Firearm
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A firearm is any type of gun that uses an explosive charge and is designed to be readily carried and used by an individual.[1][2][3] The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions).
The first firearms originated in 10th-century
Modern firearms can be described by their
Shooters aim firearms at their targets with
Types
In the military, firearms are categorized into heavy and light weapons regarding their portability by
The subset of light firearms that only use kinetic projectiles and are compact enough to be operated to full capacity by a single infantryman (individual-served) are also referred to as small arms. Such firearms include handguns such as pistols, revolvers, and derringers; and long guns such as rifles (and their subtypes), shotguns, submachine guns, and machine guns.[6]
Among the world's
As of 2018[update] the
Handguns
A handgun is, as defined generally and in many
Handguns can be categorized into two broad types: pistols, which have a single fixed firing chamber machined into the rear of the barrel, and are often loaded using magazines of varying capacities; revolvers, which have a number of firing chambers or "charge holes" in a revolving cylinder, each one loaded with a single cartridge or charge; and derringers, broadly defined as any handgun that is not a traditional pistol nor a revolver.
There are various types of the aforementioned handguns designed for different mechanisms or purposes, such as
Examples of pistols include the Glock, Browning Hi-Power, M1911 pistol, Makarov pistol, Walther PP, Luger pistol, Mauser C96, and Beretta 92. Examples of revolvers include the Colt Single Action Army, Smith & Wesson Model 10, Colt Official Police, Colt Python, New Nambu M60, and Mateba Autorevolver. Examples of derringers include the Remington Model 95, FP-45 Liberator, and COP .357 Derringer.
Long guns
A long gun is any firearm with a notably long barrel, typically a length of 10 to 30 inches (250 to 760 mm) (there are restrictions on minimum barrel length in many jurisdictions; maximum barrel length is usually a matter of practicality). Unlike a handgun, long guns are designed to be held and fired with both hands, while braced against either the hip or the shoulder for better stability. The receiver and trigger group is mounted into a stock made of wood, plastic, metal, or composite material, which has sections that form a foregrip, rear grip, and optionally (but typically) a shoulder mount called the butt. Early long arms, from the Renaissance up to the mid-19th century, were generally smoothbore firearms that fired one or more ball shot, called muskets or arquebus depending on caliber and firing mechanism. Since the 19th and 20th centuries, various types of long guns have been created for different purposes.
Rifles
A rifle is a long gun that has riflings (spiral grooves) machined into the bore (inner) surface of its barrel, imparting a gyroscopically-stabilizing spin to the bullets that it fires. A descendant of the musket, rifles produce a single point of impact with each firing with a long range and high accuracy. For this reason, as well as for their ubiquity, rifles are very popular among militaries as service rifles, police as accurate long-range alternatives to their traditional shotgun long guns, and civilians for hunting, shooting sports, and self-defense.
Many types of rifles exist owing to their wide adoption and versatility, ranging from mere barrel length differences as in
Examples of rifles of various types include the Henry rifle, Winchester rifle, Lee–Enfield, Gewehr 98, M1 Garand, MAS-36 rifle, AKM, Ruger 10/22, Heckler & Koch G3, Remington Model 700, and Heckler & Koch HK417.
Shotguns
A shotgun is a long gun that has a predominantly smoothbore barrel—meaning it lacks rifling—designed to fire a number of shot pellets in each discharge. These shot pellet sizes commonly range between 2 mm #9 birdshot and 8.4 mm #00 (double-aught) buckshot, and produce a cluster of impact points with considerably less range and accuracy, since shot spreads during flight. Shotguns are also capable of firing single solid projectiles called slugs, or specialty (often "less lethal") munitions such as bean bags or tear gas to function as a riot gun or breaching rounds to function as a door breaching shotgun. Shotgun munitions, regardless of type, are packed into shotgun shells
Shotguns share many qualities with rifles, such as both being descendants of early long guns such as the musket; both having bolt-action, lever-action, break-action,
Double-barreled shotguns are break-action shotguns with two parallel barrels (horizontal side-by-side or vertical over-under), allowing two single shots that can be loaded and fired in quick succession.
Examples of shotguns include the Winchester Model 1897, Browning Auto-5, Ithaca 37, Remington Model 870, Mossberg 500, Benelli M4, Franchi SPAS-12, Atchisson AA-12, and Knight's Armament Company Masterkey.
Carbines
A carbine is a long gun, usually a rifle, that has had its barrel shortened from its original length or is of a certain size smaller than standard rifles, but is still large enough to be considered a long gun. How considerable the difference is between a rifle and a carbine varies; for example, the standard
The small size of a carbine provides lower weight and better maneuverability, making them ideal for
Examples of carbines include the
.Assault rifles
An assault rifle is commonly defined as a selective fire rifle chambered in an intermediate cartridge (such as 5.56×45mm NATO, 7.62×39mm, 5.45×39mm, and .300 AAC Blackout) and fed with a detachable magazine.[13][14][15][16][17] Assault rifles are also usually smaller than full-sized rifles such as battle rifles.
Originating with the StG 44 produced by Nazi Germany during World War II, assault rifles have since become extremely popular among militaries and other armed groups due to their universal versatility, and they have made up the vast majority of standard-issue military service rifles since the mid-20th century. Various configurations of assault rifle exist, such as the bullpup, in which the firing grip is located in front of the breech instead of behind it.
Examples of assault rifles include the Kalashnikov rifles of Soviet and Russian origin (such as the AK-47, AKM, and AK-74), as well as the American M4 carbine and M16 rifle.
Battle rifles
A battle rifle is commonly defined as a semi-automatic or selective fire rifle that is larger or longer than an assault rifle and is chambered in a "full-power" cartridge (e.g.
Battle rifles serve similar purposes as assault rifles, as they both are usually employed by ground infantry for essentially the same purposes. However, some prefer battle rifles for their more powerful cartridge, despite the added recoil. Some designated marksman rifles are configured from battle rifles, such as the Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle and United States Marine Corps Designated Marksman Rifle, both essentially heavily modified and modernized variants of the M14 rifle.
Examples of rifles considered to be battle rifles include the FG 42, Gewehr 43, FN FAL, Howa Type 64, and Desert Tech MDR.
Sniper rifles
A sniper rifle is, per widespread definition, a high-powered precision rifle, often
Related developments are
Examples of sniper and scout rifles include the M40 rifle, Heckler & Koch PSG1, Walther WA 2000, Accuracy International AWM, M24 Sniper Weapon System, Steyr Scout, Sako TRG, and CheyTac Intervention. Examples of anti-materiel and anti-tank rifles include the Mauser Tankgewehr M1918, Boys anti-tank rifle, PTRS-41, Barrett M82, Gepárd anti-materiel rifle, and McMillan TAC-50. Examples of designated marksman rifles include the SVD, SR-25, Dragunov SVU, Marine Scout Sniper Rifle, Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle, and M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System.
Automatic rifles
An automatic rifle is a magazine-fed rifle that is capable of automatic fire. They include most assault rifles and battle rifles, but originated as their own category of rifles capable of automatic fire, as opposed to the bolt-action and semi-automatic rifles commonly issued to infantry at the time of their invention. They usually have smaller magazine capacities than
Though automatic rifles are sometimes considered to be their own category, they are also occasionally considered to be other types of firearms that postdated their invention, usually as light machine guns. Automatic rifles are sometimes confused with machine guns or vice versa, or are defined as such by law; the National Firearms Act and Firearm Owners Protection Act define a "machine gun" in United States Code Title 26, Subtitle E, Chapter 53, Subchapter B, Part 1, § 5845 as "... any firearm which shoots ... automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger". "Machine gun" is therefore largely synonymous with "automatic weapon" in American civilian parlance, covering all automatic firearms. In most jurisdictions, automatic rifles, as well as automatic firearms in general, are prohibited from civilian purchase or are at least heavily restricted; in the U.S. for instance, most automatic rifles are Title II weapons that require certain licenses and are greatly regulated.
Examples of automatic rifles include the Cei-Rigotti, Lewis gun, Fedorov Avtomat, and M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle.
Machine guns
Machine guns can be divided into three categories: light machine guns, individual-served machine guns of an intermediate cartridge that are usually magazine-fed; medium machine guns, belt-fed machine guns of a full-power caliber and a certain weight that can be operated by an individual but tend to work best with a crew; and heavy machine guns, machine guns that are too large and heavy to be carried and are thus mounted to something (like a tripod or military vehicle), and require a crew to operate. A general-purpose machine gun combines these categories under a single flexible machine gun platform, often one that is most suitable as a light or medium machine gun but fares well as a heavy machine gun. A closely related concept is the squad automatic weapon, a portable light machine gun or even a modified rifle that is designed and fielded to provide a squad with rapid direct fire.
Examples of machine guns include the Maxim gun, M2 Browning, Bren light machine gun, MG 42, PK machine gun, FN MAG, M249 light machine gun, RPK, IWI Negev, and M134 Minigun.
Submachine guns
A submachine gun is a magazine-fed carbine chambered in a small-caliber
Submachine guns are considered ideal for
Examples of submachine guns include the MP 18, MP 40, Thompson submachine gun, M3 submachine gun, Uzi, Heckler & Koch MP5, Spectre M4, Steyr TMP, Heckler & Koch UMP, PP-2000, KRISS Vector, and SIG MPX.
Personal defense weapons
A personal defense weapon is, in simplest terms, a submachine gun that is designed to fire ammunition with ballistic performance that is similar to (but not actually a type of) rifle cartridges, often called "sub-intermediate" cartridges. In this way, it combines the high automatic rate of fire, reliable low recoil, and lightweight compact maneuverability of submachine guns with the versatility, penetration, and effective range of rifles, effectively making them an "in-between" of submachine guns and carbines.
Personal defense weapons were developed to provide rear and "second-line" personnel not otherwise armed with high-caliber firearms (vehicle and weapon crews, engineers, logistical personnel, etc.) with a method of effective self-defense against skirmishers and infiltrators who cannot effectively be defeated by low-powered submachine guns and handguns, often the only firearms suitable for those personnel (while they could be issued rifles or carbines, those would become unnecessary burdens in their normal duties, during which the likelihood of hostility is fairly rare regardless, making their issuance questionable). Thus, per their name, personal defense weapons allow these personnel to effectively defend themselves from enemies and repel attacks themselves or at least until support can arrive. They are not intended for civilian self-defense due to their nature as automatic firearms (which are usually prohibited from civilian purchase), though some semi-automatic PDWs exist for the civilian market, albeit often with longer barrels.
Examples of personal defense weapons include the FN P90, Heckler & Koch MP7, AAC Honey Badger, and ST Kinetics CPW.
Action
Types aside, firearms are also categorized by their "action", which describes their loading, firing, and unloading cycle.
Manual
Manual action or manual operation is essentially any type of firearm action that is loaded, and usually also fired, one cartridge at a time by the user, rather than automatically. Manual action firearms can be divided into two basic categories: single-shot firearms that can only be fired once per barrel before it must be reloaded or charged via an external mechanism or series of steps; and repeating firearms that can be fired multiple times per barrel, but can only be fired once with each subsequent pull of the trigger or ignite, and the firearm's action must be reloaded or charged via an internal mechanism between trigger pulls.
Types of manual actions include lever action, bolt action, and pump action.
Lever action
Lever action is a repeating action that is operated by using a cocking handle (the "lever") located around the trigger guard area (often incorporating it) that is pulled down then back up to move the bolt via internal linkages and cock the firing pin mechanism, expelling the old cartridge and loading a new one.
Bolt action
Bolt action is a repeating (and rarely single-shot) action that is operated by directly manipulating the bolt via a
Two designs of bolt action exist: rotating bolt, where the bolt must be axially rotated to unlock and lock the receiver; and straight pull, which does not require the bolt to be rotated, simplifying the bolt action mechanism and allowing for a greater rate of fire.
Pump action
Pump action or slide action is a repeating action that is operated by moving a sliding
Semi-automatic
Semi-automatic, self-loading, or autoloading is a firearm action that, after a single discharge, automatically performs the feeding and ignition procedures necessary to prepare the firearm for a subsequent discharge. Semi-automatic firearms only discharge once with each trigger actuation, and the trigger must be actuated again to fire another cartridge.
Types of semi-automatic actions and modes include automatic, burst, and selective.
Automatic
Automatic is a firearm action that uses the same automated action cycling as semi-automatic, but continues to do so for as long as the trigger is actuated, until the trigger is let go of or the firearm is depleted of available ammunition. The excess energy released from a discharged cartridge is used to load a new cartridge into the chamber, then igniting the
Burst
Burst is a fire mode of some semi-automatic and automatic firearms that fires a predetermined amount of rounds—usually two or three—in the same manner as automatic fire. Depending on the firearm, a single trigger actuation may fire the full burst of rounds, or it must be depressed for the entire discharge, with a single pull of the trigger firing a single round or an incomplete burst. Most firearms with burst capabilities have it as a fire mode secondary to semi-automatic and automatic.
Selective fire
Selective fire or select fire is the capability of a firearm to have its fire mode adjusted between semi-automatic, burst, or automatic. The modes are chosen by means of a
Use as a blunt weapon
Firearms can be used as blunt weapons, for instance to conserve limited ammunition or when ammunition has run out entirely.[citation needed]
New recruits of the
In armed robberies, beating the victims with firearms is a more common way to complete the robbery, rather than shooting or stabbing them.[20]
Examples include:
- butt stock of a firearm.[21]
- Pistol-whipping, striking someone with a handgun.[22]
- Striking with the muzzle end of a firearm without a bayonet attached.[23]
History
The first firearms were invented in 10th century China when the man-portable fire lance (a bamboo or metal tube that could shoot ignited gunpowder) was combined with projectiles such as scrap metal, broken porcelain, or darts/arrows.[4][24]
An early depiction of a firearm is a sculpture from a cave in
The Arabs and
Even though the knowledge of making gunpowder-based weapons in the
The technology of firearms in Southeast Asia further improved after the Portuguese capture of Malacca (1511).[37] Starting in the 1513, the traditions of German-Bohemian gun-making merged with Turkish gun-making traditions.[38]: 39–41 This resulted in the Indo-Portuguese tradition of matchlocks. Indian craftsmen modified the design by introducing a very short, almost pistol-like buttstock held against the cheek, not the shoulder, when aiming. They also reduced the caliber and made the gun lighter and more balanced. This was a hit with the Portuguese who did a lot of fighting aboard ship and on river craft, and valued a more compact gun.[39]: 41 [40] The Malaccan gunfounders,[check spelling] compared as being in the same level with those of Germany, quickly adapted these new firearms, and thus a new type of arquebus, the istinggar, appeared.[41]: 385 The Japanese did not acquire firearms until the 16th century, and then from the Portuguese rather than from the Chinese.[26]
Developments in firearms accelerated during the 19th and 20th centuries. Breech-loading became more or less a universal standard for the reloading of most hand-held firearms and continues to be so with some notable exceptions (such as mortars). Instead of loading individual rounds into weapons, magazines holding multiple munitions were adopted—these aided rapid reloading. Automatic and semi-automatic firing mechanisms meant that a single soldier could fire many more rounds in a minute than a vintage weapon could fire over the course of a battle. Polymers and alloys in firearm construction made weaponry progressively lighter and thus easier to deploy. Ammunition changed over the centuries from simple metallic ball-shaped projectiles that rattled down the barrel to bullets and cartridges manufactured to high precision. Especially in the past century[timeframe?] particular attention has focused on accuracy and sighting to make firearms altogether far more accurate than ever before. More than any single factor though, firearms have proliferated due to the advent of mass production—enabling arms-manufacturers to produce large quantities of weaponry to a consistent standard.[citation needed]
Velocities of bullets increased with the use of a "jacket" of metals such as copper or copper alloys that covered a lead core and allowed the bullet to glide down the barrel more easily than exposed lead. Such bullets are known as "full metal jacket" (FMJ). Such FMJ bullets are less likely to fragment on impact and are more likely to traverse through a target while imparting less energy. Hence, FMJ bullets impart less tissue damage than non-jacketed bullets that expand.[42] This led to their adoption for military use by countries adhering to the Hague Convention of 1899.[43]
That said, the basic principle behind firearm operation remains unchanged to this day. A musket of several centuries ago is still similar in principle to a modern-day rifle—using the expansion of gases to propel projectiles over long distances—albeit less accurately and rapidly.[44]
Early firearm models
Fire lances
The Chinese fire lance from the 10th century was the direct predecessor to the modern concept of the firearm. It was not a gun itself, but an addition to soldiers' spears. Originally it consisted of paper or bamboo barrels that would contain incendiary gunpowder that could be lit one time and which would project flames at the enemy. Sometimes Chinese troops would place small projectiles within the barrel that would also be projected when the gunpowder was lit, but most of the explosive force would create flames. Later, the barrel was changed to be made of metal, so that more explosive gunpowder could be used and put more force into the propulsion of projectiles.[45]: 31–32
Hand cannons
The original predecessor of all firearms, the Chinese
In the 1420s, gunpowder was used to propel missiles from hand-held tubes during the Hussite revolt in Bohemia.[46][unreliable source?]
Arquebuses
The arquebus is a long gun that appeared in Europe and the Ottoman Empire during the 15th Century. The term arquebus is derived from the Dutch word haaqbus (literally meaning hook gun). The term arquebus was applied to many different types of guns. In their earliest form they were defensive weapon mounts on German city walls in the 15th Century. The addition of a shoulder stock, priming pan and matchlock mechanism in the late 15th century turned the arquebus into a handheld firearm, and also first firearm equipped with a trigger. Heavy arquebuses mounted on war wagons were called arquebus a croc. These heavy arquebuses fired a lead ball of about 3.5 ounces (100g).
Muskets
Muzzle-loading muskets (smooth-bored long guns) were among the first firearms developed.[when?] The firearm was loaded through the muzzle with gunpowder, optionally with some wadding, and then with a bullet (usually a solid lead ball, but musketeers could shoot stones when they ran out of bullets). Greatly improved muzzleloaders (usually rifled instead of smooth-bored) are manufactured today and have many enthusiasts, many of whom hunt large and small game with their guns. Muzzleloaders have to be manually reloaded after each shot; a skilled archer could fire multiple arrows faster than most early muskets could be reloaded and fired, although by the mid-18th century when muzzleloaders became the standard small-armament of the military, a well-drilled soldier could fire six rounds in a minute using prepared cartridges in his musket. Before then, the effectiveness of muzzleloaders was hindered both by the low reloading speed and, before the firing mechanism was perfected, by the very high risk posed by the firearm to the person attempting to fire it.[citation needed]
One interesting solution to the reloading problem was the "Roman Candle Gun" with superposed loads. This was a muzzleloader in which multiple charges and balls were loaded one on top of the other, with a small hole in each ball to allow the subsequent charge to be ignited after the one ahead of it was ignited. It was neither a very reliable nor popular firearm, but it enabled a form of "automatic" fire long before the advent of the machine gun.[47]
Firing mechanisms
Matchlock
Matchlocks were the first and simplest firearms-firing mechanisms developed. In the matchlock mechanism, the powder in the gun barrel was ignited by a piece of burning cord called a "match". The match was wedged into one end of an S-shaped piece of steel. When the trigger (often actually a lever) was pulled, the match was brought into the open end of a "touch hole" at the base of the gun barrel, which contained a very small quantity of gunpowder, igniting the main charge of gunpowder in the gun barrel. The match usually had to be relit after each firing. The main parts of the matchlock firing mechanism are the pan, match, arm, and trigger.[48] A benefit of the pan and arm swivel being moved to the side of the gun was it gave a clear line of fire.[49] An advantage to the matchlock firing mechanism is that it did not misfire. However, it also came with some disadvantages. One disadvantage involved weather: in rain, the match could not be kept lit to fire the weapon. Another issue with the match was it could give away the position of soldiers because of the glow, sound, and smell.[50] While European pistols were equipped with wheellock and flintlock mechanisms, Asian pistols used[when?] matchlock mechanisms.[51]
Wheellock
The wheellock action, a successor to the matchlock, predated the flintlock. Despite its many faults, the wheellock was a significant improvement over the matchlock in terms of both convenience and safety, since it eliminated the need to keep a smoldering match in proximity to loose gunpowder. It operated using a small wheel (much like that on a cigarette lighter) which was wound up with a key before use and which, when the trigger was pulled, spun against a flint, creating the shower of sparks that ignited the powder in the touch hole. Supposedly invented by Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), the Italian Renaissance man, the wheellock action was an innovation that was not widely adopted due to the high cost of the clockwork mechanism.
Flintlock
The flintlock action represented a major innovation in firearm design. The spark used to ignite the gunpowder in the touch hole came from a sharpened piece of flint clamped in the jaws of a "cock" which, when released by the trigger, struck a piece of steel called the "frizzen" to generate the necessary sparks. (The spring-loaded arm that holds a piece of flint or pyrite is referred to as a cock because of its resemblance to a rooster.) The cock had to be manually reset after each firing, and the flint had to be replaced periodically due to wear from striking the frizzen. (See also flintlock mechanism, snaphance, Miquelet lock.) The flintlock was widely used during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries in both muskets and rifles.
Percussion cap
Once struck, the flame from the cap, in turn, ignited the main charge of gunpowder, as with the flintlock, but there was no longer any need to charge the touch hole with gunpowder, and even better, the touch hole was no longer exposed to the elements. As a result, the percussion-cap mechanism was considerably safer, far more weatherproof, and vastly more reliable (cloth-bound cartridges containing a pre-measured charge of gunpowder and a ball had been in regular military service for many years, but the exposed gunpowder in the entry to the touch hole had long been a source of misfires). All muzzleloaders manufactured since the second half of the 19th-century use percussion caps except those built as replicas of the flintlock or earlier firearms.
Loading techniques
Most early firearms were muzzle-loading. This form of loading has several disadvantages, such as a slow rate of fire and having to expose oneself to enemy fire to reload—as the weapon had to be pointed upright so the powder could be poured through the muzzle into the breech, followed by the ramming the projectile into the breech. As effective methods of sealing the breech developed along with sturdy, weatherproof, self-contained metallic cartridges, muzzle-loaders were replaced by single-shot breech loaders. Eventually, single-shot weapons were replaced by the following repeater-type weapons.
Internal magazines
Many firearms made from the late-19th century through the 1950s used internal magazines to load the cartridge into the chamber of the weapon. The most notable and revolutionary weapons of this period appeared during the U.S. Civil War of 1861–1865: the
Detachable magazines
Many modern firearms use what are called detachable or box magazines as their method of chambering a cartridge. Detachable magazines can be removed from the weapon without disassembling the firearms, usually by pushing a magazine release.
Belt-fed weapons
A belt or ammunition belt, a device used to retain and feed cartridges into a firearm, is commonly used with machine guns. Belts were originally composed of canvas or cloth with pockets spaced evenly to allow the belt to be mechanically fed into the gun. These designs were prone to malfunctions due to the effects of oil and other contaminants altering the belt. Later belt-designs used permanently-connected metal links to retain the cartridges during feeding. These belts were more tolerant to exposure to solvents and oil. Notable weapons that use belts include the M240, the M249, the M134 Minigun, and the PK Machine Gun.
Cartridges
Frenchman
Cartridges represented a major innovation: firearms ammunition, previously delivered as separate bullets and powder, was combined in a single metallic (usually brass) cartridge containing a percussion cap, powder, and a bullet in one weatherproof package. The main technical advantage of the brass cartridge case was the effective and reliable sealing of high-pressure gasses at the breech, as the gas pressure forces the cartridge case to expand outward, pressing it firmly against the inside of the gun-barrel chamber. This prevents the leakage of hot gas which could injure the shooter. The brass cartridge also opened the way for modern repeating arms, by uniting the bullet, gunpowder, and primer into one assembly that could be fed reliably into the breech by mechanical action in the firearm.
Before this, a "cartridge" was simply a pre-measured quantity of
Nearly all contemporary firearms load cartridges directly into their
Repeating firearms
Many firearms are "single shot": i.e., each time a cartridge is fired, the operator must manually re-cock the firearm and load another cartridge. The classic single-barreled shotgun offers a good example. A firearm that can load multiple cartridges as the firearm is re-cocked is considered a "repeating firearm" or simply a "repeater". A lever-action rifle, a pump-action shotgun, and most bolt-action rifles are good examples of repeating firearms. A firearm that automatically re-cocks and reloads the next round with each trigger-pull is considered a semi-automatic or autoloading firearm.
The first "rapid firing" firearms were usually similar to the 19th-century
Automatic weapons are largely restricted[by whom?] to military and paramilitary organizations, though many automatic designs are infamous for their use by civilians.
Health hazards
Firearm hazard is quite notable, with a significant impact on the health system. In 2001, for quantification purposes, it was estimated that the cost of fatalities and injuries was US$4700 million per year in Canada (US$170 per Canadian) and US$100,000 million per year in the U.S. (US$300 per American).[57]
Death
From 1990 to 2015, global deaths from assault by firearm rose from 128,000 to 173,000,[59][60] however this represents a drop in rate from 2.41/100,000 to 2.35/100,000, as world population has increased by more than two billion.[61]
In 2017, there were 39,773 gun-related deaths in the United States; over 60% were suicides from firearms.[62] In 2001, firearms were involved in cases constituting the second leading cause of "mechanism of injury deaths" (which are deaths which occur as a direct, identifiable, and immediate consequence of an event, such as a shooting or poisoning, and do not include deaths due to "natural causes" or "indirect causes" such as chronic alcohol abuse or tobacco use) after motor vehicle accidents, which comprised the majority of deaths in this category.[63][64] The most recent, complete data, from 2017, shows gunshot related homicides as having been the 31st most common cause of death in the US, while gunshot related suicides was the 21st most common cause of death. Accidental discharge of a firearm accounted for the 59th most common cause of death, with 486 deaths in 2017, while 616 individuals were killed by law enforcement, comprising the 58th most common cause of death. The total number of deaths related to firearms in 2017 was 38,882 (not including incidents of deaths resulting from lethal force when used by law enforcement), while the most common cause of death, heart disease, claimed 647,457 lives, over sixteen times that of firearms, including suicides. The most recent data from the CDC, from 2020, shows that deaths involving firearms accounted for about 0.2% of all deaths nationwide in 2020, of which about two-thirds were suicides.[65][66]
In the 52 high- and middle-income countries, with a combined population of 1,400 million and not engaged in civil conflict, fatalities due to firearm injuries were estimated at 115,000 people per annum, in the 1990s.[57]
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
In those 52 countries, a firearm is the first method used for homicide (two-thirds) but only the second method for suicide (20%.[57]
To prevent unintentional injury, gun safety training includes education on proper firearm storage and firearm-handling etiquette.[67][68]
Injury
Based on US data, it is estimated that three people are injured for one killed.[57]
A 2017 study found that attacks account for more than half (50.2%) of all nonfatal gun injuries, while unintentional injuries make up more than one-third (36.7%).[69]
PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder)
PTSD or Post-traumatic stress disorder is extremely prevalent in the aftermath of different firearm-related events, such as mass shootings, injuries, and police-involved incidents. In particular, military Veterans are especially at high risk for the development of PTSD. In 2004, Hoge et al. found that soldiers that fought in Iraq or Afghanistan who significantly engaged in firefights had a linear association with the risk of PTSD. Hoge found that the rates of PTSD ranged from 4.5% from those who had not been involved in firefights to 19.3% to those involved in five or more firefights, displaying an apparent correlation between risk of PTSD and firefights.[70] Additionally, school shootings are often studied and exhibit a connection between PTSD and the involvement with firearms. It was found that rates of PTSD were highest in students that were in direct exposure, which was around 9.7% of the recorded population. Rates would be as low as 3.4% in those with no exposure.[71]
Lead exposure
Many bullets used with firearms are made of lead. If lead reaches the bloodstream, which can occur when handling ammunition, it can lead to issues with brain development, damage to the kidney. Extremely high levels can lead to seizures, unconsciousness, and even death. [72]
Noise
A common hazard of repeated firearm use is noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). NIHL can result from long-term exposure to noise or from high intensity impact noises such as gunshots.[73][74] Individuals who shoot guns often have a characteristic pattern of hearing loss referred to as "shooters ear". They often have a high-frequency loss with better hearing in the low frequencies and one ear is typically worse than the other. The ear on the side the shooter is holding the gun will receive protection from the sound wave from the shoulder while the other ear remains unprotected and more susceptible to the full impact of the sound wave.[74][75]
The intensity of a gunshot does vary; lower caliber guns are typically on the softer side while higher caliber guns are often louder. The intensity of a gunshot though typically ranges from 140 dB to 175 dB. Indoor shooting also causes loud reverberations which can also be as damaging as the actual gunshot itself.[74][75] According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, noise above 85 dB can begin to cause hearing loss.[73] While many sounds cause damage over time, at the intensity level of a gunshot (140 dB or louder), damage to the ear can occur instantly.[73][75]
Shooters use custom hearing protection such as electronic type hearing protection for hunters which can amplify soft sounds like leaves crunching while reducing the intensity of the gunshot and custom hearing protection for skeet shooting.[74][75]
Even with hearing protection, due to the high intensity of the noise guns produce shooters still develop hearing loss over time.[74]
Legal definitions
Firearms include a variety of ranged weapons and there is no agreed-upon definition. For instance, English language laws of big legal entities such as the United States, India, the European Union and Canada use different definitions. Other English language definitions are provided by international treaties.
United States
In the United States, under 26 USC § 5845 (a), the term "firearm" means
- (1) a shotgun having a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length;
- (2) a weapon made from a shotgun if such weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches or a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length;
- (3) a rifle having a barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in length;
- (4) a weapon made from a rifle if such weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches or a barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in length;
- (5) any other weapon, as defined in subsection (e);
- (6) a machinegun;
- (7) any silencer (as defined in section 921 of title 18, United States Code);
The term "firearm" shall not include an antique firearm or any device (other than a machinegun or destructive device) which, although designed as a weapon, the Secretary finds by reason of the date of its manufacture, value, design, and other characteristics is primarily a collector's item and is not likely to be used as a weapon.
This is the ATF definition of a title II "NFA firearm", as defined by the National Firearms Act, and not the definition of a title I firearm, which includes firearms not restricted by the NFA. ATF forms dealing with Title II weapons all state the above-mentioned information, however, the above information is only applicable for the purposes of those forms. For practical purposes, a firearm, in the U.S., is defined as the part of a weapon- designed to use expanded gas caused by the combustion of explosive material, to propel a projectile- which houses the fire control group (trigger & sear).
According to the U.S.
India
In India, the arms act, 1959, provides a definition of firearms where "firearms" means arms of any description designed or adapted to discharge a projectile or projectiles of any kind by the action of any explosive or other forms of energy, and includes:
- (i) artillery, hand-grenades, riot-pistols or weapons of any kind designed or adapted for the discharge of any noxious liquid, gas, or other such thing,
- (ii) accessories for any such firearm designed or adapted to diminish the noise or flash caused by the firing thereof,
- (iii) parts of, and machinery for manufacturing, fire-arms, and
- (iv) carriages, platforms, and appliances for mounting, transporting and serving artillery;
European Union
In the European Union, a
United Kingdom
In the UK, a firearm does not have to use a combustible propellant, as explained by Crown Prosecution Service Guidance Firearms The Firearms Act 1968 Section 57(1B), uses the definition of a firearm as a "lethal barrelled weapon" as a "barrelled weapon of any description from which a shot, bullet or other missile, with kinetic energy of more than one joule as measured at the muzzle of the weapon, can be discharged". As such, low-energy air rifles and pistols also fall under UK firearm legislation, although the licensing requirements of low-energy weapons are more relaxed.
Canada
In Canada, firearms are defined by the Criminal Code:
firearm means a barrelled weapon from which any shot, bullet, or other projectile can be discharged and that is capable of causing serious bodily injury or death to a person, and includes any frame or receiver of such a barrelled weapon and anything that can be adapted for use as a firearm; (arme à feu)[78]
Australia
Australia has a definition of firearms in its 1996 legal act:
"firearm" means any device, whether or not assembled or in parts —
- (a) which is designed or adapted, or is capable of being modified, to discharge shot or a bullet or other missile by the expansion of gases produced in the device by the ignition of strongly combustible materials or by compressed air or other gases, whether stored in the device in pressurised containers or produced in the device by mechanical means; and
- (b) whether or not operable or complete or temporarily or permanently inoperable or incomplete
— and which is not —
- (c) an industrial tool powered by cartridges containing gunpowder or compressed air or other gases which is designed and intended for use for fixing fasteners or plugs or for similar purposes; or
- (d) a captive bolt humane killer; or
- (e) a spear gun designed for underwater use; or
- (f) a device designed for the discharge of signal flares; or
- (h) a device commonly known as a kiln gun or ringblaster, designed specifically for knocking out or down solid material in kilns, furnaces or cement silos; or
- (i) a device commonly known as a line thrower designed for establishing lines between structures or natural features and powered by compressed air to other compressed gases and used for rescue purposes, rescue training or rescue demonstration; or
- (j) a device of a prescribed class;[10]
South Africa
In South Africa, Firearms Control Act [No. 60 of 2000] defines firearms since June 2001, with a 2006 amendment of the definition:
'firearm' means any-
- (a) device manufactured or designed to propel a bullet or projectile through a barrel or cylinder by means of burning propellant, at a muzzle energy exceeding 8 joules (6 ft-lbs);
- (b) device manufactured or designed to discharge rim-fire, centre-fire or pin-fire ammunition;
- (c) device which is not at the time capable of discharging any bullet or projectile, but which can be readily altered to be a firearm within the meaning of paragraph (a) or (b);
- (d) device manufactured to discharge a bullet or any other projectile of a calibre of 5.6 mm (.22 calibre) or higher at a muzzle energy of more than 8 joules (6 ft-lbs), by means of compressed gas and not by means of burning propellant; or [Para. (d) substituted by s. 1 (b) of Act 43 of 2003.]
- (e) barrel, frame or receiver of a device referred to in paragraphs (a), (b), (c) or (d), but does not include a muzzle loading firearm or any device contemplated in section 5;[9]
International treaties
An inter-American convention defines firearms as:
- any barreled weapon which will or is designed to or may be readily converted to expel a bullet or projectile by the action of an explosive, except antique firearms manufactured before the 20th Century or their replicas; or
- any other weapon or destructive device such as any explosive, incendiary or gas bomb, grenade, rocket, rocket launcher, missile, missile system, or mine.[79]
An
"Firearm" shall mean any portable barrelled weapon that expels, is designed to expel or may be readily converted to expel a shot, bullet or projectile by the action of an explosive, excluding antique firearms or their replicas. Antique firearms and their replicas shall be defined in accordance with domestic law. In no case, however, shall antique firearms include firearms manufactured after 1899[80]
See also
- Firearm science and technology
- Ballistics (Internal ballistics, Transitional ballistics, External ballistics, Terminal ballistics)
- Electrothermal-chemical technology
- Firearm action
- Glossary of firearms terms
- Gunsmith
- Physics of firearms
- Vertical forward grip
- Precision-guided firearm
- Firearms and society
- Air travel with firearms and ammunition
- Celebratory gunfire
- Gun politics
- Firearms ownership
- Gun control, Small arms trade and Right to keep and bear arms
- Gun culture
- Gun safety
- Gun serial number
- Gun violence
- Index of gun politics articles
- Open carry and Concealed carry
- Overview of gun laws by nation
- Saturday night special
- Shooting range
- Shooting sport
- List of firearms
- List of aircraft weapons
- List of battle rifles
- List of World War II infantry weapons
- List of firearm brands
- List of infantry weapons of World War I
- List of pistols
- List of secondary and special-issue World War II infantry weapons
- List of shotguns
- List of sniper rifles
- List of submachine guns
- List of weapons of military aircraft of Germany during World War II
- Firearms organizations
References
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- ^ a b "Firearm". American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (4 ed.). Houghton Mifflin Company. 2000."Firearm". Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged. HarperCollins Publishers. 2003.
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- ^ Andrade 2016, p. 52.
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- ^ "Assault rifle". Encyclopædia Britannica. 3 July 2010. Archived from the original on 24 November 2012. Retrieved 2023-06-20.
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- ^ "Pistol-whip Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com".
- ^ "US Soldier: How We Stopped Train Gunman". Sky News. 22 Aug 2015.
Then I grabbed the AK (assault rifle), which was at his feet, and started muzzle thumping him in the head with it.
- ISBN 978-0-7923-4066-9. Archivedfrom the original on 9 October 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
- ^ Chase 2003, p. 32: "The earliest true firearms may well date from as early as the first half of the 1100s. The evidence comes from sculptures in a Buddhist cave temple in Sichuan. [...] The earliest inscription in the cave dates from 1128, but even the later inscriptions all date from the 1100s [...]."
- ^ a b Chase 2003, pp. 31–32.
- ^ Needham 1986:293–94
- ^ Chase 2003, p. 32.
- JSTOR 23790667.
- ISBN 9781934854013. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2019.)
The first hand cannon appeared during the 1260 Battle of Ain Jalut between the Egyptians and Mongols in the Middle East
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of January 2024 (link - ISBN 9780312554538. Archivedfrom the original on 2019-12-30. Retrieved 2019-04-24.
Known to the Arabs as midfa, was the ancestor of all subsequent forms of cannon. Materials evolved from bamboo to wood to iron quickly enough for the Egyptian Mamelukes to employ the weapon against the Mongols at the battle of Ain Jalut in 1260, which ended the Mongol advance into the Mediterranean world.
- ^ Chase 2003, p. 1.
- ^ a b Crawfurd, John (1856). A Descriptive Dictionary of the Indian Islands and Adjacent Countries. Bradbury and Evans.
- ^ Mayers (1876). "Chinese explorations of the Indian Ocean during the fifteenth century". The China Review. IV: p. 178.
- (PDF) from the original on 2020-10-17. Retrieved 2020-09-08.
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- ^ The bewitched gun : the introduction of the firearm in the Far East by the Portuguese, by Rainer Daehnhardt 1994.
- ISBN 9781107034280.
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- ISBN 9780521355056.
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- ^ "The Inaccuracy of Muskets". Journal of the American Revolution. 2013-07-15. Archived from the original on 2018-04-09. Retrieved 2018-04-09.
- ^ Chase 2003
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- ^ "How guns work" Archived 2015-12-22 at the Wayback Machine (fireadvantages.com)
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- ]
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- ).
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{{cite journal}}
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- ^ Learish, Jessica (March 31, 2021). "Death index: Top 59 ways Americans die". CBS News. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
- ^ "FastStats - Deaths and Mortality". CDC. 13 January 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
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- ^ "Lead poisoning: Spot symptoms and limit exposure-Lead poisoning - Symptoms & causes". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
- ^ a b c "Noise-Induced Hearing Loss". NIDCD. 2015-08-18. Archived from the original on 2020-04-14. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
- ^ a b c d e "Gunshots and hearing loss -- why hearing protection is vital". Healthy Hearing. 2007-12-10. Archived from the original on 2019-10-15. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
- ^ a b c d "Recreational Firearm Noise Exposure". American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Archived from the original on 2019-09-04. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
- ^ US Federal Govt Archived 2015-05-03 at the Wayback Machine does not consider an air gun to be a firearm and does not regulate airguns as firearms
- ^ European Parliament and the Council (21 May 2008). "DIRECTIVE 2008/51/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 21 May 2008 amending Council Directive 91/477/EEC on control of the acquisition and possession of weapons". Archived from the original on 4 August 2019. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
- ^ "Consolidated federal laws of Canada, Criminal Code". 6 May 2021. Archived from the original on 22 February 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
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{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
Sources
- ISBN 978-0-691-13597-7..
- Chase, Kenneth (2003). Firearms: A Global History to 1700. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-82274-9.
- Cole, Suzanne N. (2017). Association of Firearm Instructors Glossary of Firearm Terms: 2017–2018 Edition. United States: The Association of Firearm Instructors. ISBN 978-0-9982150-3-7.
- Crosby, Alfred W. (2002). Throwing Fire: Projectile Technology Through History. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-79158-8.
- ISBN 978-0-521-30358-3.
External links
- Media related to Firearms at Wikimedia Commons
Firearms |
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muskets |
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Early artillery |
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Medieval large calibre guns |
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Early incendiaries |
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Firing mechanisms | |
Literatures | |
Firearm accessories mounting standards | |
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Barrels |
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Receivers |
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Scopes and scope mounts |
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Compact and non-magnifying sights (reflex, holographic or prism) | |
Handguard accessories | |
Bipods | |
Slings |
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