long gun

American

[lawng guhn, long] / ˈlɔŋ ˈgʌn, ˈlɒŋ /

noun

a handheld firearm with a long barrel, as a rifle, designed to be fired when braced against the shoulder.

Grab your long guns, and let’s get in some target practice.
Ordnance. a mounted firearm, as a cannon, with a long barrel, especially as compared to a shorter-barreled howitzer.

Near the foot of the watchtower was planted a long gun charged with the finest British powder.

Etymology

Origin of long gun

First recorded in 1530–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Authorities found two firearms - a long gun and a modified handgun - on the scene.

From BBC

Leading up to that scene, Ellie strives to establish her own hero identity by training in hand-to-hand combat with men twice her size and sharpening her sniping skills with a long gun.

From Salon

Federal law prohibits dealers from selling handgun ammunition to anyone under 21 and long gun ammunition to anyone under 18, so the company set an across-the-board 21-year age requirement.

From Slate

I wasn’t expected to engage in combat operations with my “long gun,” as we called it.

From Slate

I was an excellent shot with my long gun.

From Slate

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023