Posted by on 11/1/2021 to
The right tool for the right job is the right way to go. This is true
with most anything, including firearms. So what is the right tool for
each particular firearm? Would you use a pistol for the same thing as
you would a rifle? Probably not. They are both good at different things.
Let’s explore some of the most commonly seen uses of each firearm.
Rifles are called rifles because of the swirling lines inside the
barrel, which are called rifling. The rifling spins the bullet which is
like spinning a thrown football, it increases accuracy as well as
distance. It does this due to the conservation of angular momentum. This
allows them to be accurate at long distances, so rifles are great for
hunting. Due to the distance involved, rifles are best when used for
stationary targets. They are also used extensively in military and law
enforcement as well as home defense.
Carbines are short-barreled rifles. Most of them have pistol grips
but everything else is very much like a rifle. They still use rifling in
their barrels so the bullets have great spin so good accuracy and
distance for the length of their barrels. These can also be used for
hunting, their shorter barrels make them easier to manage, especially
when hiking through the outdoors. These have seen a lot of use in the
military as well as law enforcement
Shotguns are long barrel, smoothbore guns, meaning no rifling. Their
ammunition is pretty different as well, using either a lot of balls
smaller than a bullet or a very large single slug. These are excellent
at close range and with moving targets, especially flying targets like
ducks. These are often used for certain types of hunting as well as
personal defense. They have also found a place in the military and law
enforcement.
Pistols and handguns are much shorter than any of the previous
examples. They are designed to be easy to carry and fired from just your
two hands with no shoulder involved. They do have rifling but the
length of the barrel causes these rounds to be better at shorter
distances. Pistols and handguns are primarily used for personal or home
defense. They are used in the military, though often as a last resort.
In law enforcement, they are the primary weapon of choice.
As you can see many of these different types of guns are used for
similar things. A lot of it seems to come down to the range of these
tools. Using the right tool for the job comes down to what you need to
do and how you need to do it. In the theme of it’s better to have
something than nothing at all, there are times when you don’t want to be
lugging around a rifle, in which case the handgun is a great choice.
That said, the rifle is here to stay. It is a versatile and accurate
firearm. Most soldiers and hunters would never trade their rifles for a
handgun, and there is a reason for that.