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The recoil of a musket or other firearm, when discharged.

xopteris nubeculana, which feeds upon the apple tree. -- Leaf sight, a hinges sight on a firearm, which can be raised or folded down. -- Leaf trace (Bot.), one or more fibrovascular bundles, which may be traced down an endogenous stem from the base of a leaf. -- Leaf tier (Zoöl.), a tortricid moth whose larva makes…

war which an army passes over in attaining its object. H. W. Halleck. -- Line of sight (Firearms), the line which passes through the front and rear sight, at any elevation, when they are sighted at an object. -- Line tub (Naut.), a tub in which the line carried by a whaleboat is coiled. -- Mason and Dixon's line, t…

The charge of a firearm; as, a load of powder.

That part or apparatus of a firearm by which the charge is exploded; as, a matchlock, flintlock, percussion lock, etc.

staff or club of metal; a spiked club; -- used as weapon in war before the general use of firearms, especially in the Middle Ages, for breaking metal armor. Chaucer. Death with his mace petrific . . . smote. Milton.

anything metallic about it, to be worn in a powder magazine. -- Magazine gun, a portable firearm, as a rifle, with a chamber carrying cartridges which are brought automatically into position for firing. -- Magazine stove, a stove having a chamber for holding fuel which is supplied to the fire by some self-feeding pro…

A species of firearm formerly carried by the infantry of an army. It was originally fired by means of a match, or matchlock, for which several mechanical appliances (including the flintlock, and finally the percussion lock) were successively substituted. This arm has been generally superseded by the rifle.…

A firearm which receives its charge through the muzzle, as distinguished from one which is loaded at the breech.

y leguminous plant of Western Europe; the petty whin (Genista Anglica). -- Needle gun, a firearm loaded at the breech with a cartridge carrying its own fulminate, which is exploded by driving a slender needle, or pin, into it. -- Needle loom (Weaving), a loom in which the weft thread is carried through the shed by a…

Need; exigency; requirement; necessity; as, I have no occasion for firearms. After we have served ourselves and our own occasions. Jer. Taylor. When my occasions took me into France. Burke.

piece, pierced with a small hole to peep through in aiming, attached to a rifle or other firearm near the breech.

piece, pierced with a small hole to peep through in aiming, attached to a rifle or other firearm near the breech; -- distinguished from an open sight.

A bullet; a ball for firearms. [Obs.] Bacon. As swift as a pellet out of a gun. Chaucer. Pellet molding (Arch.), a narrow band ornamented with smalt, flat disks.

A sort of hand cannon, or portable firearm, used in France in the 15th century.

The smallest firearm used, intended to be fired from one hand, -- now of many patterns, and bearing a great variety of names. See Illust. of Revolver. Pistol carbine, a firearm with a removable but- piece, and thus capable of being used either as a pistol or a carbine. -- Pistol pipe (Metal.), a pipe in which the blas…

he powder or other combustible used to communicate fire to a charge of gunpowder, as in a firearm.

projected, or impelled forward, by force; especially, a missile adapted to be shot from a firearm.

Being of a certain standard as to strength; -- said of alcoholic liquors. Proof charge (Firearms), a charge of powder and ball, greater than the service charge, fired in an arm, as a gun or cannon, to test its strength. -- Proof impression. See under Impression. -- Proof load (Engin.), the greatest load than can be a…

The rod used in ramming home the charge in a muzzle-loading firearm.