Chapter 3: hunter's safety terms
Percussion cap
A cap placed on the nipple under the hammer of the muzzleloader. The cap explodes when it is hit. This sends the flame to the main powder charge, which fires the firearm
Primer
A cap that sets fire to the powder when it is struck by the firing pin
Semi-automatic
A firearm that fires, ejects the spent cartridge and chambers a new cartridge with a single pull of the trigger
Muzzleloader
A firearm that is loaded through the muzzle instead of the breech
Solvent
A liquid that can dissolve powder and other substances that can build up inside a firearm
Projectile
A missile that is pushed out of a firearm by force
Repeater
A rifle that holds more than one cartridge, and can fire several shots before unloading
Cartridge
A round of ammunition that includes primer, powder, case, and the bullet or shot. Cartridges can be either rimfire or centerfire
Firearm
A tool which shoots a projectile by burning gunpowder
Rimfire
A type of ammunition in which the primer is around the inside bottom rim of the case
Centerfire
A type of ammunition in which the primer is in the center of the base of the cartridge
Pump action
A type of firearm that loads and unloads ammunition by pumping the firearm between shots
Bolt action
A type of firearm that loads and unloads ammunition by working the bolt
Break action
A type of firearm that opens at the breech. Shells are loaded by hand. This kind usually comes either as a single-shot or a double-shot barrel
Sliding lever
A type of shotgun safety. It is a small device that stops the firearm from firing if the trigger is pulled accidentally
Ammunition
Any powder, shot, cartridge, or shell used in a firearm
Obstacle
Anything that gets in the way or obstructs
Binoculars
Field glasses used to identify game by making it look larger
Rifling
Grooves in the metal of a firearm barrel. They make the bullet spin
Prone
Lying flat; the safest, most accurate of the four rifle-shooting positions
Sights
Mechanical parts of a firearm which help in aiming. Including open, peep, and telescopic
Shot
Pellets commonly made of lead, steel, tungsten, iron, or bismuth that are fired by a firearm
Terrain
Portion of land
Fundamentals
Rules, laws, or facts which are a basis for knowledge
Shotshell
Shot and other parts of ammunition for shotguns that come all together in a container, or shell
Marksmanship
Skill in placing a shot or hitting a target
Pellets
Small, round balls of lead or steel that are shot in a pattern
Muzzle
The end and smallest part of a barrel
Recoil
The kick-back of a firearm when fired
Bore
The measurement from one land to the opposite land in a rifle barrel
Caliber
The measurement of a rifle bore. Usually it is the distance between the lands
Land
The metal between the grooves in a firearm barrel
Breech
The part of a barrel at the opposite end to the muzzle
Action
The part of a firearm that loads, fires, and ejects the cartridge. There are 5 parts: bolt, lever, pump (slide), and break (hinge)
Choke
The part of a shotgun at the muzzle that controls the spread of the shot and its pattern
Chamber
The part of the bore into which a cartridge is placed
Magazine
The part of the repeating firearm that holds ammunition until it is ready to be fed into the chamber
Forearm
The part of the stock under the barrel
Gauge
The size of the bore of a gun. It is measured by the number of lead balls equal to the size of the bore which weigh one pound
Barrel
The tube that the bullet goes down when a firearm is fired
Stock
The wood or synthetic frame that holds the barrel and action. It helps you get and keep aim, and it absorbs recoil when you fire
Sight-in
To adjust a rifle's sights so that the bullet hits a target at a given range
Prevention
To stop or keep from doing something
Vechile
Used for transpiration, such as a car, sled, or cart
Waterfowl
Water birds, especially those that swim, such as ducks and geese