Some parts of a gun everyone knows, and are easy to identify. Pretty much everyone knows what a barrel is and no one is confused when referring to a trigger. But it gets pretty tricky when getting into the lesser-known details of guns. The perfect example of this are the parts of a barrel. Obviously, you’ve googled this question about the muzzle of a gun, and in this post, we will give you all the information you wanted to know and more.
So what is the muzzle of a gun? The muzzle is the front end of the barrel where the bullet exits the gun on its way to the target. Sometimes the muzzle is covered by some sort of muzzle device, while other times the muzzle is exposed and can be readily seen. Unless it has a muzzle device, it is usually the forward most part of the gun.
The muzzle is only one part of the barrel, which is only one part of the gun. Let’s look a little bit deeper into each of the parts of a gun, as well as a more in-depth look at the muzzle.
Detailed explanation
A gun is simply a combination of parts that work together to shoot a bullet. Some guns are very complicated and have many parts, while others are fairly simple with few individual parts. Every gun, though, has a barrel that is used to fire a projectile at a certain speed and with accuracy. The foremost part of the barrel where the projectile exits is called the muzzle.
Most guns today (automatic guns, semi-automatic guns and manually operated guns) are loaded from the back end of the barrel. When the trigger is pulled, the round goes off, and the bullet exits on the muzzle side of the barrel; however, some guns are loaded by the muzzle end. When the trigger is pulled, the bullet exits on the muzzle side too.
On some guns the muzzle can be covered with a muzzle device. These devices screw onto the muzzle side of the barrel through threads cut into the outside of the muzzle. Some of the muzzle devices include suppressors, muzzle brakes, compensators and flash suppressors. Each of these devices is designed to accomplish a specific task as the bullet is leaving the muzzle end of the barrel.
Other parts of a barrel
As we’ve already mentioned, the muzzle is only one part of a barrel. Some of the other parts of a barrel are the following
Barrel extension- Though not technically part of the barrel, the barrel extension usually comes installed on an AR-15 (and other guns). It is on the breach side of a barrel and has the feed ramps attached to it.
Bore- The bore is the inside of a barrel that has been cut out to allow a bullet to pass through the gun. The diameter of the bore depends on the size of the caliber designed to be shot through it. It is what keeps the gas, from the explosion, contained and gives a bullet direction and velocity.
Rifling- Rifling is ridges cut into a barrel of rifles and handguns (as well as other guns ) that force the bullet to rotate while in the barrel and accelerating. Rotating the bullet before it leaves the barrel stabilizes it and improves its accuracy. The amount of spin that rifling creates depends on the caliber and weight of the bullet.
Fluting- Fluting is ridges cut out of the outside of the barrel designed to help a barrel cool faster. More surface area on the outside of the barrel gives it more contact with the outside air and allows it to cool more quickly than it otherwise would. It also helps make for a stronger barrel—when compared to barrels of similar weight.
Feed ramp- The feed ramp is often an element in another part of the barrel. But that isn’t always true. Feed ramps are usually on the breach side of the barrel. They force the round being chambered, into the chamber of the barrel.
Chamber- The chamber is the part of the barrel where the round is placed to get ready to fire the weapon. It is where the explosion actually happens—which means it takes the brunt of the pressure created by the explosion. Some guns have the chamber built right into the gun, while others (revolvers) have a cylinder that has several chambers.
Other parts of a gun
In the last section we explained the details of barrels. In this section we will discuss the various parts of the rest of a gun. We will talk very generally, though, because guns come in all shapes and sizes. We are only going to give basic explanations for each of these.
Stock- The stock of a gun is usually the most rearward piece. It is meant to be held up to the body to stabilize the gun. It is used with most long guns (not handguns).
Handguard- The handguard on a gun is the hard plastic or metal piece that covers the barrel and gives a place to grab and stabilize the gun near the front.
Grip- The primary source to stabilize a gun. It is the part of any gun that is held with one or both hands.
Receiver- This is the part of a gun that provides space for the integration of other parts that make the gun function. Some parts that integrate in a receiver are the bolt, trigger, hammer, extractor, etc.
Magazine- A magazine is not technically part of a gun itself—but it can be. It holds the ammunition that will be fed into the gun. It is often inserted at the bottom of the receiver, where the inner parts will strip a round off the top and chamber it. It can be metal or plastic.
Sights- the parts on top of the gun that allow a shooter to aim the gun. There is usually one sight near the front of the gun and one near the back.
Optic- An optic is an alternative to traditional sights that allows a shooter to 1) see farther through magnification and therefore shoot more accurately or 2) provide a digital reticle for quick target acquisition
Mount- A mount is a piece of plastic or aluminum that connects an optic, light or other device to a gun.
Bolt- The part of a gun that is inserted into the rear portion of the barrel to seal it while the round goes off and the powder burns. It takes a significant amount of the beating when a round is fired.
What does muzzle speed mean?
Muzzle speed is simply how fast a bullet is traveling when it leaves the muzzle-end of the barrel. The actual speed that a round is traveling depends highly on the cartridge, the specific load and the barrel length. When the explosion goes off within the gun, the powder burns, and the gases expand. The bullet begins to move through the barrel gaining speed the entire time. By the time it reaches the muzzle it is going as fast as it will go.That is why longer barrels tend to have greater muzzle speeds than their shorter counterparts.
Obviously some cartridges will have greater muzzle speeds than others. We have listed some of the most popular cartridges and their muzzle speeds for various types of ammo. They are listed below:
| Caliber | Muzzle Velocity (roughly) | Type |
| .380 ACP | 1,000 fps | Handgun |
| 9mm | 1,100-1,200 fps | Handgun |
| .40 S&W | 1,200-1,400 fps | Handgun |
| .375 magnum | 1,200-1,400 fps | Handgun |
| .45 ACP | 800-1,000 fps | Handgun |
| .223 Rem | 2,700-3,000 fps | Rifle |
| .300 AAC | 2,000-2,200 fps | Rifle |
| .308 Win | 2,700-3,000 fps | Rifle |
| .50 BMG | 3,000 fps | Rifle |
Related questions
What is a muzzle brake? A muzzle brake is a device that is screwed onto the muzzle of a rifle. It is designed to mitigate the felt recoil of the rifle—which makes it feel like a softer shooting gun. The gases leave the barrel and work their way through the brake, pulling forward on the gun at the same time that it is recoiling.
What is a compensator? A compensator is a device that is screwed onto the muzzle of a rifle. It is designed to mitigate the muzzle rise when shooting a gun—which allows it to get back on target faster than it otherwise would. When the gun is fired, the gases and bullet leave the barrel, and the muzzle tends to rise. When a compensator is used, the gases are diverted upward as they leave the barrel, which pushes the barrel back down and keeps the gun on target more effectively.
What is a flash suppressor? A flash suppressor is a device that is screwed on the muzzle of a rifle. It is designed to reduce the amount of flash created from the explosion of a round. When a gun is fired, the bullet and gases exit the muzzle of a gun as the powder is burning. Certain amounts of gases and burning powder exit the muzzle which produces a flash. Flash suppressors control how much of that flash can be seen.