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rifle |
Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Acronyms, Wikipedia, Hutchinson | 0.03 sec. |
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rifle: see small arms small arms, firearms designed primarily to be carried and fired by one person and, generally, held in the hands, as distinguished from heavy arms, or artillery .
Early Small ArmsThe first small arms came into general use at the end of the 14th cent. ..... Click the link for more information. . rifleFirearm whose barrel is rifled (i.e., has spiral grooves cut inside it to give a spin to the projectile). Though usually applied to a weapon fired from the shoulder, the name can also refer to a rifled cannon. Rifled firearms date to at least the 15th century, when it was discovered that imparting a spin to the bullet improved its range and accuracy. The earliest muzzle-loading rifles were more difficult to load than smoothbore muskets, but the invention of metallic cartridges made possible the development of breech-loading mechanisms. Bolt-action rifles, which use a manually operated cylinder to drive the cartridge into the rifle's chamber, are the most common type for hunting. See also assault rifle. |
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The rifle hanging upon the wall caught his first attention; it was for this strange, death-dealing thunder-stick that he had yearned for months; but now that it was within his grasp he scarcely had the temerity to seize it. The better to do so, I went afoot, armed with a Henry rifle and carrying three days' rations in my haversack. The latter were rarely taken in the boats, for a seal shot at long range with a rifle invariably sank before a boat could reach it. |
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rifle
