A firearm is defined as any type of gun that an individual can carry and readily use it. The first guns originated from China in the 10th century, where bamboo tubes containing gunpowder and pellets were mounted on the spears.
Gun technology has advanced at a rapid pace since the 10th century. Now, hundreds of different guns are used by law enforcement agencies and gun enthusiasts with a passion for sports shooting. Modern firearms are categorized according to the caliber or bore diameter, barrel length, and ignition mechanism.
The Most Common and Popular Firearms
The classification of high-quality firearms is done by a standard tool known as FRT (Firearms Reference Table), an online database giving up-to-date descriptions of old and new firearms. The ‘antique’ guns are defined as vintage guns and replicas made in or before 1898. Some of the popular firearms include a revolver, pistols, rifles, shotguns, and machine guns.
- Revolver
A revolver is a standard firearm that features a revolving cylinder with 5 to 9 chambers. A person has to load the cartridges manually. You have to pull the trigger once the cylinder rotates and comes in a firing position. The expanded cartridges remain in the cylinder, and you have to remove them manually. The revolvers can be single or double action.
- Pistol
The pistols are one of the best high-quality firearms designed purposefully for semi-automatic function. A pistol is a compact, handheld gun where the chamber is part of the barrel. You have to load the cartridges into the magazine, which is inserted into the grip.
If the pistol is functioning properly, then the action of the firearm will feed, chamber, and extract the cartridge once it is fired. The action of the gun will automatically feed the next round and expel the spent cartridge. The types of pistols include single shot, semi-automatic, automatic, and repeating.
- Rifles
One of the oldest guns to be used worldwide is a ‘rifle’ with a distinctive long barrel. You have to place the gun on the shoulder to take aim and fire the round. A rifle consists of spiral grooves that cut inside the barrel and firing a projectile after a rapid spin. The different types of rifles include single shot, semi-automatic, fully automatic, and repeating.
- Shotgun
Another gun featuring a long barrel and fired from the shoulder is a ‘shotgun.’ The shotgun does not have any rifling mechanism, but the design supports firing successive small projectiles rather than a single large projectile. A shotgun is a mostly single shot but also comes in repeating and semi-automatic.
- Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic gun where the firearm will keep on loading and ejecting projectiles until the trigger is released or the ammunition is jammed. A sub-machine gun is one that can be handheld and comes with low energy cartridges as compared to a machine gun.
Conclusion
If you are a beginner and looking for the best firearm for sports shooting, then certain online stores will not only guide you but allow you to order a firearm that will be delivered to a local gun store from where you can collect it.