autoloader

noun

au·​to·​load·​er ˌȯ-tō-ˈlō-dər How to pronounce autoloader (audio)
: a semiautomatic firearm

Examples of autoloader in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Modern Russian tanks with autoloaders tend to explode when hit because the ammunition is stored inside the crew compartment, a feature not shared by the older T-62. David Hambling, Popular Mechanics, 14 July 2023 Virtually every rifle maker chambers for both of these popular rounds, especially in bolt actions, but also in lever-actions, autoloaders, single shots, and pumps. Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 5 July 2023 The bottom-ejecting autoloader, based on a John Browning patent, was the first semi-auto .22 ever put into production—and they’re still made to this day. Will Brantley, Field & Stream, 18 Sep. 2020 But autoloader technology has come a long way, and the new combined arms organization ensures that infantry are never far away from tanks. Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 11 Oct. 2022 This is probably because the old T-62 does not have the autoloader and exposed ammunition which causes more modern Russian tanks to explode spectacularly, often throwing the turret some distance clear. David Hambling, Forbes, 7 July 2022 First built in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv in the 1960s, the T-64 revolutionized tank design by including an autoloader, which cut the crew size from four to three. Washington Post, 29 Apr. 2022 The human loader need only insert appropriate strength charges prior to firing, though the gun can also be fully manually loaded should the autoloader malfunction. Sebastien Roblin, Forbes, 21 Apr. 2022 The guts of this autoloader were already in place with the waterfowl version of the Affinity 3. Joe Genzel, Outdoor Life, 21 Jan. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'autoloader.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

auto- + loader

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of autoloader was in 1937

Dictionary Entries Near autoloader

Cite this Entry

“Autoloader.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autoloader. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

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