A rifle is usually a long-barreled firearm, designed with a round tube-shaped barrel which has a helical arrangement of groves cut into the bore. In its general shape, it is an excellent compound weapon designed to fire multiple shots rapidly and at great distances.
Rifles can be classified as either general-purpose or precision-guided. General-purpose rifles are used by everybody from hunters to law
enforcement personnel for general hunting purposes and have various calibers, including the popular 6.5 calibers, which is very common. Rifles are also used in shooting competitions, especially with rifles-of-choice calibers. Precision rifles are becoming very popular for long range hunting and can be chambered and accurized by a certified gunsmith.
With the evolution of technology and the rising cost of gunpowder, rifles and handguns alike developed to use cheaper powders, thereby reducing their overall cost and improving the firing capability. This has led to an increase in the number of different types of ammunition. Although most types of ammo are designed for use with a particular rifle, some cartridges are designed for use with all kinds of rifles. Two major categories of rifle ammo include big brass and small brass. Big brass consists of bullets with lead tips, which is larger than the bullets of similar design that use small brass.
Rifles that employ the bolt action are more popular among the military and law enforcement crowd. Bolt action rifles employ a slide to hold the bullet in place and firing pin to strike the primer. The bolt on the other hand pushes the bullet into the breech or open space in the barrel. This type of rifle can be either left handed or right handed, depending on the dominant hand. A couple notable bolt action rifles are the Savage and Remington.
Rifles are further categorized as either single shot firearms or repeating shot firearms. A single shot rifle can be equipped with one or both hands to carry a single shot cartridge, whereas a repeater can hold several cartridges at the same time. Rifles are generally categorized as having a right hand grip, a left hand grip or a neutral grip. Right handed shooters might like to have a rifle with a “Western-style” trigger guard, a right handed shooter with a left handed trigger and a right side index finger. Left handed shooters should have a left handed model of a rifle.
The most common rifles for the home today is the AR15 which are commonly chambered in .223 or 5.56 that is readily available in any gun shop or sporting goods store. These are the most popular types of rifles for self-defense, as they are very accurate, fast firing and inexpensive.
Rifles, unlike handguns, must be shot in an organized manner, using the sights in order to hit their target. They are much more accurate than handguns and can hold much more ammo. In most cases, a rifle can outmatch a handgun easily.
Rifles have been used by our nation’s military and law enforcement for over a century and are the most commonly used firearms. Whether a person is purchasing a rifle to protect themselves or others, hunting or just shooting targets, the decision should always be based on which type of gun is best suited for the situation.
