Dust cover?

[rock jock]

What exactly is a dust cover on a gun and why is it so named?

As always, TIA.

 

[nemesis]

The front portion of the frame which fills the gap which would be under the front end of the slide. it's not a separate and easily identifiable piece, it's a portion of the frame. In short, the frame extending forward of the trigger guard.

 

[Jim V]

The reason it is called a dust cover is because the gunsmith that first wanted to hang something on the front of the frame had to call it something besides "the front part of the frame".

On rifles and some handguns, a dust cover is a piece of sheet metal that covers the ejection port to keep dust and debris out.

 

[rock jock]

Thanks. It seems that a "dust cover" would be on top of the gun, not on the underside.