ALL ABOUT GUNS DICTIONARY-G
Gauge -- Internal diameter of a firearm barrel equal to the diameter of a single ball of a group of identically sized lead balls that total one pound (16 oz.) in weight. For example, a 12 gauge barrel will have an internal diameter that is equal to the diameter of 1 of 12 identically sized lead balls that equal one pound (16 oz.) in weight. In this case, a 12 gauge barrel’s interior diameter will be .775 inches (19.3mm). -- Nov. 1, 2012
Gas operated -- A firearm that relies on the burning powder gases created when a cartridge is fired to operate its mechanism. Gas operated firearms can be either semiautomatic or full automatic and normally have a small hole in the barrel near the muzzle that allows a small quantity of powder gas to be tapped to operate the firearm mechanism. Two of the most popular gas operated firearms in the U.S. are the semiautomatic Colt AR-15 and the civilian, semiautomatic version of the AK-47, along with their various copies. -- Sept. 11, 2013
Grapevine -- A type of wood that has traditionally been used to create charcoal used in the manufacture of black powder. As documented in The Chemistry of Powder & Explosives, pg. 34 by Tenney L. Davis, grapevine charcoal is one of the preferred raw ingredients when manufacturing slow burning black powder or fuze powder. -- January 20, 2015
Gun cotton -- Explosive substance created, as documented in The Chemistry of Powder & Explosives, pg. 263 by Tenney L. Davis, by soaking cotton with a mixture of nitric acid, sulfuric acid and water. The proportion of nitric and sulfuric acids used in the production of gun cotton is higher than that used to produce nitrocellulose. Gun cotton is a key ingredient in the manufacture of smokeless powder. -- July 31, 2013
Gyrojet -- Trademark name applied to grip magazine-fed rifles. carbines and pistols manufactured by MB Associates, San Ramon, California in the 1960s that fired a 13mm rocket-powered cartridge. The Gun Digest 1967, pg. 14 has a diagram showing the hammer, located above the trigger, striking the nose of the Gyrojet cartridge, pressing it against a fixed firing pin located at the rear of the firearm. The same source also mentions that MBA had developed Gyrojet rockets in various calibers from 7.62mm through 40mm, including an explosive-tipped harpoon for use by skin divers but it is unclear if any of these other projectiles made it into series production. As the Gyrojet cartridge travelled forward through the barrel, it pushed the hammer forward and down, cocking it. Although Gyrojet firearms were very cheap to manufacture with the unit cost, as noted in the May 2014 American Rifleman article Failed Firearms, pg. 73 by Layne Simpson as less than a dollar, the Gyrojet never gained any sort of acceptance by any military forces or civilian enthusiasts. The Gyrojet was only manufactured for a short time and was last listed in The Gun Digest 1975, pg. 323. It was also featured in the James Bond movie You Only Live Twice and while they have some collector interest, they are rarely seen today. -- November 25, 2015
Copyright November 2015 John Swikart
