Gun barrel

The barrel of a gun or other firearm is the tube, usually metal, through which a controlled explosion is released in order to propel a projectile out of the end at great speed.

Related Topics:
Gun - Firearm - Metal - Explosion - Projectile

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The first guns were made in a time where metallurgy was not quite what it is today, so the pipe needed to be braced periodically along its length, producing an appearance somewhat reminiscent of a barrel.

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Another explanation, tied to etymology, states that many very first firearms barrels where in fact realized, during the 12-13 century, using small storage barrels with their usual metal rings reinforced by leather, hence the barrel name. In fact a set of old French words, some of them staying in modern French, were used as root words for various English firearms (and storage barrels) -related terms. The old French gonne (pronounced by a French it sounds approximatively as gun does when pronounced by an English speaker) was a small barrel used on merchant and military ships. Likewise a baril was, as soon as in approx 1320 (used in Du Chevalier au barisel), and remains now, a big barrel. Moreover the big Tun English barrel is, as stated in Ton, the French old and contemporary tonne barrel.

Related Topics:
Storage barrels - Tun - Ton

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