How do rifles work?

Answer 1

A semi-automatic gun (also known as an autoloading or self-loading gun) fires one shot for each pull of the trigger. The trigger must be released and pulled again to fire another shot.

The action of the semi-auto gun uses gas pressure or force of recoil to eject the fired case, insert a fresh cartridge from the magazine, and cock the hammer or striker. This is usually done by a back and forward motion of a bolt or slide. Recoil or gas pushes the bolt back and a spring returns it forward. The magazine has a spring to push cartridges into position.

Answer 2

There have been several different rifle designs throughout human history, utilizing different projectiles and methods of operation. However, today we will be discussing the most common rifle design in use today, the self-loading rifle. Popularized during the 20th century, it allows for both semi-automatic and fully automatic fire.

Rounds are stored inside a magazine, typically detachable, and are oriented in the same direction as the barrel. To fire, a round must first be chambered. To do this, a charging handle is pulled rearward, then released. The charging handle is connected to the bolt, which will strip a round from the top of the magazine and into the chamber. In a closed bolt rifle, the chamber is now sealed, with the cartridge between the barrel and bolt. Pulling the charging handle also performs the action of cocking the hammer. When the trigger is pulled, the hammer is released, and strikes the firing pin. The firing pin in turn strikes the primer in the case head of the chambered round, igniting the propellant. The rapidly expanding gases cause the bullet to leave the bullet casing, traveling through the barrel. The rifling inside the barrel spins the bullet, making it more stable. The bullet them leaves the barrel through the muzzle. As this happens, a small amount of propellant from the cartridge is bled off at the end of the barrel into a tube. The force of this gas pushes a piston rearward; this piston is connected to the bolt, which also moves backwards, performing the same action as the charging handle, but without input from the shooter. In semi-automatic mode, the hammer remains cocked at this point by the hammer sear, and will fire again when the shooter pulls the trigger. In fully automatic mode, the sear behind the hammer will not stop the hammer from striking the firing pin again, and the process will repeat until all the ammunition in the magazine is expended, or in the unlikely case that the gun jams.