There are many different types of firearms available on the market today – a rifle is just one unique type of gun within that wide array. Rifles represent a category of long gun that features an internal barrel rifling to offer better accuracy and range. Rifles also allow shooting from the shoulder with both hands engaged. Below are 5 different types of rifles, as well as some other common firearm categories along with different options for firearm accessories.
Battle Rifle
These guns were developed after WWII, employing full-power rifle-based cartridges. Battle rifles were used to equip troops in the cold war, and they mostly featured 7.62 x 51 mm cartridges at that time.
Assault Rifle
These guns can truly be called the modern frontline service rifles. This type of gun quickly replaced the battle rifles of the past. They can be categorized by their use of intermediate size cartridges; however, they also come with detachable box magazines for better accessibility. While most rifles use bolt action, modern assault rifles have a burst fire and a fully automatic setting. These same rifles also come in a semi-automatic option, but these rifles are not considered assault rifles.
Sniper Rifle
These guns are issued to specially trained shooters with focus on high accuracy from long ranges. Sniper rifles come with advanced features like high power optics, bipods, adjustable shoulder stocks, etc., and fire full-power rifle cartridges.
Designated Marksman Rifle
These are primarily semi-automatic guns with advanced features like magnified optics and high-count detachable box magazine. They are usually issued to squad-level sharpshooters, and can be modified to suit their different roles as well.
Anti-Material Rifle
These are used in the modern-day battlefield to fire full-power large caliber cartridges, usually with the intent of damaging critical components of armored trucks; they can also be used to engage other targets like communications equipment or concrete barricades.
Other Common Firearm Categories
- Revolver or Pistol – These are small guns, which can be held and operated using one hand. There are different categories within these handguns as well, such as semi-automatic pistols to single-shot types. They are used in the battlefield as well as for self-defense.
- Musket – These are long guns which rose to fame as a smoothbore weapon in the 16th Century. Although the rifling method gradually replaced the use of muzzle loading in firearms, muskets can still be seen in use for hunting and sports.
- Carbine – These are typically the shortened variants of long guns which feature a shorter barrel than a rifle or musket. Yet at the same time, they have the capacity to fire full-power rifle cartridges in a compact form. Carbines can be modified according to the needs of the shooter as well.