Reference library
Guides to rifles, shotguns, handguns, ammunition, optics and archery, plus hunting know-how by species for the United States and Canada. Every page lists the sources behind it.
Guide · Handguns
A revolver works by rotating a chambered cylinder so one chamber lines up with the barrel and firing pin before each shot. The hand turns the cylinder, the cylinder stop or latch locks it in alignment, the hammer and firing pin fire the cartridge, and the ejector rod helps remove cartridges or fired cases.
Article · Rifles
The AMD-65 is a Hungarian Kalashnikov-pattern rifle associated with the AKM family and with armored infantry and paratrooper use. Its short barrel, metal folding stock, perforated fore end, and vertical foregrip make it one of the easiest AK variants to recognize.
Comparison · Shotguns
Gas and inertia semi-automatic shotguns both use energy from a fired shell to cycle the action, but they use it in different places. Gas systems tap propellant gas to move operating parts, while inertia systems use recoil energy stored in a spring within the bolt assembly.
Comparison · Rifles
Controlled-round feed and push-feed describe when a bolt-action rifle’s extractor takes control of the cartridge. Controlled-round feed grips the rim as the round leaves the magazine, while push-feed pushes the round into the chamber before the extractor engages it.
Comparison · Firearms History and Technology
Open-bolt and closed-bolt describe where the bolt starts in the firing cycle, not whether a firearm is semiautomatic or automatic. Open-bolt systems can help with heat management during repeated fire, while closed-bolt systems are often favored for carefully aimed first shots.
Guide · Rifles
A straight-pull rifle is a bolt-action rifle that lets the shooter cycle the bolt mostly straight rearward and forward. The locking still happens, but cams, sleeves, bolt heads, collars or wedges do the turning or locking work inside the action.
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