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Handguns

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Submitted By bullridertx
Words 328
Pages 2
Cameron Trester
Kendra Sweet
English 2208
Oct. 8 2012

Most handguns come in two types. The first one is semi-automatic and the second is the fully automatic. Both types of weapons operate on the same principles, but fully automatic weapons must be built more ruggedly to accommodate the heat and stress caused by rapid firing, and it can be difficult to convert a semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic mode of fire. Selective-fire weapons are generally used by specialized law enforcement and security personnel such as SWAT teams, hostage rescue teams, anti-terrorist units, or government bodyguards for heads of state. Fully automatic weapons are legally available only to the military and law enforcement in most countries. They are capable of delivering hundreds of rounds per minute to a target. In a fully automatic weapon, the trigger is pulled once and held. The firearm will fire a round, eject the spent cartridge, chamber the next round, cock the hammer and fire the next round. This cycle of automatic firing, ejecting and chambering continues at a rapid pace as long as the trigger is depressed. The action is powered either by the recoil energy from each shot or by gases from the fired round, which drive a piston that operates the bolt, extractor, cocking and firing mechanisms. Ammunition is fed into an automatic weapon from a box or drum magazine or from a belt threaded into the receiver. Semiautomatic weapons often known as auto-loaders require the operator to pull the trigger to fire each round. However, the automatic component of semi auto action ejects the spent cartridge and chambers the next round, eliminating manual cycling or pump-action between shots. The action is powered by the recoil energy from each shot or by expanding gases from the fired round, which drive a piston that operates the bolt, extractor and cocking mechanism. Most semiautomatic firearms will fire as fast as you can pull the trigger.

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