Weapons Gun is an acceptable term for any firearm. Note the following definitions and forms in dealings with weapons and ammunition:

anti-aircraft A cannon or other weapon designed for defense against air attack. The form: a 105 mm anti-aircraft gun.

artillery A carriage-mounted cannon.

assault rifle A rifle that is capable of being fire in fully automatic and semi-automatic modes, at the user’s option. Designed for, and used by, military forces. Also used by some law enforcement agencies. The form: an M16 assault rifle.

assault weapon A semi-automatic firearm similar in appearance to a fully automatic firearm or military weapon. Not synonymous with assault rifle, which can be used in fully automatic mode. Wherever possible, be specific about the type of weapon: semi-automatic rifle, semi-automatic shotgun or semi-automatic pistol.

automatic A firearm that reloads automatically after each shot. Note there are differences between fully automatic and semi-automatic firearms. Be specific in usage. The form: a .22-caliber automatic.

buckshot See shot.

bullet The projectile fired by a rifle, pistol or machine gun. Together with metal casing, primer and propellant, it forms a cartridge.

caliber A measurement of the diameter of the inside of a gun barrel except for most shotguns. Measurement is in either millimeters or decimal fractions of an inch. The word caliberis not used when giving the metric measurement. The forms: a 9 mm pistol, a .22-caliber rifle.

cannon A weapon, usually supported on some type of carriage, that fires explosive projectiles. The form: a 105 mm cannon.

carbine A short, lightweight rifle, usually having a barrel length of less than 20 inches. The form: an M3 carbine.

cartridge See bullet.

clip A device used to store multiple rounds of ammunition together as a unit, ready for insertion into the magazine of a repeating firearm.

Colt Named for Samuel Colt, it designates a make of weapon or ammunition developed for Colt handguns. The forms: a Colt .45-caliber revolver, .45 Colt ammunition.

fully automatic A firearm that fires continuously as long as the trigger is depressed. Examples include machine guns and submachine guns.

gauge The measure of the size of a shotgun. Gauge is expressed in terms of the number per pound of round lead balls with a diameter equal to the size of the barrel. The bigger the number, the smaller the shotgun.
The forms: a 12-gauge shotgun, a .410-gauge shotgun. The .410 actually is a caliber, but commonly is called a gauge.

handgun

howitzer A cannon shorter than a gun of the same caliber employed to fire projectiles at relatively high angles at a target such as opposing forces behind a ridge. The form: a 105 mm howitzer.

M1, M16 These and similar combinations of a letter and figure(s) designate rifles used by the military. The forms: an M1 rifles, an M16 rifle.

machine gun A fully automatic gun that fires as long as the trigger is depressed. The form: a .50-caliber Browning machine gun.

magazine The ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a firearm. It may be fixed to the firearm or detachable.

Magnum A trademark for a type of high-powered cartridge with a larger case and a larger powder charge than other cartridges of approximately the same caliber. The form: a .357 Magnum, a .44 Magnum.

mortar Device used to launch a mortar shell; it is the shell, not the mortar, that is fired.

musket A heavy, large-caliber shoulder firearm fired by means of a matchlock, a wheel lock, a flintlock or a percussion lock. Its ammunition is a musket ball.

pistol A handgun that can be a single shot or a semi-automatic. Its size is measured in calibers. The form: a .45-caliber pistol.

revolver A handgun. Its cartridges are held in chambers in a cylinder that revolves. The form: a .45-caliber revolver.

rifle A firearm designed or made to be fired from the shoulder and having a rifled bore. It uses bullets or cartridges for ammunition. Its size is a measured in calibers. The form: a .22-caliber rifle.

Saturday night special A compact, relatively inexpensive handgun.

semi-automatic A firearm that fires only once for each pull of the trigger. It reloads after each shot. The form: a semi-automatic rifle, a semi-automatic weapon, a semi-automatic pistol.

shell The word applies to military or naval ammunition and to shotgun ammunition.

shot Small lead or steel pellets fired by shotguns. A shotgun shell usually contains 1 to 2 ounces of shot. Do not use shot interchangeably with buckshot, which refers only to the largest shot sizes.

shotgun A firearm typically used to fire small spherical pellets called shot. Shotguns usually have a smooth bore barrel, but some contain a rifled barrel, which is used to fire a single projectile. Size is measured according to gauge, except for the .410, which is measured according to caliber. The form: a 12-gauge shotgun.

submachine gun A lightweight fully automatic gun firing handgun ammunition.

Quoted:
can i point this out next time the local paper mis publishes an even?