Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-05-06
Remarkable Complete Collection
Of Weapons Of Many Types
Made in Many Countries.
ONE DATES BACK TO YEAR 1881
First Flint-Loek, Breech-Loadlng Mag
azine Gun Made in 1886,
Is on Display.

washington, ID. C.-SpeclmenS OF
military and other forms of firearms
from England, France, Russia, Japan,
Germany and many other countries,
are now to be seen in the small-arms
exhibition of the United States Ma
tional Museum. The exhibit includes
some 1,4O0 individual pieces and com.
prises probably the best general col
lection in the United States, consider
ing that there are represented ex-
amples of military rifles, pistols and
revolvers, sporting shotguns and rifles,
target rifles and pistols and numerous
odd and unusual pieces relating to the
development of firearms.
Although the discovery of gunpow-
der is attributed by some to China,
there is no positive evidence that the
Chinese ever made use of it. At an
early period they produced certain
kinds of fireworks, accounts of which
came through Persia. Egypt and the
Moorish countries in Southern Europe,
but gunpowder for use in firearms, 1t
is believed, originated in Italy, Spain
or Germany. While cannon of a sort
Fourteenth Gentry, hand firearms were
slow to be adopted on account of their
unreliability, and it was not until about
1881 that they are known to have ap-
peared in Germany, while Europe in
general did not take them up until the
middle of the fifteenth century, when
they became known as hand-cannon.
The earliest form of hand gun was a
crude affair fired by the application
of burning match to the touch-hole.
The first improvement was the mount.
ing of the match on springless lock
or cock which later, on the addition of
a spring, b7"ame known as the match.
lock. Examples of this early weapon
from India, China, Afghanistan, Japan,
Formosa, Arabia, Morocco and Mexico
are in the museum collection.
The next development was the
wheel-lock gun, about 1915 or 1917,
fred by spark struck on pyrites by
roughened wheel revolved by
spring. Specimens of this type of gun
and pistol from Greece, Germany and
England are also TO be seen in the
museum exhibit.
A form of tlintlocl, called the snap
haunce, followed in 1910 This sub
stituted, in place of the wheel, lock,
which held in its jaws piece of py-
rites, and when released hit the cover
of the pan striking spark which ig-
nited the charge of powder. A pair
of pistols of this type from Constan.
t;nople illustrates the principle well.
Further improvements in the SNIP
haunce resulted in the fintlock gun,
in which a piece of flint replaced the
pyrites. Examples of this style are
more common and scme GO are includ-
ed in the museum collections, repre-
senting nearly every country, and we'll
illustrating the various changes and
improvements made.
One of the most interesting and val
liable arms in the collection is the
John Cookson flintlock breech-loading
magazine gun, made in 1885, which has
magazine in the stock capable oi
holding 10 rounds of loose powder and
bullets. One movement of lever
feeds the ammunition into the barrel
cocks the hammer and primes the pan
In spite of the English name of the
maker, this odd piece is believed tc
be of Spanish origin on account of its
general type and the style of its decor
alton.
1t was probably brought to Maryland
by the early English colonists; at leas
1t was found in Baltimore and confis
Gated in 1868, and held by the govern
10
away. In 1883 it was purchased for /;
small sum and put in its present per
feet condition by a gunsmith of Balti
more, from whom it was secured by al
American collector and presented t,
the museum.
From military point of view, th
design of this gun evidences great ad
vance of its time, for, with the maya
zine-charging appurtenance, ten shot
could be fired in but little more tim
than is required with a modern maga
zine gun. Altogether, the antiquity
design, workmanship and beauty o
this gun make it most valuable an
remarkable relic.
The collection also contains severa
pill-lock and the percussion-cap guns
which followed the flint-lock, and til
Prussian needle gun and the Frenc
Chassepot, which appeared later.
The development of the gun and an
munition in the United States is we
illustrated by series of histories
cases showing the types used in til
succeeding wars from the French an
Indian to the war with Spain, thus col
meeting closely history and invention.
While many foreign guns are repr,
sented, they are not. all of the lates
patent or Of the type now in use
the European war; in the case of on
military rifle, however, the latest d.
velopments are shown, and it is int
eating to note that ehe Springfield riff
! generally known aa the 1903 mode