History of Firearms

Goals Develop a general understanding of the history and development of firearms. Gain a basic understanding of the function of firearms.

Word of Caution Beware Gun store Commandos, Sales person SEALs, Space Shuttle Door Gunners. There's tons of bullshit about firearms out there. Internet, magazines and conversation. Trust but verify/

Before we start You folks have things to bring to the table, please do. This is a field you will continue to learn as long as you live

What came first By the early 1200’s the Chinese had invented gunpowder. But it wasn’t until later that the earliest firearms were used.

The first By the mid 1300’s the first recorded use of a firearm was noted. These were primitive muzzle loading black powder firearms. Referred to has hand cannons or hand gonnes.

Before we go further

Recap An assembly of a barrel and action from which a projectile(s) is propelled by products of combustion. Powder burns, creates gas, gas makes pressure, pressure launches projectile.

Muzzleloaders Muzzle loaders are firearms that are loaded from the muzzle end of the barrel. You will need to know and be able to give examples of muzzleloaders.

Matchlock Guns ch?v=KUE4dzFPFJU

Matchlock 1400s Primitive triggers allow the mechanical firing of guns

Matchlock Complicated and fragile firing system. Gunpowder was placed in a flash pan Lit fuse ignited the flash pan which ignited the main powder charge

Matchlock Pros- First trigger Cons- Fragile, weather sensitive, poor accuracy

Matchlock Define “touchhole” Must be in a firearms context.

Wheel lock guns cVpog

Wheel lock guns Early 1500s Think of cigarette lighters. Flint and steel ignition.

Wheel lock

Flint + Steel = sparks

Wheel lock Pros- Shorter lock time, better accuracy, Less weather sensitive. Cons- Fragile operating system, very expensive to manufacture.

Flintlocks

Flintlocks On the scene by 1630 Cheaper to produce then wheel locks.

Flintlock Pros- Cheap to produce, relatively fast reloads, work well for pirate movies. Cons- weather sensitive, fragile

Flintlocks

Percussion Caps 1820s Making serious strides towards cartridges Explosive pressure sensitive Ignition system much less sensitive to weather.

Percussion Caps

Pros- Cheap, fast lock time, improved weather resistance, multi-shot (repeater) action, looks good in Westerns Cons- Slow reload time, possible sympathetic detonations.

Percussion Caps

1835 Samuel Colt introduced the first mass produced revolver. zd0fQ

Word of Caution Sympathetic ignition is when you fire one chamber and one or more of the adjacent cylinders fire.

Pinfire 1840 Off set primer Firing pin part of cartridge.

Pinfire

Rimfire 1840s Round of ammo is complete. No cartridge pin Longest lived cartridge to date is rimfire

Rimfire BB caps One of the oldest cartridges used for indoor gallery shooting. Primer only, no gunpowder

Rimfire Rimfire has the priming compound in the rim of the cartridge. Cartridge is self contained allows fast reloading, repeating action, reliability

Early Rimfire

Modern Rimfire Most common ammunition sold in the world. Pros- Cheap, Accurate, reliable Cons- limitations of velocity and caliber

22LR

Most common cartridge Very accurate Cheap Reliable Virtually no recoil minimal noise

22LR

Center fire

Why Center fire Reloadable Capable of big projectiles and high velocities Reliable Very weather resistant

Center fire Cons $

Modern Firearms

2 main groups Handguns Longguns

What's a Revolver A repeating firearm that has a cylinder with multiple chambers. The cylinder rotates when trigger is pulled.

Handguns-Revolvers Single Action vs. Double Action Various loading methods

Revolvers Break top

Revolvers Break top

Revolvers Gate loading

Revolvers Gate loading

Revolver Pull out cylinder

Revolver Swing out cylinder

Revolver Swing out cylinder is activated by the cylinder release

Derringers

Single or multi-shot handgun generally small in size and can be one or more barrels.

Derringers 4 barrel model

Derringers Flip action

Pistols Generally a semi- automatic firearm designed to be handheld

Pistols Single Action

Pistols Safe Action

About Glocks 1 st successful polymer frame gun Will set off metal detector Bruce Willis in Die Hard Movie Controversy sells Intro in 1985

About Glocks Pros- Tough and reliable. Cons- no lead ammo, Bad gun to reload for

Shotguns Long gun designed with a smooth barrel (no rifling). Shoulder fired Pellets or slugs

Pellets

Slug

Shotguns Pump

Shotguns Pump

Shotguns Semi-automatic

Shotguns Over-under

Shotguns Side by side

Winchester 21

Rifles Lever

Rifles Pump

Rifles Semi-automatic

Assault Rifles

Legal term vs. military term Typically applied to semi-automatic firearms

Military term Small caliber or intermediate caliber firearm capable of select or automatic fire.

Machine guns Heavy firearms designed for sustained automatic fire Legal term: any firearm capable of firing more then 1 round per pull of trigger

Submachine gun Pistol caliber firearm capable of automatic fire.