Action - the moving parts
that allow you to load, fire and unload your shotgun.
Barrel Selector - determines
which barrel of a double barrel gun you will fire first.
Blacking/Blueing - the blue
coloration applied to protect gun barrels.
Bore - the interior diameter
of a gun barrel, which will vary according to the gun's size
and intended use.
Box-Lock - a type of gun
action, often recognizable by its squared appearance.
Breech - the end of the
barrel nearest to the stock.
Break Open - in a hinge type
gun, where the barrels are dropped open and clear of the
action, exposing the chambers to view.
Butt - the rear of the
shoulder end of the gun's stock.
Comb - the side of the stock
that fits against your cheek.
Chamber - the part of the
action, at the breech end of the barrel, into which the shot
shell is placed.
Choke - the degree of
narrowing or constriction of the bore at the muzzle end of
the barrel. Intended to increase the effective range of the
gun.
Ejector - the mechanism on
shotguns by which spent shot cases are automatically ejected
from the gun when it is opened after firing.
Forearm - the part of the
stock that lies under the barrel.
Full Choke - the tightest
constriction or narrowing of the bore, producing the
greatest effective range.
Grip - the narrow portion of
the stock held with the trigger hand.
Gauge - the term used to
describe the interior diameter of the bore. The smaller the
gauge number the larger the bore
size.
Hinge - a type of action in
which a hinge mechanism separates the barrel from the
standing breech block, providing access to the chamber.
Improved Cylinder - least
constricted or narrowed choke causing shot pattern to widen
relatively quickly.
Modified Choke - moderate
constriction or narrowing of the bore.
Muzzle - the end of the
barrel from which the shot exits.
Over-and-Under - a two
barreled shotgun with one barrel placed over the other.
Pump - a type of action that
loads and ejects shells by "pumping" the forearm of the
stock back and forth
Safety - a safety device
that, in the "on" position, prevents the gun from firing. In
many field guns the safety is automatically engaged when the
gun is opened; in other guns, particularly competition
grades, the safety must be manually opened.
Semi Automatic - a type of
action in which gas from a burning gunpowder in the shell
automatically ejects the spent shell that loads another.
Shot - round projectiles,
usually of lead or steel.
Shot Pattern - the
concentration of a shot measured in a circle at a given
range, usually 30 to 40 yards.
Side-by-Side - a shotgun with
two barrels sitting side by side.
Stock - the "handle" of the
shotgun, the part held to the shoulder, comprising the butt,
comb, grip and forearm.
Shotshell or Shell - the
ammunition fired by shotguns, consisting of five components:
the case, primer, powder charge, wad, and shot.
Trigger - finger- pulled
lever——single, double and release——that drives the firing
point forward and fires the gun.
