Small arms

The three weapons on the left are small arms captured in Fallujah, Iraq by the US Marine Corps in 2004

Small arms are defined as smaller infantry weapons, such as firearms that an individual soldier can carry. It is usually limited to revolvers, pistols, submachine guns, shotguns, carbines, assault rifles, rifles, squad automatic weapons, light machine guns, general-purpose machine guns, medium machine guns, and hand grenades. However, it can also include heavy machine guns, as well as smaller mortars, recoilless rifles and some rocket launchers, depending on the context. Large mortars, howitzers, cannons, vehicles, and larger pieces of equipment are not considered small arms.

Normally, if heavier items are included, the term light weapons is used, which encompasses heavy machine guns, grenade launchers, man-portable anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns and missile launchers, recoilless rifles, and mortars with calibers of less than 100 mm (3.9 inches). These weapons usually require a crew of two or more individuals to carry and operate, launch explosive projectiles, or both. In the US military, small arms refers to guns/firearms less than 20 mm in caliber. The NATO definition extends to "all crew-portable direct fire weapons of a calibre less than 50mm". Though there is really no civilian definition within the US, since any gun/firearm utilizing a projectile greater than 1/2 inch (.50 caliber or 12.7 mm) in diameter is considered a "destructive device" (Title 18 US Code 921), anything .50 caliber or less would be considered "small arms". NOTE: The 1/2 inch rule does not apply to shotguns, sporting cartridge big bore rifles (such as rifles chambered in .600 Nitro Express) or muzzleloading black powder firearms, many of which are larger than .50 caliber.

The term which encompasses both, SALW (Small Arms and Light Weapons), is used by many of the organizations (see IANSA) who work to limit the proliferation of SALW. For example much of the action of the UN to tackle the issue is raised in the UN SALW conference.

See small arms proliferation issues for the international movement to restrict the sale of military-grade small arms in conflict zones. The International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) is an international non-governmental organisation, working to stop the proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons.

Many organizations, such as Unicef, are very concerned over the misuse of such easy to obtain weapons, and the fact that every day, thousands, if not millions, of children are abused in cases concerning small arms.

The Dutch film director Sander Francken made a documentary called "Dealing and Wheeling in Small Arms" about the problems concerning the use and trade of small arms, especially for developing countries where the use of small arms has devastating effects on the civilians.

See also

• Revolver
• Pistol
• Submachine gun
• Shotgun
• Carbine
• Assault rifle
• Rifle
• Squad automatic weapon
• Light machine-gun
• List of firearms
• Antique guns
• Firearms

References

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