Washington State Hunters Ed Practice Exam

Rifling is most commonly found in which types of firearms?

1. Rifles only

2. All shotguns

3. Rifles and handguns

4. Shotguns and handguns

The correct answer is: Rifles and handguns

Rifling refers to the spiral grooves cut into the interior of a gun barrel. This design serves a crucial purpose: it imparts a spin to the projectile as it travels through the barrel, stabilizing it in flight and improving accuracy. This feature is predominantly found in firearms that are designed to fire projectiles such as bullets, which include both rifles and handguns. Rifles are specifically designed with longer barrels and are built for accuracy at longer ranges, making the rifling essential for precision shooting. Handguns, which can be used for self-defense or target shooting, also benefit from rifling to enhance their accuracy. While some shotguns do feature rifled barrels for specific uses, traditional shotguns typically have smooth barrels, which are optimized for shooting shot rather than single-projectile bullets. Therefore, rifles and handguns both incorporate rifling as a standard design element, allowing for greater control and effectiveness in shooting. This understanding clarifies why the answer correctly points to rifles and handguns as the types of firearms most commonly associated with rifling.