The part of a firearm that loads, fires, and ejects shells or cartridges is called the "action." The action is the moving mechanism inside the firearm that performs these essential functions. It includes components such as the bolt or breech block, firing pin, extractor, and ejector that together load a cartridge into the chamber, fire it by striking the primer, and eject the spent cartridge case after firing.
Explanation of the Action
- The action is considered the heart of the firearm, responsible for managing the entire cycling process of ammunition—loading it into the chamber, firing it, and ejecting the spent case.
- Different types of actions include bolt action, lever action, pump action, semi-automatic, and fully automatic mechanisms. They all perform the same core functions though they operate differently in how the user interacts with them.
- Key components of the action include the firing pin (which strikes the cartridge primer), the extractor (which pulls the fired cartridge from the chamber), and the ejector (which expels the empty casing from the firearm).
Thus, the action is the critical part that enables the firearm to function by loading, firing, and ejecting cartridges or shells.