Firearms: (CARANDANG)

Legal Definition of Firearm

Firearms or arms as herein used, includes rifles, muskets, carbines, shotgun, pistol, revolvers,
and all other deadly weapons, to which a bullet, ball, shot, shell, or other missiles maybe
discharge by means of gun powder or other explosives. This term also includes air rifle, except
such of being of small caliber and limited range used as toys. The barrel of any firearm shall be
considered a complete firearm for all purposes hereof. (Sec 877 Revised Administrative Code/
Sec. 290 national Internal Revenue Code).

Technical Definition
Firearm is an instrument used for the propulsion of projectile by means of the expansive force
gases coming from burning gunpowder. (FBI manual of Firearms Identification).

Classification of Firearms: ( CASTILLO )

A. Two General Classification of Firearms
(According to Interior Barrel Construction)
1.Smooth Bore Firearms = Firearms that have no rifling (lands and grooves) inside their
gun barrel.
Examples: Shotguns and Musket
2. Rifled Bore Firearms = Firearms that have rifling inside their gun barrel.
Examples: Pistols, Revolvers, and other modern weapons.

B. Main Types of Firearms : ( MARIANO )

(According to the Caliber of the projectile propelled)
1. Artillery = Refers to those type of firearms that propels projectile with more than one inch
diameter.
Examples: Cannons, Mortars and Bazookas:
2. Small Arms = Are firearms that propels projectile with less than one inch diameter and it can
be handled, moved and operated by one man.
Examples: Machine gun, shoulder arms and handguns.

2.1 Machine guns:

Machine gun is a type of firearm that is primarily designed for military use. Even
in investigation of shooting cases done in the city, it is not usual or common to encounter
this type of firearm having been used. It can be grouped in three general types:

Sub Machine Gun

Is a light, portable form of machine gun, utilizing a pistol size ammunition,
having a shoulder stock that may or may not be folded and designed to be fired with
both hands.

Shoulder Arms: ( VILLARETE)

Shoulder Arms -are those types of firearm that were normally fired from the shoulder.

Rifles= A shoulder weapon designed to fire a projectile with more accuracy through a long rifled
bore barrel, usually more than 22 inches.
Carbine = A short barrel rifle, with its barrel rifle, measuring not longer than 22 inches. It fires a
single projectile though a rifle-bore either semi-automatic or fully automatic, for every press of
the trigger.
Muskets = is an ancient smoothbore and muzzle loading military shoulder arms designed to fire
a shots or a single round lead ball. A more detailed discussion of musketeers can be found on
chapter 8 in the discussion of ignition system.
Shotgun = A smooth bore and a breech loading shoulder arms designed to fire a number of
lead pellets or a shots in one charge (FBA Manual)

( ACELEJADO):
The barrel construction of shotgun may also be found in different bore construction.
A. cylinder bore type = which the bore size is the same through out the barrel
B. choke bored gun = designed with a diminishing or reducing bore diameter type
towards the muzzle. This type is designed to cause an effect to the travel of the
shots. It makes the shots travel longer before it spreads.
C. “paradox gun”.= still in a very rear occasions another type of shotgun can be
observed to be having rifling only a few inch from its muzzle points.
(ROMO): 2.3 Handguns = those type of firearms that are designed or intended to be
fired using one hand.
Ex. Pistols and Revolvers
a. Pistol
In early firearm history, all handguns are generally called as pistols. There were
three classes of pistols in the period. The single shot pistol, the semi automatic and the
revolving pistols now known as the revolver.
b. Revolver
Revolver is a type of firearm designed to position cartridge into position for firing
with the aid of a rotating cylinder serving as its chamber. There are two types of
revolvers according to its mechanical firing action.
Single action, a type of revolver that needs a manual cocking of the hammer
before squeezing the trigger and the other is Double action, a type of revolver that does
not need manual cocking. Just press the trigger and it both cocked and released the
hammer causing a much faster firing.

C. Types of Firearms : ( MANAIG )

(According of Mechanical Construction)
1. Single shot firearms = types of firearms designed to fire only one shot every loading.
Examples: Single shot pistols, Revolvers and shotguns.
2. Repeating Arms = A type of firearms designed to fire several loads (shot) in one loading.
Examples: Automatic pistols revolvers rifles and shotguns.
3. Automatic F/A = type of firearms that constitutes a continuous firing in a single press of
the trigger and while the trigger is press.
Examples: Machine guns and rifles
4. Slide Action type = types of firearms in which loading take place by back and forth
manipulation of the under/over forearms of the gun.
Examples: Shotgun and pistols
5. Bolt Action Type = Type of firearms in which reloading takes place by manipulating the
both back and forth.
Examples: Rifles, shotguns and machine guns.
6. Lever type (Break type) = loading takes place by lever action on the firearms.
Examples: Rifles and shotguns.

Miscellaneous Types of Gun : ( JUMADLA & FAJARDO .J )

1. Cane gun, knife pistols, cellphone gun, etc. = devices principally designed for other
purpose to which a gun mechanism is incorporated also called as Freakish gun.
1. Flare gun = designed for tracing or sending signals or locating enemy troops.
2. Freakish gun = a tool in which firearm mechanism is attached to prevent easy
identification.
3. Gas gun = generally referring to all gun designed from firing tear gas.
4. Harpoon guns = refers to a barbed spear in hunting large fish.
5.Liberator = U.S. government made smooth bore gun used in Europe during war designed
to fire an automatic colt pistol cartridge caliber .45.
6. Multi –Barreled gun = refers to all types of gun containing a number of barrels.
7. Paradox gun = a type of gun which contains lands and grooves a few inch from the
muzzle point.
8. Tools = are those devices which resembles a gun designed but are generally used for
construction of furniture.
1. Traps = refers to gun used for trapping animals that are fired to woods.
2. Zip Gun = refers to all type of home made gun.