Hopefully on this page we can cut out some of the confusion for those just starting out in the sport or those who are thinking about trying it. Many of these terms will be heard in wildfowling circles as well as other shooting pursuits. If you've any particular term or abbreviation that you want to know more about please contact me by e.mail and I will include it on this page. Thanks in advance, regards Dave.
ABT:- Automatic ball trap. used to describe a discipline in clay shooting where the targets are varied electronically from the trap. Want to know more about other disciplines of clay shooting? Visit this website http://www.clay-shooting.com/A-Z/intropage.htm
ACTION :- The metal part of the gun onto which the barrel or barrels fit. This houses the trigger mechanism and firing pins.
BASC :- The British Association for Shooting and Conservation, commonly referred to in speech as "bask"
BASA :- The British Airgun Shooters Association. UK organisation dedicated solely to air weapon use.
BA .. BOLT ACTION :- The bolt action weapon uses a sliding bolt which houses the firing pin. The bolt is slid back and a cartride placed in the breech then slid forwards again and locked into position. This type of action is more common on rifles than shotguns. Multi - shot bolt action weapons are available but usually each shot has to be loaded individually due to the design.
BBS :- Bulletin Board Service method of chatting and exchanging information as in the "Airgun BBS"
BEATING/BUSH BEATING :- The method used on driven game shoots where a line of people ("beaters") walk at equally spaced distances and "beat" the cover on their way with sticks to disturb the birds and make them fly towards the line of waiting guns. Several beaters will use dogs to aid the driving forward of the birds.
BLIND OR HIDE :- "blinds" or "hides" are used to conceal the shooter from their quarry and are both in effect the same thing. The term "blind" is used mainly in the USA where as in the UK shooters refer to them as "hides"
BL .. BOXLOCK :- Boxlock refers to a style of "action" ie the metal part of the shotgun where the trigger mechanisms are housed. The boxlock houses the mechanisms within a "boxlike" construction which totally encloses it, hence the name.
BREECH :- The opening where the cartridge or bullet is placed into the barrel.
BULGING :- Damage caused to the wall of a shotgun or rifle barrel when it has been subjected to a greater pressure than normal. The excessive pressure causes the barrel to "bulge" outwards at some point and can under certain circumstances cause the barrel to burst. This excessive pressure is usually caused by an obstruction in the barrel, always check your barrels before loading especially when you are shooting in mud, snow or from a hide.
CHAMBER :- An area within the first few inches of the barrel as viewed from the end closest to the shooter. Chamberless shotguns are in use, these have no visibly defined area in the barrel. When buying cartridges the shooter must ensure that their gun is capable of firing the cartridges with regard to chamber length and proof pressure. Various chamber lengths are used eg 76 mm which is equal to 3 inches, 70mm (2.3/4 inches) and 65mm (2.1/2 inches) the length your gun will accept is usually stamped on the barrel and or action. It is quite alright to use a shorter cartridge length in your gun but never attempt to shoot longer cartridges than your gun is suitable for as these increase the pressures within in the barrel and can have dire consequences.
CHOKE :- A constriction of varying degree at the "muzzle" end of the shotgun i.e the end of the barrel furthest away from the shooter. This constriction is used to keep the shot closer together as it leaves the shotgun barrel. Although at approximately 45 yards the pattern width will be almost the same, as it spreads out. The tighter choke will require greater accuracy by the shooter at closer ranges. It's worth remembering that most quarry is shot within 25 to 35 yards range and therefore for many shooters "tight" chokes are not necessary. (see also "Barrels, Chokes, Shot sizes and Patterns" link on the home page)
CHOKE TUBES :- Are tubes which can be screwed into the end of a multi choked weapon. Each tube is designed to have a differing amount of degrees of constriction thus eliminating the need for several different weapons. These multi chokes allow the shooter to enjoy greater flexibility in his choice of shooting enabling them to switch chokes to suit their quarry or target on each particular outing.
CLA :- The Country Land Owners Association.
COMB :- The top area of the stock where it touches the shooters cheek.
COMPENSATOR OR MUZZLE BRAKE :-
This term refers to a device that is fitted to the muzzle end of the weapon and uses the gases produced by the burning powder to counter both recoil and the tendency of the barrel on rapid fire weapons to flip upward. Muzzle brakes are seen usually on guns used in competition shooting, and are found on rifles firing very large calibre ammunition such as big-game rifles. They are also found on some pistols used in competitions and are normally referred to as compensators when used in this context.
DECOY :- Decoys are made from many different materials and simulate all types of species of quarry. The term is thought to originate from the Dutch language "eende kooi" which translates as "duck cage"
DECOYING :- The use of artificial birds or animals to lure the quarry within range of the waiting gun. Most birds do not like the wind behind them and feed either predominently facing the wind or at angle to the wind. They do not stand in lines like a row of soldiers so avoid having them all facing exactly into the wind and spread you decoy pattern around so that it looks like any other group of feeding birds. Care must be taken to avoid decoys which shine when in the sun, the plumage of most birds usually looks matt even under sunlight.
DEFRA :- Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. This government department replaced MAFF the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food. Defra deals with many subjects which affect wildfowling and shooting in general, eg control of disease, pesticides, wildfowling severe weather bans etc.
DOLLS' HEAD EXTENSION :- An extension piece at the breech end of the barrel shaped like the head of a doll which locks into the action when the shotgun is closed.
DRIVEN SHOOT :- A "driven" shoot is when the quarry usually Pheasants, Partridges or Grouse are "driven" forward by a line of beaters towards a line of waiting guns. The line of guns will stand at pegs throughout the day. The pegs are at the end of "drives" on each drive the beating line can cover distances up to 2 miles in some cases.
DTE :- Double trigger. Ejector. Tells you that the gun is fitted with 2 triggers and ejects spent cartridges automatically when the gun is opened.
DTNE :- Double trigger. Non ejector. Tells you that the gun is fitted with 2 triggers but does not eject spent cartridges automatically when the gun is opened.
FLAGGING IN :- Describes the actions of "flanking" beaters usually on a driven game shoot. The "flanking" beaters walk at each end of the beating line with flags with which to turn the quarry back towards the line of guns should it try to escape to the side. Although occasionally this tactic is successful more often than not it does not turn a great number of birds.
FLAGGING THE FIELD :- A method often used by pigeon shooters when they are protecting an extremely large field. Flags are strategically placed in various areas of the field to deter the birds from landing there and channel them towards the pigeon shooters decoys.
FLAPPER :- A decoy used by pigeon shooters mainly which simulates the wing beats of a bird coming into land. The wings are "flapped" manually by means of a cord which is laid out back to the shooters hide, although electronic ones are also available and becoming increasingly popular. "Flapper" is also used to describe an immature quarry species in some cases.
FERAL :- Is used to refer to a creature that was once domesticated which has escaped and reverted back to living wild e.g the racing pigeons seen often in towns and the farmyard geese often seen accompanying wild geese.
FERRET :- Refers to several hybrid species of Ferret as well as the true albino ones.
FLYERS :- Refers to stray pellets which are outside the pattern and are usually deformed pellets which have not flown true.
FIGURED :- If you see an advertisement which says "nicely figured stock" or perhaps "well figured stock" or similar, the term "figured" refers to the grain pattern of the wood used to make the stock. It is generally regarded as signifying a well made gun when the grain is pleasing to the eye and dense through the "grip" part of the stock.
FORE END OR FORE ARM :- Refers to the piece of wood or other material fitted to the underside of the barrel or barrls of most shotguns. This is where the shooter places their leading hand when using the gun. In a right handed person this would be the left hand and vice versa for a left handed person.
FORESHORE :- Used to refer to the area of mud or sand between the mean high water mark of high and low tides on the coast or an estuary where most wildfowling takes place.
GAS GUN :- Refers to an electronically fired bird scarer used extensively by farmers and market gardeners in an attempt to keep pigeons, rooks and other species from attacking and damaging their crops. The gas gun uses propane or butane gas and the build up of gas is ignited by an electronic spark, the resulting explosion causes a loud bang. The gas gun though effective for a short period of time has been proved to be ineffective for crop protection for any length of time. Pigeons and crows have been witnessed rising approximately 10 feet into the air and then descending into the same place immediately after the explosion.
GAS OPERATED :- Refers to a particular type of semi - automatic shotgun. Some of the energy from the gas released during the burning of the powder is used to eject the spent case and reload the next full cartridge. The gas operated semi auto because of it's design reduces the effects of recoil ie the backward movement of the gun as the burning gas accelerates the shot on it's way to the target. The semi auto is favoured mainly by pigeon shooters and clay pigeon shooters who are likely to be taking a considerable amount of shots and therefore are more likely to suffer bruising from the recoil.
GM OR GMS :- Gram or grammes are units of measurement used to describe various shot weights eg :- 28 grammes (1 ounce) 30 grammes (1.1/16 ounce) 32 grammes (1.1/8 ounce)
GRAINS :- Used for powder measurement when loading cartridges. The number of grains of powder used can have a dramatic effect on velocity and pressure levels within the cartridge. This term is also used to describe bullet head weights when loading bullets.
GREENSHORE :- The area of "green" beside the coast or estuary above the high water mark usually and before a flood bank or other flood defences. These areas are also referred to as merse in wildfowling circles and are usually covered by the high tides.
GRIP :- sometimes refered to as the "hand" is the area of the stock where the shooter grips it with the hand they use to operate the trigger / triggers. You will see these described as pistol grip, semi pistol grip and straight hand. The "pistol grip" has a pronounced hand position similar to the handle of a hand gun, the "semi pistol grip" is similar but less defined and the "straight hand" has no visible grip.
HAMSTER :- this is an attachment used by airgunners mainly engaged in the target shooting disciplines of Hunter Field Target (HFT) and Field Target (FT) The attachment which is usually adjustable in height is fitted to the fore end of the stock which increases it's depth allowing the shooter to gain more stability whilst in a standing or kneeling position.
HEADACHE OR "OFF THE FACE" :- These are slang terms which refers to a gun having wear between the action and barrel/barrels. This wear is usually on the swivel pin where the barrel/barrels hook onto or the locking bolt. This wear allows the barrel/barrels to have slight movement either up and down or side to side when the gun is closed and in the firing position. Although this movement is not dangerous in itself the gun will need the attention of a competent gunsmith to tighten the action. A gun having this movement is also said to be "off the face" the face in this case being the area where the barrel/barrels meet the action. Having a gap in this area although very slight increases the amount of recoil from the shot.
HOB OR JACK :- Refers to the male ferret, dog is also widely used.
HULL, SHELL OR CASE :- Component of a cartridge which houses the other components within it. These are usually constructed in two ways, either parallel or compression formed. The parallel case has a seperate base and is made of a tube with a seperate base added. The compression formed case usually has an integral base and is thicker walled and of a stronger construction. The compression formed case is much favoured by home loaders as it's stronger construction makes it ideal for the purpose.
JILL :- Refers to a female ferret, bitch is also widely used.
LAMPING :- Refers to the practice of using a lamp in pursuit of quarry such as foxes and rabbits using either dogs, a shotgun or rifle depending on the quarry. Most shooter tend to prefer the .22 rimfire rifle equipped with a sound moderator (silencer) for rabbits or the .222, .223 or .243 for foxes, shotguns are frequently used but the noise does carry a long way in the darkness. Note it is illegal to purse feathered quarry such as pigeons or crows or game with a lamp at night.
BDC :- Bullet Drop Compensator used mainly for full bore weapons which use powder.
LEAD :- Refers to the distance the shooter needs to be in front of a moving target or quarry to place their shot effectively. The amount of lead required varies considerably depending on the speed of the quarry or target and it's distance from the shooter.
LENGTH OF PULL :- The distance as measured between the middle centre of the butt where it sits into the shoulder and the trigger, usually the front trigger in the case of a double triggered gun. The length of pull has an influence on the way the gun is "mounted" ie brought into the shoulder ready for firing, if too long the shooter will tend to pull the barrel/barrels to the left or right depending on which handed they are. Most off the shelf weapons have a pull in the region of 14.1/2" to 14/3/4"
MC = MULTI - CHOKE :- This denotes a shotgun having variable degrees of choke using screw in "tubes" which allow the shooter to choose a tighter pattern for long range work or a more open pattern for closer ranges. The multi choked gun is much favoured by clay shooting enthusiasts but is also a useful system for quarry shooters who wish to use the same weapon for different branches of shooting. Although the degree of choke is not going to make that much difference to hitting the mark at 40 to 45 yards a tight choked gun has less spread at the distance that most quarry is shot ie 25 to 30 yards and therefore the tighter the choke the greater the accuracy required. Other guns which are refered to as multi choke include single barrel weapons which have an adjustable screw choke which closes metal leaves within the choke tube to vary the degree of choke. These may be refered to as "Poly-chokes" or "Vari-chokes".
NON TOXIC :- Various types of metals are now being combined to form non toxic shot. This desire to find a suitable alternative to lead was brought about by the ingestion and subsequent lead poisoning of various wildfowl. Non toxic shot includes Tungsten "Matrix", Tungsten iron, Bismuth, Tin, Zinc and Steel. The various wildfowling society, club and association members throughout the UK seem to be divided in choice as to which is the best substitute. The two most favoured being Tungsten Matrix (Kent cartridge company) and the Eley Bismuth loads in various weights. Remember that in England, Ireland and Wales it is now an offence to shoot wildfowl with lead shot irrelevant of where it. You are equally as guilty of commiting an offence if you shoot a duck or goose on a field inland as anyone who shoots one over a river estuary or foreshore. By shooting wildfowl with lead shot you risk a total ban on lead, please think twice before using it.
PATTENS :- Pieces of board usually oval or rectangular which are fastened onto the soles of the waders or wellingtons worn by wildfowlers, usually attached with ropes or straps. Much like using snow shoes, pattens enable the wildfowler to walk across soft sticky mud, spreading their weight and allowing them to walk safely on areas where they would otherwise sink. A strange plodding gait is needed when using pattens but after a while they become easier to use.
PATTERN/PATTERNING :- Refers to the spread of pellets from a shotgun. The desirable pattern is one which places enough pellets in the "killing zones" of the chosen quarry and with enough energy to penetrate to a vital organ thus ensuring a humane dispatch. Patterning is the testing of the effective pattern (spread) of the shotgun at a given range, usually 40 yards.
PCP :- Refers to a Pre Charged Pneumatic air weapon charged with either compressed or other gases.
PLINKER also PLINKING :- a term used to describe an airgun user shooting at targets for fun as opposed to competition shooting.
PEPPERING :- Showering or hitting another shooter with shotgun pellets. hence the safety lesson "be aware of where your shot is going at all times"
POLECAT :- Refers to the hybrid Polecat / Ferret which although strictly not a true polecat usually sports the "bandit" mask markings and the general brown colouring of the species.
PORTING :- Ports or holes near the muzzle end of the gun which disperse some of the gases produced by the powder. These help reduce recoil as well as the upward flip of the barrel.
POINT :- .20/.22 /.25/.177 the calibre sizes used in various makes of airgun.
PROOF :- Marks stamped into the metal of the action and barrels which show that the shotgun or rifle has been tested to withstand certain pressure levels. The standard now is 3.1/4 tons (900kgs) per square inch for most shotguns. The higher pressure capable guns which are classed as magnums are usually tested at 4 tons per square inch but may be tested at more. This test pressure is important to you as a shooter. Each cartridge you buy is tested to see what pressure it developes and the pressure is indicated on the packaging. You should ensure when buying your cartridges that they are suitable for use in your gun with regards to chamber length and pressure, failure to do so may result in a split barrel and consequently serious injury or worse. Some cartridges are available which will fit into the chamber size wise but may develop much more pressure than your gun is tested for.
PRIMER :- The detonator fitted into a cartridge base, or in some cases a nipple fitted over a firing hole of a muzzle loader. The primer is usually made of soft metal and contains highly explosive material which when struck by the firing pin ignites the powder and sends the shot on it's way.
P/A ... PUMP ACTION :- This type of weapon requires the shooter to "pump" the fore end of the gun in order to eject spent cartridges and reload a full one, this is usually done by sliding the fore end of the gun back towards the shooter rapidly and pushing it forwards again. Pump action weapons are usually multi shot weapons but in the case of shotguns are restricted to 3 shots maximum unless held on a firearms certificate.
RECOIL or "KICK" :- This is the name given to the backwards movement of the gun as the expanding gases within the barrel propel the shot charge or bullet towards the intended target. The effects of recoil are hardly noticeable to the shooter but when viewed by a second person appear to be severe. The weight of the gun, cartridge used and general mechanical condition of the gun can all have a bearing on the amount of recoil. Many new shooters tend to flinch when using a gun in the expectation of a severe "kick" but I can assure you that provided the gun is mounted correctly into the shoulder you will hardly notice the recoil at all.
RETICULE :- fine lines, cross hairs or dots visible inside an optical device used for sighting of the target or quarry.
RIB :- The rib of the shotgun is a raised piece running the length of the barrel/barrels from the breech end to the muzzle end. Not all shotguns have a rib and hardly any rifles. Some shotguns may have "ventilated" ribs which have sections cut out of them, these cut outs assist with the rapid dissipation of heat and are favoured by shooters who may take a large number of shots in a short time. Many weapons are now made with ventilated ribs as standard so as to appeal to both clay and live quarry shooters.
SHOT CUP :- Used to describe the part of a plaswad which holds the shot in a cartridge (see wad/wadding)
SBS :- SIDE BY SIDE :- Used to describe one configuration of a doube barrel weapon where the barrels appear side by side when viewed from above.
SIDEPLATE :- Sideplate refers to plates usually made of metal let into the side of the guns stock immediately behind the action. These "plates" do not house any of the guns mechanisms but are usually fitted to provide embellishment in the form of engraving.
SL :- SIDELOCK :- The sidelock weapon has it's firing mechanism fitted onto detachable plates let into the side of the wood of the stock as opposed to being housed in the "box" type construction. These sidelocks may also be "hand detachable" allowing the user to carry out maintenance without the need for specialist tools. Sidelock weapons are usually the more expensive of the various types of gun and are nearly always fitted as standard to the "best" quality hand made weapons available to the shooter.
SILENCER OR SOUND MODERATOR :- Used to describe a device usually screw fitted to the muzzle end of a rifle to quieten the "crack" of the bullet when hunting live quarry. Although some shotguns are available with silencers these are few and far between.
SKEET :- A clay shooting discipline where the targets are launched from two seperate traps either simultaneously as pairs or seperately as singles. One of the traps is housed in a low tower, the other is in a high tower. The shooter moves positions thus adding to the variance of targets.
SPINNERS :- A device having an action similar to a windmill used as a pigeon, rook and crow deterent in an effort to protect crops. These may be of varying colour but usually they are bright flourescent colours or silver to make them as noticeable as possible.
SPRINGER :- Type of retriever. The term is also used to describe an air weapon powered by a compressed coiled spring system.
SST :- Single selective trigger. Denotes a double barrel gun and that the gun is fitted with one trigger but has a selector switch permitting the shooter to choose which barrel they fire first.
SSTE :- Single selective trigger, Ejector. Ejects spent cartridges automatically when the gun is opened.
SSTNE :- Single selective trigger, Non ejector. Does not ejects spent cartridges automatically when the gun is opened. The cartridges have to be removed manually.
STOCK :- The piece attached to the rear of the metal parts of the gun which is mounted into the shoulder during use. The stock is usually made from Walnut on the hand made or higher grade guns. Beech wood is also another commonly used wood. Other materials are in use on some guns now being made such as nylon, g.r.p and metal in some cases.
TOWER :- This term is used to refer to the building housing a clay pigeon trap, the tower can be either a high or low one depending on the clay discipline being shot.
TOWERING :- Used to describe a bird which has been shot usually in the lungs and climbs steeply or "towers" before dropping back to earth dead.
TRIGGER GUARD :- The loop of metal fitted over the outside of the trigger or triggers to help combat the possibility of accidental firing of the gun.
UKAHFT :- United Kingdom Association for Hunter Field Target. The governing body for Hunter Field Target airgunning disciplines used to test the accuracy on targets in a hunting situation.
U/O OR O/U :- Under and Over or Over and Under. Another configuration of shotgun barrels where one barrel is placed on the top of the other. When the gun is viewed from above or below it appears as if it has only one barrel. This configuration is much favoured by clay shooters who claim that it is more "pointable" and thus facilitates the ease with which they can get onto their targets.
WAD OR WADDING :- These terms refer to one of the internal components of the cartridge which is loaded between the powder and the shot to act as a buffer and push the shot up the barrels. In most modern cartridges the plastic wad or "plaswad" is formed into a "cup" which also helps to maintain the patterns tightness as it leaves the barrel. The wad falls away from the shot after a short distance leaving it to carry on to the target. The term "wadding" is also used to describe the material used to buffer the shot in muzzle loading weapons. In the case of the cartridge this material may be plastic, felt and occasionally composite materials.
WADERS :- Seashore birds which wade in the water or the waterproof boots often worn by wildfowlers and fishermen.
WAGBI :- The Wildfowling Association of Great Britain and Ireland the former name of BASC changed in 1981.
WIFFLING :- This term refers to the way geese close their wings to displace the air and allow them to land quickly. If you study geese coming into roost or feed they will often descend from a good height using this method.
WILDFOWLING/WATERFOWLING :- These terms refer to the pursuit of geese, ducks and waders, usually on the foreshore or greenshore areas of the coast or a river estuary. The birds being known as wild fowl or water fowl.