Rifles: History and Classification

The term rifle came from the French word rifler, which means to graze or scratch. This type of gun was called so because of the spiral grooves or ‘rifles’ cut into the barrel. Nowadays a rifle is defined as a high powered gun purposely designed to shoot over long distances. They are supposed to be fired from the shoulder.

Rifles: History and Classification

A rifle is able to hit targets from a long range due to the rifling on the inside of the barrel. These grooves make the bullet spin as it moves across the barrel, making it more stable as it flies through the air. This also results in a more accurate flight.

The Evolution Of The Rifle

In honor of Independence Day, we thought we’d take a look at the history of one of the most important tools that allowed us to gain our independence – the rifle.

From the muskets used in the American Revolution to more modern weapons like the AK-47, these guns have a lot to do with the freedoms we have today.

The bold revolutionaries who fought for our independence and those protecting those freedoms to this day all had something in common – the reliance on these guns to achieve their goals.

So let’s take a look at the rifle and how it has changed and evolved with time and technology.

The Rifles – Musket, Charleville Musket, Springfield Model, Henry Rifle, Winchester Model 1866 Rifle, Winchester Model 1873, Springfield M1903, M1 Garand, StG-44, AK-47, M-14, M-16, Steyr AUG, M-4, and FN SCAR.

via The Evolution Of The Rifle – Survival Life | Outdoor Survival Gear & Skills, SHTF Prepping – Survival Life | Outdoor Survival Gear & Skills, SHTF Prepping.

 

Rifles can be classified in many different ways but one of the most popular is by firearm action. A bolt action rifle is one in which the gun’s bolt is manually operated by opening and closing the barrel by a small handle. The handle is often located on the rifle’s right hand side. This bolt action system is mostly associated with rifles. Popular examples are the Winchester Model 70, Remington Model 700 among others.

Lever action rifles feature a lever placed near the trigger guard which is used to load a new cartridge in the barrel chamber. The most widely known example of the lever action rifle is the Winchester Model 94, though Savage (Model 99) and Marlin (Model 336) are also popular manufacturers.

Semi-automatic rifles are the default rifles of today. They can fire a single round for every trigger pull. These rifles are also called auto-loading or self-loading, utilizing the recoil, gas, blowback, or blowforward energy to discharge the used cartridge and puts a new one from the magazine. The cycle is repeated when the trigger is pulled once more. The AR-15 is perhaps the most popular example of the semi-automatic rifle.

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