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Gun Acronyms
There is no shortage of acronyms in the gun industry. Use our Gun Acronym Guide to help you decipher some of the more common gun acronyms.
– A –
- ACP – Automatic Colt Pistol
- AIWB – Appendix Inside the Waistband
- AO – Adjustable Objective
- ASR – Advanced Sniper Rifle
- ATF – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
– B –
- BC – Ballistic Coefficient
- BJHP – Brass Jacketed Hollow Point
- BT – Boat Tail
- BTHP – Boat Tail Hollow Point
- BUIS – Back Up Iron Sights
– C –
- CCW – Concealed Carry Weapon
- CLL – Cowboy Lead Load
- CRO – Chief Range Officer
- CT – Copper Tip
– D –
– E –
- EDC – Everyday Carry
- EMJ – Enclosed Metal Jacket
– F –
- FFL – Federal Firearms License
- FMJ – Full Metal Jacket
- FN – Flat Nose
- FNEB – Flat Nose Enclosed Base
- FP – Full Patched
- FPS – Feet Per Second
- FTE – Failure to Eject
– G –
– H –
- HP – Hollow Point
- HSP – Hollow Soft Point
– I –
- ICORE – International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts
- IDPA – International Defensive Pistol Association
- IHMSA – International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association
- IMR – Improved Military Rifle
- IPSC – International Practical Shooting Confederation
- ISSF – International Shooting Sport Federation
– J –
- JHP – Jacketed Hollow Point
- JSP – Jacketed Soft Point
– K –
– L –
- LHP – Lead Hollow Point
- LOS – Line of Sight
- LRN – Lead Round Nose
- LSWCHP – Lead Semi Wad Cutter Hollow Point
- LWC – Lead Wad Cutter
– M –
- MC – Metal Case
- ME – Muzzle Energy
- MIL-SPEC – Military Specification
- MOA – Minute-of-angle
- MOLLE – Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment
- MR – Mean Radius
- MRT – Mid-range Trajectory
- MV – Muzzle Velocity
– N –
- NBRSA – National Bench Rest Shooters Association
- NFA – National Firearms Act
- NICS – National Instant Criminal Background Check System
- NRA – National Rifle Association
- NRMA – National Reloading Manufacturers’ Association
- NROI – National Range Officers Institute
- NSSF – National Shooting Sports Foundation
– O –
– P –
- PALS – Pouch Attachment Ladder System
- PCC – Pistol Caliber Carbine
- PDW – Personal Defense Weapon
- PG – Partitioned Gold
- PSCA – Professional Sporting Clays Association
- PSP – Pointed Soft Point
- PTHP – Platinum Tip Hollow Point
– Q –
– R –
- RCO – Range Conducting Officer
- RF – Rimfire
- RM – Range Master
- RMI – Range Master Instructor
- RO – Range Officer
- RSO – Range Safety Officer
– S –
- SAAMI – Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute
- SBR – Short Barreled Rifle
- SCSA – Steel Challenge Shooting Association
- SJHP – Semi Jacketed Hollow Point
- SJSP – Semi Jacketed Soft Point
- SP – Soft Point
- STHP – Silver Tip Hollow Point
- SWC – Semi Wad Cutter
– T –
- TFSP – Total Fragmenting Soft Point
- TMJ – Total Metal Jacket
- TTSX – Tipped Triple Shock X
- TOF – Time of Flight
– U –
– V –
– W –
- WC – Wad Cutter
- WCF – Winchester Center Fire
- WFN – Wide Flat Nose
- WFNGC – Wide Flat Nose Gas Checked
– X –
- WC – Wad Cutter
- WCF – Winchester Center Fire
- WFN – Wide Flat Nose
- WFNGC – Wide Flat Nose Gas Checked
– Y –
– Z –
Be sure to also check out our Gun Glossary.