What are the 4 types of firearms?

Guns and firearms are objects that use propellant or explosive chemicals to launch one or more projectiles at high speeds. From the earliest weapons created by humans, gunpowder and other chemical compounds have been used to propel projectiles. Modern firearms come in many different shapes, sizes, and use various types of propellant.

• Pistols – Pistols are one-handed weapons that fire bullets. These include handguns (such as revolvers or semi-automatic pistols), derringers, and some submachine guns. 
• Rifles – Rifles are one-handed firearms that fire bullets with a rifled barrel, and include lever-action rifles, bolt-action rifles, pump-action rifles, semi-automatic rifles, and some submachine guns. 
• Shotguns – Shotguns are used to fire a spread of shots or a single slug (a solid metal ball). A shotgun has either a smoothbore barrel or a rifled barrel. They fire a number of small pellets called shot through a smoothbore or sabot round through a rifled barrel. Shotguns include break-action shotguns, single-shot shotguns, semi-automatic shotguns, and fully automatic shotguns. 
• Machine guns – Machine guns are rapid-firing weapons designed to fire continuous ammunition for an indefinite period of time until either the trigger is released or ammunition runs out. They fall into several categories such as heavy machine guns, light machine guns, mobile machine guns, and medium machine guns.

What is the most common difference between a rifle and a shotgun?

Rifles and shotguns come in many different shapes, sizes, weights, and cost ranges. They all have some things in common though. All guns will eventually shoot something. Rifles are designed to shoot at longer ranges and larger targets, while shotguns are better suited for shorter ranges and smaller targets. A rifle has a long barrel, while a shotgun is designed with many different lengths of the barrel so it can be used in the variety of hunting situations you might find yourself in.

What is the difference between a pistol and a rifle?

Pistols are handguns (pistols and revolvers) and rifles are shoulder-mounted firearms. There’s more to it than that, though. Rifles have a longer range and greater accuracy, but pistols can be easily concealed and are easily handled by the user. Both types of guns have their advantages and disadvantages, but one thing’s for sure–guns are a great way to spend some quality time with your family or friends!

Which is better: pistol or shotgun?

If you decide to shoot somebody, you should use a shotgun, not a pistol. This is an important decision and therefore not one to be taken lightly. If a pistol is used, lack of accuracy and range make it likely that the police will catch the shooter instead of an innocent person. Also, treat every gun as if it were loaded unless you know for sure that it isn’t. Remember this at all times during firing practice, hunting, or when you are cleaning your weapon. There are things to take into consideration before buying a new model of firearm, so browse the following articles on shotguns vs pistols to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each before making your choice.