(...and probably will be for a while.)
(...and probably will be for a while.)
I am attempting to put together a listing of firearms related words in several languages. If you know of any additional terms that you feel should be included, or any corrections or if you can supply any missing terms please contact me by clicking here. Credit will be given for your assistance. If you are looking for a term not listed here please note that the original printed list of the German and French terms was too voluminous to put up in its entirety so I have other terms available. If I have messed up the spelling of any of these terms please let me know.
My thanks to Elmar Bilgeri, Austria; Claus Gregor, Germany; Ruben Nasser, Paraguay; Piero Fiaccadori, Italy; Ray Theroux, Canada, Volker Gebert, Germany, Giulio Dalla Pria, Italy; Nat Makarevitch, France; and Frederik, and especially Richard Iotti for their generous assistance with this project.
| International Firearms Glossary | ||||
| English Term | German | French |
Italian |
Spanish |
| Action; breech; bolt; etc | Verschluss, Schlitten | actionner la culasse |
Azione |
Accion, cerrojo |
| Action; locking mechanism | Verriegelung, Schlossmechanismus | verrouiller |
Meccanismo di blocco |
Mecanismo de bloqueo |
| Barrel | Lauf | canon |
Canna |
Cañón |
| Barrel (rifled) | gezogener Lauf | canon rayé | Canna (rigata) | |
| Barrel (smoothbore) | glatter Lauf | canon lisse | Canna (liscia) | |
| Barrel bushing | Laufhaltebuchse | bague de réduction |
Boccola della canna |
Buje o manguito del cañón |
| Barrel length | Lauflänge | longuer de canon |
Lunghezza della canna |
Largo del cañón |
| Barrel lugs | Laufwarzen | attaches de canon |
Tennoni della canna |
Muñones del cañón |
| Bipod | Zweibein | bipied |
Bipode |
Bípode |
| Blank firing adapter | Manöverpatronengerät | dispositif de tir à blanc | Adattatore per tiro in bianco | |
| Blowback action | Feder-Masseverschluss | fonctionnement par pression directe des gaz (sans verrou) |
Chiusura a massa |
Acción por retroceso simple |
| Bolt | Verschlußbolzen, Kammer | verrou | Otturatore | |
| Bullet (projectile) | Geschoss (Projektil) | balle, projectile |
Proiettile |
Bala, proyectil |
| Bullet, jacketed | Mantelgeschoss | balle chemise |
Proiettile camiciato |
Bala encamisada |
|
Bullet, FMJ |
Vollmantelgeschoss |
balle blindée |
Proiettile blindato |
Bala totalamente encamisada |
| Bullet, hollow point | Hohlspitzgeschoss | balle pointe creuse |
Proiettile a punta cava |
Bala de punta hueca |
|
Bullet, pointed |
Spitzgeschoss |
balle conique |
Proiettile appuntito |
Bala de punta ahusada |
| Bullet, round nose | Rundkopfgeschoss | balle ronde |
Proietiile a punta tonda |
Bala de punta redonda |
| Bullet, wad-cutter | Wad-cutter-geschoss | balle wad-cutter |
Proiettile wad cutter |
Bala de canto vivo |
| Bullet-resistant vest | kugelsichere Weste | gilet pare-balles |
Giubbotto anti-proiettile |
Chaleco antibalas |
| Cartridge | Patrone | cartouche |
Cartuccia |
Cartucho |
| Cartridge case | Patronenhülse | douille/manchon |
Bossolo |
Vaina, casquillo |
| Chamber | Patronenlager | chambre | Camera di cartuccia | |
| Checkering | Fischhaut | quadrillage |
Zigrinatura |
Cuadrillado, picado, segrinado |
| Cock (to cock) | Spannen | armer le chien |
Armare |
Armar, montar, amartillar |
| Cocking lever | Spannhebel | levier d'armement |
Leva d’armamento |
Leva montadora |
| Cocking piece | Spannstück | masselotte |
Coda o bottone di armamento |
Pieza montadora |
| Crane (swing-out revolver cylinder) | Kran | verrou de barillet |
Giogo |
Braza del cilindro |
| Cylinder (revolver) | Walze, Trommel | barilett |
Tamburo |
Cylindro |
|
Decock (lower the hammer safely without firing) |
entspannen |
désarmer le chien |
Disarmare il cane |
Desamartillar, desmontar |
|
Decocking lever |
Entspannhebel |
levier de désarement |
Leva di disarmamento |
Leva para desamartillar |
| Disconnector | Unterbrecher | séparateur |
Disconnettore |
desconector |
|
Eject, Ejector |
ausstoßen, Ejektor/Auswerfer |
éjecteur |
Estrattore |
Eyectar, eyector |
|
Ejection (of fired cartridge case) |
auswerfen |
ejection |
Estrarre |
Eyeccion |
| Ejection port | Auswerffenster | fenêtre d'éjection |
Porta di estrazione |
ventana de expulsion |
|
Extract, Extractor |
ausziehen, Auszieher |
éxtracteur |
Estrarre, Estrattore |
Extraer, extractor |
|
Eye relief (space between the eye and the ocular lens of a telescope) |
Okularabstand |
dégagement oculaire |
Distanza pupilla d'uscita |
Distanca ocular |
|
Feeding (of cartridges from magazine to chamber) |
Zuführung |
chambrer |
Alimentare |
Alimentación |
|
Firing pin |
Schlagbolzen |
percuteur |
Percussore |
Aguja percutora |
|
Firing pin, as part of hammer |
Schlagnase |
aiguille de percussion |
Percussore realizzato nel cane |
Aguja a |
| Firing pin (striker) | Schlagstück | marteau |
Percussore |
Percutor |
| Firing pin spring | Schlagstückfeder | ressort de percuteur |
Molla del Percussore |
Resorte del percutor |
|
Flare gun; flare pistol |
Leuchtpistole |
pistolet de signalisation, pistolet lance-fusée |
Lanciarazzi |
Pistola de bengalas |
|
Flash hider |
Mündungsfeuerdämpfer |
cache flamme |
Spegnifiamma |
Apagallamas |
|
Frame (of a pistol) |
Rahmen |
carcasse |
Telaio, Fusto / Cartello |
Armazón |
|
Front sight |
Korn |
guidon |
Mira anteriore |
Punto de mira |
| Fully automatic firearm | automatische Waffe | arme automatique |
Automatica |
Arma de fuego automatico |
| Gas operated action | Gasdrucklader | par emprunt des gaz | Azione a presa di gas | |
|
Grip panels |
Griffschalen |
Plaques de poignée |
Guancette |
Paneles de empuñadura |
| Grooves, rifling | Züge | signature du canon | Rigature della canna | |
| Hammer | Hammer | chien |
Cane |
Martillo |
|
Hammer spur |
Hammersporn |
crête de chien |
Cresta del cane |
Espiga del martillo |
| Hinge | Articolazione | |||
| Lands (rifling) | Felder, | cloison | Pieni di rigatura della canna | |
|
Lever action |
Unterhebelrepetierer |
à levier |
Azione a leva |
Mecanismo de palanca |
|
Loading gate |
Ladeklappe |
fenêtre/portière de chargement |
Porta di caricamento |
Venrana de recarga |
|
Locking |
Verriegelung |
verrouillage |
Blocco |
Bloqueo |
| Locking Lugs | Verschlußwarzen | attache de verrou | Tennoni di chiusura | |
| Machine gun | Maschinengewehr | milrailleuse |
Mitragliatrice |
ametralladora |
| Machine pistol (SMG) | Maschinenpistole | pistolet-milraillette, mitraillette |
Pistola mitragliatrice |
Pistola ametralladora, subfusil |
| Magazine | Magazin | chargeur, magasin |
Caricatore |
Caragador |
|
Magazine (drum) |
Trommelmagazin |
chargeur-tambour |
Caricatore a tamburo |
Cargador (de tambor) |
| Magazine follower | Zubringer | Plateau de élévatricer |
Elevatore |
Elavador, Teja elevadora |
| Magazine release (button) | Magazinlöseknopf | verrou de chargeur |
Pulsante di sgancio caricatore |
Pestillo (Boton) de retenida del caragador |
|
Magazine spring |
Magazinfeder |
resort de chargeur |
Molla del caricatore |
Resorte elevador del cargador |
|
Magazine safety, which prevents firing if the magazine is not in place |
Magazinsicherung |
sécurite de chargeur |
Sicura al caricatore |
Seguro de cargador |
|
Mainspring |
Schlagfeder |
maitre-ressort |
Molla di recupero |
Muelle (resorte) real o principal |
|
Muzzle |
Mündung |
bouche |
Volata |
Boca de cañón |
|
Muzzle brake |
Mündungsbremse |
frein de bouche |
Freno a bocca |
Freno de boca |
|
Night sighting system / apparatus / assembly |
Nachtsichtgerät |
système de visée nocturne |
Mire notturne |
Miras nocturnas |
|
Pepperbox |
Bündelrevolver |
poivrière |
Pistola a canne multiple |
Pistola "pimentaro" |
|
Pivoting breechblock lock |
Schwenkriegelverschluss |
verrou pivotant |
Chiusura otturatore a blocco rotante |
Bloqueo de recámara pivotante |
| Powder (propellant) | Pulver | poudre |
Polvere da sparo |
Pólvora (propelente) |
| Powder scale | Pulverwaage | balance (à) poudre |
Bilancia per polvere |
Balanza |
| Primer | Zündhütchen | amorce |
Innesco |
Fulminante |
| Primer pocket (of the cartridge case) | Zündglocke | alvéole à amorce |
Tasca dell’innesco |
Asiento del fulminante |
|
Rear sight (notch) |
Kimme |
hausse, gran de mire |
Tacca di mira |
Mira trasera (muesca), Alza |
| Rear sight (leaf) | Kimmenblalt | feuillet |
Mira posteriore a foglia |
Mira trasera (tablilla) |
| Receiver | Gehäuse | boite de culasse |
Ricevitore |
Cajon de mecanismos |
| Recoil operated firearm | Rückstosslader | automatique par recul |
Arma semiautomatica |
Arma operada por retroceso |
|
Recoil spring |
Schliessfeder |
ressort récupérateur |
Molla di recupero |
Muelle de retroceso |
|
Recoil; kick |
Rückstoß |
recul |
Rinculo |
Retroceso, patada |
| Reticle | Absehen | réticule | Reticolo di mira | |
| Revolver | Revolver | revolver |
Pistola a rotazione |
Revolver |
|
Rib |
Laufschiene |
nervure, ailette |
Bindella |
Cinta, nervadura |
|
Rifle |
Büchse, Gewehr |
fusil |
Fucile |
Rifle, fusil |
|
Rifle (carbine) |
Karabiner |
carabine, mousqueton |
Carabina |
Carabina |
| Rifle Rest | Gewehrauflage | support de tir | Rest per fucile | |
|
Rifle sights on a shotgun |
Büchsenvisier |
grain d'orge |
Congegni di mira (mirino e tacca di mira per carabina) |
Miras de rifle |
|
Rotating barrel action (Gatling) |
Drehlaufverschluss |
à canons rotatifs |
Azione a canna rotante |
Sistema con cañones múltiples giratorios |
|
Safety |
Sicherung |
sûreté |
Sicura |
Seguro |
| Sear | Spannstück | gâchette |
Controcane, or Dente di aggancio del cane |
Fiador |
|
Semiautomatic |
Halbautomat |
Semi-automatique |
Semiautomatica |
Semiautomatico |
| Shot | Schrot | plomb |
Colpo |
Perdigones, municion |
| Shot (buck) | Postenschrot | chévronlie |
Pallettoni |
Perdigones, gruesos |
|
Shotgun |
Schrotflinte |
fusil de chasse |
Fucile a canna liscia |
Escopeta |
| Side plate | Cartella Laterale | |||
| Sights | Visierung | organes de visée |
Mire |
Punta de mira |
| Sight (front) | Vorder Visierung | hausse |
Mira anteriore |
Punto |
|
Sights, fixed |
Starre Visierung |
hausse fixe |
Mire fisse |
Miras fijas |
| Sights, adjustable | Verstellbare Visierung | hausse réglable |
Mire regolabili |
Miras regulables |
|
Sight radius |
Visierlinienlänge |
longuer de mire |
Distanza tra lemire |
Radio de miras |
|
Sight--Red Dot (eg, Aim-Point) |
Leuchtpunktvisier |
Mira a punto rosso |
Mira de punto rojo | |
|
Slide (of semiautomatic pistol) |
Schlitten |
glissière |
Carrello |
Culata |
|
Slide action |
Vorderschaftrepetierer |
Azione a carello, portaotturatore, (pump action shotgun) - azione manuale a pompa | Accion de corredera o trombóm | |
|
Slide stop lever |
Schlittenfanghebel |
verrou de glissière |
Leva di apertura |
Retenida de corredera |
|
Sniper rifle |
Scharfschützengewehr |
fusil de précision |
Fucile da cecchino |
Rifle de francotirador |
|
Spare magazine |
Reservemagazin |
chargeur de rechange |
Magazzino di riserva |
cargador de reserva |
|
Suppressor; "'silencer" |
Schalldämpfer |
silencieux |
Silenziatore |
Supresor, silenciador |
|
Swing-out cylinder (of revolver) |
ausschwenkbare Trommel |
Tamburo |
Cilindro pivotante | |
| Target | Ziel (scheibe) | Bersaglio | ||
|
Target revolver |
Scheibenrevolver |
Pistolet de précision |
Pistola a rotazione da tiro |
Revolver para tiro de precision |
|
Telescope sight |
Zielfernrohr |
lunelle de visée |
Cannocchiale |
Mira telescópica |
| Telescope mount | Zielfernrohrmontage | montage (pour) lunelle |
Supporto del cannocchiale |
Montante de mira |
| Throat | Übergangskonus | gorge | Throat | |
|
Tilt-up barrel; |
Kipplauf |
mécanism à brisure |
Azione con castello ad apertura basculante, (any break action is basculante) |
Cañón abatible, accion de bloqueo abatible |
| Tip up (revolver) | Castello (Frame) Articolato Superiormente | |||
| Top break (revolver) | Castello (Frame) Articolato Inferiormente | |||
|
Transfer bar |
Übertragungsstange |
Barra di traferimento |
Bara de transferencia | |
|
Trigger |
Abzug |
départe |
Grilletto |
Gatillo |
|
Trigger guard |
Abzugbügel |
pontet |
Guardia del grilletto |
Guardamonte |
|
Trigger weight |
Abzugsgewicht |
poids de départ |
Peso di sgancio |
Peso del gatillo |
| Twist, spin | Drall | Passo di rigatura | ||
|
Unlocking |
Entriegelung |
déverrouillage |
Sblocco, sbloccare |
Desbloqueo |
In addition to the above Volker Gebert sent me the following reloading and ballistics related terms in German.
| Ballistics, Internal | Innere Ballistik |
| Ballistics, External | Äussere Ballistik |
| Ballistics Terminal | Zielballistik |
|
Bullet jump |
Freiflug |
|
Caliper |
Schiebelehre |
|
Cant |
Verkanten |
|
Cartridge case |
Patronenhülse |
|
Case body |
Hülsenkörper |
|
Case head |
Hülsenboden |
|
Case mouth |
Hülsenmund |
|
Case neck |
Hülsenhals |
|
Case shoulder |
Schulter |
|
Case web |
verstärkter unterer Hülsenbereich |
|
Chamber |
Patronenlagerager |
| Chamber pressure | Druck im Patronenlager |
|
Chronograph |
Geschwindigkeitsmeßgerät |
|
Cleaning agent |
Reinigungsmittel |
|
Compressed load |
Hülse bis zum Mund gefüllt |
|
Concentricity gauge |
Rundlaufprüfer |
|
Deflection |
Ablenkung |
|
Die |
Matrize |
|
Die-full length |
Vollkalibriermatrize |
|
Die-seater |
Setzmatrize |
| Freebore | Übergangskonus |
|
Gauge |
Meßlehre |
|
Impact energy |
Auftreffenergie |
|
Load density |
Ladedichte |
| Maximum pressure | Maximaldruck |
|
Meplat |
Geschoßspitze |
|
Mirage |
Hitzeflimmern |
|
MOA |
Winkelminute |
|
Muzzle flash |
Mündungsfeuer |
|
Muzzle velocity |
Mündungsgeschwindigkeit |
|
Neck |
Halskalibriermatrize |
|
Ogive |
zur Spitze hin gekrümmte Geschoßkontur |
| Overall length (OAL) | Gesamtlänge |
| Powder (Ball) | Kugelpulver |
| Powder (Extruded) | Stäbchenpulver |
| Powder (Singlebase) | Einbasiges Pulver |
| Powder (Doublebase) | Doppelbasiges Pulver |
|
Powder burn rate |
Abbrandgeschwindigkeit |
|
Powder charge |
Pulverladung |
|
Powder measure |
Pulverfüllgerät |
|
Powder scale |
Pulverwaage |
| Primer pocket | Zündglocke |
|
Reloading |
Wiederladen |
|
Seating depth |
Setztiefe |
| Sectional density | Querschnittsbelastung * |
|
SEE (secondary explosion effect) |
Nachzunden bei reduzierter Ladung |
|
Shooting range |
Schießplatz |
|
Sight adjustment |
Visiereinstellung |
|
Taper |
Verjüngung |
|
Throat |
Übergangskonus |
|
Trajectory |
Flugbahn |
|
Twist, spin |
Drall |
| * Not exactly. What we call "sectional density" is W / (Bullet diameter2) while in German practice the equivalent measurement is W / (Cross sectional area of the bullet). Therefore our method of computing sectional density gives numbers that are about 25 percent less that the German formula. | |
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Disclaimer
As far as I know all the information presented above is correct and I have attempted to insure that it is. However, I am not responsible for any errors, omissions, or damages resulting from the use or misuse of this information, nor for you doing something stupid with it. (Don't you hate these disclaimers? So do I, but there are people out there who refuse to be responsible for their own actions and who will sue anybody to make a buck.)
Updated 2008-04-08