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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 "T"

Tang -- The recurved top part of a semi-automatic handgun's grip at the point where it meets the slide.  On long guns, the tang is the top strap used to screw the receiver to the stock.

Tap, Rack, Bang -- The slang term for the procedure to clear a misfeed. To clear a misfeed, tap the base of the magazine firmly to be sure it is properly seated, rack the slide to eject an empty case or feed a new round, and assess to be sure your target still needs shooting. If it does, bang.

Thumb Break --  A type of retention device built into some holsters, consisting of a strap of holster material which must be unsnapped or levered off the gun before the gun can be removed from the holster. It is called a thumb break because the shooter's thumb is most often used to accomplish this task.

Thumb Safety -- An external, manual safety which is typically disengaged with the firing-hand thumb.

Total Metal Jacket -- A type of ammunition in which the lead bullet is entirely encased inside another metal, usually copper. This reduces fouling and makes the firearm easier to clean at the end of the shooting day, and also reduces the amount of lead dust present in the air on the range. Ammunition with a total metal jacket is distinct from ammunition with a full metal jacket because full metal jacket simply means the nose of the lead bullet is covered with another metal, while total metal jacket means the entire lead bullet is encased in another metal. See also: full metal jacket

Trigger -- The bang switch.  Pulling the trigger sets in motion the whole chain of mechanical events which results in a bullet coming out of the muzzle end of the gun. Typically, pulling the trigger releases the striker or allows the hammer to fall, causing the firing pin to strike the primer. The primer then ignites the powder within the round. Burning gases from the powder force the bullet out of its case and through the barrel, causing the bullet to exit the muzzle end of the gun and strike the target.  In addition to releasing the hammer or striker, some triggers may cock the hammer or striker (see double action), rotate a revolver's cylinder, deactivate passive safeties, or pre-set a "set trigger".

Trigger Control -- Never putting your finger on the trigger until your sights are on target, then pulling the trigger smoothly, without jerking or yanking, and following through by realigning the sights before allowing your finger to come off the trigger. Every time. Even when you're in a hurry.

Trigger Group -- The entire collection of moving parts which work together to fire the gun when the trigger is pulled. It may include trigger springs, return springs, the trigger itself, the sear, disconnectors, and other parts.

Trigger Guard -- The hoop encircling the area around the trigger. The shooter's finger should never be within the trigger guard unless the sights are on target and the shooter has made the decision to fire.

Trigger Jerk -- Jerking the trigger means yanking it back abruptly, thus pulling the muzzle of the gun downward at the moment the shot fires. This does not help accuracy.

Trigger Lock -- A walnut-sized lock which fits into the trigger guard area and is designed to prevent the trigger from moving. Its chief disadvantage is that, ignoring or defying the cautionary warning labels, too many users install these upon loaded firearms. Most experienced shooters believe that fiddling around in the trigger guard area unnecessarily is the cause of many mishaps. Another common complaint about trigger locks is that they have a less than stellar reputation for quality; one widely-distributed brand could be easily disabled by a young child wielding a screwdriver.

Trigger Pull -- The entire process of moving the trigger from its forewardmost position to its rearwardmost position, causing the hammer to fall and the shot to fire.

Trigger Pull Weight -- How much pressure the trigger finger must put on the trigger before the gun will fire. Trigger pull weight is measured in pounds and ounces.

Trigger Safety --  An external, passive safety which can be found on the face of some trigger designs (most notably found on Glock firearms). It is intended to prevent the trigger from being pulled by objects which find their way into the trigger guard area.

Trigger Scale -- A specialized type of hanging scale designed to test trigger pull weight.

Trigger Slap -- Flapping your finger onto the trigger and yanking it to the rear, usually accompanied by flapping your finger immediately back off the trigger at the moment the shot fires. A bad thing, because unless the firearm has an incredibly short, light trigger, a trigger slap near-inevitably misaligns the sights and sends the shot wild.

Trigger Slap -- An uncomfortable sensation caused by the trigger sproinging back into the shooter's trigger finger while firing.

Trigger Stop -- A mechanism for adjusting overtravel.

Trigger Weight -- See trigger pull weight.