Firearm

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Firearms)
This article is about the projectile weapon. For other uses, see Firearm
(disambiguation).
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The M16 rifle and the AK-47, two

common firearms with significant influences on firearm design
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 China, when bamboo tubes

containing gunpowder and pellet projectiles were mounted on spears to
make the portable fire lance,[4] operable by a single person, which was later
used effectively as a shock weapon in the siege of De'an in 1132. In the
13th century, fire lance barrels were replaced with metal tubes and
transformed into the metal-barreled hand cannon.[5] The technology
gradually spread throughout Eurasia during the 14th century. Older
firearms typically used black powder as a propellant, but modern firearms
use smokeless powder or other propellants. Most modern firearms (with the
notable exception of smoothbore shotguns) have rifled barrels to impart
spin to the projectile for improved flight stability.

Modern firearms can be described by their caliber (i.e. bore diameter). For
pistols and rifles this is given in millimeters or inches (e.g. 7.62mm or .308
in.), or in the case of shotguns by their gauge (e.g. 12 ga. and 20 ga.).
They are also described by the type of action employed
(e.g. muzzleloader, breechloader, lever, bolt, pump, revolver, semi-
automatic, fully automatic, etc.), together with the usual means of
deportment (i.e. hand-held or mechanical mounting). Further classification
may make reference to the type of barrel used (i.e. rifled) and to the barrel
length (e.g. 24 inches), to the firing mechanism
(e.g. matchlock, wheellock, flintlock, or percussion lock), to the design's
primary intended use (e.g. hunting rifle), or to the commonly accepted
name for a particular variation (e.g. Gatling gun).

Shooters aim firearms at their targets with hand-eye coordination, using

either iron sights or optical sights. The accurate range of pistols generally
does not exceed 100 metres (110 yd; 330 ft), while most rifles are accurate
to 500 metres (550 yd; 1,600 ft) using iron sights, or to longer ranges whilst
using optical sights. (Firearm rounds may be dangerous or lethal well
beyond their accurate range; the minimum distance for safety is much
greater than the specified range for accuracy). Purpose-built sniper
rifles and anti-materiel rifles are accurate to ranges of more than 2,000
metres (2,200 yd).

Types
For a more detailed list of common firearms, see List of firearms, List of
most-produced firearms, and Small Arms and Light Weapons.
A firearm is a barreled ranged weapon that inflicts damage on targets by
launching one or more projectiles driven by rapidly expanding high-
pressure gas produced by exothermic combustion (deflagration) of a
chemical propellant, historically black powder, now smokeless powder.[1][2][3]

In the military, firearms are categorized into heavy and light weapons
regarding their portability by infantry. Light firearms are those that can be
readily carried by individual foot soldier, though they might still require more
than one individual (crew-served) to achieve optimal operational capacity.
Heavy firearms are those that are too large and heavy to be transported on
foot, or too unstable against recoil, and thus require the support of
a weapons platform (e.g. a fixed mount, wheeled
carriage, vehicle, aircraft or water vessel) to be tactically mobile or useful.

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 arms manufacturers, the top firearms manufacturers

are Browning, Remington, Colt, Ruger, Smith &
Wesson, Savage, Mossberg (United States), Heckler & Koch, SIG
Sauer, Walther (Germany), ČZUB (Czech Republic), Glock, Steyr
Arms (Austria), FN
Herstal (Belgium), Beretta (Italy), Norinco (China), Rostec,
and Kalashnikov (Russia). Former top producers included the Springfield
Armory (United States), the Royal Small Arms Factory (United
Kingdom), Mauser (Germany), Steyr-Daimler-Puch (Austria), and Rock
Island Armory under Armscor (Philippines).[citation needed]

As of 2018 the Small Arms Survey reported that there were over one billion
firearms distributed globally, of which 857 million (about 85 percent) were
in civilian hands.[7][8] U.S. civilians alone account for 393 million (about 46
percent) of the worldwide total of civilian-held firearms.[8] This amounts to
"120.5 firearms for every 100 residents".[8] The world's armed forces control
about 133 million (about 13 percent) of the global total of small arms, of
which over 43 percent belong to two countries: the Russian
Federation (30.3 million) and China (27.5 million).[7] Law enforcement
agencies control about 23 million (about 2 percent) of the global total of
small arms.[7]
Handguns
Main article: Handgun
 The Colt Single Action Army, a revolver

chambered in .45 Colt The Glock 19, a pistol

chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum
A handgun is, as defined generally and in many gun laws, a firearm that
can be used with a single hand.[9][10][11][12] They are the smallest of all firearms,
and are common as sidearms, concealed carry weapons, or as backup
weapons for self-defense.

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 single-shot, manual
repeating, semi-automatic, or automatic pistols; single-action, double-
action, or double-action/single-action revolvers; and small, compact
handguns for concealed carry such as pocket pistols and "Saturday night
specials".

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
Main article: Long gun
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
Main article: Rifle

The Mosin–Nagant, a rifle chambered

in 7.62×54mmR
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 short-barreled
rifles and carbines, to classifications per the rifle's function and purpose as
in semi-automatic rifles, automatic rifles and sniper rifles, to differences in
the rifle's action as in bolt-action, lever-action, and break-action rifles.
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
Main article: Shotgun

The Mossberg 500, a shotgun chambered in 12-

gauge
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 (cartridges designed specifically for
shotguns) that are loaded into the shotgun for use; these shells are
commonly loose and manually loaded one-by-one, though some shotguns
accept magazines.

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, pump-action, semi-automatic, and automatic variants; and
both being popular with militaries, police, and civilians for largely the same
reasons. However, unlike rifles, shotguns are less favored in combat roles
due to their low accuracy and limited effectiveness in modern warfare,
with combat shotguns often only used for breaching or close-quarters
combat and sometimes limited to underbarrel attachments such as the M26
Modular Accessory Shotgun System. Shotguns are still popular with
civilians for the suitability of their shot spread in hunting, clay pigeon
shooting, and home defense.
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
Main article: Carbine

The M1 carbine, a uniquely-designed carbine,

chambered in .30 Carbine The M4 carbine, a

carbine derivative of the M16 rifle, chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO
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 Heckler & Koch G36's barrel has a length of 480 mm (18.9 in), the
G36K carbine variant's barrel is 318 mm (12.5 in), and the G36C compact
variant's barrel is 228 mm (9.0 in). Some carbines are also redesigned
compared to their rifle counterparts, such as the aforementioned G36/G36K
and G36C, or the AK-74 and AKS-74U. However, some carbines, such as
the M1 carbine, are not a variant of any existing design and are their own
firearm model. Carbines are regardless very similar to rifles and often have
the same actions (single-shot, lever-action, bolt-action, semi-automatic,
automatic, etc.). This similarity has given carbines the alternate name
of short barreled rifle (SBR), though this more accurately describes a full-
size rifle with a shortened carbine-style barrel for close-quarters use.

The small size of a carbine provides lower weight and better

maneuverability, making them ideal for close-quarters combat and storage
in compact areas. This makes them popular firearms among special
forces and police tactical units alongside submachine guns, considerably
so since the late 1990s due to the familiarity and better stopping power of
carbines compared to submachine guns. They are also popular with (and
were originally mostly intended for) military personnel in roles that are
expected to engage in combat, but where a full-size rifle would be an
impediment to the primary duties of that soldier
(logistical personnel, airborne forces, military engineers, officers, etc.),
though since the turn of the millennium these have been superseded to a
degree in some roles by personal defense weapons. Carbines are also
common among civilian firearm owners who have size, space, and power
concerns similar to military and police users.

Examples of carbines include the Winchester Model 1892, Rifle No. 5 Mk

I, SKS, M1 carbine, Ruger Mini-14, M4 carbine, and Kel-Tec SUB-2000.
Assault rifles
Main article: Assault rifle

The AK-107, an assault rifle chambered

in 5.45×39mm
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
Main article: Battle rifle
 The FN FAL, a battle rifle chambered
in 7.62×51mm NATO
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. 7.62×51mm NATO, 7.92×57mm
Mauser, 7.62×54mmR). The term originated as a retronym to differentiate
older full-powered rifles of these configurations like the M1 Garand, from
newer assault rifles using intermediate cartridges like the Heckler & Koch
HK33, but it is sometimes used to describe similar modern rifles such as
the FN SCAR.

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
Main article: Sniper rifle

The Accuracy International Arctic Warfare,

a sniper rifle chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO and .308 Winchester
 The Barrett M82, an anti-materiel rifle
chambered in .50 BMG
A sniper rifle is, per widespread definition, a high-powered precision rifle,
often bolt-action or semi-automatic, with an effective range farther than that
of a standard rifle. Though any rifle in a sniper configuration (usually with
a telescopic sight and bipod) can be considered a sniper rifle, most sniper
rifles are purpose-built for their applications, or are variants of existing rifles
that have been modified to function as sniper rifles, such as the Type 97
sniper rifle, which was essentially a standard Type 38 rifle that was
modified to be lighter and come with a telescopic sight.

Related developments are anti-materiel rifles, high-caliber rifles designed to

destroy enemy materiel such as vehicles, supplies, or hardware; anti-tank
rifles, anti-materiel rifles that were designed specifically to combat
early armoured fighting vehicles, but are now largely obsolete due to
advances in vehicle armour; scout rifles, a broad class of rifles generally
summed up as short, lightweight, portable sniper rifles; and designated
marksman rifles, semi-automatic high-precision rifles, usually chambered in
intermediate or full-power cartridges, that fill the range gap between sniper
rifles and regular rifles and are designed for designated marksmen in
squads.

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
Main article: Automatic rifle

The AVS-36, an automatic rifle chambered

in 7.62×54mmR
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 machine
guns; the French Chauchat had a 20-round box magazine, while
the Hotchkiss Mle 1914 machine gun, the French Army's standard machine
gun at the time, was fed by a 250-round ammunition belt.

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
Main article: Machine gun
 The M60, a general-purpose machine gun
chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO
A machine gun is a fully-automatic firearm, chambered in intermediate or
full-power rifle cartridges, designed to provide sustained automatic direct
fire as opposed to the semi-automatic or burst fire of standard rifles. They
are commonly associated with being belt-fed, though many machine guns
are also fed by box, drum, pan, or hopper magazines. They generally have
a high rate of fire and a large ammunition capacity, and are often used
for suppressive fire to support infantry advances or defend positions from
enemy assaults. Owing to their versatility and firepower, they are also
commonly installed on military vehicles and military aircraft, either as main
or ancillary weapons. Many machine guns are individual-served and can be
operated by a single soldier, though some are crew-served weapons that
require a dedicated crew of soldiers to operate, usually between two and
six soldiers depending on the machine gun's operation and the crew
members' roles (ammunition bearers, spotters, etc.).

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
Main article: Submachine gun

The Heckler & Koch MP5, a submachine gun

chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum
A submachine gun is a magazine-fed carbine chambered in a small-
caliber handgun cartridge (such as 9×19mm Parabellum, .45 ACP, .22
Long Rifle, and .40 S&W). They cannot be considered machine guns due
to their small caliber, hence the prefix "sub-" to differentiate them from
proper machine guns. Submachine guns are commonly associated with
high rates of fire, automatic fire capabilities, and low recoil, though many
submachine guns differentiate from this in various ways, such as having
fairly low rates of fire or including burst and semi-automatic modes
available through selective fire. Most submachine guns are the size of
carbines and short-barreled rifles, and use similar configurations. Many are
designed to take as little space as possible for use in close-quarters or for
easy storage in vehicles and cases. Some submachine guns are designed
and configured similar to pistols even down to size, and are thus
occasionally classed as machine pistols, even if they are not actually a
handgun (i.e. designed to require two hands to use).

Submachine guns are considered ideal for close-quarters combat and are
cheap to mass-produce. They were very common in military service
through much of the 20th century, but have since been superseded in most
combat roles by rifles, carbines, and personal defense weapons due to
their low effective range and poor penetration against most body
armor developed since the late 20th century. However, they remain popular
among special forces and police for their effectiveness in close-quarters
and low likelihood to overpenetrate targets.

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
Main article: Personal defense weapon

The Heckler & Koch MP7, a personal defense

weapon chambered in HK 4.6×30mm
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
Main article: Action (firearms)

The semi-automatic Colt AR-15 (top) and the

pump action Remington Model 870 (bottom); these weapons' actions are
common for their respective types.
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
Main article: 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
Main article: Bolt action
Bolt action is a repeating (and rarely single-shot) action that is operated by
directly manipulating the bolt via a bolt handle. The bolt is unlocked from
the receiver, then pulled back to open the breech, ejecting a cartridge, and
cocking the striker and engaging it against the sear; when the bolt is
returned to the forward position, a new cartridge, if loaded, is pushed out of
the magazine and into the barrel chamber, and the breech is re-locked.

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
Main article: Pump action
Pump action or slide action is a repeating action that is operated by moving
a sliding handguard (the "pump") on the gun's forestock rearward
(frontward on some models), ejecting any spent cartridges and cocking
the hammer or striker, then moving the handguard forward to load a new
cartridge into the chamber.[18] It is most common on shotguns, though pump
action rifles and grenade launchers also exist.
Semi-automatic
Main article: Semi-automatic firearm
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
Main article: Automatic firearm
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 propellant and discharging said new cartridge by delivering a hammer
or striker impact on the primer. Automatic firearms are further defined by
the type of cycling principles used, such as recoil operation (uses energy
from the recoil to cycle the action), blowback (uses energy from the
cartridge case as it is pushed by expanding gas), blow forward (use
propellant gas pressure to open the breech), or gas operation (uses high-
pressure gas from a fired cartridge to dispose of the spent case and load a
new cartridge).
Burst
Main article: Burst mode (weapons)
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
Main article: 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 fire mode selector, which varies depending on the
weapon's design. The presence of selective-fire modes on firearms allows
more efficient use of ammunition for specific tactical needs, either
precision-aimed or suppressive fire. Selective fire is most commonly found
on assault rifles and submachine guns.

Use as a blunt weapon

A United States Air Force trainee buttstroking a

target dummy with an unloaded M16 rifle
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 Israel Defense Forces undergo training on the safe
practice of using the M16 rifle as a blunt weapon, mainly so that in close-
quarter fighting, the weapon cannot be pulled away from them. Other
training includes the recruit learning how to jab parts of the body with
the muzzle and using the butt stock as a weapon.[citation needed]

Forensic medicine recognizes evidence for various types of blunt-force

injuries produced by firearms. For example, "pistol-whipping" typically
leaves semicircular or triangular lacerations of skin produced by the butt of
a pistol.[19]

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:

 Buttstroking, striking with the 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
Main article: History of the firearm
See also: History of gunpowder

Hand cannon from the Chinese Yuan

dynasty (1271–1368)
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 Sichuan, China.

The sculpture dates to the 12th century[25] and represents a figure carrying a
vase-shaped bombard, with flames and a cannonball coming out of it.
 The oldest surviving gun, a hand cannon made of bronze, has been
[26]

dated to 1288 because it was discovered at a site in modern-day Acheng

District, Heilongjiang, China, where the Yuan Shi records that battles were
fought at that time.[27] The firearm had a 17.5 cm (6.9 in) barrel of a 2.5 cm
(1 in) diameter, a 6.6 cm (2.6 in) chamber for the gunpowder and a socket
for the firearm's handle. It is 34 centimetres (13 in) long and 3.54 kilograms
(7.8 lb) without the handle, which would have been made of wood.[28]

The Arabs and Mamluks had firearms in the late-13th century.[29][30]

[31]
Europeans obtained firearms in the 14th century.[32] The Koreans adopted
firearms from the Chinese in the 14th century. The Iranians (first Aq
Qoyunlu and Safavids) and Indians (first Mughals) all got them no later
than the 15th century, from the Ottoman Turks. The people of
the Nusantara archipelago of Southeast Asia used the long arquebus at
least by the last quarter of the 15th century.[33]: 23

The istinggar, a result of Indo-Portuguese gun-

making traditions
Even though the knowledge of making gunpowder-based weapons in
the Nusantara archipelago had been known after the failed Mongol
invasion of Java (1293), and the predecessor of firearms, the pole
gun (bedil tombak), was recorded as being used by Java in 1413,[34][35]: 245 the
knowledge of making "true" firearms came much later, after the middle of
15th century. It was brought by the Islamic nations of West Asia, most
probably the Arabs. The precise year of introduction is unknown, but it may
be safely concluded to be no earlier than 1460.[33]: 23 Before the arrival of the
Portuguese in Southeast Asia, the natives already possessed firearms,
the Java arquebus.[36]

A) The matchlock gun with button for trigger,

which came to Lisbon from Bohemia, used by the Portuguese until the
conquest of Goa in 1510. B) The Indo-Portuguese matchlock gun resulted
from the combination of Portuguese and Goan gunmaking. C) The
Japanese matchlock gun appeared as a copy of the first firearm introduced
in the Japanese islands.
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]

A musketeer (1608)
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
Main article: Fire lance

A cavalryman wielding a fire lance.

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
Main article: Hand cannon
A Swiss soldier firing a hand cannon.
The original predecessor of all firearms, the Chinese hand cannon from the
13th century, was loaded with gunpowder and the projectile (initially lead
shot, later replaced by cast iron[citation needed]) through the muzzle, while a fuse
was placed at the rear. This fuse was lit, causing the gunpowder to ignite
and propel the projectiles. In military use, the standard hand cannon was
tremendously powerful, while also being somewhat erratic[citation needed] due to
the relative inability of the gunner to aim the weapon, or to control the
ballistic properties of the projectile. Recoil could be absorbed by bracing
the barrel against the ground using a wooden support, the forerunner of
the stock. Neither the quality nor amount of gunpowder, nor the
consistency in projectile dimensions was controlled, with resulting
inaccuracy in firing due to windage, variance in gunpowder composition,
and the difference in diameter between the bore and the shot. Hand
cannons were replaced around the 15th century by lighter carriage-
mounted artillery pieces, and ultimately by the arquebus.

In the 1420s, gunpowder was used to propel missiles from hand-held tubes
during the Hussite revolt in Bohemia.[46][unreliable source?]
Arquebuses

A 17th Century arquebus at the Château de

Foix Museum, France.
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
Main article: Musket

Muskets and bayonets aboard the frigate Grand

Turk.
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
Further information: Trigger (firearms) and Firearm action
Matchlock
Main article: Matchlock

Various Japanese (samurai) Edo

period matchlocks (tanegashima)
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
Main article: Wheellock
A wheellock pistol mechanism from the 17th century
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
Main article: Flintlock

Flintlock mechanism
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
Main articles: Percussion cap and Caplock mechanism
Percussion caps (caplock mechanisms), coming into wide service in the
early 19th century, offered a dramatic improvement over flintlocks. With the
percussion-cap mechanism, the small primer charge of gunpowder used in
all preceding firearms was replaced by a completely self-contained
explosive charge contained in a small brass "cap". The cap was fastened to
the touch hole of the gun (extended to form a "nipple") and ignited by the
impact of the gun's "hammer". (The hammer is roughly the same as the
cock found on flintlocks except that it does not clamp onto anything.) In the
case of percussion caps the hammer was hollow on the end to fit around
the cap in order to keep the cap from fragmenting and injuring the shooter.

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
Main articles: Muzzleloader and Breechloader

Percussion cap and early bolt action form

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
Main article: Magazine (firearms)
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 Spencer and Henry repeating
rifles. Both used fixed tubular magazines, the former having the magazine
in the buttstock and the latter under the barrel, which allowed a larger
capacity. Later weapons used fixed box magazines that could not be
removed from the weapon without disassembling the weapon itself. Fixed
magazines permitted the use of larger cartridges and eliminated the hazard
of having the bullet of one cartridge butting next to the primer or rim of
another cartridge. These magazines are loaded while they are in the
weapon, often using a stripper clip. A clip is used to transfer cartridges into
the magazine. Some notable weapons that use internal magazines include
the Mosin–Nagant, the Mauser Kar 98k, the Springfield M1903, the M1
Garand, and the SKS. Firearms that have internal magazines are usually,
but not always, rifles. Some exceptions to this include the Mauser C96
pistol, which uses an internal magazine, and the Breda 30, an Italian light
machine gun.
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
Main article: Belt (firearm)
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
Main articles: Cartridge (firearms) and Ammunition

(From left to right): A .577 Snider cartridge

(1867), a .577/450 Martini-Henry cartridge (1871), a later drawn
brass .577/450 Martini-Henry cartridge, and a .303 British Mk VII SAA Ball
cartridge.
Frenchman Louis-Nicolas Flobert invented the first rimfire metallic
cartridge in 1845. His cartridge consisted of a percussion cap with a bullet
attached to the top.[52][53] Flobert then made what he called "parlor guns" for
this cartridge, as these rifles and pistols were designed to be shot in indoor
shooting-parlors in large homes.[54][55] These 6mm Flobert cartridges do not
contain any powder, the only propellant substance contained in the
cartridge is the percussion cap.[56] In English-speaking countries, the 6mm
Flobert cartridge corresponds to .22 BB Cap and .22 CB Cap ammunition.
These cartridges have a relatively low muzzle-velocity of around 700 ft/s
(210 m/s).

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 gunpowder together with a ball in a small cloth bag (or rolled paper
cylinder), which also acted as wadding for the charge and ball. This early
form of cartridge had to be rammed into the muzzleloader's barrel, and
either a small charge of gunpowder in the touch hole or an external
percussion cap mounted on the touch hole ignited the gunpowder in the
cartridge. Cartridges with built-in percussion caps (called "primers")
continue to this day to be the standard in firearms. In cartridge-firing
firearms, a hammer (or a firing pin struck by the hammer) strikes the
cartridge primer, which then ignites the gunpowder within. The primer
charge is at the base of the cartridge, either within the rim
(a "rimfire" cartridge) or in a small percussion cap embedded in the center
of the base (a "centerfire" cartridge). As a rule, centerfire cartridges are
more powerful than rimfire cartridges, operating at considerably higher
pressures than rimfire cartridges. Centerfire cartridges are also safer, as a
dropped rimfire cartridge has the potential to discharge if its rim strikes the
ground with sufficient force to ignite the primer. This is practically
impossible with most centerfire cartridges.

Nearly all contemporary firearms load cartridges directly into their breech.
Some additionally or exclusively load from a magazine that holds multiple
cartridges. A magazine is a part of the firearm which exists to store
ammunition and to assist in its feeding by the action into the breech (such
as through the rotation of a revolver's cylinder or by spring-loaded platforms
in most pistol and rifle designs). Some magazines, such as that of most
centerfire hunting rifles and all revolvers, are internal to and inseparable
from the firearm, and are loaded by using a "clip". A clip (the term often
mistakingly refers to a detachable "magazine") is a device that holds the
ammunition by the rim of the case and is designed to assist the shooter in
reloading the firearm's magazine. Examples include revolver speedloaders,
the stripper clip used to aid loading rifles such as the Lee–
Enfield or Mauser 98, and the en-bloc clip used in loading the M1 Garand.
In this sense, "magazines" and "clips", though often used synonymously,
refer to different types of devices.
Repeating firearms
Main article: Repeating firearm
Further information: Single-shot
 The French FAMAS, example of a bullpup rifle

The M4 carbine, a modern service rifle capable

of being fired automatically. It is in service by the U.S. military and has a
wide ability for customization.
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 Gatling gun, which would fire cartridges from a magazine as fast as
and as long as the operator turned a crank. Eventually, the "rapid" firing
mechanism was perfected and miniaturized to the extent that either the
recoil of the firearm or the gas pressure from firing could be used to
operate it, thus the operator needed only to pull a trigger—this made the
firing mechanisms truly "automatic". An automatic (or "fully automatic")
firearm automatically re-cocks, reloads, and fires as long as the trigger is
depressed. An automatic firearm is capable of firing multiple rounds with
one pull of the trigger. The Gatling gun may have been the first automatic
weapon, though the modern trigger-actuated machine gun was not widely
introduced until the First World War (1914–1918) with the
German "Spandau" (adopted in 1908) and the British Lewis gun (in service
from 1914). Automatic rifles such as the Browning Automatic Rifle were in
common use by the military during the early part of the 20th century, and
automatic rifles that fired handgun rounds, known as submachine guns,
also appeared at this time. Many modern military firearms have a selective
fire option, which is a mechanical switch that allows the firearm to be fired
either in the semi-automatic or fully automatic mode. In the current M16A2
and M16A4 variants of the U.S.-made M16, continuous fully-automatic fire
is not possible, having been replaced by an automatic burst of three
cartridges (this conserves ammunition and increases controllability).

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
See also: Gunshot wound and Gun safety
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

Gun-related homicide and

suicide rates in high-income OECD countries, 2010, ordered by total death
rates (homicide plus suicide plus other gun-related deaths)[58]
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.

Fatalities in 52 countries, mid-1990s[57]

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. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and

Explosives, if gas pressurization is achieved through mechanical gas
compression rather than through chemical propellant combustion, then the
device is technically an air gun, not a firearm.[76]
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 European Directive amended by EU directive
2017/853 set minimum standards regarding civilian firearms acquisition and
possession that EU member states must implement into their national legal
systems. In this context, since 2017, firearms are considered as "any
portable barrelled weapon that expels, is designed to expel or may be
converted to expel a shot, bullet or projectile by the action of a combustible
propellant".[77] For legal reasons, objects can be considered a firearm if they
have the appearance of a firearm or are made in a way that makes it
possible to convert them to a firearm. Member states may be allowed to
exclude from their gun control law items such as antique weapons, or
specific purposes items that can only be used for that sole purpose.
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 international UN protocol on firearms considers that

"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]