Break action is a type of
firearm action in which the barrel or barrels are hinged and rotate perpendicularly to the bore axis to expose the
breech and allow loading and unloading of
cartridges. A separate operation may be required for the cocking of a
hammer to fire the new round. There are many types of
break-action firearms; break actions are universal in
double-barrelled shotguns,
double rifles and
combination guns, and are also common in
single shot rifles,
pistols (especially
derringers), and
shotguns, and can also be found in
flare guns,
grenade launchers,
air guns and some older
revolver designs. They are also known as
break-open,
break-barrel,
break-top, or (on old revolvers)
top-break actions.