DEFINITION OF FIREARM:

1. Technical Definition:
A firearm is an instrument used for the propulsion of a projectile by the expansive force of gases coming
from the burning of gunpowder.
2. Legal Definition:

Firearm refers to any handheld or portable weapon, whether a small arm or light weapon, that expels or
is designed to expel a bullet, shot, slug, missile or any projectile, which is discharged by means of
expansive force of gases from burning gunpowder or other form of combustion or any similar instrument
or implement. For purposes of this Act, the barrel, frame or receiver is considered a firearm. RA 10591

Section 877, Revised Administrative Code - “Firearm” defined.

“Firearm” or ‘arm”, as herein used, includes rifles, muskets, shotguns, revolvers, pistols, and all other
deadly weapons from which a bullet, ball, shot, shell, or other missile may be discharged by means of
gunpowder or other explosives. The term also includes air rifles except such as being of small caliber and
limited range used as toys. The barrel of any firearm shall be considered as a complete firearm for all
purposes thereof.

[REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10591]

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE LAW ON FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION AND PROVIDING
PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF

(t) Light weapons are: Class-A Light weapons which refer to self-loading pistols, rifles and carbines,
submachine guns, assault rifles and light machine guns not exceeding caliber 7.62MM which have fully
automatic mode;
and Class-B Light weapons which refer to weapons designed for use by two (2) or more persons
serving as a crew, or rifles and machine guns exceeding caliber 7.62MM such as heavy machine guns,
handheld underbarrel and mounted grenade launchers, portable anti-aircraft guns, portable anti-tank
guns, recoilless rifles, portable launchers of anti-tank missile and rocket systems, portable launchers of
anti-aircraft missile systems, and mortars of a caliber of less than 100MM.
PENAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 28. Unlawful Acquisition, or Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. – The unlawful acquisition,
possession of firearms and ammunition shall be penalized as follows:
(a) The penalty of prision mayor in its medium period shall be imposed upon any person who shall
 unlawfully acquire or possess a small arm;
(b) The penalty of reclusion temporal to reclusion perpetua shall be imposed if three (3) or more small
arms or Class-A light weapons are unlawfully acquired or possessed by any person;
(c) The penalty of prision mayor in its maximum period shall be imposed upon any person who shall
unlawfully acquire or possess a Class-A light weapon;
(d) The penalty of reclusion perpetua shall be imposed upon any person who shall, unlawfully acquire or
possess a Class-B light weapon;

(e) The penalty of one (1) degree higher than that provided in paragraphs (a) to (c) in this section shall be
imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully possess any firearm under any or combination of the
following conditions:
(1) Loaded with ammunition or inserted with a loaded magazine;
(2) Fitted or mounted with laser or any gadget used to guide the shooter to hit the target such as thermal
weapon sight (TWS) and the like;
(3) Fitted or mounted with sniper scopes, firearm muffler or firearm silencer;
(4) Accompanied with an extra barrel; and
(5) Converted to be capable of firing full automatic bursts.

Art. 155, Revised Penal Code:

Alarms and Scandals:
The penalty of arresto menor or fine not exceeding 200 pesos shall be imposed upon:
1.Any person who within any town or public place, shall discharge any firearm, rocket, firecracker, or other
explosive calculated to cause alarm or danger;

Art. 254, Revised Penal Code:

Discharge of firearms:
Any person who shall shoot at another with any firearm shall suffer the penalty of prision correccionaI in
its minimum and medium periods, unless the facts of the case are such that the act can be held to
constitute frustrated or attempted parricide, murder, homicide or any other crime for which a higher
penalty in prescribed by any of the articles of the code:

A Weapon, In Order to Cause Injury must have Two Principal Component Parts, Namely:
I. The Cartridge or Ammunition – a complete unfired unit consisting of bullet, primer, cartridge case and
powder charge.
2. The Firearm – the instrument for the propulsion of a projectile by the

GENERAL CLASSES OF FIREARM

 TYPES OF FIREARM ACCORDING TO GUN BARREL INTERNAL CONSTRUCTION
01. Smooth-bore Firearms – Firearms that have no rifling (land and grooves) inside their gun barrel.
Ex. Shotguns and muskets
02. Rifled-bore Firearms – firearms that have rifling inside the gun barrel.
Ex. Pistols, revolvers, rifles

TYPES OF FIREARM ACCORDING TO CALIBER OF PROJECTILES PROPELLED

01. Artillery – those types of firearms that propel projectiles more than one inch in diameter.
Ex. Cannons, Mortars, Bazookas
02. Small Arms – propel projectiles less than one inch in diameter. Can be operated by one man.
Ex. Machine guns, shoulder arms and hand arms
3 Categories of Small Arms

1. Machine Gun
• Sub machine gun
2. Shoulder arm
• Rifle
✓ Single shot
✓ Repeating rifle
o Bolt action
o Lever
o Slide action
o Automatic

• Carbine
• Musket
• shotgun
3. Handgun
➢ those type of firearms that are designed or intended to be fired using one hand.
• Revolver
• pistol

PISTOLS – a handgun that is magazine feed.

They have said to have been invented in the Italian town PISTOIA – hence, the name “PISTOL” – and
arrived in Britain about 1515 as German import.
In the early 20th century, the so-called automatic pistol begun to appear.
REVOLVER – a handgun with a corresponding cylinder that revolves before the barrel, which consist of
different chambers.

ADVANTAGES OF REVOLVER:
1. It is old standard weapon, everyone is used to it and almost everyone knows something about how to
handle it.
2. The revolver is safer for inexperienced people to handle and carry than an automatic pistol.
3. The mechanism of a revolver allows the trigger pull to be better than that of the average automatic weapon.
4. A misfire does not put a revolver out of action.
5. It will handle satisfactory old or new or partly deteriorated ammunition, which gives reduced velocity that
would jam an average automatic pistol.

DISADVANTAGES OF A REVOLVER:
1. It is more bulky to carry than that of an automatic pistol.
2. Its grip or handle is generally not as good as that of pistol.
3. It is hard to clean after firing.
4. It is slower to load.
5. It is harder to replace worn out or broken parts, it is a factory job.
6. Worn out or poorly made weapon is subject to variable accuracy due to improper lining up of cylinder.

ADVANTAGES OF AN AUTOMATIC PISTOL:

1. It has a better grip, fits the hand and points naturally.
2. It is more compact for the same fire power.
3. It is easier to load than a revolver.
4. In case of worn or corroded barrel a new one can be put in a little expense without sending the gun to the
factory
5. It gives greater fire power and greater ease of firing
6. There is no gas leakage in its operation.

DISADVANTAGES OF AN AUTOMATIC PISTOL:

1. Ammunition must be perfect. Old and deteriorated ammunition will cause a jam.
2. A misfire stops the functioning of the gun.
3. When the gun is kept loaded for a long period of time, the magazine spring is under tension and may
deteriorate and cause trouble.
4. The automatic pistol cannot use blank or reduced loads.
5. It has poorer trigger pull than the revolver.
6. The magazine requires a jacketed bullet which is not as good for practical use as that of lead bullet.
7.
8. The automatic pistol is more dangerous to handle and fire especially for inexperienced people due to the
fact that after one shot it is always cocked and loaded.
9. It throws away empty shell at each shot.
10. Its mechanical action ejects empty shell towards the face of the shooter, causing flinching
11. It throws out empty shells on the ground to remain as evidence.
12. It cannot be fired from the pocket without jamming.
expansive force of gases from burning gunpowder.

For purposes of Medico-legal Investigation, the following Parts of a Firearm are important:
1. The trigger with the firing pin.
 2. The barrel
Other Parts of a Firearm:
1. Handle or Butt – The portion of the firearm used for handling it. It may house the magazine.
2. Firing Chamber – The place where the cartridge is held in position before the fire mechanism starts.
3. Breechblock – The steel block which closes the rear of the bore against the force of the charge.
The face of this block, which comes in contact with the base of the cartridge, is known as the breech-
face.
4. Trigger Guard
5. Fronts and Rear Sight.
6. Safety Device like safety lock.
7. Sling.
In a Self-loading Firearm, the following are the Additional Parts:
1. Extractor – The mechanism by which the spent shell or ammunition is withdrawn from the firing
chamber.
2. Ejector – The mechanism by which the empty shell or ammunition is thrown from the firearm.
3. Trigger - This is a part of the firearm, which causes firing mechanism. Except in a single action firearm,
pressure on the trigger is the commencement of the whole firearm mechanism. To avoid acci¬dental
firing, a trigger guard surrounds the trigger.
Classification of Firearm Based on Trigger Mechanism:
a. Relation of Cocking and Trigger Pressure:
(1) Single Action firearm – The firearm is first manually cocked then followed by pressure on the
trigger to release the hammer.
Example: Home-made “Paltik”.
(2) Double Action Firearm – A pressure applied on the trigger will both cock and fire the firearm
by release of the hammer.
Example: Standard Revolver.
b.Number of shots on Pressure on the trigger:
(1) Single Shot Firearm – A pull pressure on the trigger will cause only one shot.
(2) Automatic Firearm – A continuous pressure on the trigger will cause a series of shots until the
trigger pressure is released.
Example: Machine gun.
Trigger pressure is the amount of force (pressure) on the trifler necessary to fire a gun. Its
determination is necessary in the assessment of whether the firing can possibly be accidental.
“Hair trigger” is a vague term used when the firearm trigger pressure is 1.0 lb. (pound) or less. It is
intrinsically unsafe and should only be used under rigorously controlled situations because of the
possibility of unintended or accidental fire.
In general, the single action firearm varies from 3-1/2 to 10 pounds and in double action, it varies
from 6 pounds to as much as 18 pounds. The following are the approximate trigger pressures of certain
types of firearms.
a. Shotgun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 lbs.
b. Self-loading pistol . . . . . . . . . . . 3 to 4 lbs.
c. Revolver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 to 5 lbs.
d. Service rifle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 to 7 lbs.
TYPES OF FIREARM ACCORDING TO MECHANICAL CONSTRUCTION
01. Single Shot Firearm – type of firearm designed to fire only one shot for every loading.
Ex. Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun – single shots, P, R, S (pistols, rifles, shotguns)
02. Repeating Arms – fire several shots in one loading
Ex. 1. automatic pistols 3. Rifles
2. Revolvers 4. shotguns
03. Bolt Action Type – reloading is done by manipulation of the bolt.
Ex. 1. rifles 3. Machine guns
2. shotguns
04. Automatic Loading Type – after the first shot is fired, automatic loading or feeding of the chamber takes
place.
Ex. 1. Rifles 2. Shotguns
05. Slide Action Type (thrombone) – loading takes place by back and forth manipulation of the under forearm
of the gun
Ex. 1. rifles 2. shotguns
06. Lever Type (Break-type) – loading takes place by lever action on the firearm.
Ex. 1. rifles 2. shotguns

Miscellaneous types of gun

• Zip gun-paltik
• Cane gun
• Flare gun
• Gas gun
• Harpoon Gun
• Liberator gun - auto
• Multi barreled
• Paradox gun- land and groove at muzzle point
• Tool gun
• Trap gun