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A device for silencing the report of a firearm shooting its projectiles singly, as a tubular attachment for the muzzle having circular plates that permit the passage of the projectile but impart a rotary motion to, and thus retard, the exploding gases.

A pistol or other firearm which can be fired six times without reloading especially, a six-chambered revolver. [Colloq. U.S.]

A strap attached to a firearm, for suspending it from the shoulder.

rt of the bore of the barrel; -- said of a bullet when fired from a gun, pistol, or other firearm.

A smoothbore firearm.

A spring lock for discharging a firearm; also, the firearm to which it is attached. [Obs.]

Exhausted of spawn or sperm; -- said especially of fishes. Spent ball, a ball shot from a firearm, which reaches an object without having sufficient force to penetrate it.

the spring. -- Spring grass (Bot.), a vernal grass. See under Vernal. -- Spring gun, a firearm disharged by a spring, when this is trodden upon or is otherwise moved. -- Spring hook (Locomotive Engines), one of the hooks which fix the driving-wheel spring to the frame. -- Spring latch, a latch that fastens with a…

The wood to which the barrel, lock, etc., of a musket or like firearm are secured; also, a long, rectangular piece of wood, which is an important part of several forms of gun carriage.

Smaller than the caliber of a firearm. [Written also subcalibre.] Subcaliber projectile, a projectile having a smaller diameter than the caliber of the arm from which it is fired, and to which it is fitted by means of a sabot. Knight.

or other suitable substance, attached to a long rod or handle, for cleaning the bore of a firearm.

A butt or mark to shoot at, as for practice, or to test the accuracy of a firearm, or the force of a projectile.

The vent of a cannot or other firearm, by which fire is communicateed to the powder of the charge.

To carry, as a firearm, with the breech near the ground and the upper part inclined forward, the piece being held by the right hand near the middle.

lever, which is connected with a catch or detent as a means of releasing it; especially (Firearms), the part of a lock which is moved by the finger to release the cock and discharge the piece. Trigger fish (Zoöl.), a large plectognath fish (Balistes Carolinensis or B. capriscus) common on the southern coast of the Uni…

A twig. [Obs.] Chaucer. Fairfax. Gain twist, or Gaining twist (Firearms), twist of which the pitch is less, and the inclination greater, at the muzzle than at the breech. -- Twist drill, a drill the body of which is twisted like that of an auger. See Illust. of Drill. -- Uniform twist (Firearms), a twist of which the…

To let down the cock of, as a firearm.

s, and them that did rebel upon want. Bacon. This advantage we lost upon the invention of firearms. Addison. Upon the whole, it will be necessary to avoid that perpetual repetition of the same epithets which we find in Homer. Pope. He had abandoned the frontiers, retiring upon Glasgow. Sir. W. Scott. Philip swore upon…

ng body at starting; especially, the velocity of a projectile as it leaves the mouth of a firearm from which it is discharged. -- Relative velocity, the velocity with which a body approaches or recedes from another body, whether both are moving or only one. -- Uniform velocity, velocity in which the same number of un…

A spiral instrument or screw, often like a double corkscrew, used for drawing balls from firearms.