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{{Otheruses1|the projectile weapon}}
A''' gun''' is a common name given to an object that fires high-velocity projectiles. The projectile is fired through a hollow tube known as the gun's barrel. The projectile's caliber, or diameter, is usually designated in fractions of an inch or in millimeters. Differing from the [[musket]], most modern guns are rifled, with a series of grooves spiraling along the barrel; exceptions include smoothbores on [[tanks]], [[Armoured fighting vehicle|AFV]]s and some [[artillery]].
[[Image:Uss iowa bb-61 pr.jpg|250px|right|thumb|[[USS Iowa (BB-61)]] fires a full broadside during a target exercise near [[Vieques, Puerto Rico|Vieques Island, Puerto Rico]], 1 July 1984.]]
The term gun is often used synonymously with [[firearm]], but this is common only for civilian usage. In military usage, the term refers only to [[artillery]] that fires projectiles at high velocity, such as [[naval artillery|naval guns]] (which are never referred to as [[cannon]]) or [[tank gun]]s. A [[gunner]] is a member of the team charged with the task of operating and firing a gun. By military terms, [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s and all hand-held firearms are excluded from the definition of guns. The exception to this is the [[shotgun]], which is hand-held, has a smooth bore and fires a load of [[lead shot|shot]] or a single projectile known as a slug.
The word gun is also applied to some more or less vaguely gun-like or gun-shaped [[tool]]s, such as [[staple gun]]s and [[Adhesive|glue guns]].
In a [[gun-type fission weapon]] the "gun" is part of a [[nuclear weapon]]. The projectile is [[fissile material]] that is fired and captured inside the device. In the case of [[nuclear artillery]] it should not be confused with the gun that fires the whole warhead.
==Types of weapons==
[[Image:Colt Python SS flickr szuppo.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Colt Python]] .357 Magnum revolver]]
[[Image:Marlin1894C.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Marlin Model 1894]]C — a carbine in .357 Magnum]]
*[[Airsoft guns]]
*[[Arquebus]]
*[[Flintlock]]
*[[Gatling gun]]
*[[Gonne]]
*[[Machine gun]]
*[[Musket]]
*[[Muzzleloader]]
*[[Paintball guns]]
*[[Pistol]]
*[[Recoilless rifle]]
*[[Revolver]]
*[[Rifle]]
*[[Shotgun]]
*[[Submachine gun]]
*[[Tank gun]]
*[[Artillery|Artillery gun]]
*[[BB gun]]
*[[Minigun]]
==History and technology==
*[[Gunpowder warfare]]
==Politics and society==
*[[Gun culture]]
*[[Gun law]]
*[[Gun politics]]
*[[Gun safety]]
==External links==
{{Technology}}
[[Category:Firearms]]
[[fa:تفنگ]]
[[id:Senapan]]
[[cdo:Ché̤ṳng]]
[[ja:銃]]
[[ug:مىلتىق]]
[[simple:gun]]
[[fi:tykki]]
[[th:ปืน]]
[[vi:Súng]]
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