Origins of Firearms

ORIGINS OF FIREARMS

▪ 13th Century – development of firearms followed the invention of gunpowder in

Western Europe.
▪ BERTHOLD SCHWARTZ – a German monk, and Roger Bacon, an English monk – are both
credited with gunpowder invention.
* Most reference books credit Roger Bacon, English monk and scientist, with the
invention of gunpowder in 1248, and Berthold Schwartz, with the application of gun
powder to the propelling of a missile in the early 1300’s. This powder was that we now
call “black powder”.

▪ 1118 – Moors used artillery against Zaragoza. Early manuscripts tell o fseveral Moorish
campaign in which artillery was used all dating prior to Bacon and Scwartz.
▪ 1245 – Gen. Batu, the Tartar leader used artillery in Liegnitz when he defeated the
Poles, Hungarians and Russians.
* It is also often stated that gunpowder was first invented by Chinese were aware
of gunpowder and its use as a propellant long before its advantage became recognized
in Europe. It may also assume the Arabs with their advance knowledge of chemistry at
that time.
▪ 1247 – one of the earliest recorded uses of firearms in warfare was that o fan attack on
Seville, Spain.
▪ 1346 – Cannons used by King Edward III of England at Crecy
▪ 1453 – Mohammed II of Turkey in his famous conquest of Constantinople.
▪ 1500 AD - French Artist LEONARDO DA VINCE as can be gleaned in his sketch of steam
powered cannon to his primitive wheel lock firearm.
* First firearms were inefficient, large and heavy and were not capable of being
carried by an individual soldier hence; the development of cannons preceded that of
small arm weapons by almost 50 years.
Stages of development of man’s weapon:
> STONES > CLUBS > KNIVES > SPEARS AND DARTS > SLINGSHOTS TO HURL OBJECTS > BOWS
AND ARROWS > CROSS-BOWS >GUNS > MISSILES
The Evolution of Firearms

MAN BEHIND FIREARMS
1. John M. Browning - Wizard of the modern firearms and pioneered the breech loading
single shot rifled which was adopted by Winchester.
2. Samuel Colt - Patented the first practical revolver and maker of the Colt Peace Maker, a
famous revolver in the history.
3. Alexander John Forsyth - Father of the percussion powder.
4. Major Uziel Gal - An Israeli army who designed UZI (Israel) in the year 1950.
5. Col. Calvin H. Goddard - Father of modern Ballistics.
6. John C. Garand - Designed and invented the Semi automatic U.S. Rifle Cal. 30. M1
garand.
7. George Hyde - A well-known expert in the field of SMG, (also known as grease gun)
developed in 1941. M3A1 (USA).
8. Michael Kalashnikov - Designed the AK (Automat Kalashnikova) 47 (Soviet Union)
adopted by the Russian Army in the year 1951.
9. Horace Smith - Founded the great firm of Smith and Wesson and pioneered in making
breech loading rifles.
10. Eugene Stoner - Designed the U.S. M16 Armalite under licensed by Colt Company from
July 1959 onwards.
11. L.C. Smith - Developed shotgun bearing his name now the Ithaca gun Company.
12. John T. Thompson - Developed in the course of WW1 the Thompson M1A1 and model
of 1928 A1 (USA). Pioneered the making of Thompson sub-machine gun.
13. Daniel B. Wesson - Associates of Horace Smith in the making of Revolver.
14. David “Carbine” Williams - Maker of the first known Carbine.
15. Oliver Winchester - One of the earliest rifle and pistol maker.
IMPORTANT DATES IN THE EVOLUTION OF FIREARMS

1242 A.D. Roger Bacon published the “ De Mirabili Potestate Artis et Naturae” (On the
Marvelous Power of Arts and Nature), which noted Black powder formula.
1498 Introduction of the rifling and sights became better and breech loaders were
attempted although never succeeded yet even multi shots arms due to lack of
good ignition system.
1500’s The development of the Wheel Lock, operates in the same principle as the
modern day cigarette lighter. At mid of 1500’s “snaphaunce” was developed.
1575 Paper Cartridge was developed. Ball and powder charged were wrapped in
chemically treated paper to allow the carrying of numerous pre-measured
charges or pre loaded rounds.
1750 The development of Breech-loading firearms leading to the making of
FERGUSON Rifle of Major Patrick Ferguson, COLLIER Rifle, which is a flint lock
repeating rifle operated on a revolving principle and, the HALL Rifle patented in
1811 by Col. John Hall and was the 1st breechloader adopted by the U.S. Army.
1805 The Percussion System. Alexander John Forsyth discovered a compound that
would ignite upon blow that would ignite the powder charge. In 1840, it replaces
the flintlock ignition and was adopted in 1838 by the British and in 1842 by the
American.
1835 The first real cartridge was developed “The Flobert Cap” same as the BB and
was considered the forerunner of .22 short cartridge.
1835 Samuel Colt patented the first revolver and marketed in 1872, a breech loading
revolver.
1836 Pin fire Cartridge, was developed by Le Faucheux. A much real pin fire cartridge
was also developed in the same year by Houiller.
1845 Rim fire cartridge, Flobert developed the BB (bullet breech) cap, which was
considered the forerunner of the .22 cal cartridge. In the same year, New
Havens Arms Company owned by Oliver F. Winchester, through the effort of
Tyler Henry developed a .44 cal rim fire cartridge for Henry Rifle.
1846 Smokeless powder was discovered. It was used in shotgun first in the year 1864
by Capt. Eschultze of Prussian Army and in Rifle by the year 1884 by M. Vieille of
France.
1873 Colt Peace Maker, model 1873, .45 cal. The most famous revolver in history and
legend was manufactured.
1884 Automatic Machine Gun. Hiram Maxim developed the first fully automatic gun.

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ORIGINS OF FIREARMS

▪ 13th Century – development of firearms followed the invention of gunpowder in

Stages of development of man’s weapon:

The Evolution of Firearms

IMPORTANT DATES IN THE EVOLUTION OF FIREARMS

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