History of Firearms
Small arms military firearms have gone through significant changes since the introduction of the flintlock musket in the 17th century.
Muskets
Puckle Gun - 1718
In 1718 James Puckle of London, England demonstrated his new invention, the "Puckle Gun," a tripod mounted, single barraled flintlock gun fitted with a multishot revolving cylinder. This weapon fired nine shots per minute at a time when when the standard soldier's musket could be loaded and fired but three times per minute. Puckle demonstrated two versions of the basic design. One weapon, intended for use against Christian enemies, fired conventional round bullets, while the second variant, designed to be used against the Muslim Turks, fired square bullets, which were believed to cause more severe and painful wounds than spherical projectiles. The "Puckle Gun" failed to attract investors and never achieved mass production or sales to the British armed forces. One newspaper of the period observed following the business venture's failure that "those are only wounded who hold shares therin."
According to the Patent Office of the United Kingdom, "In the reign, of Queen Anne, the law officers of the Crown established as a condition of patent that the inventor must in writing describe the invention and the manner in which it works." James Puckle's 1718 patent for a gun was one of the first to provide a description.
Revolvers
History of the Colt Revolver
Samuel Colt invented the first revolver, a gun named after its inventor "Colt", and after its revolving cylinder "revolver". In 1836, Samuel Colt was granted a U.S. patent for the Colt revolver, which was equipped with a revolving cylinder containing five or six bullets and an innovative cocking device.
Before the Colt revolver only one and two-barrel flintlock pistols had been invented for hand held use. Colt revolvers were all based on cap-and-ball technology until the Smith and Wesson license on the bored-through cylinder (bought from Rollin White) expired around 1869.
"Horace Smith & Daniel Wesson formed their second partnership (S&W) in 1856 for the development and manufacture of a revolver chambered for a self contained metallic cartridge. During this development period, while researching existing patents, it was found that a Rollin White had patented a bored through cylinder for a paper cartridge some time earlier."
A licensing agreement was arranged between Smith and Wesson and Rollin White. In 1855, Rollin White patented the bored-through cylinder.
According to www.armchairgunshow.com: "The Rollin White patent covered the right to make a revolver cylinder bored-through end to end - an obvious requirement for an effective cartridge revolver. This fact didn't slow down some firms, who proceeded to make the highly popular cartridge style revolvers. Some used their own designs, and some just produced outright copies of the Smith and Wesson pattern. Smith and Wesson pursued redress in court, resulting in several US makers being required to mark "Made for S&W" or words to that effect on their revolvers."
Samuel Colt was the man who carried Eli Whitney's gunmaking to transcendent heights. Samuel Colt was the the most dashing and adventurous of all the pioneers of the machine shop in America.
Samuel Colt
Samuel Colt was born at Hartford in 1814 and died there in 1862 at the age of forty-eight, leaving behind him a famous name and a colossal industry of his own creation. His father was a small manufacturer of silk and woolens at Hartford, and the boy entered the factory at a very early age. At school in Amherst a little later, Samuel Colt fell under the displeasure of his teachers. At thirteen he took to sea, as a boy before the mast, on the East India voyage to Calcutta. It was on this voyage that he conceived the idea of the revolver and whittled out a wooden model. On his return he went into his father's works and gained a superficial knowledge of chemistry from the manager of the bleaching and dyeing department. Then he took to the road for three years and traveled from Quebec to New Orleans lecturing on chemistry under the name of "Dr. Coult." The main feature of his lecture was the administration of nitrous oxide gas to volunteers from the audience, whose antics and the amusing showman's patter made the entertainment very popular.
Selling the Colt Revolver
Samuel Colt's ambition, however, soared beyond the occupation of itinerant showman, and he never forgot his revolver. As soon as he had money enough, he made models of the new arm and took out his patents; and, having enlisted the interest of capital, he set up the Patent Arms Company at Paterson, New Jersey, to manufacture the revolver. He did not succeed in having the revolver adopted by the Government, for the army officers for a long time objected to the percussion cap (an invention, by the way, then some twenty years old, which was just coming into use and without which Colt's revolver would not have been practicable) and thought that the new weapon might fail in an emergency. Samuel Colt found a market in Texas and among the frontiersmen who were fighting the Seminole War in Florida, but the sales were insufficient, and in 1842 the company was obliged to confess insolvency and close down the plant. Samuel Colt bought from the company the patent of the revolver, which was supposed to be worthless.
Nothing more happened until after the outbreak of the Mexican War in 1846. Then came a loud call from General Zachary Taylor for a supply of Colt's revolvers. Samuel Colt had none. He had sold the last one to a Texas ranger. He had not even a model. Yet he took an order from the Government for a thousand and proceeded to construct a model. For the manufacture of the revolvers he arranged with the Whitney plant at Whitneyville. There he saw and scrutinized every detail of the factory system that Eli Whitney had established forty years earlier. He resolved to have a plant of his own on the same system and one that would far surpass Whitney's. Next year (1848) he rented premises in Hartford. His business prospered and increased. At last the Government demanded his revolvers. Within five years he had procured a site of two hundred and fifty acres fronting the Connecticut River at Hartford, and had there begun the erection of the greatest arms factory in the world.
Elisha K. Root
Samuel Colt was a captain of captains. The ablest mechanic and industrial organizer in New England at that time was Elisha K. Root. Samuel Colt went after him, outbidding every other bidder for his services, and brought him to Hartford to supervise the erection of the new factory and set up its machinery. Root was a great superintendent, and the phenomenal success of the Colt factory was due in a marked degree to him. He became president of the company after Colt's death in 1862, and under him were trained a large number of mechanics and inventors of new machine tools, who afterwards became celebrated leaders and officers in the industrial armies of the country.
The spectacular rise of the Colt factory at Hartford drew the attention of the British Government, and in 1854 Samuel Colt was invited to appear in London before a Parliamentary Committee on Small Arms. He lectured the members of the committee as if they had been school boys, telling them that the regular British gun was so bad that he would be ashamed to have it come from his shop. Speaking of a plant which he had opened in London the year before he criticized the supposedly skilled British mechanic, saying: "I began here by employing the highest-priced men that I could find to do difficult things, but I had to remove the whole of these high-priced men. Then I tried the cheapest I could find, and the more ignorant a man was, the more brains he had for my purpose; and the result was this: I had men now in my employ that I started with at two shillings a day, and in one short year I can not spare them at eight shillings a day." Samuel Colt's audacity, however, did not offend the members of the committee and they decided to visit his American factory at Hartford. They did; and were so impressed that the British Government purchased in America a full set of machines for the manufacture of arms in the Royal Small Arms factory at Enfield, England, and took across the sea American workmen and foremen to set up and run these . machines. A demand sprang up in Europe for Blanchard copying lathes and a hundred other American tools, and from this time on the manufacture of tools and appliances for other manufacturers, both at home and abroad, became an increasingly important industry of New England.
Gunmakers and Standardization
The system which the gunmakers worked out and developed to meet their own requirements was capable of indefinite expansion. It was easily adapted to other kinds of manufacture. So it was that as new inventions came in the manufacturers of these found many of the needed tools ready for them, and any special modifications could be quickly made. A manufacturer, of machine tools will produce on demand a device to perform any operation, however difficult or intricate. Some of the machines are so versatile that specially designed sets of cutting edges will adapt them to almost any work.
Standardization, due to the machine tool, is one of the chief glories of American manufacturing. Accurate watches and clocks, bicycles and motor cars, innumerable devices to save labor in the home, the office, the shop, or on the farm, are within the reach of all, because the machine tool, tended by labor comparatively unskilled, does the greater part of the work of production. In the crisis of the World War, American manufacturers, turning from the arts of peace, promptly adapted their plants to the manufacture of the most complicated engines of destruction, which were produced in Europe only by skilled machinists of the highest class.
Rifles
- The breech-loading rifle was invented by Captain Patrick Ferguson of Pitfours, Scotland.
- John Moses Browning - Winchester Rifle
John Moses Browning was the prolific gun designer who invented the Winchester rifle (30/30), the pump shotgun, and the Colt 45 automatic. He is best known for his automatic pistols and was the first one to invent the slide, which encloses the barrel of a pistol and the firing mechanism.
- John Moses Browning
- Modern Assault Rifles - M16 History
The history of the modern assault rifle begins with the German Sturmgewehr used during WW2, the first rifle that could fire a medium size bullet at high rates of fire. In response the U.S. military began developing their own assault rifle, the result was the M16 assault rifle, first issued to American Soldiers in Vietnam in 1968 and designed by Eugene Stoner, a Marine Corps Veteran.
- John Garand - M1 Semiautomatic Rifle
Canadian, John Garand invented the M1 semiautomatic rifle in 1934.
- The Johnson Rifle
The Johnson Model 1941 Rifle one of the most innovative rifles of its time period. The Johson rifle was invented by Melvin M. Johnson Jr.
- Samuel Gardiner
Samuel Gardiner, Jr. received a U.S. Patent in 1863 on a "high explosive rifle bullet" in .54, .58, and .69 calibers. Fused to explode 1 1/4 seconds after firing, it ensured that any soldier hit by the projectile with a range of 400 yards faced the danger of the bullet exploding within the impact wound. The U.S. Government purchased 110,000 rounds of such ammunition for issue during the Civil War. Criticizing the use of similar ammunition by the Confederates, General Ulysses S. Grant complained that "their use is barbarous because they produce increased suffering without any increased advantage to using them."
- Rifle Scopes
A rifle scope is a refractor telescope used on a rifle. In 1880, August Fiedler (Stronsdorf), forestry commissioner of Prince Reuss, managed to build the first telescopic sight that really did work.
Machine Guns
- Gatling Gun - 1861
Doctor Richard Gatling patented his design of the "Gatling Gun", a six-barreled weapon capable of firing a (then) phenomenal 200 rounds per minute.
- Maxim Machine Gun - 1885
In 1881, a friend of Hiram Maxim, the American inventor, told him: "If you wanted to make a lot of money, invent something that will enable these Europeans to cut each other's throats with. Hiram Maxim was born in Sangersville, Maine in 1840 and was the inventor of the Maxim Machine Gun and the Maxim Silencer.
- Thompson Submachine Gun - Tommy Gun
The Thompson submachine gun or Tommy gun was invented by General John T. Thompson, it was the first hand held machine gun. Thompson was driven with the thought of creating a hand held machinegun that would help end the First World War, However, "the first shipment of prototype guns destined for Europe arrived at the docks in New York city on November 11, 1918, the day the War ended."
- Thompson Submachine Gun
- Brief History of Machine Guns
- Weapons of War: Machine Guns
Silencers
Hiram Maxim (born 1853) invented the Maxim Silencer or Suppressor: that attached to the front of the barrel of a pistol and allowed the firearm to be fired without a loud bang. Invented in 1909, the Maxim Suppressor was the first commercially successful silencer.
1232: The Chinese who invented gunpowder (black powder) first used it in a weapon - gunpowder filled tubes aka rockets.
1364: First recorded use of a firearm - shooter lit wicks by hand that ingnited gunpowder that was loaded into the gun barrel.
1400s: Matchlock guns - first mechanically firing of guns. Wicks were now attached to a clamp that sprang into gunpowder that was placed in a "flash pan".
1509: Wheel lock guns - wicks were replaced the wheel lock that generated a spark for igniting the gunpowder.
1630: Flintlock guns - the flintlock did two things mechanically, it opened the lid of the flash pan and provided an igniting spark.
1825: Percussion-cap guns invented by Reverend John Forsyth - firing mechanism no longer uses flash pan, a tube lead straight into the gun barrel, the tupe had an exposive cap on it that exploded when struck
1830: Back action lock
1835: Colt revolver - first mass-produced, multi-shot, revolving firearms
1840: Pin-fire cartridges
1850: Shotguns
1859: Full rim-fire cartridge
1860: Spencer repeating carbine patented
1861: Breech loaded guns
1862: Gatling Gun
1869: Center-fire cartridge
1871: Cartridge revolver
1873: Winchester rifle
1877: Double-action revolver
1879: Lee box magazine patented
1892: Automatic handguns invented by Joseph Laumann
1893: Borchardt pistol - automatic handgun with a separate magazine in the grip
1903: First automatic rifle a Winchester.
Important Dates in Gun History
(Based on A History of Firearms by Major H.B.C. Pollard)
[From "Notable Gun Dates" in Edgar Howard Penrose, Descriptive Catalog of the Collection of Firearms in the Museum of Applied Science of Victoria [Australia], by, Museum of Applied Science of Victoria Handbook No. 1, 1949.] Additional comments by John Spangler in red italics.
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Event
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Date
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The first record of the actual use of gunpowder in Europe is a statement by Bishop Albertus Magnus in 1280 that it was used at the Siege of Seville in
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1247
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Roger Bacon gives an account of gunpowder in his Opus Majus. (Actually his account was written in cryptic form. See Read, T. Explosives (Pelican Books, 1942)
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1267
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Edward III used cannon against the Scots *
[*Date may be wrong as this is year of Edward's birth according to one site visitor.]
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1327
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Hand Cannon had appeared in the field of battle during the reign of Edward III in
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1364
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Hand guns were known in Italy in 1397, and in England they appear to have been used as early as
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1375
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The first mechanical device for firing the hand gun made its appearance in
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1424
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We hear of armour being penetrated by bullets and the hand gun showing signs of becoming a weapon capable of rudimentary precision by
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1425
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Henry VII organized the corps of Yeomen of the Guard, half of whom were to carry bows and arrows while the other half were equipped with harquebuses. This represents the first introduction of firearms as an official weapon of the Royal Guard
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1485
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| Columbus discovers the Americas |
1492 |
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Rifling was invented in
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1498
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The first wheel lock or "rose lock" was invented somewhere about
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1509
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Firearms were recognized as hunting arms as early as 1515, and a book (Balleates Mosetuetas y Areabuces Pablo del Fucar, Naples, 1535) on sporting firearms appeared in
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1535
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Rifled arms had been made since
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1540
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The hair trigger was a German invention of about
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1540
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The invention of the typical Spanish lock is attributed by some writers to Simon Macuarte the Second, about
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1560
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The snaphaunce lock, the forerunner of the true flintlock, was invented about, or considerably earlier than
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1580
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Settlers arrive in Jamestown, VA
Settlers arrive in Plymouth, MA |
1607
1620 |
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The standard flintlock gun came in about
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1630
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The rates of pay for repairs and new arms were fixed in
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1631
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The London Gunmakers' Company initiated proofs when it was first incorporated, but it is not clear whether private proofs or a trade proof-house common to the Company was used. (A crowned A was given as the mark).
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1637
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The screw or cannon barrel pistol came in probably prior to
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1640
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The bayonet was introduced by the French; it was a long narrow blade with a wooden plug handle and was simply dropped into the muzzle of the musket
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1640
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The London Gunmakers' Company enjoyed powers which enabled them to enforce proof when the second charter was granted in
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1672
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A ring attachment was added to the bayonet so that it no longer served as a muzzle plug
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1680
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The earliest known English breech-loading rifle was made by Willmore, who was apprenticed to Foad in
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1689
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The "Brown Bess" was known in Ireland as a "King's Arm" from its use by William at the Battle of the Boyne
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1690
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The whole English army was equipped with flintlocks in
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1690
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Snaphaunces continued to be made on the Continer%+, till about
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1700
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In the reign of Queen Anne the "Brown Bess" was known as the "Queen's Arm" in Ireland
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1702-1714
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The socket bayonet had appeared and was adopted in the British service about
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1710
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The letters G.R. were adopted as a mark in the reign of George 1, (1714-27) but successive Georges did not add any variant
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1714-1830
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The broad arrow as a sign of government property, was adopted during the reign of George 1, and the word TOWER is marked on the lock plate of many of these arms
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1714-1727
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The French established their "Manufacturers Royales" at Charleville, St. Etienne and Maubeuge in
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1718
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The large box lock type of pistol made its appearance about
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1730
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A few hammerless flintlock sporting guns were made by Stanislaus Paczelt, of Prague in Bohemia about
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1730
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The French introduced the double-necked hammer and the steel ramrod in
Note- The double-necked hammer or cock was not a new invention, for it is often found on dog locks of 1670 and other early arms.
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1746
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The use of pistols for duelling purposes became general as the practice of carrying the rapier or small sword died out between
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1750-1765
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| French & Indian War |
1756-1763 |
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The duelling pistol was entirely unknown until about
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1760
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Note: Meetings were fought with horse pistols prior to this date. The horse pistol shows a marked development into the true duelling pistol from
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1760-1775
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Double shotguns were rather peculiar arms, usually of the under and over revolving barrel type until About
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1760
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No official pistol was issued by the French prior to
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1763
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The French introduced the muzzle band with a funnel or guide for the ramrod and acorn sight integral with the band in
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1763
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| American Revolution wins independence from England |
1776-1783 |
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Duelling pistols became officially standardized weapons -then it was laid down that they should be 9 or 10 inch barreled, smooth bore flintlocks of 1 inch bore, carrying a ball of forty- eight to the pound
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1777
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The top rib in double-barreled guns appeared about
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1780
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Spring bayonets are common on blunderbusses and pistols of the period subsequent to the date of the patent (John Waters, Pat. No. 1284) in
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1781
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The first patent for single trigger locks for double arms (James Templeman, Pat. No. 1707) was in
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1789
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Single trigger pistols, with side by side, and also under and over barrels, were made by Egg about
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1789
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The acorn pattern trigger guard extension toward the barrel used up to about
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1790
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The duelling pistol approached perfection by
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1790-1800
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Joseph Manton's first patent (No. 1865) introduces the "break-off" breech, into which the barrel fits with a lump instead of being secured by a tang and screw as previously used
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1792
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| Springfield Armory established |
1795 |
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Barrels with a number and the letters D.C. (Dublin Castle) were personal arms registered at Dublin Castle after the rebellion and disarmament of Ireland in
Note, As the act was in force for some Years it is only of relative value in dating pieces and indicates that the piece is prior to
[Webmaster's note- The first "gun registration" scheme in Ireland to prevent gun violence, totally failing for over 200 years, but politicians want to try it in the U.S.]
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1798
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The duelling pistol was customarily full stocked down to
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1800
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Pistols appear to have been seldom used in the East prior to
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1800
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The swivel ramrod attached to the piece by a stirrup appeared about
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1800
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The "First Baker Rifle" was issued in
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1800
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The half stocked pistol with the lower rib beneath the barrel fitted to carry the ramrod came in during
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1800
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| Louisiana Purchase |
1803 |
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The "Second Baker Rifle" was introduced in
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1807
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Alexander Forsyth patented the detonating or percussion principle in
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1807
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The revolving principle is as old as firearms, but manufacturing methods permitting sufficient accuracy of workmanship and precision of boring for a really safe cylindered or chambered weapon date from
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1810-1820
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The first serious military breech loader was an American invention, Colonel John H. Hall's patent of
Note: This was made first as a flintlock, then as percussion, and is the first breech loader officially adopted by any army. The flintlocks were made till 1832, the percussion model from 1831
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1811
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| War of 1812, Washington DC burned by British, Battle of New Orleans |
1812-1815
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The copper percussion cap is not definitely alluded to in the patent records till 1823, but appears to have been invented about
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1814-1816
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The saw handle was very popular, both in flint and percussion pistols about
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1815-1825
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The true flintlock revolver is the very rare weapon made by Collier about
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1820
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Flints were converted to percussion cap, and the flint principle lost favor from
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1820
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The percussion cap came into universal use on private arms about
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1826
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The Delvigne (French) service rifle was invented in
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1826
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The "Third Baker Rifle" was issued about
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1830
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The back action lock made its appearance about
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1830
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The Robert rifle was invented by Robert, a gunsmith of Paris in
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1831
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The needle fire cartridge was patented by Adolph Moser in last
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The percussion cap system of ignition was in common use before it was adopted for the service weapon. It was tested at Woolwich in
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1843
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Coach pistols supplied to the guard of public stage coaches are extremely rare, but were made with flintlocks and brass lock plates until
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1835
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Percussion cap locks fitted with a pierced platinum disc below the nipple gradually fell into disuse and are seldom found in arms subsequent to
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1835
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The rim fire cartridge evolved naturally out of the percussion cap, and was first made by Flobert of Paris, a maker of saloon arms, about
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1835
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Colt claims the ratchet motion, locking the cylinder and centre fire position of the nipples as particular points of his specification
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1835
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Colt did not know that the revolving principle was an age-old European idea until he visited England in
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1835
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The Enfield percussion carbine - .65 inch calibre with hinged spring triangular bayonet folding below the barrel was made for Constabulary service in
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1835
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The true pin-fire cartridge emerged about
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1840
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It was not until 1840 that we definitely find a breech-loading needle gun cartridge patented (Wm. Bush, Pat. No. 8513) in
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1840
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The Brunswick rifle superseded the Baker model about 1840
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1840
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Duelling declined in England after
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1840
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The period of decadence of duelling was noticeable for the production of rather short barreled pistols
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1840-1850
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A few service arms were converted to the percussion cap system in 1839, and it was officially adopted in
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1842
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The service percussion musket was mainly experimental until
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1844
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A double-barreled 26 inch barrel, .67 inch calibre arm was issued for constabulary use in
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1845
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Mexican War
Telegraph invented
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1846
1847 |
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The Prussians concentrated on experiments with the needle gun in 1844, and it was used in the war of
Note: The device was largely perfected by Dreyse of Sommerda, in 1831.
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1848
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The shot-gun or fowling piece began its separation from the musket in the latter half of the 18th century and divorce was completed by
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1850
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The Minie (English) service rifle was introduced in
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1850
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Minie's patent for the self-expanding bullet was purchased and adopted by the British Government for the Enfield rifle in
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1851
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Muzzle loading was so unassailably established we do not find a single breech-loading cartridge weapon shown by a British firm at the Great Exhibition of
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1851
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Colt delivered a lecture on Colt revolvers before the Institute of Civil Engineers during his visit to London in
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1851
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Charles Lancaster brought out his central fire under lever gun with extractor and the first true centre fire cartridge in
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1852
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Colt procured a factory at Thames, Bank, Pimlico, London, and produced replicas of his standard pistols marked on the barrel "Address Col. Colt, London" during the period
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1853-1857
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The Pritchett bullet, a plain lead cylindroconoidal plug with a shallow base depression, was selected as the best type of bullet for the new Enfield rifle in
Note: Later this was superseded by the Enfield bullet
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1853
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During the Crimean War, 25,000 Enfield rifles were made in America.
Note: This war was the last in which all combatants used muzzle loaders.
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1854-1856
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There never was an official State-maintained arms factory until the Government established Enfield as a Government factory when the Birmingham gun-makers struck for higher wages in the middle of the Crimean War.
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1855
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Whitworth rifles were produced in
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1857
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Duelling continued in India to the date of the Mutiny
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1857-1858
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The first recorded European revolver for central fire cartridges appears to be that patented by Perrin and Delmas in
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1859
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The first effective and widely used magazine repeater was undoubtedly the Spencer carbine, patented in the U.S.A. in
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1860
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Tyler F. Henry [sic] brought out the Henry rifle in
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1860
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In the American Civil War, both breech and muzzle loader were used
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1860-1865
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| American Civil War |
1861-1865 |
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The true centre fire cartridge as we know it today did not appear till exhibited by G. If. I)aw at the Exhibition of
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1861
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Note: It was the patent of Pottet, a French gunsmith.
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Breech loaders were coming into general use by
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1861
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The first central fire repeater appears to have been Ball's carbine made by the Lamson Arms Co., Windsor, Vermont, U.S.A., in
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1863
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For all practical purposes, metallic cartridges were not widely introduced until
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1863-1864
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The first cartridge repeater shot-gun appears to have been the Roper of
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1866
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The Snider service rifle was issued in
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1866
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The Henry was merged into the Winchester in
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1866
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Claims have been made for an American origin for choke boring, but these have never been proved, and there is -no doubt that it was the invention of Pape of Newcastle in
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1866
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Duels were fought in Ireland till as late as
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1868
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The Martini-Henry rifle was issued in
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1869
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The first European magazine military arm was the Swiss Vetterli rifle of
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1869-1871
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In 1866, the Chassepot was authorized and all branches of the French army were equipped with the weapon by
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1870
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The Franco-German War was almost entirely a breech-loading affair
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1870-1871
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The first true hammer-less gun appears to have been that of Murcott in
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1871-1871
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The first bolt action military repeater seems to be the Edge rifle (Pat. No. 3643) of
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1874-1875
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| Custer defeated at Little Big Horn |
1876 |
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Lee patented his box magazine in
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1879
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The French adopted the Lebel rifle in
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1886
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The Gras-Kropatschek rifle was issued for the French Marine in
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1886-1887
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Winchester repeating shot-guns were first introduced in
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1887
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The Maxim was officially adopted in the army as a machine gun in
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1887
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The Lee-Metford rifle was adopted by Great Britain in
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1888
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The first automatic weapon to appear on the market was the Borchardt pistol in
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1893
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The Bergmann pistol appeared in
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1894
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The first Mannlicher automatic pistol was introduced in
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1894
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| Spanish American War, Boer War |
1898 |
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The Mauser combination automatic pistol or carbine, the wooden holster serving as a stock attachment was introduced in
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1898
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The Browning automatic pistol of .32 inch calibre, made its appearance about
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1898
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All automatic pistols were of small bore until
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1903
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| First airplane flight by Wright brothers, Kitty Hawk, NC |
1903 |
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The Winchester Firearms Company brought out the first widely sold automatic rifle in
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1903
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The Webley self-loading .455 inch pistol was adopted for the British Navy in
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1905
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ArmsCollectors.com
Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQ)
Here are some questions that have been asked numerous times.
You may find answers to the question you were about to ask, or to questions you were afraid to ask.
About ArmsCollectors.com
Firearms History (When was my gun made? What about this maker?)
Shotguns
Military Arms
Other Firearms and Ammunition
Full Automatic (Machine Guns) & Short Barrel Shotguns & Rifles
Values and Prices
Old Shotguns Questions:
We do not have a lot of information on these a huge number were made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and sold through various retail outlets. This type of firearm falls into the category of "old guns" that no one seems to be interested in as shooters, but collectors do not want them either. Generally these were basic inexpensive simple guns which sold at modest prices and still have little interest or value on market today. On the retail market they usually sell in the $25-125 range depending on condition and general appearance for use as a "wall hanger" over a fireplace. Where there is any family history, we encourage people to keep these old guns for sentimental value. Please be warned that most of these are not considered safe to shoot.
Try posing your question on our ArmsCollectors.com Old Shotguns forum.
Top
Sporting Shotgun Questions:
We sometimes list sporting shotguns for sale in our catalogs at OldGuns.net but we do not have a lot of interest in collecting them and are by no means experts in this field. There are several dealers listed on our links page that specialize in shotguns who would be able to give you a better answer than we can.
Try posing your question on our ArmsCollectors.com Old Shotguns forum.
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When Was My U.S. Military Firearm Made?
Please click here to check your year of manufacture with our check our U.S. Military Manufacture Dates information. Top
What Is The History Of My Military Firearm And/Or Who Was It Issued To?
Documented history has been found on only a small percentage of U.S. Military arms, we know of no source of information or documentation for arms issued by countries other than the USA Even with U.S. firearms documentation is likely only a mention of being issued, damaged, stolen, or transferred on a specific date by a specific unit. Previous and subsequent events are usually unknown, and only rarely do records link the serial number with a specific person. It is pretty neat when you can find something. We once found two .45-70 trapdoor rifles used in the Spanish American War by soldiers in the same Company of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. The rifles were found about five years apart, one in Utah and the other in Missouri, and were reunited nearly 100 years after last being used together. Another Span-Am era trapdoor was documented to a Kansas Volunteer who served in the Philippines, and was not a very good soldier and got court martialed, but also saw some action. U.S. match rifles and service rifles sold prior to WW2 through the DCM program (forerunner of the CMP program) have fairly complete records and they even identify the purchaser and date of sale.
Where Can I Find Ammunition For My Old Gun?
We recommend the "Old Western Scrounger", they are an excellent source for hard to find or obsolete ammunition, with an on line catalog.
When Was My Remington Made?
Please click here to check your year of manufacture with our check our Remington Manufacture Dates information.
When Was My Winchester Made?
Please click here to check your year of manufacture with our check our Winchester Manufacture Dates information.
Flobert Rifles:
During the period from the 1890s through about 1920 "Boy's rifles" were very popular items for youngsters. (Why could you give 10 year olds guns then and they wouldn't shoot anyone, while now guns are banned from anyone under 18 but kids are killing lots of folks?) Anyway, Belgium was a major source of inexpensive guns, and many thousands were imported, often sold by big mail order companies like Sears, Montgomery Wards, etc. The most common action used was a "Flobert" design, this is similar to what Americans often call a "rolling block" action. Most Floberts were .22 rimfire (sometimes short, or long, or long rifle). Sometimes other caliber's are seen, .25 or .32 rimfire, or even 9mm rimfire, but ammo is basically not available for any of these. Even in excellent condition there is little collector interest in Flobert rifles. If your gun has some family history, it is probably a nice souvenir, if not, it is good decoration, but not something that is very valuable.
*Note - We would strongly advise that any old firearm should be checked by a competent gunsmith both for safety and to verify the caliber before an attempts is made to fire it.
Harrington and Richardson (H&R) Firearms:
There is not a lot of information available about individual models of firearms that Harrington and Richardson manufactured. Harrington and Richardson manufactured reliable utilitarian low cost firearms from 1874 when they were founded, until 1986 when they ceased production, the H&R trademark was also utilized by a new company (H&R 1871, Inc.). H&R firearms were solid and durable, but plain and cheap. Even in nice condition, there is about zero collector interest in old H&R firearms. Values are well under $100, and usually under $50.00. If there is any sentimental value we recommend that they be kept as a family heirloom from the days when people owned and used guns safely and responsibly without the need for draconian government supervision to make it "safe for our kids". The exceptions to this rule are the H&R M1 Garands and H&R U.S. Model 1873 rifles. H&R made the M1 in the 1950's and these are highly collectible. They also made a replica Model 1873 rifle, which is collectible.
Try posing your question on our ArmsCollectors.com H&R / Iver Johnson forum.
*Note - We would strongly advise that any old firearm should be checked by a competent gunsmith both for safety and to verify the caliber before an attempts is made to fire it.
Italian Copies Of Antique Arms:
Italian gunmakers are turning out some very good copies of Civil War and other antique firearms. Bill Edwards excellent book "Civil War Guns" describes some of their efforts, including a problem when an early batch of copies all had bent trigger guards, just like the original they had copied! Navy Arms was one of the first companies to import copies form Italy, now there are many other importers including Centennial Arms, Dixie Gun Works, Lyman, CVA, EMF, Armsport, Cimarron, Euroarms, Federal Ordnance, Mitchell, Richland Arms, Stone Mountain, Taylor's, Traditions, and others. We have observed that it is sometimes difficult for new collectors and individuals who are not familiar with firearms to tell the difference between a real antique and some of the Italian copies, especially if the copy is several years old and has some ware on it. One way to tell an Italian copy form an original is that they just about all have Italian proof markings like a star over PN or something similar. Italian copies will also usually have the manufactures name like Uberti, Pedersoli or ArmiSanMarco and "Italy" stamped on them. Value for these firearms varies with the maker and condition. A carefully used Uberti might be in the $150-$200 range. A "no-name" copy or kit gun poorly assembled, poorly cared for and lacking a quality blue finish is worth about whatever you can get for it, usually less than $100. These are nice decorators, maybe fun shooters, but not a good investment for a collection. We strongly recommend research into any firearm before purchase, a $25 book (like Flayderman's) can provide the information needed to avoid making costly mistakes.
Iver Johnson Firearms Questions:
There is not a lot of information available about individual models of firearms that Iver Johnson manufactured. Iver Johnson started out in 1871 as Johnson Bye & Co., in 1883 the name of the company was changed to Iver Johnson & Co. and in 1891 the name was changed again to Iver Johnson's Arms & Cycle Works. Iver Johnson produced firearms under various names and owners form 1871 until 1993. In 1993 when operations ceased, Iver Johnson was owned by American Military Arms Corp. (AMAC). Iver Johnson gained a reputation over the years for producing low cost, sturdy, reliable firearms. Unfortunately there is little or no collector interest in these firearms, values for most are in the $75.00 or less range.
Try posing your question on our ArmsCollectors.com H&R / Iver Johnson forum.
*Note - We would strongly advise that any old firearm should be checked by a competent gunsmith both for safety and to verify the caliber before an attempts is made to fire it.
Spanish S&W Copies:
There is not a lot of information available about the Spanish S&W copies. It is reported that the logos for these revolvers were designed to be very close in appearance to the S&W logo in order to fool unobservant potential buyers. We have read in a major gunsmithing text book that the metals used in most of these revolvers is of very low quality making them dangerous to fire. Values for the Spanish S&W copies is very low, probably in the $50 range if you can find anyone willing to buy one.
*Note - We would strongly advise that any old firearm should be checked by a competent gunsmith both for safety and to verify the caliber before an attempts is made to fire it.
Suicide / Saturday Night Specials:
A "suicide special" or "Saturday night special" is a cheap, usually poorly made inexpensive firearm that is considered to be so inaccurate that the only good use for it is to commit suicide. We get a lot questions about this type of firearm. Beginning in the late 19th century, a huge number of these were sold through various retail outlets. This type of firearm usually falls into the category of "old guns" that no one seems to be interested in as shooters, but collectors do not want them either. Generally these were basic inexpensive simple guns which sold at modest prices and still have little interest or value on market today. On the retail market they usually sell in the $25-125 range depending on condition and general appearance for use as a "wall hanger" over a fireplace. Where there is any family history, we encourage people to keep these old guns for sentimental value.
Try posing your question on our ArmsCollectors.com Suicide / Saturday Night Specials forum.
*Note - We would strongly advise that any old firearm should be checked by a competent gunsmith both for safety and to verify the caliber before an attempts is made to fire it.
U.S. Revolvers:
THESE REVOLVERS WERE NOT U.S. MILITARY ISSUE. Arms made under the U.S. Revolver Co. name were cheaper versions of the Iver Johnson line. U.S. Revolver Co. paralleled the solid frame Iver Johnson Model 1900 and the Hinged Frame Safety Automatic models, but did not have the safety hammer feature, they also had some consequent minor changes in the lockwork and a lesser quality of finish. U.S. Revolvers were offered in .22, .32 and .38 calibres, and were sold at the same time as the main Iver Johnson line until the 1940s. The pistols were marked 'U.S. Revolver Co.' on the barrel, and had 'US' molded into the grips. U.S. Revolver Co. values fall in the $50.00 dollar range.
Try posing your question on our ArmsCollectors.com H&R / Iver Johnson forum.
*Note - We would strongly advise that any old firearm should be checked by a competent gunsmith both for safety and to verify the caliber before an attempts is made to fire it.
Cheap West German Import Firearms Including: RG, Arimus Frontier Six-shooters, Burgo, Regent, Sontheim Brenz, PIC:
These firearms are usually of questionable quality, the smaller handguns were sold in the USA prior to the passage of the 1968 Gun Control Act. The passage of the 1968 gun Control act, with its restrictions on pistol dimensions, severely curtailed the importation of the smaller handguns. Values for most of these firearms (including the lager western style revolvers) fall in the $25.00 to $50.00 dollar range.
*Note - We would strongly advise that any old firearm should be checked by a competent gunsmith both for safety and to verify the caliber before an attempts is made to fire it.
Machine Guns and Shotguns/Rifles with Short Barrels:
We are not lawyers and the following summarizes our understanding of the basic Federal laws on this subject. We believe this information to be accurate and correct, but strongly suggest you check with the Treasury Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) office listed in you phone book blue pages under U.S. government. They are the ones who will decide if it is okay for you to have these items, or come after you if it is not okay. If the BATF says it is okay to keep the item, make sure you write down the date, time, name, title, and phone number of the BATF person who tells you that. If at all possible, get them to put it in writing, in case some other BATF person later claims it is NOT okay for you to have the item.
Instead of relying on our information, it would be a better idea to consult an attorney who specializes in federal firearms laws. Not your local divorce and accident specialist- this is a highly complex field and you cannot afford to pay for the time they will need to become smart enough in this area to protect your butt!
Note that additional state or local restrictions may apply, especially in states run by idiots, like California.
DEFINITIONS:
MACHINE GUN- Anything that will keep shooting if you hold the trigger back, including guns that have both semi-automatic and full automatic selectors. This includes just the receivers from such a gun, and guns that were welded shut ("Dewats") and did not require registration until 1968.
SAWED OFF ("short barreled") SHOTGUN- any shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches long (measured from the face of the closed breech to the muzzle), or with overall length of less than 26 inches. This includes "hunting shotguns" which have been cut down and also smoothbore guns like the Marble's Game-Getter and H&R Handy Gun, which were originally made with short barrels.
SAWED OFF ("short barreled") RIFLE- Any rifle with a barrel length of less than 16 inches, with an overall length of less than 26 inches.. REGISTRATION:
The National Firearms Act passed in 1934 basically outlawed machine guns and sawed off shotguns/rifles.
People who had them were required to register them with the Treasury Department. The Gun Control Act of 1968 had a whole bunch of requirements concerning gun sales, and also included an “Amnesty Period” for people who had not previously registered their machine gun or sawed off shotgun/rifle to do so without any penalty. That Amnesty Period expired in 1968, and there has never been another, and it is highly unlikely that there will ever be another.
When machine guns (or short barreled rifles or shotguns) were registered in 1934 or 1968 the owners were given papers to prove that the guns were registered, and copies were kept on file with the BATF in Washington. Theoretically, if you lost your papers, they could provide a replacement copy. However, people familiar with the situation report that the BATF files are a disaster and they are very often unable to tell if your gun is registered or not. (Therefore you should assume that if you do not have papers, the odds of having BATF find copies for you are not very good. Thus, the BATF will decide it is NOT registered, (unless you can prove that it is.)
IF IT IS NOT REGISTERED:
Possession of an unregistered machine gun or sawed off rifle/shotgun is a federal felony with big hard time sentences and hefty fines (something like 10 years and/or $10,000 fine). BATF prosecutes a lot of these cases, even if the owner is not using the gun in holdups or anything..
Anyone who has an unregistered machine gun or sawed off shotgun/rifle has several options, none very appealing. We recommend option (a).
a. Contact your closest BATF office (blue pages, US Govt., Treasury Dept., BATF) and tell them that you found/inherited or were given this item, or whatever the case is, and want to (1) know if it is legal to keep and (2) if not, turn it in for destruction. If they confirm it is illegal then you can make arrangements for it to be turned over. You will not be compensated, but you won’t be prosecuted.
b. The most stupid action in the world would be to attempt to sell an illegal machine gun or sawed off shotgun/rifle. It just would not be worth it. Reportedly BATF actively looks for people doing this, and get lots of convictions. Your legal fees would be horrendous, and chances of escaping jail are not good. People (other than BATF agents) wanting to buy illegal guns are probably nasty violent criminals anyway. You must be crazy to even think of doing business with them.
c. The next most stupid action in the world would be to keep an illegal machine gun and hope no one finds out about it. The plumber, baby sitter, ex-spouse, kid's friends, etc. might notice your contraband and tell someone else about it. Eventually your friendly BATF agents would contact you. The Branch Davidians at Waco and Randy Weaver's family at Ruby Ridge ended up dead as a result of reports of illegal firearms possession and subsequent BATF attacks.
d. Check with a military museum. You might be able to donate it to the museum and preserve some important history.
e. The part of a machine gun that is taxed is the receiver. Depending on the gun, the rest of the parts (stock, trigger group, barrel, bolt, gas piston assembly) may be of value to someone with legal owned similar weapon. Strip them off, and turn in the receiver.
IF IT IS REGISTERED:
Properly registered machine guns are very desirable collector items and values usually start at several thousand dollars. All sales of registered machine guns require prior approval by BATF and payment of a $200 transfer tax. There are a number of dealers who specialize in machine guns and they can help with transfer paperwork, and find a buyer for you. They will charge a fee for their services, but it is worth it to avoid making any mistakes in this complicated area. The same dealers also know how to sell legally registered shots barreled gun with the proper paperwork. These apparently have a smaller transfer tax, but values are a lot less than a machine gun.
For a detailed explanation of machine gun regulations and National FIrearms Act (NFA) issues, please click here to see the excellent and thoroughly researched paper by James O. Bardwell.
We hope this information is helpful. This is intended as a very basic general introduction, based on our limited understanding of the subject. The information above is not a substitute for competent legal advice or official interpretations by government authorities who enforce the applicable laws.
Did I Get A Good Deal For An Item That I Purchased?
Fair market value is what a willing buyer will pay a willing seller with neither being under pressure to buy or sell. Value depends on the exact model, markings, variation, condition, and how badly the buyer wants that particular item.
If you want to know if you are getting a good deal, we suggest you invest in one of the numerous gun price guides on the market BEFORE making your purchase or, shop around and see what other people are selling comparable items for. You might try checking our catalogs for similar items we think our prices are pretty fair, so it you pay more, you may have been snookered. If you get it for less you got a good deal.
The Gates of Zion
5045 Valley Crest Drive Unit #199
Concord, California 94521
(925) 429-3115
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