Gun Profiles and Classifications
Learn the different types of gun categories and what firearm falls under each one within the United States. Pistols, revolver, rifle, shotgun, and others. This guide will provide a high level overview of basic gun classifications, ammunition, and gun ownership within the United States. There are roughly 393 million owned civilian firearms within the United States and that number is growing. Guns are a highly debated topic in the United States. Especially around mass shootings and the overall death rate of adults and children in given years around the country.
Table of Contents
Pistols
Revolvers
Shotguns
Rifles
Ammunition
Gun Owner Ship by state
3-in-Ten
American adults say they own gun
Protection
is the main reason people own a firearm
Six-in-Ten
Adults say gun laws should be stricter
There are over 393 million owned civilian-owned firearms within the United States. That is enough for every person in the united states with millions left over. In 2017 Americans owned more than 46 percent of the total global civilian firearms. The top reason someone owns a gun in the United States is for protection.
Pistols
A pistol is a type of handgun that first originated in Europe in the 16th century. The most common types of handguns will be a single shot and semi-automatic handgun.
Gun Classification: Pistol
Originated: 16th century
Shot type: Single, Semi-automatic
First Colt: Samuel Colt got the idea for his pistol during a trip on a ship to London.
Magazine Capacity: Depending on what state your in magazine capacities for a hand gun will differ. Anywhere from 10 rounds up to 31 rounds. Check your state gun laws.
Gun powder and the first handgun. The
Revolver
The revolver is a type of handgun that has a revolving cylinder that contains multiple chambers for firing. The cylinder or revolver allows for multiple rounds to be fired. unlike older single shot firearms. When a round is fired the hammer get cocked which allows the cylinder to align with the barrel and the firearm is ready to fire. Or if the firearm is a double action operation firearm. This means it has a rearward movement of the trigger to align the cylinder.
Gun Classifications: Revolver
Shot type: Single
Early years: Samuel Colt in 1836 patented the mechanism which led to the widespread use of the revolver.
Capacity of projectiles: A typical revolver usually holds six rounds
Fact: During the American civil war revolvers where in tremendous demand from both sides.
Shotguns
A shotgun or sometimes called a scatter-gun because of the numerous pellets that are fired from the firearm. This type of gun is typically fired from the shoulder. The shotgun fires a shot or a solid projectile that is refereed to as a slug. Shotguns come in sizes that typical range from 5.5 mm bore to 5 cm bore. There are 5 existing shotgun designs they can be break-action, lever-action, pump-action, revolver-action, and even fully-automatic.
Gun Classifications: Shotgun
Shot type: Pellet, solid slug (Scatter)
Design type: Break-action, Lever-action, Pump-action, Revolver-action, Fully-automatic
Rifles
Rifles are used for many applications from hunting to protecting our country. They in recent years have been a hot topic in mass shootings within the United States. Rifles come in many actions from single bolt shot where one projectile is loaded into the chamber and fired to semi and fully automatic capabilities. A semi-automatic rifle is one that shoots every time the trigger is pulled. A fully-automatic rifle is when the trigger is pulled and bullets keep firing until the trigger is released.
Gun Classifications: Riffle
Shot type:
Magazine capacity: Typically 20 to 30 rounds. Some can hold more or less then this.
Rounds shot: Single shot
Semi-automatic
Fully-automatic
Ammunition
Ammunition is what is fired, dropped, detonated, or scattered from a weapon, including a firearm. Every firearm needs ammunition to fire. Depending on the weapon bullets come in all sizes and even shapes. Pistols and rifles use magazines to hold bullets within the firearm. Unlike the cylinder style revolver that bullets are manually fed into
Handguns
Common Handgun Calibers?
When someone uses the word caliber they are referring to the bullet diameter. The bullet can be measured in both millimeters and in inches. The most common size for handguns are:
.22LR
.380
9mm
.40
.45
10mm
.38
.357
5.56×45 (.223)
Bullet: When speaking about a bullet it can be referred to as a metal projectile. But when speaking about the entire thing it is called a cartridge.
Shotgun Shells
Shotgun shells are cartridges that are loaded up with much metallic shot. Shot are small roundish projectiles. Also, shotguns have the ability to shoot a single projectile called a slug.
What gauge do shotguns come in?
Most common is: 12 gauge The below are some of the more common and not so common gauges. These are the other gauge diameters that a shotgun will come in, they are:
28
20
16
10
*16 and 10 are not not common on the list above, but shells are still made for them.
The most common gauge for a shotgun will be that of the 12 gauge. If you are not familiar with what gauge means it is referring to the barrel diameter of the shotgun.
What is “Shot” in terms of a shotgun shell?
Shot are projectiles that are made from either steel, lead, tungsten or other material that are inside of the shotgun shell. Some people also refer to this as the pellets. In terms of hunting the smallest shot is called “birdshot”, largest is called buckshot and that is used to take down a large game when hunting.
Slugs
Slugs are just single projectiles consisting of either copper, lead, steel, or brass. Slugs can vary in shape, but the most common shape is that of a bullet.
Gun ownership by state
When you look at the total gun ownership across the United States you can see that ownership is not concentrated heavily in one area. In-fact ownership is spread out evenly across the entire U.S. The Northeastern has a 27% ownership, South has 38%, Midwest is 35%, and West is 34% as seen in the map below. The below will also give you an idea of the gun classifications people in the U.S own.
The data to the left shows that 69 percent of Americans currently do not own a gun. However in the data served by PEW Research Center it shows that 36 percent of people would be open to owning a gun in the future. 33 percent said they would never own a gun.
Source: Survey of U.S. Adults conducted March 13-27 and April 4-18 2017.
America’s Complex Relationship With Guns”
PEW Research Center
The most common type of gun owned
For people who own guns the handgun are the most common type owned by users with only a single gun. The numbers break down the same as well for owners with multiple firearms. Handguns are still the most common.
Source: Survey of U.S. Adults conducted March 13-27 and April 4-18 2017.
America’s Complex Relationship With Guns”
PEW Research Center
Reasons Americans own a firearm
Protection tops the list as to why someone owns a gun in the U.S. Along with hunting coming in a distant second. See the full list below.
Source: Survey of U.S. Adults conducted March 13-27 and April 4-18 2017.
America’s Complex Relationship With Guns”
PEW Research Center
