immediately secured it for evidence.
• I can't believe he pulled out a revolver during the argument!
• He whipped out his piece, a shiny revolver, and everyone went silent.
• Her words were like a loaded revolver, ready to shoot down anyone who dared to challenge her.

noun a quick, energetic shuffle or flicking motion

verb to turn over something quickly and lightly, especially the pages of a book or cards

• The librarian showed me how to properly riffle through the pages of the ancient manuscript.
• I like to riffle through old magazines at the doctor's office.
• Let's riffle through the clearance section at the store and see if we find any good deals.
• His fingers deftly riffled through the deck of cards, impressing everyone with his card tricks.

noun a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, having a long barrel and spiral grooves cut in the inner surface of the barrel to give the bullet a rotatory motion and thus a more precise trajectory

verb to search quickly through something in order to find or steal something

• The soldier carefully aimed his rifle at the target.
• Dad took out his rifle to go hunting this weekend.
• I heard he's packing a serious rifle for the competition.
• Her sharp wit was like a verbal rifle, always hitting the mark.

noun a type of firearm that can fire continuously with a single pull of the trigger

adjective partially automatic

• The military uses semiautomatic weapons for combat missions.
• My brother's new rifle is semiautomatic, it's pretty cool.
• I heard that gang member got caught with a semiautomatic piece.
• Her mind works like a semiautomatic machine, constantly firing off ideas.

noun a smoothbore gun for firing small shot at short range

adjective relating to or using a shotgun

• The hunter took his shotgun and set out into the woods.
• I called shotgun for the front seat of the car.
• He pulled out his shotgun and was ready to lay down some serious heat.
• She took a shotgun approach to solving the problem, trying multiple solutions at once.

noun a sport in which participants use shotguns to shoot at clay targets that are mechanically flung into the air

• Trapshooting is a popular sport that involves shooting at clay targets.
• I heard there's a trapshooting competition happening next weekend.
• Let's go out to the range and do some trapshooting.
• Avoiding negative thoughts is like trapshooting - you have to aim carefully and stay focused.

noun a small mass, lump, or bundle of a soft material

verb to form into a wad or compact mass

• The accountant carefully counted the wad of cash before depositing it in the bank.
• I found a wad of gum stuck under my shoe.
• He pulled out a wad of bills to pay for the drinks.
• She had a wad of emotions building up inside her.