When it comes to gun control in the US, it’s important to understand the different types of guns. What are the main gun options, and what are the best types of guns for specific situations?

Using a gun you’re unfamiliar with can be dangerous. Guns are serious weapons, and misusing them has serious consequences.

With this simple guide, you’ll learn the basics of guns so that you’re able to make a confident selection.

Let’s dive into what you’d be getting into when buying a gun by understanding the main differences between handguns, rifles, and shotguns.

Handguns

The first type of gun is the handgun. These are the smallest guns you can have and are mostly used for self-defense.

These guns are meant to fire with a single hand. Although for optimal use, you should use two hands to stabilize your shot. There are also two different types of guns that you choose between— pistols and revolvers. If you already own a revolver, it might be interesting for you to check out different types of revolver ammo for sale at Natchez Shooting Supplies online store.

The main way to tell the different types of guns fire; a tell-tale sign of a revolver is the rotating cylinder that aligns with the barrel as the gun fires.

Rifles

The second type of gun is the rifle. Rifles are much bigger than handguns and definitely require two hands to the fire.

Rifles are braced against the shoulder and have more accessories to them that you need to discern, like finding the best tactical scope mounts. The rifle is classified by its rifled barrel.

This quality allows the bullet to employ a spin that helps it shoot in a straight line, meaning a better aim. Rifles also only fire one bullet with each trigger pull at a time.

Shotguns

Finally, there are shotguns. Shotguns and rifles share a lot of similar qualities.

They are both fairly large, require two hands to the fire, and are braced against the shoulder. But they differ tellingly: shotguns fire a spray of ammunition in one trigger pull.

This is because they have a smooth barrel compared to the rifle. However, there are some shotguns out there that have portions of rifled barrels or fully rifled barrels.

So the gun fires twice, but many pieces of ammo will spray to cover a larger area. You can often find shotguns in use by hunters in the wild.

Understanding the Different Types of Guns

Now you’re set with a better understanding of the different types of guns. Make sure you’re always doing your research before you choose to purchase a firearm.

Owning a gun is a huge responsibility, and you never want your lack of knowledge to lead to a tragedy. But now that you have this guide to refer back to, some of that risk is able to be mitigated with knowledge.

If you liked this post, be sure to check out some of our others, and don’t forget to come back again soon for more content.