The structure of a hunting rifle: the main parts and their purpose

• September 16, 2018
• Weapons and ammunition
• Human

A hunting rifle is a complex mechanism. There is a minimum required kit, which can be supplemented with various functional components, including electronic ones. Therefore, the design of a hunting rifle can vary greatly depending on the model and its modification.

Introductory information

There are a large number of hunting rifles. The same applies to their species diversity. There are “breakdown”, “non-reclining”, “pump”, semi-automatic devices. They all have their own specifics. Therefore, in order not to confuse readers, smooth-bore guns will be chosen as the main object of consideration. What is included in their composition? Most often these are the forend, butt, neck, block, barrel, locking mechanism, trigger, comb, heel and toe. But this is far from a complete list. So let's look at the main parts of a hunting rifle.

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Double-barreled hunting shotgun TOZ-54

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Trunk

This structural element rightfully belongs to the main part of the weapon. It is a metal tube that is closed at one end. Ammunition is placed in this tube. Then, in a certain way, the gunpowder charge is ignited and a shot is fired, which is accompanied by the release of a large amount of gases of high temperature and pressure. All this suggests that the barrel is the most important part of the gun. After all, this is where the firing process takes place. Depending on the loading method, guns are distinguished: from the front end using a ramrod and from the rear. What are they? Old ramrod guns have a barrel that is tightly and firmly closed at the end with a screw.

During the charging process, gunpowder is poured into the open part, then the wad is lowered, and it is nailed to the explosive with a ramrod. Then comes the turn of shot or buckshot (in rare cases, bullets). They are also fed into the barrel. The second wad is lowered and pressed against the striking elements with a cleaning rod. More modern breech-loading shotguns are much more convenient to use. In them they can be closed and opened thanks to the crank block. That part of it that is directly adjacent to the trunk is called the shield. The component under the barrel is the pad pads. Under its back there are projections called hooks.

How does it open?

There is a hinge bolt on the front hook of the barrel, which is located in front of the pad pads perpendicular to the plane of symmetry of the gun. When it opens, the barrels rotate around this element, tilting the muzzle end down, while simultaneously rising with their rear part above the shield. Such a design of a hunting rifle can be seen in the example of single- and double-barreled guns - IZH-18, IZH-27, IZH-43. Although this is not always the case.

There are many models in which they remain motionless when the barrel is opened. In such cases, a special part of the gun comes into motion - the bolt. There are a large number of options for its design. For example, it can be made in the form of a frame that moves in the pad pads parallel to the axis of the barrel. The bolt closes when entering the cutouts of the under-barrel hooks. These moving structures are controlled using keys.

The most common version is the top one. This is exactly the key that was on all hunting rifles that were produced in the Soviet years. To open it, you had to press it with your right thumb. But it closed automatically, thanks to the shutter spring. Although less convenient, it is very powerful - this is the lower key. It rotates around a transverse axis. Although it is located at the bottom of the gun. When it is necessary to open it, the thumb and forefinger of the right hand are used to do this, with which the key must be turned forward and down. The side key is even less convenient. It rotates around the transverse axis of the barrel and is also located at the bottom of the gun. It ends with a pedal, which is usually located on the right, and sometimes on the left side of the gun block. Although the most inconvenient are the old non-spring closures.

Locking a gun: secrets and subtleties

Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK
Meanwhile, there are many different gun locks, and life has mercilessly selected the most effective and inexpensive ones.

Let's consider the most popular and interesting options for locking devices on smooth-bore weapons with folding barrels.

Why do you need locking at all?

This question usually arises after watching a video where an American shooter fires a shot from a homemade device made from water pipes.

It looks really impressive: the tester places a cartridge in a pipe, puts a piece of pipe of larger diameter on it, then quickly moves the “barrel” to the breech and fires.

One might assume that the breech of such a device (I dare not call it a weapon) should fly back at a speed slightly less than the charge, but this does not happen; the “device” does not unfold.

So why all this “dancing” with locking devices?

The answer lies in the barrel design. There is no chamber in it and its diameter is equal to the diameter of the outer part of the cartridge; as for the weapon, the diameter of its barrel is equal to the inner diameter of the cartridge case, and simply the pressure in such a device is simply released.

You understand that you can’t expect either accuracy or sharpness of the battle. Anyone who needs these characteristics needs locking the barrels.

Fractures appeared along with the unitary cartridge, this is one of the simplest ways to make a breech-loading gun.

When the barrels are folded back, you immediately gain access to the chambers, which is convenient and simple. But if this was quickly abandoned in military weapons, then in hunting weapons such a scheme has taken root for centuries and is unlikely to leave the market anytime soon.

Shotguns with flip-up barrels are called fractures. This is a large family that includes both shotguns with vertical barrels and horizontal ones. They can be single-barreled, double-barrel and three-barrel, i.e. tees. There may be more trunks, but this is less common.

What all designs have in common is the block in which the trigger is located, and the rotating mechanism around which the barrels are rotated.

Although the designers' attention was maximally focused on the picking mechanisms, the main load during a shot, oddly enough, is borne by the block and the rotating mechanism (the design of the latter is especially important for the service life of the weapon).

You'll rarely see a gun with a worn Perde frame or pebbled hooks, but the first thing you'll notice when a shat appears is the worn axle around which the barrel assembly pivots.

It is this part that needs to be unloaded if we want to make the weapon survivable. We will see below how this is implemented in practice.

There are many ways to lock fractures, many are specific and original, so covering them will require a whole series of articles, but I think it would be logical to start by considering locking options using the example of those guns that a hunter can find in a store today.

WHERE DID IT ALL START?

One of the first options, in which the rotating mechanism is not divided and the forend is connected to the box by a hinge, is implemented in the Casimir Lefoshe locking system.

The barrels were attached to the fore-end and, when closed, were locked by a cylinder controlled by a lever under the fore-end. Such locking was common before the advent and widespread use of nitro powders.

This lower locking was sufficient for black powder weapons, but with the advent of powerful powders it quickly lost its admirers.

MR-18

The MP-18 single-barreled shotgun (a continuation of the well-known IZH-18 model) was and is produced in various calibers, except for the version with a smooth barrel. There are two options: with rifled barrels of various calibers and in the “one block and several smooth or rifled barrels” configuration.

In both, the barrel locking is exactly the same. The single under-barrel hook includes a wedge, which is controlled by a lever located behind the trigger guard.

Such locking may seem insufficient, but it has proven itself well on both smooth-bore and rifled versions. Unlocking is carried out instantly, and the hand does not need to be lifted from the neck of the butt.

MR-27

Oddly enough, vertical locking is the second most difficult. This may be due to the fact that they appeared when the world became much more technologically advanced. It’s interesting that all vertical cabinets have high boxes, and it’s logical to expect that the locking will be both bottom and top, but our designers thought otherwise.

At least in inexpensive mass-produced weapons, vertical locking is only bottom. For example, on the MP-27, the barrels are tilted on an axis, and the locking occurs on one very wide hook located at the very bottom of the barrel block.

A massive plate fits into it, securely locking the trunks. Since with such locking the axis around which the barrels rotate carries a large load, the designers relieved it somewhat by making a protrusion on the bottom of the barrel block that fits into the box when the weapon is locked.

Time has shown both the reliability of such a design and its survivability. Weapons with barrel play are quite rare, and this is entirely due to the coupling of the protrusion of the barrel block and the box.

TOZ-34

The designers of the famous TOZ-34 shotgun went even further: in it, the protrusion on the barrel block that fits into the block is several times larger, and therefore it takes on almost the entire load. However, the very coupling of the barrel block with the box is unusual.

In TOZ-34 there is no axis around which the barrels rotate; the block has concentric protrusions on each side that fit into similar grooves in the box. The interaction area of ​​such locking is several times larger than that of the traditional version with an axle.

Unfortunately, the design of the gun caused difficulties for users. At first, problems arose with disassembly. In the original version, to disassemble the gun, you had to press the front trigger and move the unlocking key all the way to the right, after which the barrels would separate freely.

Attempts to disassemble the gun without removing the key all the way led to breakdown. Since this simplest action caused a lot of criticism, eventually a special element for disassembly was introduced into the design - a flag, which, in my opinion, spoiled the beautiful and harmonious design.

The connection of the trunks remained a problem, although there is nothing complicated here; you just need to do everything correctly once. Nevertheless, these two factors gave rise to rumors, let’s say, about the unfriendly interface of the TOZ-34.

TOZ-B

Shotguns with horizontal barrels are classic hunting weapons, and TOZ-B and TOZ-BM are especially interesting in this regard.

These guns embody two of the most interesting and common locking options, most notably the Perdet frame. In TOZ-B it is double and locks the weapon on two hooks.

Simple and reliable and sufficient for horizontal planes, but the designers went further - they added a Griner bolt. This is a top locking, in which the transverse locking element fits into a special eyelet located at the top of the barrel block.

Such locking is not only reliable, but also relieves the load on the axis around which the barrels rotate. This is why guns with this type of locking are durable. As a result, on TOZ-B, and later on TOZ-BM, we have a combination of two locking options - reliable and indestructible.

Unfortunately, this option is practically never found on domestic weapons today, primarily due to the labor-intensive nature of manual adjustment.

As we can see, with all the variety, lockings have a common feature: basically all lockings are bottom, and only expensive weapons have locks at the top of the box. This is understandable: making and adjusting such locks is a long and painstaking task, unsuitable for mass-produced weapons.

This is why most of our guns feature simple and reliable bottom locking.

What would you like to note at the end? As practice has shown, the main scourge for wear or damage to the locking elements of a weapon is not shooting, but blows from the gun, and impacts from the muzzle of the barrels are especially damaging to the locking elements.

Few shots (with standard cartridges, of course) can compare with the harsh use of a weapon, during which it falls, is hit by barrels, or experiences bending stress.

Perhaps this also explains the fact that sporting rifles can withstand much more fire than hunting rifles.

Sergey Smolnin May 14, 2022 at 15:30

How is a gunpowder charge ignited?

For this, various methods are used, which are collectively called locking mechanisms. What is the design of a hunting rifle in this case? In ancient ramrod weapons, gunpowder was ignited with a wick, which was ignited by sparks from a flint or from an explosion of the percussion composition. But at present such approaches are of exclusively historical interest. Now a trigger mechanism is used for this purpose. What is he? A cartridge is inserted into the barrel. Then the firing mechanism hits the cartridge case, and a chemical chain reaction begins (usually from the primer in the center), which affects the main substance (gunpowder). It burns with lightning speed, creating a significant volume of gases, which give the bullet its speed.

Currently, only center-fire weapons are used. All other options (for example, placing the capsule on the side) are of only historical and curious interest. To directly strike, special parts of the mechanism are used. These are the trigger (in cases where there is rotation) and the firing pin, which assumes translational movement. The part that directly hits the primer is known as the firing pin. In addition, the physical execution of the weapon also plays a role. For example, the trigger can be placed both inside and outside. Depending on this, a distinction is made. For example, a trigger gun is distinguished. This is in cases where it is outside. But if the element for striking is hidden inside, then they say that the gun is hammerless. What is the difference between them, we will find out further.

Rules for storing and handling weapons

1. Brief description of the main types of hunting firearms.

Hunting firearms are shotguns. They differ in the number of barrels, the drilling and caliber of the barrels, the design of the impact mechanism and the purpose. According to the drilling of the barrels, all hunting rifles are divided into four main types: smooth-bore, in which the barrel bore has a smooth cylindrical shape with or without a muzzle constriction; rifled, in which the barrel bore has rifling along its entire length; smooth-bore with a rifled “choke” (“paradox”), in which the main part of the barrel has a smooth cylindrical shape, and the smaller part, from 5 to 120 mm, has wide rifling; and combined ones, which have barrels of various drillings. Smooth-bore guns can additionally be equipped with the same smooth or rifled barrels of a smaller caliber. Caliber - the diameter of the bore, calculated by the number of round (ball) caliber bullets cast from one pound. Depending on the number of barrels, guns come in one-, two-, three-, and four-barrel types. Single-barreled ones are produced single-shot and multi-shot (magazine). Magazines can be reloaded manually or automatically. Double-barreled shotguns are manufactured with barrels located in both horizontal and vertical planes. According to the design of the impact mechanism, hunting rifles are divided into hammer-fired (with external hammers) and hammerless (with internal hammers). Hunting rifles can also be divided according to the type of barrel mount: there are fixed barrel mounts with a box and mounts with folding barrels. According to their purpose, hunting guns are divided into guns for sport shooting at flying targets and moving targets, guns for sport hunting, guns for hunting. Hunting firearms with non-detachable barrels include various single-barreled shotguns. A single-barreled shotgun with a movable barrel (pump-action) has an under-barrel magazine for 3-5 rounds. Reloaded by moving the fore-end back and then forward with your hand, they are considered the fastest-firing among non-automatic shotguns. Shotguns with a lever-brace have an under-barrel magazine; the number of rounds depends on the type of magazine and the caliber of the gun. They are reloaded by moving the safety bracket down and up; are produced in the USA and Canada. A hunting firearm with a non-reclining barrel and a longitudinally sliding bolt. Single-barreled, single-shot shotguns have limited use. Our country produces the TOZ-16 carbine, 5.6 caliber. Single-barreled self-loading (magazine) shotgun, reloadable by hand, box magazine for 2-5 rounds. “Bars” and “Los” carbines are produced in Russia. Single-barreled, self-loading shotguns with a blowback action. They are reloaded by the pressure of powder gases onto a spring-loaded bolt through the bottom of a moving cartridge case. This type of bolt is used in rifled weapons with pressures up to 2000 kgf/cm2. Typical model TOZ-21. Single-barreled self-loading shotguns with a movable barrel are reloaded by using recoil energy when fired. Some systems have a long barrel stroke, others have a short one. Under-barrel magazine for 2-5 rounds. Our country produces a self-loading shotgun MTs 21 - 12 with a long barrel stroke and a tubular magazine for 4 rounds. Self-loading shotguns with a gas venting mechanism are reloaded by removing part of the powder gases through a hole in the barrel. Our country produces the “Bear” carbine with a box magazine for 3-4 rounds. The design of shotguns with non-reclining barrels: the receivers of such shotguns are a hollow part for moving the bolt, in which there are windows for ejecting the spent cartridge case and feeding the cartridge into the chamber. The trigger mechanism is connected to the bottom of the receiver. There are various grooves and protrusions on the box that perform the functions of reflecting the spent cartridge case, locking the barrel bore, securing the magazine, etc. All hunting rifles are divided into external trigger guns (with external triggers), internal trigger guns (with internal triggers), and striker-fired guns, that is, they differ in the design of the impact mechanism. For external triggers, the triggers are usually engaged manually, for hammerless (internal) triggers - when opening and closing the barrels. Accordingly, the methods of softly releasing triggers also differ. If the gun is externally triggered, then, while holding the trigger, press the corresponding trigger and slowly release the trigger. For shotguns with internal triggers, the hammers are released by closing the barrels while simultaneously pressing the triggers. Handling hammer-fired shotguns requires attention and caution. Accidental blows to the hammers, as well as accidental failure when cocking or releasing the hammers, can lead to a sudden shot. Protruding triggers cling to belts, branches and other objects, so an external trigger gun must be unloaded when transferred to other hands, while overcoming obstacles, and even more so when moving from place to place, even short distances.

2. Rules for handling firearms and necessary precautions when loading them.

It is unacceptable to point this weapon towards a person, pets, or residential premises, regardless of whether the weapon is loaded or unloaded. When gathering for a round-up hunt and when returning from a round-up hunt, at rest stops, guns should be kept unloaded, carried or hung with the barrels down. In reeds and dense undergrowth, you cannot fire a shot at human height. When using transport, weapons must be in covers, and collapsible weapons must also be disassembled. When moving within short distances, as well as when moving a boat across a pond while hunting or going to huts and hideouts, the gun can be assembled, but always unloaded and pointed with the barrels up or away from the people in the boat. Sometimes the so-called “misfire” occurs due to poor quality of gunpowder and its slow ignition. Therefore, in the event of any misfire, it is unacceptable to immediately open the gun: a “lingering shot,” as it is called in such cases, can occur with the barrels folded back and cause disaster. You can open the gun after a misfire only after 3-5 seconds.

3. Checking the firing of a hunting rifle, zeroing it and measures to ensure safety in this case.

Checking the firing of a gun is, first of all, checking the accuracy of the firing and the uniformity of the shot. Shooting is carried out at a distance of 35 m at a 100-millimeter target using cartridges with shot No. 7 or No. 5 (standard loading of 5-10 pieces in a series). Accuracy is the percentage of the number of pellets hitting the target to the total number of pellets in the cartridge. Approximately in a 12-gauge gun, the cylinder gives an accuracy of 30-35%, an improved cylinder - 35-45%, a half-choke - 50-55%, a full choke - 60-65%, a strong choke - 70% or more. It must be taken into account that the accuracy of the combat depends not only on the size of the muzzle constriction, but also on the method of loading the cartridges. The uniformity of the shot fall is checked by the number of pellets that hit individual parts of the target. With a 100-part target and 7 shot (about 380 pellets in a projectile), the number of pellets in each share for an ideal scree will be 3-4 pieces. Since the aiming point may not coincide with the point of impact, which is taken as the center of the target for calculating holes. The sharpness of the combat is checked by shooting at dry pine boards at a temperature of +15-20 degrees C. If the pellets enter the tree 3-4 times their diameter, the sharpness is good, if the pellets only stick to the surface, then the sharpness is unsatisfactory. Zeroing a gun and checking its firing must be carried out either in places specially designated for these purposes (sighting areas), or in ravines, ditches, etc.; in exceptional cases - in places that are clearly visible at a direct shot distance. In the areas, shooting is allowed only during the hunting period if documents for the right to hunt are available; The main task of zeroing is to find the optimal ratio of accuracy and sharpness of the battle, since these indicators are related: an increase in accuracy leads to a decrease in sharpness and vice versa.

4. Barrels of modern smoothbore shotguns, their design, calibers and types of drilling.

What safety rules must be followed when cleaning barrels? The barrel(s) are a relatively thin-walled steel tube(s). They serve to place the projectile and charge, to accelerate the projectile and direct it to the target. The inner part of the barrel is called the channel and is divided into three parts: the breech (rear), the barrel itself (from the breech to the muzzle) and the muzzle (front). In the breech of the barrel there is a section widened in diameter - the chamber, where a unitary cartridge is placed when loading. Most often, the chamber length is 65 and 70 mm. Between the chamber and the bore there is a projectile entrance called the transition cone. It allows shells to be used without having them exactly match the length of the chamber and shapes the shot shell as it transitions from the shell to the bore. The length of the transition cone is from 10 to 30 mm, and for good guns it is from 15 to 20 mm. Next comes the bore itself, which has a certain diameter called the caliber. The caliber is designated by the number of round (ball) bullets cast from one pound of pure lead in an even count, exactly corresponding to the diameter of the bore 220 mm from its breech. The muzzle consists of a transition cone and a muzzle constriction, or choke. The muzzle narrowing “stretches” the shot shell, contributing to its compact flight in the air, increasing the range and accuracy of the shot hitting the target. In modern shotguns, the muzzle of the barrel(s) has ten different types (cylinder, Parker choke, reverse cone cylinder, reverse cone, paradox, etc.). In domestic shotguns, the muzzle constriction values ​​range from 0.25 to 1.25 mm. The magnitude of the muzzle constriction is determined by the difference between the diameter of the barrel in front of the muzzle constriction and the internal diameter of the muzzle. The barrel length of most shotguns ranges from 650 to 750 mm. In double-barreled shotguns, the barrels are connected into a single block by soldering or fastening into couplings. An aiming rib or rear sight is placed on the barrels. Bullets for smooth-bore hunting rifles are divided into the following types: Round (smooth and with belts) - “Sputnik”; 2 - pointer (arrow type) - “Yanka”, “Brenneke”, “Vyatka”, “Rubeykina” (brass or steel); sub-caliber - “Poleva”; 3 — turbine — “Mayer”; 4 - switch-turbine - “Ideal”. Round bullets do not have any features to ensure stability in flight. Arrow-type bullets have a heavy head and a lighter tail-stabilizer that prevents them from tumbling in flight. Turbine-type bullets have a longitudinal through channel with ribs inside, which gives the bullet a rotational movement around the longitudinal axis in flight and ensures its stability in flight. Pointer-turbine bullets have ribs not inside the channel, but on the outer surface of the bullet, combining the design features of both pointer and turbine bullets. Used for hunting large game. Elk, deer, wild boar are shot with a bullet; wolf, lynx, roe deer - with buckshot. When shooting piglets or gilts, it is allowed to use buckshot.

5. What weapons are prohibited from being used? What extraction methods are used?

It is allowed to use guns, traps and self-catchers of various types (made of wood, stone, etc.). “Tools” can also conditionally include birds of prey, greyhounds and burrowing dogs, hunting with which is certainly permitted within the established time limits. Hunting animals and birds using pneumatic guns is prohibited. The use of toxic chemicals, explosives and lighting devices, as well as the use of vehicles for chasing and killing animals is strictly prohibited.

6. The main parts and mechanisms of a hunting rifle with folding barrels, their purpose.

A hunting rifle with folding barrels consists of barrels, a wooden spoon with a fore-end, a neck and a butt, a receiver (block), locking, impact (locking), trigger and safety mechanisms, as well as a sighting bar, front sight and swivels. Barrels are designed to place a projectile and charge, accelerate the projectile and direct it towards the target. The spoon, fore-end, neck and butt ensure ease of use of the gun, and the fore-end, in addition, fastens the barrels to the receiver and acts on the extractor. The receiver serves to lock the barrel channels and connect all the components of the gun into one. It houses all the main mechanisms of the gun - locking, impact, trigger and safety. Using a locking mechanism (bolt), the barrels are secured to the receiver. As a result of the action of the locking (impact) mechanism, the firing pin strikes the cartridge capsule. The trigger mechanism combines the trigger levers, triggers and their springs. The safety mechanism locks the trigger levers, making them relatively safe.

7. Types of gunpowders used in amateur hunting. Their application.

In amateur hunting, two types of gunpowder are used - smoky and smokeless. Black powder, or black powder, is a mixture of saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal. It is good in that it is easily ignited by any capsule, therefore it is most suitable for metal cartridges with a “Centerbreaker” capsule. Certain inconveniences when shooting with black powder are created by quite large clouds of smoke from each shot, which especially makes it difficult to fire a second shot. Smokeless powder, obtained chemically, is usually pyroxylin, that is, fiber treated with nitrated nitric and sulfuric acids. Therefore, during long-term storage, it can turn from a propellant into a high explosive - crushing-explosive. Signs of this transformation are the sour smell of gunpowder and spots appearing on the powder particles. Such gunpowder cannot be used. Normal smokeless powder produces 80-90% gaseous products during combustion. If you intend to use cartridges with smokeless powder for shooting from old guns or guns of foreign manufacture, you should definitely check whether the gun has a stamp indicating that the gun has been tested by shooting with smokeless powder.

8. Modern domestic hunting weapons and their choice. Foreign companies producing high-quality hunting rifles.

Hunting rifles in Russia are produced by two factories - Izhevsk and Tula. They produce single-barreled and double-barreled shotguns, with horizontally and vertically located barrels. The bulk of shotguns produced by Russian factories are 16 and 12 gauge, less often 20, but 32 gauge shotguns are also produced, for example, the IZH-18 single-barreled hammerless shotgun. Among the shotguns from the Tula plant, we can name the TOZ-34 double-barreled shotgun with vertically positioned barrels, which has several modifications. The most common and best suited for hunting in central Russia are 16- and 12-gauge shotguns. Among the foreign high-class hunting rifles (disassembled), we can name the guns of the English companies “James Purday”, “Holland Holland”, “Scott” and “Webley”, Belgian ones - “Francott”, “Lebo”, “Defourny”, “Piper”, French - “Foret Le Page”, “Gastin-Rennet”, “Pearl”, German - “Sauer”, “Merkel”, “Zimson”, Italian - “Beretta”, “Frankie”, “Breda”, American - “Winchester” ”, “Remington”, “Iver Johnson”, etc. When choosing a gun, you should pay attention to its weight, action and grip. In any area for hunting wolves, foxes and hares, double-barreled shotguns of 12, 16 or 20 calibers are best suited for shooting hog and waterfowl. These guns can also be used to shoot a bullet at close range at a bear, elk, deer, wild boar, etc. The adaptability of a gun is its ability, when raised to the shoulder, to constantly align the gun's sighting line (the line running from the front sight in the middle of the aiming bar and the middle of the upper edge of the receiver shield) with the shooter's line of sight, going from the shooter's eye to the aiming point. Among the numerous types of domestic shotguns, the following can be distinguished: rifled (non-automatic and semi-automatic), smooth-bore (one-, two-, three-, four-barreled, with longitudinal sliding gates, with folding barrels, magazines and semi-automatic), combined (including smooth and rifled trunks). According to their purpose, hunting guns are divided into guns for sport shooting at flying and moving targets, guns for sport hunting, guns for hunting. Shotguns for sport shooting are heavier than shotguns for sport hunting. A typical model of single-barreled shotguns is the Izhevsk plant IZH-18 shotgun. We can name models of double-barreled shotguns with barrel arrangement - IZH-43, hammer-operated model BM (Tula) and hammerless IZH-58. Typical models of double-barreled shotguns with vertical barrels and internal hammers are IZH-27 and TOZ-34. Triple-barrel trigger guns are TOZ-28 and hammerless models MTs-30. Among the guns with non-reclining barrels, the most common are the Bars and Elk carbines, as well as the self-loading MTs 21-12. Models of small-caliber (5.6 mm) weapons include the single-shot TOZ-16 rifle, 5-round rifles - TOZ-17 and TOZ-18, as well as 10-shot semi-automatic TOZ-21. To purchase a weapon, it is necessary, in accordance with the procedure established by law, to obtain a license from the internal affairs authorities at the place of residence to purchase weapons in a store, and the purchased weapon must be registered with the internal affairs authorities within two weeks from the date of it, having received permission to store and carry the purchased weapon for a period of 5 years. Weapons must be stored securely in places inaccessible to children and persons (in metal cabinets under lock and key). The gun must also be well balanced: its center of gravity should be approximately 70-75 mm from the breech end of the barrels.

9. Storage of hunting weapons and ammunition at home.

At home, weapons should be stored disassembled. Guns and ammunition should be stored separately from each other, in metal cabinets with secure locks. Loaded cartridges, capsules and gunpowder are kept away from heating devices. Black powder is separate from smokeless powder. It is advisable not to store gunpowder in the same place as capsules and cartridges.

10. Shooting at a stationary and moving target. Limit distances for shooting shot and bullet.

First of all, you should not worry or rush to pull the trigger. From a gun with normal firing, the center of the shot talus is combined with the aiming point: with increased firing, the hunter aims “under the bleed,” and the barrels themselves direct the shot 10-15 cm above the aiming point. You should shoot your gun yourself to know what kind of fire it has. When shooting at a flying bird or a running animal, the shooter puts the gun to his shoulder, focuses on the target, moves the barrels along its movement, overtakes it and, without stopping the movement of the barrels, smoothly presses the trigger: the gun rotates together with the hunter’s body (shooting with leash). However, in the forest, where a bird or animal appears suddenly, they shoot offhand at the place where the game should be in the next moment. There are some general provisions: for example, a stolen hare is shot in the ears, an oncoming hare is shot at the feet; When shooting at a duck sitting on the water, aim at the base of the neck. The maximum shooting distance is 35 m. Hunting smoothbore shotguns are sighted at a distance of 35 m: the barrels of double-barreled shotguns are soldered at a certain angle to each other, their extended axes intersect at a distance of about 35 m from the muzzle, and at a distance of over 35 m the center of the shot talus is made of the right trunk goes to the left, and from the left trunk - to the right, and the further the distance, the greater the deviation. The shooting distance itself, 35 m, was not chosen by chance: it is at this distance that the minimum energy of the flying shot (average shot numbers) necessary to hit the game is maintained. Therefore, it is recommended to shoot animals and birds at a distance of no more than 35 m. When inserting an igniter capsule into the cartridge case, you need to ensure that it is recessed 0.1-0.2 mm below the surface of the bottom of the cartridge case. During hunting, several types (techniques) of shooting are used: - offhand shooting, when the shot is fired simultaneously with the gun touching the shoulder at the expected point of meeting the projectile with the game; - shooting with a leash, when the hunter, raising his gun, aiming at the game, overtakes it with his barrels at the required lead distance and fires a shot without stopping the gun; - shooting with a stationary gun at a sitting bird or stopped animal. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the gun (“whether it is high” or “low”) and the firing distance. When handling a weapon, a hunter must follow the following basic rules: - handle the weapon as if it were always loaded; - do not point the weapon at a person or pet; - when hunting in a group, always keep the weapon with its barrel up or towards the ground; - during hunting it is prohibited: to shoot at noise, rustling, at a vaguely visible target; in places where the view is blocked (forest with dense undergrowth, thickets of reeds), you cannot shoot at game at the level of human height; on reservoirs you cannot shoot at sitting birds unless you are sure that the shot as a result of a ricochet from the water will not hit anyone on the opposite bank or in the reeds. During round-up hunts, the weapon is loaded only at the plate and unloaded when leaving it; - when moving in a group of hunters on foot, in transport, in hunting grounds, the weapon must be unloaded; — it is necessary to unload the weapon when overcoming obstacles; — when moving on public roads, the weapon must be disassembled and put in a case; — during short rest stops, weapons should be unloaded and kept with open barrels. During overnight stays, weapons should be disassembled and stored in cases; -after the shot, it is necessary to check whether there are any wads or remains of cartridges left in the barrels; it is also necessary to check the cleanliness of the barrels after accidental falls.

11. Marks on the gun.

Wherever a hunting weapon is manufactured, it has different marks and inscriptions on the barrels, receiver and individual parts that characterize its performance qualities. Typically, these marks and inscriptions are divided into two groups: strength test marks and working marks (stamps). It is even more convenient to divide these marks and inscriptions into four groups: strength test marks, informational, working and company inscriptions and marks. Stamps on testing the strength of barrels, receivers and locking mechanisms of guns. In Russia, strength testing is carried out only with reinforced charges of smokeless powder of the Sokol type. If the gun was tested in finished form, then it bears two marks: the final test mark and the testing station mark. On Tula guns, the mark of enhanced testing is a circle with the letter “U” inscribed in it, and the emblem of the testing station consists of a circle with the letter “K” inscribed in it and a horizontally located rhombus with the letters “GIS” inscribed in it. On Izhevsk guns, the mark of enhanced testing is a truncated pyramid with the letter “N” inscribed in it and a circle with the same letter “N” inscribed in it, and the mark of the testing station is similar to the mark that is placed on Tula guns. Information stamps indicate the caliber of the gun, the length of the chamber, its diameter, the diameter of the bore and choke; about what kind of sleeve the barrel bore is made for, whether there is a muzzle constriction (choke), whether the gun's barrel bore design is suitable for firing round caliber bullets, what the weight of the barrels is, in what year (month) the gun was released. These are also marks indicating the patent number, which are a sign of quality, and report the mass of the projectile and charge during testing and operation of the gun. Working marks are all factory marks: numbers of barrel tubes, the general number of the gun, numbers on individual parts of the gun and marks of master controllers. Brand marks and inscriptions are monograms or special badges assigned to a factory or company, marks indicating the brand (name) of steel and its brand affiliation, as well as inscriptions of the name of the company that manufactured the gun. Brand inscriptions, as a rule, are made on receivers, locking boards, on the upper surface of the barrels and on the sighting bar.

12. Accessories for weapon care. Caring for weapons and storing them at home.

To care for a weapon, you need to have a cleaning rod, a visher, metal and bristle caliber brushes for removing lead and carbon deposits in barrels, a puff for lubrication, pointed sticks for cleaning the grooves and cutouts of the gun, oilers for neutral and alkaline oil, and the oils themselves. The gun is cleaned immediately after each hunt and periodically once a month. First, remove some of the carbon deposits with a rag wrapped around the visher, then continue cleaning with a metal brush moistened with oil, while removing carbon deposits and lead. You can only clean it with a bristle brush if the trunks are not leaded. After this, the trunks are wiped with a rag and lubricated. If alkaline oil is used, then wipe with a rag especially carefully, and then lubricate with neutral oil. Heavily dirty trunks are sometimes cleaned by pouring a hot soapy solution into them. Remove carbon deposits and dirt from the locking part with rags and sharp sticks, lubricate it, making sure that the oil does not get on the wooden parts. Store weapons unassembled in cases, in places inaccessible to unauthorized persons.

13. Reasons for swelling and rupture of gun barrels, precautions.

The main reason for swelling or rupture of barrels is the ingress of earth, sand, compressed snow or foreign objects into them: wads or their remains, torn parts of cartridges, etc. Swelling in front of the chokes and even separation of the muzzle part of the barrels occur when firing bullets whose diameter exceeds the diameter of the muzzle constriction. The use of 70 mm paper cartridges in chambers for 65 mm cartridges may cause rupture of barrels in the breech. The use of buckshot that is inconsistent with the muzzle of the barrel, as well as carelessly laid buckshot, can also lead to swelling and tearing off the muzzle of the barrel: the buckshot should be located strictly one above the other in vertical columns. To prevent swelling and rupture of barrels, you should carefully follow the rules for loading cartridges with bullets and buckshot, and before putting cartridges into chambers, especially after accidental falls with a gun, you must make sure that there are no foreign objects in the barrels.

14. Hunting rifle cartridge; the order of his equipment. Rules for storing and transporting cartridges.

To equip cartridges at home, you must have one of the following devices: “Barclay”, “Diana”, UPS, “Amateur” scales, measures for measuring gunpowder and shot, a dispenser for loading large batches of cartridges, a screw, a calibration ring. It's good to have a board with slots for 50-100 rounds (so they don't fall). You should not load each cartridge separately, which will reduce the likelihood of errors. All operations must be carried out sequentially for each batch of cartridges. It is better to load cartridges alone. It is strictly forbidden to use open fire, heating devices, or smoking. The table is prepared for each operation. First, the cartridges are inspected. The muzzles of spent cartridges are straightened. Then the capsules are pressed in; it is necessary that the capsule is recessed into the socket by 0.1-0.2 mm. When the capsules are pressed into all the cartridges, proceed to the next operation - measuring and filling the gunpowder. According to the rules, gunpowder is weighed on scales with an accuracy of 0.05 g. After filling into the cartridge case, the gunpowder is lightly shaken by tapping on the side surface of the cartridge case. A powder cardboard pad 1.5-2 mm thick is sent to the gunpowder. The gasket is sent with a force of up to 10 kg (this force is developed by the average person, pressing the pad with one hand, without lifting the elbow from the table). The main wads are sent to the gasket - felt coated ones; for sufficient compression, the required height of the wads is about 2/3 of the diameter of the barrel bore. Additional wads are placed on the main wads in such a way that after filling the shot, there is 5 mm left to cut the barrel barrel for twisting or 10 mm for pressing with an “asterisk”. A cardboard pad is placed on the felt wads, and then shot is poured in. Fractions can be measured using a yardstick. When rolling a cartridge case, the shot is first shaken, a cardboard pad 0.5-1 mm thick is placed and rolled using a table or hand twist. When pressing the case neck with an asterisk, the gasket is not used. Next, all cartridges are driven through the crimp ring. To mark cartridges, the shot number is applied to the shot wad or the bottom of the cartridge case. When loading cartridges, you should not use wads made of flammable or smoldering materials, such as paper, cotton wool, rags, tow, etc. Ammunition should be kept in a dry room, away from heating devices, in places inaccessible to children and strangers. Ammunition is stored separately from weapons. The shelf life of factory-loaded cartridges is 5 years (cartridges self-loaded into spent cartridges are 1 year). According to the rules, transportation of ammunition by plane and railway. Transportation is possible only in original packaging. In general, it is advisable to pack ammunition tightly in cardboard boxes, wrap it in waterproof packaging and place it among soft things. If there are few cartridges, they can be transported in cartridge belts or cartridge boxes. Cartridges are loaded with shot in various ways, depending on the purpose for which it is done. Usually the shot is simply poured onto a cardboard wad covering the felt wads, then the cartridge is closed with a twist or an asterisk (when twisting, a cardboard shot wad is placed on top of the shot); To increase the accuracy of a shot, the following techniques are used: loading shot into containers or a monowad, putting a paper or plastic ring the height of a shot column into the cartridge, sprinkling starch into the coarse shot. To reduce the accuracy of a shot, the following is used: dividing the shot column with cardboard wads, placing a cross-shaped cut felt wad on top of the shot. For hunting game birds, the following shot numbers are used: - wood grouse goose - No. 0, 1, 2; — winter grouse, large ducks in spring and late autumn — No. 3, 4; - mallard ducks, grouse in autumn, partridges - No. 5, 6; - teal, hazel grouse, woodcock - No. 7; - small waders, snipe, great snipe, quail, spearfish, marsh hen - No. 8, 9, 10.

About triggers

If you understand the structure of a hunting rifle and touch on hammerless specimens, then it should be noted that they have a number of advantages. True, unfortunately, they are not without their shortcomings. For example, you have to place the trigger in the thinnest part of the stock - the neck of the gun. Thus, this part of the weapon is significantly weakened. The problem is solved by using shortened locks. In such cases, a spring is placed behind the trigger, but it is very small. True, a new problem arises here. Namely, the difficulty in ensuring a smooth ride and sufficient impact force.

If we talk about trigger guns, modern models provide two platoons: combat and safety. This is done to prevent the gun from accidentally firing. And for good reason - who knows how many lives the safety bracket has saved and also protected from injury. Separately, the method of inflating the springs should be mentioned. Quite common is the use of special levers. It should be noted that this approach is not very convenient. An alternative is to use a lever that operates the bolt. But the most popular and convenient design option is a system in which the springs are inflated due to the weight of the barrels when they are lowered.

About the bed

Each gun has a device that allows you to hold it comfortably in your hands, accurately and quickly aiming it at the target. It is called briefly - a bed. Its part under the barrels is designated as the forend. On a gun, it usually functions as a support for the human hand. The wide part of the stock, which rests against the shoulder when fired, is called the butt. Its individual parts have their own names. So, the upper part is the ridge, and the back, which is pressed against the shoulder when firing, is the back of the head. The angle between them is the heel of the butt. On the opposite side is the sock. If you look at the stock of a gun, or rather the part between the butt and the fore-end, it will be the neck. When shooting, it is usually covered with the right hand. A protrusion can sometimes be made on the left side of the butt, which is called a cheek. Its purpose is consistent with its name. You can put various small things in your cheek. This is mainly ammunition. Although it may be designed for something else.

Specifications

The main parameters and their values ​​are given in Table 1.

Table 1.

How to aim?

It is quite possible to do without special devices. But without a rear sight and front sight it is more difficult to get game. Therefore, special devices are used to improve accuracy. It should be noted that there are quite a lot of them. So, you can often find a narrow metal strip located at the top of the trunk along the entire length. This is the sighting bar of the gun. At the very end the front sight rises. A rear sight is placed on top near the human eye. The best option is when you have both of these devices. But if you delve a little deeper into history, among pre-revolutionary guns there were popular options when the aiming bar was not made. In this case, a slight rise was simply created at the end of the barrel. It should be noted that the matter is not limited to the whole thing and the front sight.

The use of collimator and optical sights is popular. The former are more suitable for smooth-bore weapons. They allow you to save time on aiming and fire offhand. True, they require a power source. Optical sights are more often used for rifled weapons than for smooth-bore weapons. Although you can also find people who like to put them on shotguns. But it is still better to use them for rifled weapons, provided that you have to hit a target at a distance of 50 meters or more. A separate group should be noted – optical-digital sights. They allow you to aim at long distances, work well, can play the role of a range finder, but are sensitive to interference and require a power source (a charged battery).

Pump-action and automatic shotguns

To increase the rate of fire, magazines are often provided to hold a supply of ammunition. Reloading is done by the shooter's hands or automatically. In the second case, gas pressure from the previous shot is used to remove the cartridge case. But first, about the pump. This type of gun can hold 4 to 7 rounds plus one round of ammunition in the barrel. To reload it, you need to twist the pump-action forend. Such options are distinguished by a fairly significant rate of fire, as well as a good supply of ammunition, which allows intense fire with a large amount of game. For example, if you are hunting ducks. In addition, if you come across a defective cartridge, you can simply twist the fore-end, and it will be thrown to the side, and the mechanism will feed a new one in its place.

This won't work with semi-automatic shotguns. We will have to eliminate the jam, which will likely lead to the fact that the animal will have time to escape or even, worse, attack the hunter. Therefore, the issue of quality must be given significant attention. Semi-automatic shotguns are very easy to use - just load them, aim and pull the trigger. True, this is compensated by increased requirements for their care.

Gun device

Recently, hunters are increasingly using self-loading shotguns MTs-21, TOZ-MC-21. They are united by the principle of operation of the mechanisms, which is based on the use of the recoil energy of the barrel during a shot. There are other principles: inertial - with a sliding bolt, using a pulse of powder gases, using a movable chamber. There are guns that operate on the recoil principle of a moving barrel. Experimental work is underway with a gun that operates on the principle of removing powder gases.

The device of the gun.

Components of a gun

Most shotguns consist of: barrel (1), forend (2), butt (3), block (4), Richards release lever (5), triggers (6), safety guard (7), front sight (8), sighting strip (9), fuse (10) and other equally important parts.

The bolt serves to lock the barrels when the gun is closed. Most modern double-barreled shotguns are equipped with a spring action, which is controlled by an upper key. When locking the gun, the bolt frame fits into special cutouts in the barrel hooks and is held there by a spring. The front hook rests on the axle bolt. The shutter is called double, based on the number of hooks.

There are triple and even quadruple shutters. The shank is necessary for a strong connection between the barrel and the bolt. A beard is screwed to the bottom of the barrel - a ring that fastens the barrel to the under-barrel magazine. The return spring rests against the ring through the brake device. The barrel usually has an aiming rib and always has a front sight.

At the front of the barrel tube there is a magazine - with a feeder, a spiral spring and a spring stopper. The trigger mechanism is attached to the receiver from below. The valve return spring is located at the rear of the tube. The stock is attached to the shank. The receiver consists of upper and lower parts. The top part can be opened as a lid. Two longitudinal grooves are made along the inner side surfaces of the receiver. The grooves serve to connect and direct the movement of the slide at the shank of the barrel and the bolt. The barrel enters the receiver through a longitudinal window. There is a longitudinal window on the side of the barrel box. The cartridges are ejected through it after firing and cartridges are inserted into the barrel. There is also a window at the bottom of the barrel through which cartridges are inserted into the magazine. There are cartridge cut-offs on both sides of the receiver tube. The shut-offs have buttons on the outside through which the shutter is removed. There is a fuse at the bottom.

Shotgun block

The trigger mechanism consists of a base where the hammer, mainspring, trigger, and feeder tray with spring are placed. The trigger mechanism is used to fire a shot. In this case, the explosive substance in the capsule ignites, and with its help, the gunpowder in the cartridge. There are several types of locks: hammer, hammerless, backed, reverse. They differ in the location of the mainspring. All flip-barrel shotguns have locks that strike the primer directly with their hammers. In this case, guns with external external hammers are called hammer-fired, and those with internal hammers are called hammerless.

The bolt consists of a handle, a lug, a cartridge holder, a shut-off with a spring, and a shank-rod. The bolt serves to firmly lock the barrel bore, to remove cartridges after firing, and to cock the hammer.

To load the gun, you need to take the gun by the handle and pull the bolt back. The bolt will disengage from the barrel. The trigger rotates on its axis and the mainspring is compressed. The trigger stops in the rear position. A cartridge is inserted into the chamber through the window. Press the lever button... The bolt will move forward under the influence of the return spring. The bore is firmly closed. The fuse is firmly closed.

Then the magazine is filled with cartridges through the lower barrel window. The gun is thus loaded with five cartridges. To fire, you need to remove the firing mechanism, place the stock against your shoulder, aim, and pull the trigger. The trigger strikes the firing pin, the latter moves forward and transfers the blow to the primer. A shot occurs. Having used up the recoil energy, the shutter stops. The barrel and the bolt are disconnected. The barrel moves forward, the cartridge case comes out of the chamber. The barrel falls into place, and another cartridge rises up. The hunter must release the trigger and pull it again to fire the next shot. This repeats as long as there are cartridges in the magazine.

The design of guns operating with the removal of powder gases is more reliable in operation. Barrel recoil is much less. Thanks to the fixed barrel, they have more accurate combat. Powder guns are more durable and are therefore increasingly replacing guns with a moving barrel. So the future most likely belongs to guns that operate on the removal of powder gases.

Thus, we can say that the choice of the type of gun depends on many factors. A novice hunter first of all needs to make the right choice when purchasing and learn the principles of using a gun. But theory means nothing without experience, and all rules for handling weapons receive their nuances through contact with practice.

About

Let's say a word about calibers

Shotguns are characterized by the type of ammunition they can use. The diameter of the bore depends on the caliber. It can be expressed in millimeters, but it is now common to designate it by numbers. Let's take a 20-caliber shotgun as an object for study. What does it mean? For the barrel of such a gun, 20 round bullets can be cast from one English pound of lead. That is, the larger the caliber, the higher the number of shells that can be fired. True, the diameter of the muzzle decreases. The intended purpose of the weapon depends to a large extent on this. So, a 20 gauge shotgun is mainly intended for duck hunting. But if you need to get a wild boar, then the 12th gauge is already used. Although it should be noted that this matter is not so simple. Why? Lead can have different specific gravity due to impurities, and some gunsmiths, for certain reasons, like to slightly change the bore diameter without reflecting this in the caliber.

There is also another problem with this. Ideally, cartridges of the same caliber should be proportionate. But the metal ones have thin walls. Due to this they have a larger internal diameter. Whereas paper sleeves have thick walls and, accordingly, have a smaller internal diameter. In general, in principle this value should be equal to the caliber of the gun. But in practice this cannot be achieved. And it turns out that guns using paper and metal cartridges must have unequal diameters. And this despite the fact that their nominal calibers are the same!

Hunting rifles

Museum of Trade - Trade Dictionary - Hunting rifles

Hunting rifles . The topic is popular, as in the period we are considering - the fifties, sixties, etc. years of the USSR. And now these items are in use, although they have great competition from new domestic and foreign designs. But we will only talk about guns from the fifties and only in the present tense. It should be taken into account that for trade workers the main task is to sell the product, and this should not be forgotten, and for this it was necessary to know its characteristics so as not to look like many modern sellers, for whom poor knowledge of the Russian language is already an achievement. And God forbid you ask them anything! So.

Hunting shotguns are designed primarily for shooting shotguns; they have one, two or more (smooth, unrifled or in combination with rifled) barrels and a special bolt design. They differ in purpose, design, caliber, barrel and stock sizes, and finishing. A hunting rifle consists of a barrel, a block, a stock and a forend.

Hunting rifles

Hunting shotguns: 1 - single-barreled shotgun, model “ZK”; 2 — double-barreled shotgun with vertically coupled barrels, model “MTs-8”; 3 — double-barreled shotgun with horizontally paired barrels, model “IZH-54”

Main parts of a hunting rifle

The main parts of a hunting rifle: barrel with block, fore-end, stock

The barrel is the main and most critical part of the gun. Made from special alloy barrel steel, mainly grade 50A (GOST 5160-49). Impurities of manganese, nickel, chromium, molybdenum and silicon gave the barrel steel the necessary strength, elasticity, toughness and increased its chemical resistance. To protect against corrosion, the barrels were blackened by oxidation. In some guns, the bores were chrome-plated. There are two parts in the barrels: the breech, where the chamber is located, and the muzzle, where the barrel bore passes. The barrels were made for a specific type of cartridge case. The chamber length in shotguns made domestically (USSR) is 70 mm. The walls of the barrels in the breech were made thicker than in the muzzle; their thickness is 3-4.5 mm (versus 1 mm at the muzzle). This is due to the fact that at the moment of explosion of gunpowder, the pressure in the chamber reaches 800-950 atm.

Sectional view of a hunting rifle barrel

Section of the barrel of a hunting rifle: 1 - chamber; 2 - muzzle; 3 - choke constriction

Depending on the number of barrels, hunting rifles are divided into single-barrel, double-barrel, triple-barrel and quadruple-barrel. Double-barreled ones can be with vertically and horizontally located paired barrels.

The trunks are characterized by a certain drilling and caliber. According to the nature of drilling, trunks can be smooth, rifled or combined. With smooth drilling, the barrel walls have a smooth polished surface along their entire length. Such barrels are installed on shotguns (otherwise called smoothbore) and when shot with shotguns they give a satisfactory fight at a distance of up to 35-40 m, and when using a special bullet - at 50-60 m. Rifled barrels are used in slug guns, as well as shotguns double-barreled and triple-barreled shotguns (in combination with smooth ones). Helical rifling in the bore causes the bullet to rotate, which will give it stability during flight. The number of rifling can be from 4 to 7 with different steepness, depending on the type of weapon. Rifled barrels allow targeted shooting at a distance of up to 300 m. They are not suitable for shooting with shot.

Combined barrels have a “paradox” type drill and are used in slug-shotguns. They differ in that they have two types of drilling: most of the bore is smooth, and at a short distance from the muzzle there are rifling. Bullet-shotguns give satisfactory combat with shot at 30-40 m, and with a special bullet - up to 100 m.

Drilling the bore of smooth-bore hunting rifles, in contrast to rifled ones, can be cylindrical, in which the diameter of the barrel is the same throughout, cylindrical with pressure, in which the diameter of the bore throughout its entire length gradually narrows towards the muzzle by 0.1-0.25 mm, and choke, in which the narrowing of the barrel does not occur along its entire length, but only at the muzzle with a smooth transition to a smaller diameter. When choke drilling, depending on the degree of narrowing, they differ: semi-choke (from 0.25 to 0.50 mm), medium choke (from 0.50 to 0.75 mm), full choke, or choke (from 0.75 to 1. 0mm) and strong choke (from 1.0 to 1.3 mm). To indicate the choke constrictions of domestic shotguns, the following designations are used: ds-1 (up to 0.2 mm), ds-2 (up to 0.5 mm), ds-3 (up to 0.75 mm), ds-4 (up to 1 mm ), ds-5 (up to 1.25 mm). The narrowing of the bore thickens the sheaf of pellets before departure and contributes to a more concentrated battle. Most barrels in hunting rifles of the fifties had a ds-3 choke in the range of 0.7-0.8 mm.

Double-barreled shotguns usually have a cylindrical or half-choke barrel on the right, and a choke drill on the left. Sometimes both barrels have a choke. Some single-barreled hunting rifles use screw-on choke tips, muzzle caps and replaceable choke tubes in combination with a muzzle brake (produced in sets of 2-6 pieces), as well as choke tubes that allow you to turn the coupling at the end of the barrel to change the amount of constriction from a cylinder to a strong choke.

The diameter of the bore, i.e. the caliber of rifled guns (rifles, carbines), is indicated in mm, smoothbore - in conventional units, indicating the number of round bullets that can be obtained from one English pound of lead (453 g), provided that their diameter equal to the diameter of the bore of a given trunk. The diameter is measured at a distance of 220 mm from the breech. It is generally accepted that the 10th and 12th are large calibers, the 16th are medium, and the 20th, 28th and 32nd are small. Hunting rifles of the 12th, 16th and 20th calibers are produced with a paper sleeve, and the 28th and 32nd - with a metal sleeve. The ratio of bore diameter and caliber is given in table.

The barrel length of shotguns, depending on the caliber, is 620 - 760 mm.

The block serves to connect the barrel to the stock and includes the bolt, impact and safety mechanisms. Double-barreled shotguns with horizontally paired barrels have a cranked block, double-barreled shotguns with vertically paired barrels, and some single-barreled shotguns have a block that resembles a box with two side and rear walls. Most flip-barrel shotguns have a spring action that automatically locks the barrels when the gun is closed. Depending on the number of attachment points, the valves can be single, double, triple or quadruple.

The impact mechanism (lock) serves to ignite the primer by striking the explosive, and through it the powder charge of the cartridge. Locks can be striker-type, in which the primer is ignited by the impact of a longitudinally sliding striker, and hammer-type, in which the impact is produced by swinging or rotating triggers on the striker. Striker mechanisms are used in carbines and rifles, trigger lock systems are used in shotguns.

Depending on the location of the trigger, guns can be triggered, in which the triggers are located outside, or hammerless, with the triggers inside the locking mechanism. In hammer-fired shotguns, the mainsprings are cocked by pulling the hammer back; in hammerless shotguns, it is done by “breaking”, that is, when the barrels are lowered or (in some designs) when they are raised. There are guns that are cocked using a bolt key located behind the trigger guard. The most common and convenient for hammerless shotguns is the first system, which uses the weight of the barrels to lower them.

The trigger mechanism (hooks, springs) is mounted on the lower face - a slightly curved metal plate that simultaneously serves to fasten the stock to the shank of the block. Triggers can be ordinary, in which the release from cocking is carried out by the force of the shooter's finger, or channel, which have special devices for obtaining an easy short trigger.

To make the gun more secure, i.e., in order to be able to close and open the barrels with inserted cartridges while the hammers are cocked, the hammers of hammer-fired guns are made returnable: thanks to a special device, the hammer, after hitting the firing pin, becomes safety cocked. All guns have safety devices. On hammerless shotguns with folding barrels, the safety mechanism locks the triggers. It is controlled by a button (latch) located on top of the neck of the stock or on the left side of the block. This safety on many models of hunting rifles is designed so that every time the gun is opened, it automatically locks the trigger. Some hammerless shotguns are equipped with an additional automatic firing pin safety device (interceptor), which protects against involuntary firing during strong shaking and jolts. Removal of a spent cartridge case after a shot occurs using a special mechanism - an extractor, which pushes the cartridge case out of the chamber when the barrels are lowered.

The stock is made from walnut wood, which is distinguished by its lightness, strength and beautiful texture, as well as from birch, beech and apple wood, and, of course, from plastics. To impart water-repellent properties, the wooden stock is impregnated. The shape of the stock is straight, semi-pistol and pistol; in some guns, the stock has a protrusion under the cheek, which ensures greater stability of the gun when fired.

Various stock shapes

Various stock shapes (from top to bottom): straight, semi-pistol, pistol, pistol with cheek piece

The part of the stock located under the barrels is called the forend. Shotguns have a separate fore-end and are attached to the barrels using a spring lock. An ejector is mounted in the forend of some gun models - a device for automatically ejecting cartridges from the chamber when the gun is opened.

Hunting rifles come in mass production and individual production. The latter are made by highly qualified craftsmen, as a rule, have artistic engraving and embossing of the block and other metal parts and differ from mass-produced guns in the special sizes of individual parts in relation to the individual characteristics of the hunter, as well as higher ballistic properties. The same model of gun can be produced mass-produced and individually. Piece guns were designated by adding the letter “Ш” to the model mark.

The range of hunting rifles was classified according to purpose (for commercial hunting, sport hunting and sports clay pigeon shooting), by design, the projectile used (shot, bullet, combined and bullet-shot), by the number of barrels and their location, the design of the striking mechanism, by the number available shots at the ready (single-shot, multiple-shot or magazine automatic).

Fishing guns included small-caliber smooth-bore guns (20, 28, 32) for hunting small fur-bearing animals and large-caliber (12 and 16) for shooting waterfowl and large animals. This group of guns included models: smoothbore - ZK, 3KB, ZKM, IZH-54, PZh-57, MTs-6 and combined - MTs-5, NZH-56 "Belka".

For sport hunting, guns of various systems and models of all calibers (from 12 to 32) were used, but the most frequently used were double-barreled guns with horizontally or vertically paired barrels of 16 and 20 calibers. The guns of this group differed from the fishing guns in their higher quality and better external finish. This group included models: B, BM, MTs-9, IZhK-4, MTs-11, MTs-8, “Olen”.

Shotguns for clay pigeon shooting (with skeet shot) were characterized by a special drill, which gave a dispersive effect at a short shooting distance. These guns were called “cage guns” and could be used for sport hunting. This group included 12-gauge shotguns weighing from 3.2 to 3.5 kg; models TS-2, MC-11, MC-9, MC-8, MC-10-1.

The classification of hunting rifles according to the main design features is given in the table, and their range and characteristics are given in the table.

The quality of hunting rifles had to correspond to the specifications. The characteristics of the quality of a gun consisted of the following main indicators: the strike of the gun, the strength of the barrels and the quality (correctness) of their drilling, the balance of the gun, the force of the triggers, the quality and nature of the finish, as well as its weight and fit.

The combat of a shotgun was characterized by accuracy, accuracy, sharpness (penetrating force), consistency of combat and other indicators. The gun passports indicated the results of the accuracy test and the conditions under which they were carried out. Accuracy was determined by the ratio of the percentage of pellets that hit the target to the number of pellets in the projectile. An accuracy of 40% for a cylindrical drill barrel and at least 60% for a choke drill was considered satisfactory. The shooting accuracy of a gun depends on the quality of drilling of the barrels, their soldering and should have been the same when firing from the right and left barrels. The constancy of the battle is characterized by the fact that when firing repeatedly from the same barrel there should be no deviations when hitting the target.

The strength of the barrels is indicated in the passport and is determined by testing them with powder gas pressure in the range of 800-950 kg/cm². The barrels must have the correct round cross-section, there should be no difference in thickness, and the transition from the chamber to the barrel must be smooth. The correctness of drilling and soldering is determined by the shadow rings, which should be clearly visible if you examine the bore, pointing it towards the light. In a high-quality trunk, these rings are located strictly concentrically, evenly and have the shape of a circle.

Shadow Rings

Shadow rings (from left to right): with correct drilling of the bore, with incorrect drilling of the bore

When you press the trigger, the trigger force should not exceed half the weight of the entire gun (normal force is 1.5-2.0 kg). Very light and too tight descent is not allowed. You can check this indicator by hanging the gun by the trigger on the index finger of your hand (unloaded, with the barrels down). With normal force, the triggers fire immediately. The balance or position of the gun's center of gravity affects how quickly the gun can be raised and the accuracy of the shot. A properly assembled gun should have a center of gravity near the central hinge bolt (65-75 mm from the breech).

Balance can be easily checked by placing the gun in the indicated place on the edge of an object. The external surface finish of the gun must meet the requirements of strength and resistance to mechanical and chemical influences (abrasion, moisture, etc.). The wood of the stock and forend must be impregnated with waterproof compounds. Metal parts had to be protected from corrosion by oxidation, bluing or chrome plating.

Markings were applied on barrels, under-barrel pads or hooks, on pad pads, and less often on the stock. Each plant had its own branding system. For most domestic shotguns (USSR), the markings included: the type of shotgun, the brand of the factory, the year of manufacture and serial number, caliber, chamber length, the nature of the drilling of the barrels, an indication that the shotgun was tested for strength and accuracy, as well as the quality control department stamp. The passport attached to each gun indicated: the main dimensions of the barrels and gun assembly, the weight of the gun, balance, trigger force, data on the conditions under which the gun was tested for strength and accuracy, and their results, stock shape and breed wood, the meaning and location of all marks of the gun, etc. The passport (or a separate instruction sheet) also contained instructions for assembling and disassembling the gun, for loading cartridges, rules for handling and caring for the gun, and also indicated the completeness of the gun and the quality guarantee.

Hunting rifles were supplied to the retail chain packed in strong wooden boxes of 16 and 20 pieces. To protect against corrosion, the barrels and other metal parts were thickly lubricated with neutral lubricant. Inside the box, crossbars were made with cutouts for barrels and stocks. The cutouts were covered with soft cloth. It was allowed to pack guns either assembled or with the barrels removed. The gross weight of the box is no more than 85-90 kg for single-barreled shotguns and 100-105 kg for double-barreled shotguns. The boxes indicated the model of the gun, caliber, number of pieces, address of the sender and recipient.

When choosing and purchasing hunting rifles, it is necessary to take into account that performance largely depends on its weight, grip and adaptability. Based on weight, hunting rifles are divided into normal-weight rifles, recommended for so-called running hunting, and weighted ones for “guard” shooting (from behind cover) at hard-to-wound game. The weight of normal and weighted guns, depending on the caliber, is given in the table.

The weight of the gun should generally be approx. 1/22 of the hunter's weight and must be properly distributed along the length of the gun. At best, the main mass of the gun is concentrated closer to the center of gravity, and the ends of the gun are lightened. This ensures easy lifting of the gun to the shoulder and a clear transition from one position to another.

It is important that the gun matches the hunter’s figure and his shooting style. If, during quick throws, the gun is immediately aimed at the target without adjustments, such a gun is called a butt gun. It must be borne in mind that a gun that is suitable for one hunter may be completely unsuitable for another.

Reception, storage and trade - see Hunting goods.

Hunters of the village of Kuryshino near Uglich, Yaroslavl region (1939)

Hunters of the village of Kuryshino near Uglich, Yaroslavl region (Sixties)

Hunting tickets (1951)

Comparative characteristics of hunting rifles

Comparative characteristics of hunting rifles

Comparative characteristics of hunting rifles

Gun brands:

ZK, ZKB, ZKM-1, ZKM-2, ZKM-3, ZKM-4, ZKMSh-1, ZKMSh-2, IZHK, IZHK-1, IZHK-2, IZHK-3, IZHK-4, IZHK-5, IZHKB-1, IZHKB-5, ZB-1, ZB-2, ZB-3, ZB-4, ZBSH-1, ZBSH-2, B, BM, MTs-9, MTs-11, IZH-54, IZH- 57, IZH-58, MC-5, MC-6-1, MC-6-2, MC-8, IZH-56 “Belka”, ZMZ “Olen”, MC-30

Discussion of the article, additions and questions on the forum

Various moments

Looking at weapons alone is half the battle. Its structure affects many things. For example, on storage location, care rules and price. Hunting rifles are quite cheap. You can purchase a high-quality domestically produced double-barreled shotgun of sufficient length for active hunting for about 30 thousand rubles. Although if you aim at foreign samples, you will have to increase the amount multiple times, perhaps even tens of times. But you should be interested not only in price. Hunting rifles also need to be stored somewhere. If we talk about home conditions, then special lockers are used here that are resistant to burglary and fire.

What if you plan to transport weapons? In this case, a gun case comes to the rescue. Of course, you can do without it, carrying the weapon in your hands or in the back seat of a car, and the cartridges in your pockets. But this is not very convenient. In addition, legislation requires compliance with certain transportation conditions. In case of non-compliance, the owner of the weapon is fined. You can give a few more examples, but these are enough to buy a gun case. It should allow you to conveniently lay the gun so that it fits into it without problems. It would be a good idea to purchase a case that allows you to simultaneously transport a supply of cartridges, so as not to separate them.

Other parts not listed

The design of a hunting rifle has not only the basic structural elements that were discussed above. In addition to them, there are also the following parts:

1. Cartridge feeding mechanism. Used to deliver ammunition from the magazine.
2. Signaling devices. They are used to inform the shooter about the presence of ammunition in the chamber. As an alternative - about the cocked position of the trigger mechanism.
3. Release device. It is necessary to release the cocked parts of the striking mechanism.
4. Device for removing and extracting cartridges. Used to quickly dispose of already spent cartridges. Complete removal (ejection) or partial removal (extraction) is possible. In the first case, however, there is an increased chance of the weapon failing. If an extractor is used, the cartridge must finally be removed manually.
5. Choki. This is a slight narrowing of the bore at the muzzle. Made to improve the combat of the gun. Its size and magnitude may vary. Although it cannot be called a separate component of the weapon, it is also impossible to pretend that there is no choke.
6. Compensator. This is a special device that looks like a tube. It is screwed onto a cylindrical barrel. In the middle part the compensator is slightly expanded. In this place, the walls have a number of wide transverse gas outlet slits. Then follows the narrowed part. This device allows you to conduct a very even and good fight.

“Double-barreled shotgun” by E.V. Steingold

Home, Weapons:Weapons
A double-barreled shotgun consists of barrels, a receiver with mechanisms (trigger, locking and safety), a stock with a fore-end and a device. These are the models IZH-58, IZH-26, IZH-12, IZH-54, TO3-25, MTs-11, MTs-5, MTs-8, TOZ-BM, etc.

The barrels can be located in a horizontal or vertical plane and connected at the breech with or without a coupling. In horizontally located barrels, in the latter case, half of the under-barrel hook is made as one piece with the barrel tube, and then they are called semi-block (demi-block) in contrast to monoblock, when both hooks and barrels are made of one piece of metal. For demi-block trunks, a flat surface is made on both sides of the hooks - a cushion. The trunks and halves of the hooks are soldered with copper solder.

From the breech side of the barrels, from below, an extractor or ejector is inserted into a special recess and hole. At approximately one-fourth or one-third of the length of the barrels (counting from the breech cut), another hook (small) is attached to attach the forend. Along the entire length, the trunks are paired with upper and lower connecting strips. The top bar is U-shaped; it rises between the trunks and forms the so-called sighting bar. In the middle part of the barrels, a swivel for the running belt is screwed into place. A front sight is installed in the front part of the aiming bar. The sighting bar and the front sight form a sighting device.

If the barrels are connected by a coupling, it is made with two under-barrel hooks and the barrel tubes are inserted into the holes of the coupling. The barrel tubes are fitted with an interference fit into a preheated coupling. Depending on the locking system, a solid rod is inserted at the top under the sight bar, called the sight bar shank or small hook. This rod may have a hole or simply be a protrusion above the plane of the breech cut of the barrels.

When the trunks are arranged vertically and connected without a coupling, the upper trunk is pushed onto the lower one and secured with it on the dovetail, and then the trunks are soldered or fixed with a transverse pin. In this case, the lower barrel is made with lower under-barrel hooks. The upper barrel often has two protrusions above the breech, which serve to lock the gun.

When planting barrels in a coupling, the under-barrel hooks are made from one piece of metal with a coupling. Along the entire length of the barrels, two connecting strips are soldered on their sides, and an aiming strip is soldered above the upper barrel and a front sight is strengthened at its front end (Recently, there has been a noticeable tendency to connect the trunks to each other without side connecting strips, and in the breech and muzzle parts - using couplings or in the muzzle - a combination of a protrusion and a corresponding longitudinal groove, i.e., dovetail, with a sliding fit. This connection is better than with a muzzle coupling, but it is only possible with barrel lengths up to 600-650 mm, since Longer barrels, due to vibration when fired, begin to “baptize”, i.e. the upper barrel hits below the aiming point, and the lower - above. For the upper barrel, the take-off angle is negative, and for the lower - positive).

A hook (for attaching the forend) and the base of the swivel are welded on the lower barrel. Extractors or ejectors are inserted into special grooves on the side of the barrels. The barrel channels have 70 mm long widenings in the breech - chambers for inserting cartridges before firing. In the end breech of the barrels, a circular recess is made for the edging, into which the flange of the cartridge case head fits.

The receiver is a cranked part that serves to lock the bores of the barrels, connect all the components of the gun into one unit and accommodate the four main mechanisms of the gun (locking, impact, trigger and safety). For shotguns with vertical barrels, the block in the lower part forms a deep groove, which includes the entire lower barrel and part of the upper one. There are systems in which both barrels are placed between the cheeks formed by the receiver (MC-5, MC-6, MC-7 and MC-8).

The locking mechanism can be mounted in special grooves of the receiver - then it is called middle, or mortise. This is typical for Anson-Delay guns. In other cases, the lock is mounted on a lower base (mast) attached to the lower part of the receiver. The locking mechanism can also be assembled on separate metal boards attached to the sides of the receiver. In these cases, the locks are side, overhead or on separate detachable metal boards.

Depending on where the mainspring is located (in front of the triggers or behind them) and how long it is, locks have different names. If the long mainspring is located in front of the hammers in special side recesses of the receiver cushions under the barrels, then it is a pad lock, and if behind the hammer, then it is a neck lock. In the latter case, with a short spring, it is called a shortened neck lock. When the front part of the lock board (plate) has an elongated protrusion, such as is made to place a long spring in front of the trigger, but there is no spring there (it is located behind the trigger), such a lock is called a false pad. Every lock consists of a trigger with a combat cock, a mainspring and a trigger lever with a sear. High-end guns also have trigger interceptors (interceptors), which protect against spontaneous shots when a loaded gun is dropped without pressing the triggers.

The trigger mechanism includes a trigger lever with an axis, a trigger with an axis and their springs. The trigger mechanism can have two triggers acting autonomously on only one barrel; with one trigger acting on both barrels in the same sequence; with a selector (switch) that allows you to change the order of operation of the barrels at the request of the shooter.

Special sporting shotguns (Remington 32) have an original trigger mechanism in which the shot occurs not after pressing the front trigger, but after it is released. The second trigger usually operates from direct pressure. If the effort to pull the triggers is great, then the shooter involuntarily pulls the gun down when pressing the trigger. The shot goes below the target, resulting in a miss. This device eliminates this phenomenon. However, it cannot be done on ordinary hunting rifles, since the hunter will be forced to shoot unnecessarily when releasing the trigger.

There is also a universal trigger mechanism (MC-11) with two triggers operating on both barrels, each in a certain sequence. When you press the front trigger for the first time, the lower or right barrel fires, and when you press it again, the upper or left barrel fires. The first time you press the rear trigger, the top (or left) barrel is fired, and the second time the shot is fired from the bottom (or right) barrel. You can also shoot by pressing each trigger in turn, as usual, in any order. The triggers are covered with a trigger guard, protecting them from accidental pressure and damage.

The safety mechanism is most often placed on the shank of the receiver. It consists of a gate (button), a locking lever and a locking spring. May or may not be automatic. In the first case, when opening the gun, a special pusher is activated, moving the gate (button), and at the same time the entire safety mechanism back (the “locked” position), i.e., to a position where the triggers or trigger levers are clamped safety lever. The best safety mechanism is the one that locks the trigger levers, and through them the triggers, the worst is the one that locks only the triggers. Such a gun remains dangerous to everyone around it, although it does not fire when the trigger is pulled. The fact is that if the gun is accidentally dropped, a shot can occur because the trigger lever can easily release the hammer from the impact, since nothing prevents it from turning on its axis (the design of light-weight trigger levers will not save you from this). Hunting practice knows many accidents of spontaneous shots with the safety in the “locked” position.

In most domestic shotguns, the safety locks the trigger levers, and therefore they are relatively safe with the safety locked, but if the safety is in the “fire” position, the gun may fire if dropped.

The locking mechanism consists of an upper lever (or key) with a driver in the front part for moving the transverse bolt (pin) where there is an upper locking, a bolt axis with a crank and a stop for the return spring with a cap; a locking frame with a crank and a window for its connecting screw and a transverse bolt (pin) with a window for the driver. Currently, there is a desire to remove the upper lever and drive the locking mechanism using a gate placed on the shank of the receiver in front of the safety gate. This drive device to the locking mechanism makes the gun equally convenient for shooting from the right and left shoulder with the appropriate adjustment of the stock. The gun has fewer protruding parts.

The stock consists of a neck, butt and back plate. The shape of the neck can be different: straight (rifle), semi-pistol and pistol.

The butt consists of two side cheeks with or without a protrusion under the cheek, a ridge, a nape, which forms the heel in the rear, and a toe in the front with the lower part of the butt adjacent to it.

The back of the butt can be without any pads (this is more often the case with high-end guns), with a metal or plastic pad, and more recently, a rubber pad that softens the blow to the shoulder from recoil when fired (it’s called a shock absorber). The stock is made from walnut, beech or birch. According to the shape of the comb, the butt can be normal (classical shape), when the ridge slopes towards the heel relative to the continuation of the aiming line - this is the worst option from the point of view of using the gun; with a comb parallel to the continuation of the aiming line with a small cutout towards the heel of the butt - such a comb device somewhat improves the performance of the stock; with a ridge that goes with some rise to the heel of the butt and also ends with a cutout to the heel (these two stocks are known as “Monte Carlo”); with a ridge running along a certain convex curve from the front to the heel of the butt - such a stock is called rational. This is the most convenient stock to use. The previous two stocks occupy an intermediate position in ease of use between the worst and the best comb shape.

Most misses happen with a regular stock and fewer with a rational one. The fact is that in hunting conditions, the shooter most often holds his head high in order to better see the game, and when throwing the gun to his shoulder, the butt rests higher than necessary, and the barrels go down, and a miss is guaranteed. A rational stock always fits correctly with the back of the butt into the shooter's shoulder and the aiming line is always in the right place, so misses are rare.

The forend is used for ease of use of the gun, for fastening the barrels to the receiver, for influencing the cockers, pushing them out of the extractor sockets and protecting the shooter’s hands from burns. Ejectors (automatically operating cartridge ejectors) are usually placed in the forend. The forend is attached to the barrels with a latch that engages the small barrel hook. The drive to the latch can be a push-button in the front part of the forend (Anson-Delay system) and in the middle part in the form of a lever (Delay-E system). The forend consists of a metal frame, a latch mechanism and a wooden base.

Device - small parts of a gun that are not included in one or another mechanism (for example, swivel screws, butt pad, etc.).

Accessories include a cleaning rod, a cleaning rod, a scraper, brushes (bristle and metal), a powder puff, an oiler, screwdrivers, drifts and other items used for gun care and minor repairs.

Interaction of parts and mechanisms

When the barrels open, the following happens. When the lever of the locking mechanism is turned from left to right, its return spring is compressed, the axis with the crank rotates, and with it the locking frame moves back, releasing the under-barrel hooks. At the same time, the cross bolt (pin) comes out of the hole in the shank of the sighting bar (where there is a top lock).

There are shotgun systems that have only top locking of the barrels, then when you press the lever of the locking mechanism, only the top bolt will come out of engagement with the barrels (often it is made double-threaded and is called a Kersten bolt after the name of the inventor).

Now the barrels can be turned downwards around the axle bolt with the front part. In this case, the breech of the barrels rises up and access to the chambers will be open. At the same time, the front shoulders of the hammer cockers will rest against the support platforms of the forend and turn on the axes, and the rear shoulders of the hammer cockers will rise up, cocking the hammers, i.e. they will stand on the sear with their combat cocks, and the main springs will be pressurized. If the gun is equipped with an automatic safety, then when the lever of the locking mechanism is pulled back, the safety gate will move back and special levers will lock the triggers or trigger levers (the latter system is better, it more reliably protects against an accidental shot; it prevails in domestic guns).

At the same time, the fore-end lever will press the base of the extractor. The latter will extend from its groove a certain distance and protrude above the lower part of the breech section of the barrels, and for guns with vertical barrels, the extractor located between the barrels will rise above the breech section.

To load a gun, cartridges are inserted into chambers. Cartridges placed in the chambers will not fit completely into them, since the rim will rest against the recess on the extractor head. When closing the barrels, the extractor head and the lower rim of the cartridge case head, sliding along the surface of the shield (forehead) of the receiver, are moved forward and completely deepened into the chambers. The forend lever stops pressing on the extractor rod, and the latter sits in its groove. The barrels will rotate around the transverse axial bolt. The under-barrel hooks, sliding with semicircular protrusions along the supporting surfaces of the locking frame, will push it back somewhat. This will cause the crank with the axis of the locking mechanism lever to move, and the locking mechanism lever will move to the side (to the right), and the transverse bolt of the upper locking will come out of the receiver socket to the outside (to the left). The return spring of the locking mechanism will be further compressed.

At a certain moment, when the barrels take a horizontal position and their pads rest on the receiver pads, the cutouts at the under-barrel hooks will align with the end parts of the locking frame. Then the frame, under the action of the expanding return spring, is energetically moved forward (a characteristic click will be heard), will enter the cutouts of the under-barrel hooks, and the transverse bolt will fall into the hole in the shank of the aiming bar (small hook) - the barrels will be firmly locked with the receiver shield. On over-and-under shotguns with single overlocking, the Kersten bolt will fit into the barrel lugs.

The cartridge primers will be against the holes for the firing pins to exit. Although the locking mechanism is made on the principle of an automatically operating latch, this should not be used to avoid its rapid wear. When closing, it is better to move the lever to the right with your finger, and with it the rest of the locking mechanism back, then the locking bar will not rub against the convex surfaces of the hooks and the locking mechanism will last much longer. When the barrels are completely inserted into the receiver, the locking mechanism lever is smoothly released, and the barrels are locked without clicking.

To shoot, you need to insert the butt into your shoulder, point the gun at the target and press one of the triggers with your finger. The trigger, moving its lower part back, will press its upper supporting part on the horizontally located L-shaped protrusion of the trigger lever. The back of the trigger lever will rise, and the front (where the sear is located) will drop and release the hammer. The trigger, under the action of the mainspring, will rotate on its axis with increasing speed and strike the firing pin (if the trigger is not made integral with the firing pin). The firing pin will move in the hole in the receiver shield and strike the primer. There will be a shot. For reloading, the barrels are opened as described above. In this case, the extractor will push out the cartridge case and cartridge by a certain amount (if it was not fired a second time). This is convenient for removing cartridges and cartridges from the chamber by hand. The empty cartridge case is thrown away, and in its place a cartridge is inserted into the chamber, and the rest is repeated. The shooter needs to develop a reflex - move the safety button just before the shot, without thinking about it at all. You also need to learn to reflexively move the button back when there is no longer a need to fire.

There are guns with ejectors that have hammer or striker mechanisms that are triggered when the barrels are opened only when the trigger on the barrel has been pulled or a shot has been fired. These mechanisms serve to automatically eject used cartridges from the chambers. For guns with an ejector mechanism, the extractor is made of two halves, each of which serves its own chamber. If the shot is not fired, the extractor only advances the cartridges, but does not eject them.

Ejectors, usually mounted in the forend, consist of a trigger or striker, a spring, a trigger lever and a pusher connected in one way or another to the trigger. This mechanism greatly speeds up the reloading of the gun and thereby increases its rate of fire.

In Russia and abroad there are guns with the original design of the percussion mechanism (MTs-11). This originality lies in the following. When opening the barrels, the hammers are cocked by the action of the long upper feathers of the mainsprings, but the usual inflation of the mainsprings does not occur.

Each of them is pumped by a cam, a pusher and an earring only when the barrels are closed, when their pads converge with the receiver pads. When the barrels are opened, the mainsprings relax again. This design is convenient in that when separating the barrels from the receiver, you do not need to worry about pulling the triggers off the sears in order to weaken the mainsprings, and, in addition, such a device to some extent facilitates the opening of the barrels.

This design is of particular interest for sporting shotguns, since the barrels are kept open from shot to shot, and therefore the mainsprings of this locking system remain relaxed, and this makes the gun safe and increases the service life of the mainsprings.

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