Firearm action In firearms terminology, an action is the system of operation that the firearm employs to seal the breech (in a breech-loading firearm), and to load consecutive rounds. Most commonly this is accomplished by means of a breech-block, which reciprocates in the receiver of the firearm. Important factors in the naming of a particular action type depends on how it gets its motive force (i.e. what energy is employed to operate), and how it locks the breech. The following list shows most of the various types of breech-loading firearms that exist: Recoil-actuated Short-recoil (Colt M1911, CZ75, Browning Hi-Power, HK USP, GLOCK) Long-recoil (Browning Automatic Shotgun, Femaru STOP Pistol) Inertia-locked (Benelli Shotguns) Blowback/forward Direct blowback (A typical submachine gun, e.g., MP-18, MP 40, Uzi, HK UMP) Direct blowforward (Semmerling LM-4, Hino-Komuro, Schwarzlose Pistol) Delayed Blowback Grooved chamber (Russian Modernized Makarov Pistol) Roller-Locked delayed blowback (Heckler und Koch HK G3, HK MP5, HK P9, Ceska Zbrojovka CZ-52) Blish Lock (Thompson submachine gun (i.e., the "Tommy Gun") Rotational Hesitation System Schwarzlose System (links are rotated by bolt on rearward travel) Mannlicher (forced rotation of bolt on rearward travel) Modified (forced rotation of barrel on rearward travel) Can force rotation counter-torque, or with torque. Barrel can be spring-loaded (use recoil spring) to resist rotation. Rotating Cam Striker Gas-impingement design (HK P7, Steyr GB) Delay-block action (Remington Model 51) Gas-actuated Short-stroke (FAL rifle, HK G36, XM8, MP7, SA80, SKS rifle, et al.) Long-stroke (AK-47, AK-74, et al.) Direct impingement (AR-15, M-16, AG-43 Ljungman) Manually operated magazine fed breech loader Lever action (Spencer, Henry) Rotating (Colt) cylinder Pump action Bolt action Manually operated single shot cartridge loading Falling Block (Sharps) Rolling block (Remington) Trapdoor (Springfield) Breech loading single shot without cartridge Hall Breechloader used a short breech section that tilted up for reloading Ferguson Breechloader used a lever operated, threaded port, perpendicular to the line of bore Muzzle loading rifles Matchlock - trigger swings lit match to ignite powder train Arquebus - trigger releases mechanical watch spring which rotates steel against flint, creating a shower of sparks, which ignites the powder train Snaphaunce - trigger releases spring loaded flint strike steel to ignite powder train Flintlock - trigger releases spring loaded flint to strike steel, simultaneously opening path to powder train, to ignite powder train Percussion - trigger releases spring loaded hammer to strike cap containing explosive mixture to ignite powder Inline percussion - trigger releases striker or hammer to cause firing pin to strike cap containing explosive mixture to ignite powder External power Gatling action (normally uses crank or electric motor for power) Chain-powered action Locking mechanisms Rotating bolt (M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, M16, HK G36, AK-74, M1942 Johnson, M2 Mauser) Roller locking (MG-42) Tilt locked (Many Browning designs, Sturmgewehr 44) Toggle-locked (Luger) Falling-lock locked (Walther P38, Beretta 92FS) Browning Automatic Shotgun, Femaru STOP pistol. Radial Locking (Blaser 93) See also FAVORITE ARTICLES: History of the World    History of the United States    History of Europe    Ancient History    History    Military History    World War I    Bombing of Dresden    California    US Constitution    Frank Sinatra    Boston    Marbury v. Madison This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License at http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html You may copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license. You must provide a link to http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html To view or edit this article at Wikipedia go to http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firearm_action