Riffles Long Guns and Short Guns

Rifles, shotguns, and handguns are the most common classifications of firearms categorized based on their size and how they are held when fired. Here’s a breakdown to differentiate rifles from long guns in general, and how they compare to shotguns and handguns:

Long Guns:

• A general category for firearms with long barrels, typically designed to be fired with both hands and braced against the shoulder.
• This provides stability and control for improved accuracy, especially at longer distances.
• Examples of long guns include rifles, shotguns, and some submachine guns (SMGs). Riffles Long Guns and Short Guns

Rifles:

• A specific type of long gun with a rifled barrel.
• The rifling consists of spiral grooves inside the barrel that impart a spin (twist) to the bullet as it travels.
• This spin stabilizes the bullet in flight, resulting in greater accuracy over longer distances compared to a smoothbore firearm (like a shotgun).
• Rifles are typically designed for hunting, target shooting, or long-range applications.

Key Characteristics of Rifles:

• Long barrel (usually 16 inches or more in the U.S.)
• Rifled barrel for bullet spin and stability
• Fired while braced against the shoulder for stability
• Offers greater accuracy at longer distances compared to shotguns or handguns

Shotguns vs. Rifles:

• The key difference between rifles and shotguns is the barrel.
• Shotguns typically have a smoothbore barrel that doesn’t impart spin on the projectile.
• Instead, shotguns fire a shot charge containing multiple small pellets (similar to birdshot) that spread out as they leave the barrel.
• This makes shotguns effective for short-range targets like birds or clay pigeons, where hitting with multiple pellets increases the chance of hitting the target.

Handguns:

• Handguns are small, single-handed firearms designed to be held and fired with one hand.
• They come in various sizes and calibers, suitable for self-defense, target shooting, or concealed carry (where legal).
• Due to their shorter barrels and the challenges of one-handed firing, handguns are typically less accurate than rifles at longer distances.