HUNTINGsmart! USA Knowledge Base

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Module 04 - SHOTGUNS 101

BREAK ACTION SHOTGUN COMPONENTS

Muzzle:

The opening at the end of the barrel.

Barrel:

The metal tube that a projectile travels through when the gun is fired. Double barrel break actions can be either side-by-side or over/under styles.

Forestock:

The front grip area under the barrel that the supporting hand (non-trigger hand) holds onto.

Action release:

The part of the firearm that unlatches or opens the action to allow access to the chamber. This part is commonly referred to as the ‘breech lock’ or ‘top lever’.

Safety:

A device that blocks the firing mechanism of a firearm (break action shotguns usually have a ‘slide’ safety).

Recoil pad:

This soft rubber pad is located on the butt of the rifle to help absorb the recoil.

Buttstock:

The part of the stock, which extends from the receiver to the butt.

Trigger:

When squeezed, the trigger releases the part of the action that fires the cartridge.

Trigger guard:

A loop surrounding the trigger area to prevent accidental firing.

Chamber:

The holding area at the breech end of the firearm where the cartridge is contained before being fired.

Extractor:

The device that pushes the shell partially out of the chamber after the shotgun has been fired, so that the shell can be easily grasped and removed (not all break action shotguns are equipped with this feature).

Action:

The moving parts of a firearm that allow loading, firing and unloading.