The Firearm muzzle reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Firearm muzzle

The muzzle of a firearm is the end of the barrel from which the projectile will exit.

Muzzles are extremely important to realizing the protential accuracy of a firearm, as they are the last points of contact the barrel has with the bullet. If they are not concentric, the gases, escaping when the bullet leaves the barrel, may spread unevenly, potentially deflecting the bullet from its path.

The type of contour on a muzzle is typically designed to keep the rifling in a barrel safe from damage, so it is commonly recessed or protected by a convex "crown."

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