GUN TERMS FOR NEWBIES | Explaining some common terms you should know! 

Couple more terms for new shooters: -Range is hot/cold - If range is "hot", this means you should be uprange, eye's and ears on, and people will start shooting. If the range is "cold" that means step away from your gun, you can take eyes and ears off if you want, and it's safe to go downrange to check or put up your target. -The "slide" - This is the part of a pistol that goes backwards when the gun is fired, then forward to load a new round. -"Rack the slide" - pull the slide back and let go. -IWC - Inside Waistband Carry. -"Full Metal Jacket" (FMJ)- Great movie, but in the gun world it means a bullet that is solid and not hollow in the middle. This is typically cheaper and great ammo for the range. -Hollow Point - If you look at a bullet and it looks like the top of a volcano, it's known as a "hollow point" bullet. These bullets are great for self defense because they expand on impact, create bigger wounds inside a target, and are less likely to go through a bad guy and hurt a bystander. Less important terms, but you may hear: -"cant" of a pistol - this is the angle of the grip in relation to the slide. If you shop for a pistol, this term may come up. -Suppressor/silencer/can - all mean the same thing, though some might not agree. So if unsure, use "suppressor". Keep in mind, there is no such thing as a "silent" gun unlike in the movies. I'm just brain dumping, hope others are commenting about what I'm forgetting! In the state of Minnesota, we have a "Permit To Carry"

What about dry fire as another term? Dry Fire: The practice of working the action and pulling the trigger (with snap caps or dummy rounds in place) in order to familiarize oneself of muscle memory and general operation of their firearm. Great for anyday training.

Mag-a-zine! My entire family calls them clips just to bug me, the sad thing is it works way too well 😂

ACP - Automatic Colt Pistol AR - Armalite Rifle FFL - Federal Firearms License FMJ - Full Metal Jacket bullet GR - Grain (weight, 7000 GR = 1 pound) used to describe bullet or gunpowder weight but on a box of ammunition typically refers to bullet weight JHP - Jacketed Hollow Point bullet LR - Long Rifle Mag. - Magazine or Magnum NFA - National Firearms Act PDW - Personal Defense Weapon RSO - Range Safety Officer SBR - Short Barrel Rifle Cal - Caliber (specifically diameter of bullet but is often used to describe bullet AND cartridge) Cartridge - bullet + case + primer + gunpowder Striker or Hammer - part of the firearm that moves when trigger is pulled to force the firing pin to strike the primer. Centerfire - defines cartridge with a separate primer in center of cartridge Rimfire - defines cartridge without separate primer Carbine- typically a rifle with a “legal” but shorter barrel Others available by request. (If I know it!)

I was “limp wristing” the gun which caused an “FTE or Stovepipe”. Limp wrist: not holding the grip with a strong wrist which leads to increased muzzle flip and possible FTE. FTE: Failure to eject, casing does not eject from the chamber after being fired. Stovepipe: type of FTE where the casing doesn’t eject fast enough and becomes lodged in the slide and ejection port.

When I first heard about "printing" the picture that formed in my head was that the outline of the gun would be on your body after carrying the gun all day. It took me a while to figure out that "printing" means that the gun, or parts of it, are noticeable under your clothes....

My state has changed what it calls a CWP a few times since they started issuing them, but now they are called irrelevant as we have Constitutional carry now.

You are an excellent firearms usage teacher. And a beautiful personality doesn't hurt either.

Eyes and Ears, absolutely. I always double up on my ear protection though. As a musician and court reporter, hearing is paramount.

“Old” range term, ‘Police Your Brass’, pickup, or sweep up, the casings around your shooting area.

Single action (SA), double action( DA), single action only (sap), double action only (DAO), striker fired. This was all terribly confusing, when I first started. It doesn’t help that glock calls it safe action. Then I bought Walther P99-AS, which also incorporates what they call an anti-stress mode to the action. Hmmm - I might be confused again - was that a pump action pistol? (Just kidding)

In Canada, it's an ATC (Authorization To Carry) for handguns, and is mostly only permitted for citizens (non-law enforcement) working in the wilderness areas, like trappers, but in a few rare instances certain citizens have legally carried concealed in cities.

Hi. Great video. You might want to do one on just ammo as that can be quite confusing for a new shooter. Cartridge = what is loaded into the firearm and consists of the case, powder, primer and bullet Bullet = projectile that comes out of the barrel FMJ = full metal jacket, a bullet with a metal coating HP = hollow point, a bullet with an inverted tip RF = rim fire, a cartridge fired by striking the rim CF = center fire, a cartridge fired by striking the center +P = over pressure, the cartridge has more powder than typical and usually a heavier bullet weight, not all firearms are built to handle these +P+ = over pressure, the cartridge has more powder than typical and usually has a lighter weight bullet, not all firearms are built to handle these I’m sure there are plenty more but that is all I have off the top of my head.

One term that is often overlooked is “cant” (not the contraction for ‘Can not’), but referring to the angle in which you mount/carry the holster... as in “the holster is canted forward or backward with respect to a vertical orientation”. Kinda along the lines of your mention of carry positions on the body. That was one I didn’t know for a long time.

I've got another one for you, unless someone else mentioned it. "Slide Bite". That's when you are shooting a semi-automatic pistol and gripping it too high and when the slide comes back to extract the fired shell, the slide cuts your hand in the webbing between your thumb and the trigger finger. This mostly happens with older and smaller semi-autos. Most modern guns have whats called a "beaver tail" (another terminology) that prevents you from holding the gun too high and eliminates the problem.

One thing I didn’t understand when I started was the difference between a hollow tip and target ammunition. I asked the salesman and he explained it very well. I ended up teaching someone else the difference just a few months ago.

I’m going to sound really stupid but before I got into guns I heard someone say that their gun was out of battery. I was very confused because I was absolutely certain that guns did not take batteries (I’m so embarrassed for myself!). It wasn’t until one of your videos that I learned what it meant when a gun was out of battery.

They call it illegal in Hawaii. So glad I'm moving to Arizona. Stav, i love all your videos. Could you possibly find a not so perfect model (like me, old and heavy) to show how your concealed carry items work.

Your videos make me so comfortable 😌 I didn't grow up in an environment where firearms were routine or familiar but I'm subscribed to you and I couldn't be more grateful! Expanding my knowledge with every video of yours! Especially being a woman in today's society, you should always be aware and educated! 🖤 Keep it up!

Double Action (DA) Referring to a long pull on the trigger that both cocks and releases the hammer to fire either a revolver or pistol. The hammer can also be cocked manually, requiring only a short pull on the trigger to fire the weapon.

Yesterday I saw OWB and IWB and had to think really hard what they meant. Outside the waistband and inside the waistband! I did not, btw, figure it out before I looked it up.

Tennessee resident here. Called Handgun Carry Permit here. We have open and concealed carry here. Actually Constitutional Carry (of sorts) starts July 1st. But many will still want a permit here for reciprocity and also to carry in state parks, et.c

More.....sling shotting the slide, racking, ready position, 180° rule, Col. Cooper's 4 rules of gun safety, shooting stance positions, recoil management, grip positions, tactical reloads, all off these are easily found on RU-vid.

My husband just bought me my first gun I'm enjoying watching your videos trying to get myself Familiar with proper use And safety so that I will feel comfortable and confident caring and using if the need should arise . Also knowing the verbiage is helpful thanks for this video

Here are a couple: FFL Federal Firearms Licensed dealer. LGS Local Gun Shop.

Texas has LTC. FTL or FTE term (failure to load or failure to eject) are also terms used with semiautomatic weapons. Theses terms are used to learn how to clear the chamber . Limp wristing is also used when loosely holding a pistol causing the previous mentioned failures.

I finally got my CCW been waiting since Nov..I'm in Cali,explains that, ha. And I just wanted to say.your one of the first five channels I started watching .a year or so ago.and one of the things I learned here that you taught me. Was cocking back the slide on my 9mm.i was having trouble doing that. Now I'm good .thank you.and I'm a guy.just saying guys can learn stuff here too .thanks again..

I truly appreciate your videos, I refer people to your channel often because you always explain things so clearly for any level of gun owner. Washington state uses CPL Concealed Pistol License.

Semiautomatic vs. Automatic. Strangely enough, a relative of mine (I think intentionally) called an AR-15 an automatic. Semiautomatic: 1 trigger pull = 1 bullet. Automatic: 1 trigger pull = >1 bullet(s).

In Georgia it's a WCL, weapons carry license.

Congratulations on reaching 80,000 subscribers !!

Great video, Stav. Keep them coming. I'm glad you're helping the newbies learn the proper terminologies. Just like driving a car, people need to know the proper rules and lingo and how to safely drive before they start out on the highways, they need to know proper firearm terminology and range safety. Here's a few more terms for you: "Scope Eye". That's when shooting a rifle with a scope the recoil of the rifle kicks the scope back and hits your eye socket giving you a black eye. Ouch!!!! "M-1 Thumb". That's when your chambering a round (the U.S. Army name for a cartridge) in an M-1 Garrand Rifle (the rifle that made the U.S.A. win World War II) from an en-bloc clip (that's right, clip) and you don't get your thumb out of the way fast enough and the bolt smashes into your thumb. Ouch!!! again. "Dumb-Dumb Bullets". What are now known as "Hollow Points". "Stove Pipe". When the spent or empty shell fails to eject properly and gets caught standing straight up (looking like a stove pipe) as the slide closes as if the gun was trying to feed another cartridge. Usually caused by bad ammo or "Limp Wrist", when you are not holding the gun tight enough. That's enough for now. I can think of several more terms but I don't want to bore you or the people reading the comments. Keep up the good work and keep making these videos. Congrats on making & passing 80K subscribers.

Congratulations on the growth of your channel. You do a great service to beginners in the 2A community. In Illinois, it's a CCL. (Conceal Carry License). A couple more terms: 2A means Second Amendment. "OWB" Outside the waistband. "IWB" Inside the waistband. "AIWB" Appendix inside the waistband. (Different ways to carry your gun in a holster. She covered the "o'clock" in the video) "Draw stroke" means how you draw or pull the gun from your holster. "Master grip" is a solid, stable two-handed grip on your gun, ready to fire. "Chamber A Round" means to load a bullet into the chamber (or barrel) from the magazine. The gun "being in battery" means it's ready to fire. "Out of battery" means it's not ready to fire for various reasons, e.g., the slide is not locked all the way forward because of an obstruction preventing it. That will not allow the gun to fire. "One in the pipe" means a bullet in the chamber or barrel. "Dry fire" means to practice shooting without actual ammunition in the gun. "Dummy rounds" or "snap caps" are fake bullets you use to practice various drills. Snap caps are better because they provide a mechanism to protect your firing pin. (BE CAREFUL WHEN DRY FIRING OR USING DUMMY ROUNDS TO NOT HAVE ANY LIVE OR REAL AMMO ANYWHERE NEAR YOU! MAKE CLEAR DISTINCTIONS SO YOU DON'T ACCIDENTALLY LOAD REAL AMMO BY MISTAKE AND HAVE A NEGLIGENT DISCHARGE!) "Negligent discharge" means YOU were NEGLIGENT in abiding by the universal safety rules and fired your weapon NEGLIGENTLY. You could be charged with a crime. "Mag Dump" means to fire ALL the rounds (bullets) in the magazine quickly completely emptying the magazine. 2 Main types of ammo: FMJ (Full metal jacket), "ball ammo" or "round ammo" basically are all the same thing. Those are bullets that are "smooth" or closed off at the tip. Those are usually used for training at the range. Not as good for self-defense because 1) they don't have a lot of stopping power, 2) they can pass completely through a target and hit something you didn't intend to hit. JHP (jacket hollow points) are bullets that have an "opening" at the tip of the bullet. They are usually a bit more expensive but are made for self-defense. They have more stopping power because they dump all their energy on the target instead of passing through the target, which all makes them safer to use. The top 3 ammo for self-defense would be (in no particular order) Federal HST, Speer Gold Dot, and Hornady Critical Defense. Parts of a bullet: The actual word is "cartridge" or "ammo" in general. A "Cartridge" consists of a casing, bullet, powder, and primer. Case or casing is the shell that holds the bullet, powder, and primer. The "bullet" is (ONLY) the actual projectile that flies out of the barrel or gun. The "powder' ignites and forces the bullet out the barrel through built-up pressure from the gases produced. The "primer" at the back of the casing is struck by the firing pin and causes the spark that ignites the powder. The entire package is called a "cartridge" not a bullet. The bullet is only one part. You can just say ammo instead of the cartridge if you don't want to be "formal." There are obviously many more, but these some basic terms people ask me often.

We need a video on different kinds of ammunition and the differences between high end and cheap.

You better hurry up with that 80,000 subscriber "give away". Looks like you are roaring to 100k quickly.

In Louisiana we don’t need a permit or license to open carry, and CCL for concealed carry license

Thank you for this, Stav! I just found out about your channel recently, and I think it’s one of my new favorites! Some others that beginners might not be familiar with: •Caliber •Semi-automatic (“FULLY semi-automatic”😆)/semi-auto •slug •the parts of a gun, esp. on handguns •hollow point vs. FMJ • “hot” •clear • Flag

Thank you, my wife and I are both Pastors (Bishops) we are very new and appreciate all that we are learning. We hope to be more informed, trained and at some point attend any seminar that you do.

“What are you shooting?” Does not mean what gun are you using. It actually refers to the caliber that you are going to shoot. So, it’s: “What type of ammunition are you going to fire?”

From the State of “Live Free or Die” where our permit is just a piece of paper as small as a receipt. lol. I’m not complaining. I know we don’t have to get a permit here in NH but I did anyway. Glad I live in this state. 😌

state of missouri term for firearm carry is FREEDOM!

In Arizona, there are no gun licensing/registration requirements. We do have a Concealed Weapons Permit, but you do not have to have a permit for concealed carry. Having a CWP gives you extra privileges as to where you can carry concealed (national parks, bars, reciprocity, simplify firearm background checks, etc.)

Thank you for this video. I just took a concealed carry class and am new to using guns. I did not know there was such a thing as a loader that helps you get all the bullets into the magazine. I was not able to load more than 8 bullets into my magazine during the class and wish I’d have known of this device. Better late than never. 😊

In Nebraska we have a “CHP”, Concealed Handgun Permit.

"Slide bite" = improper grip with support hand thumb behind the slide of a semiauto handgun, resulting in injury to the shooter. Its a very common occurrence and to be avoided by getting proper training on gripping the gun before heading out to the range to shoot. It can be serious enough to require stitches in some circumstances. Get someone to show you a propper grip and never cross your thumbs behind the gun.

Stripper Clip used to load the Magazine, EnBloc Clip for use in and M1 Garand

I know the difference between "magazines" and "clips", and am vigorous in proper usage. I learned to not correct people who use these words improperly, because they tend to get angry. Sometimes VERY angry.

The license in my state is the Constitution.

In CO, we have the CHP, Concealed Handgun Permit. We are an open carry state and we don't require a permit to carry openly or to just own a gun.

Ah man I’m in love

L.E.M.- Law Enforcement Modification trigger. I recently learned about this while comparison shopping.

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR GROWTH! I've referred soooooo many women to your channel! Love how you help empower/equip other ladies!

Just wanted to say, I had thought this part of the country was a lost cause, but you give me hope! GREAT channel you've got here, and THANKS for what you're doing. NICE WORK!! Keep it up! 👍😎

Illinois calls it CCL. Concealed Carry License. If you do not have that here, you can get your FOID card. Firearms Owners ID. Which means in IL you can own a gun and use it in your home or property, but not carry off the property.

so other things newbies should look up, striker fired, caliber vs gauge, what do these terms mean JHP RN FMJ, revolver vs pistol, bolt action, lever action, shoots from closed bolt, shoots from open bolt, what are the differences in safety concerns for shooting a revolver vs shooting a pistol, what is handloading, what is a speed loader, limp wristing and why does this cause jams, the difference between a scope and a sight, sight picture

From SC, hey Stav! Thanks for another great video! SC also calls it a CWP (concealed weapons permit) and SLED has 90 days to process your app. Also, open carry will be allowed starting mid-August this year! I learned to not call a magazine a clip during my CWP class. Our instructor (active duty policeman) had a pet peeve about that mixing those terms & made sure we knew it, lol. Anyways, have a great day everyone and thanks again Stav! ☺️ As a new shooter, I’ve learned so much from you!

Been a gun owner for six months. Just bought my third firearm. Learned a lot today. Thanks to all. 😊

Oklahoma calls it SDA license, Self Defense Act. Now we have Constitutional Carry but 38 state reciprocity is tied to the license.

Tennessee... Handgun carry permit is what's on the official license but it's usually refered to as ccp. A clip is that thing that makes the ping sound coming out of a WWII M1 Garand....

Good gun terms to share! In Oregon, it's called CHL for Concealed Handgun License.

Nebraska issued a "Concealed Handgun Permit" (valid for any handgun on one's person). I also have a federal permit and the 'proof' is issued by the local qualification authority. One must qualify every year to maintain the 'permit'. I qualify with my local PD and they issue a card - without title - noting I am legal under 18 USC 926C(d) as a Retired Law Enforcement Officer in such regard.

Oh my goodness I didn’t realize how much I needed this video. Thank you!

Michigan has a CPL = concealed pistol license. As diffentiated from carrying a knife.

For Illinois it's called CCL=conceal and carry license

In WA it's officially called a CPL (Concealed Pistol License), but often unofficially called a CCP (concealed carry permit). We have open carry without a license.

Thanks 🙏 mad respect for the dynamic duo. You’ve made a nice, informative channel. You both do well and compliment each other.

Congratulations on reaching 80K (now over 90K) subscribers! While I'm not a newbie, you can often learn something new from the video or the conversations it starts, so I love to watch/read about them!

It's called constitutional carry here in KY. We do have a ccdw license as well. Which allows the carry of any deadly weapon and to by pass back ground checks, as one is ran every 30 days by the state police. Least that's what I have been told, all I know is I pay them money and I get a card that's good for 5 yrs 😆 Also the attachment that was on the ar15 mag that you used to attache the clip to is called a spoon it helps feed the ammo into the magazine

Stav, Trinidad and Tobago in the West Indies it is called F.U.L. for Firearm Users License. I also remembered CQC for Close Quarters Combat. Keep up the superb job, it is extremely informative.

Here in the state of Washington we're required to have a CPL - Concealed Pistol License - to be legal if our EDC isn't in plain sight (open carry)

In Pennsylvania it's called a "License To Carry Firearms".

Washington calls them Concealed Pistol License and In Oregon it is called a Concealed Hangul License.

This older, timid around guns, gal says a hearty THANK YOU for your vids. Appreciate your help and encouragement.

In Wisconsin we call it Concealed Carry Permit

We have two terms for carrying in Alaska. CC = Constitutional Carry, as in no permit needed. For those who travel to other states that do require a permit, we can get one for reciprocity purposes. That one is called an ACHP, which stands for Alaska Concealed Handgun Permit.

Thank you and congratulations. Wishing you continued success and growth

I appreciated the entire video. I have been torn between carrying a 380 vs 9 mm. Your explanation helps a lot. Thanks.

I was born and raised in Connecticut where they call it a "CTPP" which is a Connecticut Pistol Permit. I moved to Florida 3 years ago and here they call it a "CWL" which is a Concealed Weapons License.

Super helpful! Thank you for always thinking of the newbies. ❤️

Congratulations on 80K! Can’t ever learn too much, informative as always. Thanks.

Stav Your channel is one of my favorite channels to watch! I really like when You and Mac go to the range! I like everything else but love the shooting drills and live practice! God Bless Y’all!🇺🇸🙏👍

In Wisconsin we call it a CCW license. Referred to as a CCW class, CCW permit , etc. So for the most part we don't refer to the "w" as a specific weapon. Sometimes we say CCL but that's not the abbreviation class holders use although they should since it IS a Concealed Carry License.

Weapons Carry License (WCL) in Georgia. When I lived in Tennessee was a Handgun Carry Permit (HCP) [Note, in TN, as of July 1, 2021, permitless open and concealed carry is legal for anyone}

this is actually super helpful. i never shot a gun but im reading no country for old men, and i dont know any of the gun terminology mentioned😭Thank u girl

I’ve learned so much from your videos, Stav! Mack is an excellent resource too. You two together are dynamite! I had to learn the difference between rounds, bullets, ammo, and casings. 👍 who knew!?

LoL! Thanks for your video. I've shot and carried for years, and some of these expressions are new to me as well! 😉

Just called a pistol permit here in NY. You can get either hunting and shooting, business or unrestricted. Usually they just hand you a unrestricted permit

In Alabama it's called Pistol Permit. Alabama is an open carry state. Dont need a permit to open carry, only if its concealed.

In GA, it's a Weapons Cary License, and no distinction between open or concealed.

Thank you for doing that video. MORE terminology questions: 1. What do people mean when they talk about "1911" ? 2. (in a pistol) what is "Bore"? 3. How is 9mm different from .410 ? 4. What is up with how many pounds of pressure a guns trigger has? 5. On a pistol, what is a "beaver tail" and how important is it to have one? 6. What is a "striker-fired" gun? Better? or worse. Why? Special Bonus question: What is your opinion, in general, of gun magazines in bookstores or grocery stores? Things like: Guns and Ammo Personal Defense World (PDW) Budget Guns American Handgunner and others. Can you learn much from those? Some people may think thats a dumb question as they *are* Gun magazines and so of course they'll talk about guns and some of the articles are by instructors.....but then...others may poo-poo magazines like that saying most of the guns are "beginner" or "not well made" or "bottom of the barrel" in magazines like those (really?) and that one would learn far better from an actual gun CLASS. Any thoughts on Gun magazines in general? Thanks!

Great video as always congrats on 80k

One thing that kinda got m thinking was “single stack” and “double stack”. My trainer used it one day and it took me until I held my new M&P Shield 9 EZ to realize it was referring to the magazine configuration. Single stack means to have all the bullets in a straight line vertically in the mag. The double stack refers to a sort of zig zag stacking in the magazine. The single stack is great for folks with smaller hands. With my Glock, I have to reposition my hand to fully press the mag release because it has a “fatter” grip to allow for the double stack. My Shield 9 has a single stack and I have no issue with my reload speed. Also a double stack allows for more rounds to be in the short distance of a handgun magazine. My Glock, 15 rounds. My Shield, 8 rounds.

CCH - Virginia term for the license to array a concealed Handgun. This verbiage is used because the permit does not allow for the carriage of other weapons prohibited by code section 18.2-308 of the Code of Virginia such as switchblades, daggers, “spring sticks”, etc.

Very nice coverage!! Great job! Thank YOU!!

In Nevada it's called a "Concealed Firearms Permit". It's only needed for concealed carry; open carry in Nevada requires no permits of any kind. One nice thing about the Nevada CFP is that you are exempt from the standard background check at the time of purchase as the permit process is a more extensive background procedure than the traditional background check.

That multitasking was pretty good....mag loading from the stripper clip while filming.

When is S&W sending you a Shield Plus to review?

Way to go! Can't wait till you hit 100k! Your videos are a great service to the community, your efforts have made my girl feel way more comfortable carring. Thank you.

Great info and entered the giveaway. In Tennessee, the generic name is a ccw. Concealed carry weapons permit. However, in Tennessee it is not limited to conceal or open. I will add that I rarely carry open for obvious reasons.

Here in Montana, it is a CWP. I was going to say "squib" as well but someone already defined it below.