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Above is letters A-Z, a brief list of firearms products:

Firearms Terms
  

These firearms terms are only a partial list to help you with your firearms term search.

We are trying to get as many gun related products on one website to save you time, and help you locate just the item you are looking for.

Letter "S"

Safe -- A firearm is said to be 'on safe' when its safety is engaged. Wise shooters place only guarded trust in mechanical safeties, and always follow the Four Rules even when the safety is engaged.

Safe -- A locking container in which firearms should be stored when they are not in use. True safes are rated by the Underwriters' Laboratories as such. Other types of locking storage commonly called safes include "Residential Security Containers" (RSCs) and security lockers.

Safety -- A mechanical device which may or may not function as intended.

Safety -- Consciensciously following the Four Rules every single time you handle a firearm. Even if you think the gun is unloaded, and even when you think no one's looking.

Scattergun -- A casual term for shotgun, so called because the shot spreads out after it exits the shotgun's barrel.

Scope -- A magnifying tube through which the shooter may see the target and thus aim the firearm. Scopes contain a reticle, commonly in the shape of a cross, which must be properly centered upon the target for accurate aim.

Sear -- The part of the trigger mechanism which holds the hammer or striker back until the correct amount of pressure has been applied to the trigger, at which point the hammer or striker is released to discharge the firearm. The sear may be a separate part, or may be a surface incorporated into the trigger.

Semi-automatic -- A firearm which uses the energy from the fired shot to eject the empty case and feed the next round into the chamber. Sometimes called an autoloader, a bottom-feeder, or (inaccurately) an automatic.  See also: automatic.

Semi-Wadcutter -- A modified wadcutter with slightly sloping edges, designed to load smoothly in a semi-automatic pistol.

Shell -- An empty ammunition case. Sometimes called the brass, even when it is composed of another material such as aluminum or (rarely) polymer.

Shell, Shotgun -- Shotgun ammunition often comes encased in plastic shells rather than in metal cases, so shotgunners often refer to shells in conversations where a rifleman or handgunner would refer to cases, cartridges, or rounds. A shotgun shell usually contains a primer, powder, shot, and a wad. In place of the shot (multiple pellets), the shell might instead hold a single large bullet called a slug.

Shooting Sports -- There are a lot of different competitions and other games which involve firearms. These are all referred to collectively as the shooting sports. More information about shooting sports can be found in The F Word article.

Short Trigger -- A trigger that doesn't have to travel very far before it reaches the break.

Short-stroking -- On a pump-action firearm, short-stroking means being too gentle with the fore-end and either not pulling it all the way back at the beginning of the stroke, or not shoving it all the way forward at the end of the stroke. If the shooter doesn't pull the fore-end all the way back, the old case or shell fails to eject and the gun often misfeeds. If the shooter doesn't shove the fore-end all the way forward, the gun will not fire when the trigger is pulled.

Shot -- In shotgunning, multiple pellets contained in the shell and sent downrange when the shotgun is fired. No matter how many pellets there are, shot in this sense is pluralized without adding an 's' to the end: "a handful of shot."

Shotgun -- A firearm typically used to fire a number of small spherical pellets collectively called 'shot.' Shotguns usually have a smooth, unrifled bore, but may be fitted with a rifled bore designed for firing a single slug rather than a collection of shot. Sometimes called scatterguns because the shot spreads out in a conical pattern upon leaving the gun. Besides firing metal shot, shotguns can also fire specialty rounds such as beanbags or other types of less-lethal ammunition.

Shoulder -- To bring the butt of a long gun's stock to the shooter's shoulder, preparatory to firing the gun.

Side-by-Side -- A shotgun with two barrels which are situated next to each other.

Sight -- A mechanical, optical, or electronic device used to aim a firearm.  The most common type of sights, generally referred to as iron sights or sometimes as open sights, consist of specially-shaped pieces of metal placed at either end of the barrel. The sight closest to the muzzle end of the gun is called the front sight, while the one furthest from the muzzle is called the rear sight.

Sight Alignment -- The manner in which the sights are lined up properly in front of the shooter's eye, to form a straight path to the target at the moment the trigger is pulled.

Sight Picture -- What the shooter sees when looking through the sights at the target at the moment the trigger is pulled.

Sight, Front -- The front sight is placed at the muzzle end of the barrel. It is often (but not always) in the form of a dot or a blade. To attain a proper sight picture and shoot with the greatest degree of accuracy, the shooter's eye should be focused sharply upon the front sight while shooting, allowing both the rear sight and the target itself to blur somewhat.

Sight, Rear --  The rear sight is placed at the end of the barrel nearest the shooter. It may be in the shape of a square notch, a U, a vee, a ring, or simply two dots designed to be visually placed on either side of the front sight while shooting.

Silencer -- See suppressor, sound.

Single Action -- Revolvers -- A single-action revolver requires the user to manually pull the hammer back ("cock the hammer") before each and every shot. Pulling back on the hammer causes the cylinder to revolve, and brings a fresh round into alignment with the barrel ready to be fired.

Single Action -- Semi-autos -- A single-action semi-automatic firearm has a hammer that is not actuated by the trigger. The hammer may be cocked by hand, or by racking the slide, or by the rearward movement of the slide after each shot is fired. The most widely known single-action semi-auto handgun is the 1911-style pistol designed by John Moses Browning.

Single Action (SA) -- A single-action firearm is one in which pulling the trigger does only one thing: fires the shot. The trigger is not used to cock the hammer, rotate the cylinder, or retract the firing pin.

Single-Shot -- A firearm which can fire only one round before it must be reloaded.

Slack -- See pre-travel. To 'take up the slack' means to pull the trigger through its pre-travel stage.

Slide -- On a semi-automatic firearm, the slide is the part of the gun that moves quickly back and forth with every fired shot, ejecting the spent case as it moves to the rear and loading a fresh cartidge into the chamber as it moves forward again. On a handgun, it is often the uppermost portion of the gun and the sights are usually fastened to its top.  To rack the slide means to pull the slide back to its rearmost position, and then letting it go forward under its own spring tension. To ride the slide means to rack the slide incorrectly, allowing your hand to rest upon the slide as it moves forward. Riding the slide is a common cause of malfunctions.

Slide Lock -- When most semi-automatic firearms have been fired until empty, the slide will remain in its rearmost position rather than going forward as if to chamber another round. This condition of the gun is called slide lock.  Shooting to slide lock means shooting until there is no more ammunition in your semi-automatic gun, because the slide usually locks back with the chamber empty after firing the last round.

Slide Release --  The slide release lever, usually located on the left side of the slide, is pushed down to unlock the slide and allow the slide to move forward into its normal position. It is sometimes called the slide stop or slide stop lever.

Slide Stop -- The slide release lever.

Sling -- A long strip of leather, plastic, or nylon which is fastened at the fore and rear of the gun. A sling enables easy carry of long guns, but its primary purpose is to allow the shooter to wrap body parts into it and brace solidly against the tension thus produced.

Slug -- A single large projectile fired by a shotgun. It may be plain, or it may have spiral grooves, called rifling, cut into its outer surface to help stabilize it during flight.

Slug Gun -- Slang for a shotgun which is set up specifically to fire a slug (a large, single projectile) rather than shot (multiple projectiles contained within a single shell). Slug guns are most commonly used for deer hunting in states which prohibit hunting deer with rifles.

Smokeless Powder -- Modern gunpowder, so called because it doesn't produce the thick clouds of acrid black smoke that black powder does. See also: powder, gunpowder

Snap Cap -- A type of dummy round. An inert ammunition-shaped object, used in practice to simulate misfeeds and other malfunctions. Some folks also use them in dry fire practice.

Snubbie -- Casual slang for a short-barrelled revolver.

Snubnose -- Casual slang for a short-barrelled revolver.

Speed Strip -- A flat piece of rubber which holds revolver cartridges preparatory to loading them into the revolver's cylinder. It is designed to lie flat in the pocket, so it is a boon to concealed carry folks who want to carry extra ammunition discreetly. Using a speed strip to load a revolver is slightly faster than rummaging around in your pockets for loose ammunition before stuffing rounds into the cylinder one by one. But only slightly.

Speedloader -- A circular gadget which holds revolver cartridges preparatory to loading them into the revolver's cylinder. It holds the rounds in the correct configuration to plunk all of them at once straight into the chambers.

Spread -- See Pattern.

Springs -- Most guns have springs. Big springs, little springs, tiny springs that bounce across the room and hide under the couch while you hunt for them in vain. Not that we're bitter about that.

Springs -- Mainspring -- The mainspring provides the initial source of energy needed to fire the gun. Cocking the hammer compresses the mainspring, capturing potential energy. That energy is released when the hammer falls, striking the firing pin which in turn strikes the primer, igniting the powder. Not all firearms have mainsprings and hammers. Some are striker-fired instead.  See also: striker, hammer, firing pin.

Springs -- Recoil Spring -- The recoil spring is the powerful spring that cushions the slide in its rearward travel and then sends the slide forward again with enough force to drive the fresh round firmly into the chamber.

Squib -- A round of ammunition which has far less power than it is supposed to, often having no powder at all. Squib loads can result in a bullet getting lodged in the barrel, which can be dangerous if the gun is fired again before clearing the obstruction out of the way.  Squib loads are very uncommon when shooting commercial ammunition.

Stacking -- A noticeable increase in pull weight as the trigger travels. Ideally, the trigger pull should feel as if it remains the same weight throughout its entire journey.

Stance -- How the shooter positions her body while shooting. The three most widely-known handgun stances are Weaver, Chapman, and Isosceles. See the article titled Choose a Stance for more information.

Stock -- The back part of a rifle or shotgun, excluding the receiver. It is commonly made of wood, wood laminate, metal, or synthetic materials.

Stock -- In competition, an unaltered firearm, used in the same configuration in which it came from the factory.

Stock -- Some people and companies refer to handgun grips as stocks.

Stovepipe -- Failure of a spent case to completely eject from a semi-automatic firearm. This malfunction is called a stovepipe because the case usually stands on end while lodged in the ejection port, thus resembling a stovepipe sticking up out of a roof.

Striker -- On guns so equipped, the striker is the device that moves linearly to provide the percussive impact on the primer. Not all firearms have strikers; many have firing pins which are struck by a hammer instead.  See also: firing pin.

Striker Fired -- A striker is a form of firing pin that replaces the hammer and firing pin with a single unit. So a striker-fired handgun is a semi-automatic which uses a striker, rather than a hammer or a firing pin, to hit the primer and fire the round.

Stripper Clip -- See clip.

Submachine Gun -- A fully automatic firearm which fires a pistol caliber. See also: automatic, machine gun

Suppressor, Flash -- See flash reducer.

Suppressor, Sound --  A device that fits on the muzzle end of a firearm to reduce (but not eliminate) the loud noise created when the gun is fired.