A Brief History of Firearms: Late 1800s to Present (Part 3)

By Ready to Fire News On Jun 1, 2018

Firearms looked significantly different in the 1300s than they did in the 1700s. By the 1800s, you could certainly see the standards beginning to form in terms of mass manufacturing and the sophistication of the weapons. Today’s firearms are sleek and refined, with intricate details that make them exceptionally effective.

From cannons to flintlock, accuracy and ease of use continues to improve throughout the early 1900s to today.

The American West

When you think of early days in the American West, you may picture a shootout situation: two contenders pacing off from each other down the middle of a dusty road. They turn, shoot and one (or both!) may fall.

This scenario was made possible by the creation of the Colt Single Action Army, which was introduced in 1873 and gained prominence with lawmen and outlaws alike. These historical handguns also included the Smith and Wesson top-break revolvers, which featured a quick reload mechanism that allowed empties to eject automatically. The popularity of the larger guns led to a revolution of firearms in the early 20th century.

Rise of the Machine (Guns)

The late 1880s brought another invention to the world of firearms: repeating weapons such as the Maxim gun which fired up to 600 rounds each minute. Soon after the turn of the century, the Tommy Gun became one of the most deadly firearms of the early 20th century.

While originally targeted at lawbreakers, the Thompson submachine gun became a favorite among criminals during the period of prohibition. Its use led to a variety of crimes, and the devastation caused by the Tommy gun was a primary reason for the first National Firearms Act in 1934. In 1947, the AK-47 rose as one of the deadliest infantry weapons of the time. Created by Mikhail Kalashnikov for the Soviet armed forces, this weapon fired up to 900 rounds per minute, and was built for war.

New Materials for a New Era

In 1982, the Glock was introduced and brought together simplicity, affordability and polymer materials. These lightweight components were ideal for law enforcement use, and are less affected by extreme conditions in the environment than those that have a stock made of natural materials such as wood.

Telescopic sights continued to evolve, becoming highly complex with an exceptional focus and targeting power. Electronic red dots are not uncommon on all types of weapons and allow a greater ability to line up shots specifically. Night vision scopes paint the after-dark hours with a bright green light that clearly delineates moving individuals from the environment surrounding them.

Firearms have improved dramatically from those original cannons and single-shot rifles in the early days to mature into a variety of different styles to fit every need and interest. Gun enthusiasts have a never-ending smorgasbord of options that will keep them interested in collecting new weapons throughout the ages.

~ Ready to Fire News