A firearm comprising: a rifle, the rifle comprising a receiver; a barrel; a handguard; a manually operated pump-action reload mechanism, the pump-action reload mechanism comprising a hand-held actuation arrangement and a fore-end body; and the hand-held actuation arrangement coupled to the fore-end body to operate the pump-action reload mechanism, wherein the fore-end body is disposed inside the handguard; wherein the pump-action reload mechanism comprises an operation rod, the operation rod coupled to the fore-end body and a bolt carrier of the rifle; wherein the hand-held actuation arrangement comprises a first actuation section; and wherein the handguard comprises a first actuation section travel slot, the first actuation section configured to travel within the first actuation section travel slot during a reloading of the rifle; characterized in that said receiver comprises a lower receiver and an upper receiver, the lower receiver having a magazine receptacle and a downwardly oriented access opening to insert a detachable box magazine into the magazine receptacle; said operation rod extends along the top of the barrel; said handguard is disposed around said barrel, and said fore-end body is disposed around said barrel between said handguard and said barrel. a rifle, the rifle comprising a receiver; a barrel; a handguard; a manually operated pump-action reload mechanism, the pump-action reload mechanism comprising a hand-held actuation arrangement and a fore-end body; and the hand-held actuation arrangement coupled to the fore-end body to operate the pump-action reload mechanism, wherein the fore-end body is disposed inside the handguard; wherein the pump-action reload mechanism comprises an operation rod, the operation rod coupled to the fore-end body and a bolt carrier of the rifle; wherein the hand-held actuation arrangement comprises a first actuation section; and wherein the handguard comprises a first actuation section travel slot, the first actuation section configured to travel within the first actuation section travel slot during a reloading of the rifle; a receiver; a barrel; a handguard; a manually operated pump-action reload mechanism, the pump-action reload mechanism comprising a hand-held actuation arrangement and a fore-end body; and the hand-held actuation arrangement coupled to the fore-end body to operate the pump-action reload mechanism, wherein the fore-end body is disposed inside the handguard; wherein the pump-action reload mechanism comprises an operation rod, the operation rod coupled to the fore-end body and a bolt carrier of the rifle; wherein the hand-held actuation arrangement comprises a first actuation section; and wherein the handguard comprises a first actuation section travel slot, the first actuation section configured to travel within the first actuation section travel slot during a reloading of the rifle; characterized in that said receiver comprises a lower receiver and an upper receiver, the lower receiver having a magazine receptacle and a downwardly oriented access opening to insert a detachable box magazine into the magazine receptacle; said operation rod extends along the top of the barrel; said handguard is disposed around said barrel, and said fore-end body is disposed around said barrel between said handguard and said barrel.