Archives: Glossary

Spherical pellets used in loading shotshells. Commonly formed from lead but may be made from steel or other material.

A wedging action of shot pellets in a tube causing a stoppage of flow in a shotshell loading operation.

A part which retains the hammer or striker in the cocked position. When released, it permits firing.

A term used for stress-corrosion cracking that involves metallic cases or shotshell cups with both residual stress and specific corrosive agents.

The positioning of a primer or bullet in a metallic cartridge case or a wad in a shotshell.

The longitudinal position of a bullet, primer or wad in a cartridge case.

A projectile nose with the curvature not tangent to the cylindrical bearing portion.

The ratio of bullet weight to its diameter.

A method of securing a bullet into a metallic cartridge case by using a chuck (collet) to exert a clamping force around the mouth of the shell case.

An arrangement on double-barrel firearms having a single trigger which enables the shooter to choose the barrel he wishes to fire first. The mechanism will then subsequently switch to the unfired barrel, which a second pull of the trigger can then fire.