Letter: S

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.

1. In a double barreled gun, a device to allow the shooter to choose which barrel is to be fired by the first pull of the trigger. 2. A lever which enables the shooter to choose the type of fire, semi-auto or full auto, with high or low rate of automatic fire.

An action in which each pull of the trigger results in a complete firing cycle from discharge through reloading. It is necessary that the trigger be released and pulled for each firing cycle. Also called Autoloader or Self-Loader. For Blowback Operated: See Blowback Action. See Delayed Blowback Action. For Recoil Operated: See Recoil Operated Action. For Gas Operated Action: See Gas Operated Action. For Inertia Operated: See Inertia Operated Action