HUNTINGsmart! USA Knowledge Base

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Module 04 - SHOTGUNS 101

PUMP 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.

Magazine:

A container where ammunition is held before being fed into the chamber of a repeating firearm.

Forestock:

Also known as the forend or forearm, this is the forward part of a one or two-piece stock. It’s sometimes called a ‘slide’ with a pump action shotgun.

Action:

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

Lifter:

A mechanism that lifts the shell into the chamber.

Trigger:

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

Cross-bolt safety:

This is a push button type of safety that works by blocking the trigger mechanism or hammer to prevent accidental firing.

Buttstock:

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

Action release:

The part of the firearm that unlatches or opens the action to allow access to the chamber.

Action bar:

These are rods (or ‘rails’) that connect the forestock to the breech-bolt. They cause the bolt to move with the forestock.