The world of firearms is much more than just owning a gun. It’s also about protecting yourself, your family, and others in your life. You need to make sure that you have the best weapons on the market.
Whether you’re looking for a new gun, or an accessory for an existing one, you want to make sure you’re buying from a reputable, trusted seller. There are many types of firearms, but generally they fall into three categories.
Gun Slings
A handy gun sling accessory is something every serious shooter owns. They make it much easier to carry a rifle, and they can even help you shoot more accurately. If you already own a sling, then you know how great they are. The best sling for you depends on what type of gun you have, and what you intend to do with it. If you’re using your rifle for hunting, then look for one that makes it easier to carry your gun over long distances. However, if you’re using your rifle as a home defence weapon, then get a design that makes it easier to leave your gun in the hands of someone else in an emergency.
Bolt-action rifles are the most popular and widely available type of rifle on the market today. Bolt-action rifles are easy to use and maintain and are very reliable, though you may get a practical gun sling if you need more stability. They operate by manually pulling back the bolt to expose the chamber, inserting a cartridge into it, closing the bolt, pulling back on the trigger to fire the round, and then repeating the process.
Semiautomatic rifles require less manual effort than bolt-action models, but still feature a manually operated bolt. Semiautomatic rifles shoot one round with each pull of the trigger, automatically ejecting the spent shell casing while simultaneously loading a new cartridge into the chamber. This process is repeated until all cartridges in the rifle’s magazine have been fired.
Lever-action rifles operate through a side lever mounted near the trigger guard. The lever is pulled down, which exposes the chamber to load a cartridge into it. Once closed, pulling on the trigger fires a single round before repeating this process again until all cartridges have been fired. Choose easily adjustable and padded rifle slings in case you need more comfort using these rifles.
Handguns
Revolvers hold their cartridges in a revolving cylinder (hence the name). Semi-automatics eject the spent cartridge from the chamber after each round is fired, and the next round moves into place automatically. This type of gun is also called a “self-loader.” Handguns come in two basic types: semi-automatic pistols and revolvers. The difference between the two is significant, so it’s worth understanding if you’re looking at buying your first handgun.
Handguns are a popular choice for home protection, competitive shooting, and concealed carry. They come in all sizes and several action types, and most can be stripped down for cleaning and basic maintenance with just a few tools. The most common handgun actions are single-action, double-action only, double-action/single-action (also known as DA/SA), and striker fire.
Single-Action Pistols
Single-action handguns are semi-automatic pistols that require the user to manually cock the hammer before each shot. The hammer is cocked either by pulling it back using your thumb or by racking the slide on the gun’s frame. Single-action pistols include many of the earliest semi-automatic pistols, such as those designed by John Browning, and modern competition pistols like the Ruger Mark IV Target .22 LR Pistol or 1911-style pistols from Colt, Kimber, Ruger or Springfield Armoury.
Double-Action Only (DAO) Pistols
Double-action only (DAO) handguns are semi-automatic pistols that use the same trigger pull for each shot. The trigger both cocks and releases the hammer with each squeeze of the trigger. This action type is commonly seen in small concealable handguns like the Ruger LCP II or Beretta Nano, and in revolvers like Smith & Wesson’s J-Frame line of snub nose revolvers.
Shotguns
Shotguns, despite being simple in design and operation, have become one of the most popular firearms among hunters and shooters all around the world. Every year, many hunters acquire shotguns as their primary hunting weapon. Shotguns are often thought of as exclusively video game weapons, but they’re very real.
They come in many styles and gauges, but the basic principle is always the same: They fire a cluster of tiny pellets (called “shot”) that spread out and hit a target with a large surface area, increasing the chances that at least one pellet hits its mark. Shotguns are typically used for hunting birds or small animals, but in military or law enforcement applications, they can be loaded with solid slugs that turn them into powerful rifles.
Pump-Action
Pump-action shotguns load one shell at a time into a chamber by sliding the fore-end—the part of the gun you grip with your support hand—backward and forward. This action ejects spent shells out the bottom of the receiver (the part of the gun that houses its internal mechanisms) and loads fresh shells from the magazine tube into the chamber.
Semiautomatic
Semiautomatic shotguns load one shell at a time into a chamber just like pump-action shotguns do, but they don’t require you to manually slide the fore-end backward and forward to eject spent shells and load new ones. Instead, they automatically eject spent shells and load new ones when you pull the trigger again after firing a shot.
