Firearm action
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In firearms terminology, an action (type) is the system of operation that the firearm employs to seal the breech (in a breech-loading firearm), and to load consecutive rounds. Most commonly this is accomplished by means of a breechblock, which reciprocates in the receiver of the firearm. Important factors in the naming of a particular action type depends on how it gets its motive force (i.e. what energy is employed to operate), and how it locks the breech.
One should note the other definition (noun) of action, regarding firearms.
The following list shows most of the various types of breech-loading firearms that exist:
[edit] Recoil operation
- Short-recoil (Colt M1911, CZ75, Browning Hi-Power, HK USP, Glock, M2 Machine Gun, MG42, Ceska Zbrojovka Vz 52, M82)
- Long-recoil (Browning Automatic Shotgun, Femaru STOP Pistol, Mars Automatic Pistol)
- Inertia-locked (Benelli Shotguns)
[edit] Blowback/forward
- Direct blowback (A typical submachine gun, e.g., MP 18, MP 40, Uzi, HK UMP)
- Direct blowforward (Steyr Mannlicher M1894, Hino-Komuro, Schwarzlose Pistol)
[edit] Delayed Blowback
- Grooved chamber (Russian Modernized Makarov Pistol)
- Lever-Delayed Blowback (TKB-517), (FAMAS), AA-52)
- Roller-locked delayed blowback (Heckler & Koch HK G3, HK MP5, HK P9)
- Gas-delayed blowback (HK P7, Steyr GB)
- Blish Lock Blowback (early Thompson submachine gun, i.e. the "Tommy Gun")
- Rotational Hesitation Blowback
- Schwarzlose System (links are rotated by bolt on rearward travel)
- Mannlicher (forced rotation of bolt on rearward travel)
- Modified (forced rotation of barrel on rearward travel, Steyr Mannlicher M1901)
- Can force rotation counter-torque, or with torque.
- Barrel can be spring-loaded (use recoil spring) to resist rotation.
- Hesitation Locked Blowback (Remington 51)
[edit] Locked breech blowback
- Primer actuation (early John Garand prototypes, SMAW spotting rifle)
[edit] Gas-actuated
- Short-stroke gas piston system (FN FAL, AR-18, HK G36, XM8, MP7, SA80, SKS rifle, et al.)
- Long-stroke gas piston system (M1 Garand, AK-47, FG 42)
- Direct impingement (AR-15, M16, AG-42 Ljungman)
[edit] Manually operated magazine fed breech loader
- Lever-action (Spencer, Henry, Winchester)
- Rotating (Colt) cylinder
- Pump-action
- Bolt action
- Gatling gun
- Nordenfelt Gun
- Gardner gun
[edit] Manually operated single-shot cartridge loading
- Falling block (Sharps rifle, [Ruger]] Model 1)
- Rolling block (Remington)
- Trapdoor (Springfield)
- Break-open (Thompson Center Arms Contender)
[edit] Breech loading single-shot without cartridge
- Hall Breechloader used a short breech section that tilted up for reloading
- Ferguson Breechloader used a lever test operated, threaded port, perpendicular to the line of bore
- The Norwegian Kammerlader used a short chamber that tilted up for reloading when operated by a crank.
[edit] Muzzle loading rifles
- Matchlock - trigger swings lit match to ignite powder train
- Arquebus - trigger releases mechanical watch spring which rotates steel against flint, creating a shower of sparks, which ignites the powder train
- Snaphaunce - trigger releases spring loaded flint strike steel to ignite powder train
- Flintlock - trigger releases spring loaded flint to strike steel, simultaneously opening path to powder train, to ignite powder train
- Percussion - trigger releases spring loaded hammer to strike cap containing explosive mixture to ignite powder
- Inline percussion - trigger releases striker or hammer to cause firing pin to strike cap containing explosive mixture to ignite powder
- Electrical ignition, selective fire - metal storm
[edit] External power
- Gatling action (normally uses crank or electric motor for power, but some Russian designs are gas-operated)
- Chain-powered action
[edit] Locking mechanisms
- Rotating bolt (M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, M16, HK G36, AK-47, AK-74, Johnson M1941 Rifle, Auto Mag, Desert Eagle, FG 42, Lewis Gun)
- Rotating Barrel (Steyr-Hahn 1912)
- Roller locked (MG 42, Rheinmetall MG3, Ceska Zbrojovka Vz 52)
- Tilt locked (Many Browning designs, FN FAL, FN MAG, Sturmgewehr 44, SKS)
- Toggle-locked (Luger, Borchardt C-93)
- Falling-lock locked (Walther P38, Beretta 92FS)
- Browning Automatic Shotgun, Femaru STOP pistol.
- Radial Locking (Blaser 93)
