Counter-Attack. An attack made against, or into, an attack initiated by the opponent. In foil and sabre, a counter-attack does not have the right-of-way against the opponent’s initiated attack. Counter-attacking is a common tactic in épée, where one may gain a touch by hitting first, and avoiding the opponent’s attack.

Thrust: To extend the arm and sword toward the opponent. Tierce: The third of eight defensive positions in fencing. Touch: A hit with the point of the weapon or a cut with the edge of the sabre, scoring a point.

In fencing, a riposte (French for “retort”) is an offensive action with the intent of hitting one’s opponent made by the fencer who has just parried an attack.

Here are some of the most common terms and phrases used in fencing, and the meaning behind them.

• Allez. ‘Allez’ is the French word for ‘go’, and in fencing terms, it is the word that the referee uses to start a bout.
• Assault.
• Avertissement.
• Black Card.
• Red Card.
• Bout.
• Corps-à-corps.
• En-garde.

Fencing masters in the past knew that left-handers have an advantage and agreed that it came from practice; as a minority, left-handers had more chances to compete against right-handers than right-handers had to compete against them. Fencing masters today have the same view.

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A pistol grip is called such because it’s got a handle that protrudes from the main shaft of the grip. This grip allows fencers to more directly control the blade for stronger movements. This grip fixes the hand into one position.

Grip: The handle of a handgun, the portion of the stock to the rear of the trigger on a long gun.

Some places — including New York — ban pistol grips on rifles because of the easy control they provide, but a “thumbhole stock” found its way around that rule. The butt is designed like that of a traditional rifle: the trigger grip is a single piece all the way into the stock.

Kolibri

This causes a rotational force which causes the barrel to flip up when the rifle recoils. Around the end of the 19th and into the 20th century, rifles began to be made with a “pistol grip” that let the shooter hold the firing hand in a more comfortable, natural position.

Pistol grips are regarded as a defining feature in United States gun law. Pistol grips that protrude below the weapon but are not integrated with the shoulder stock (i.e. as part of a thumbhole stock) are currently regulated in some states and were regulated by the now-expired Federal Assault Weapons Ban.

A pistol grip makes a rifle less dangerous. It makes a firearm easier to fire accurately. If you hit what you aim at, it is less dangerous; less likely to hurt someone or something unintentionally. It is harder to use a firearm with a pistol grip as a club, or to use it with a bayonet.