Questions and Contributions Please! THR Library Update

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I'd love to see a good definition of more advanced terms like "meplat", "ogive", and "leade."
Maybe a buyers guide to different bottomfeeders (1911, Glock) similar to the one we have for revolvers? Maybe even one for various types of long guns?
An explanation of the difference between "cast" and "forged" receivers.
 
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A modest contribution

sear: a pivoted piece that holds the hammer at full cock or half cock in the firing mechanism of small arms.

Questions:

breechblock: ? (formal definition)

A question: what is the firing (pin?) something placed rigidly on a slide/breechblock, as is usual with submachine guns?
 
Do you mean X-Acto Knife?

If so, it's an interchangable blade hobby knife.

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X-Acto with #11 blade
 

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?? & Contrib

Sorry, Alexy. In my zeal to be a smart @$$ I sometimes mis-assume the make up of my audience. I guess I just assumed after Baghdad that everybody knew who CNN was, and I never gave a thought that people might not know what a coaxial cable was, outside the US. Just shows how self absorbed we can become sometimes. No offense intended.
 
Single shot rifles such as the Ruger #1, (shown below top) Winchester High Wall, Winchester Low Wall (shown below bottom) and Sharps are falling block action rifles.

22L.gif

534095m.jpg


When the lever is opened (pushed down) a breech block drops down (falls) to expose the chamber for loading.
 
?? & Contrib Falling block

OK, ? These two rifles are fine examples of falling block rifles. Just what, exactly, does that mean.? How are they different from others, is the "falling block" in the lever action, in the firing pin, or what? Please elucidate. Or is it the black tape around the stock of the top rifle, to keep the block from "falling" off?
 
Let's call the ''block'' the ''bolt assembly'' ..... contained within which, per any bolt .. will be the firing pin.

The old target .22 BSA I used to use was same principle. The top of the ''block'' generally is contoured with a smooth groove and when the lever is depressed, the ''block'' falls to a low position . exposing as Bear said .. the chamber. The fresh round is fed along the top of the ''block'' following the groove ... lining up the round nicely for chambering.

When the lever is returned to its closed (up) position once more .. the ''block'' raises and closes off the chamber .... retaining the round ready for firing.

After firing .... the lever is depressed ..... the ''block'' falls and an ejector mechanism (usually a delayed action spring activated deal) .. gives the case a tug to extract it.

There must somewhere be a pic of this to assist in visualization .. if I find one I'll post it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Edit to add .. here is a top view of a Martini Henry action ... the block is fully down ready to load a round into the chamber. If you could see it .... the lever would be fully depressed.


mart_henry_action.jpg



A diagram would help ... but cannot find one yet.
 
If you have ever watched war movies and observed artillery being loaded and fired you will see a swinging breech block. The rear of the artillery piece (the breech block) is swung to the side and the cartridge is inserted. The piece is swung back in place, locked, and the weapon is fired.
The falling block of the rifle is the same concept, but instead of swinging to the side it slides down vertically. It is a falling breech block. A lever operates it. As you pull the lever down it pulls the falling block down in a recess in the action. This opens the chamber for cartridge insertion. Raising the lever will also raise the falling block into place sealing the breech of the chamber to allow firing. As stated earlier, a picture is worth a thousand words.
 
This might help.

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#4 is the breech block. It drops straight down in a slot in the receiver to expose the chamber and then moves back up to seal the breech and fire.


Starpower, that "black tape" is the blued steel receiver.


If y'all have ever seen the movie "Quigley Down Under" he is using a Sharps falling block rifle.
The movie "Zulu" has several good scenes showing Martini-Henry rifles in use.
 

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Breechblock again

Let's call the ''block'' the ''bolt assembly'' ..... contained within which, per any bolt .. will be the firing pin.
Click to expand...

The above suggests a question I've been considering for quite some time, but couldn't decide how to put it better. There appears to be no generic term describing any locking device of a breech loading weapon (in English). "Bolt assembly" certainly needs quotes and some introduction, as bolt is always something that moves along the barrel axis.

#4 is the breech block. It drops straight down in a slot in the receiver to expose the chamber and then moves back up to seal the breech and fire.
Click to expand...

So breech block is short for block. So far we discussed just falling block. Can anyone point out some other kind of block (other than falling)?

A couple of other questions in the same line:

What do you call the "bolt assembly" of H&K roller delayed action?

What do you call that big thing in the AK which operates the bolt proper and features loading handle and gas piston?

Best regards

PS I've been toying with the idea of breech block being the generic term ("bolt assembly") in question, but frankly, I doubt is some :)
 
Turn bolts have lugs (or ears so to speak) that bears against the receiver as it turns into place for locking. They are known as "locking lugs".

There was the Trap door breech block of the past. It was an ingenious modification of a muzzle loader to allow it to shoot metalic cartridges. The block was hinged at the front and it flipped up to expose the chamber for loading and unloading. These were carried by the US calvary during the Indian Wars.
 
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