How revolver is made - material, making, used, parts, components, procedure, industry, machine Revolver Background The term "handgun" refers to any small firearm intended for use with one hand only. Currently, the two most important types of handguns are revolvers and automatic pistols. The key distinction between the two is that the former contains a cylindrical magazine (the firearm compartment from which cartridges, or bullets, are fed into the barrel) with multiple chambers that enable the shooter to fire repeated shots without pausing to reload. An automatic (self-loading) pistol feeds cartridges into the barrel from a detachable magazine that is inserted through the bottom of the butt (the gun's handle). This type of pistol utilizes some of the recoil force from each cartridge firing to feed the next cartridge into its single chamber. As the two varieties differ widely in design and production, this article will concentrate on the revolver. The earliest firearms ensued from the invention of black powder, a precursor of gunpowder developed in China during the ninth century A.D.; among other things, the Chinese apparently used their invention to propel primitive rockets. The recipe and uses for black powder were eventually transmitted to Europe by Mongol conquerors, and it was the Europeans who perfected the substance during the fourteenth century.

Within one hundred years, the first small arms were being developed. However, early handguns remained troublesome for several centuries. For one thing, very few people could shoot them accurately (sighting targets proved easier with the long barrel of a musket to serve as a guide). Another problem was that their firepower had to be minimal if soldiers were to fire them with one hand. Until the mid-eighteenth century, most handguns could hold only one cartridge at a time, and this had to be loaded through the gun's muzzle (barrel). The handgun became vastly improved in 1835, when Samuel Colt patented the first workable revolver, which became known as the cap-and-ball. Although Colt's handgun still had to be front-loaded, its revolving cylinder contained five or six chambers, and the shooter advanced it automatically by cocking the hammer (earlier models had required shooters to align each chamber and depress the hammer separately). Later improvements yielded a cartridge revolver that did not have to be loaded through the muzzle, better ejection designs, and double-action cocking mechanisms. By the end of the nineteenth century, when handguns incorporating these innovations were being mass produced, the revolver had reached its mature form.

It remained the weapon of choice for military personnel until the second decade of the twentieth century, when it was replaced by automatic pistols. Although many predicted that the advent of the automatic model would render the revolver obsolete, it has remained popular. Today, revolvers continue to be used alongside automatic pistols by police officers, members of the armed forces, and target shooters throughout the world. Design To understand how a revolver is made, it is important to know how each subsystem functions within the weapon. A revolver contains four main subsystems: the Frame Group; the Cylinder, Extractor, and Crane Group; the Barrel and Sight Group; and the Trigger, Timing Hand, and Hammer Group. Most revolver parts begin as steel or stainless steel blanks that are forged into close approximations of the desired parts. In forging, a heated blank is put into a forging press and impacted with several hundred tons of force. This impact forces the metal into the forging die, a steel block with a cavity shaped like the part being produced. After annealing or heat treating the parts, they undergo basic machining processes such as milling, drilling, and tapping. Modern machining centers are automated, computer-controlled devices. The Frame Group consists of the main frame, the trigger guard, and the hand grip.

Its purpose is to provide a strong frame to contain the powerful force of the cartridge discharge, position the shooter's hand correctly, and insure that the trigger functions precisely. Designs vary slightly due to manufacturers' patents, but the operation is basically the same. Some frames have a removable sideplate that provides access to the trigger group, while others insert the trigger group as a separate assembly though the bottom of the frame. All modern revolvers utilize a frame design incorporating a solid top strap that connects the top of the grip area to the barrel mounting area, reinforcing the structural integrity of the frame. The Cylinder, Extractor, and Crane Group consists of the cylinder itself, the shaft upon which it rotates, the extractor, the extractor shaft, a return spring, and the crane. The cylinder commonly contains six chambers for six cartridges of the correct caliber arranged in a circle. The rim, or outer edge of the cartridge base, rests upon a semicircular ledge formed by the extractor, which contains six small depressions in the center. The outside of the cylinder has six corresponding locking grooves. The cylinder rotates on the cylinder pin, which locks into the frame on one end and the crane on the other end.

While the inside of the frame supports the base of the cartridge, the forcing cone on the barrel helps the bullet accurately jump the gap between the cylinder face and the barrel. The Barrel and Sight Group is very important to the accuracy of the weapon. Threaded onto the frame, the barrel receives the bullet from the chamber upon firing. Inside, the barrel is rifled, or inscribed with a series of grooves that impart a stabilizing spin to bullets as they leave the gun. The sights consist, .of a Rear Sight with its groove or notch and a Front Sight which is typically shaped like a blade or post. The notch and the top of the blade, which can be adjusted, are aligned to help shooters aim. Most high quality revolvers feature sights purchased from companies whose specialty is fine mechanisms. Optical sights, low-and no-light sights, and lasers are also available. The Trigger Group is best explained by describing the firing sequence, initiated when the shooter pulls back on the hammer spur. This action compresses, or cocks, the hammer spring and pushes the timing hand connecting the hammer to the trigger group into an extractor depression, rotating the cylinder to align that chamber and the barrel.

The trigger mechanism latch engages the locking grooves, stopping further rotation and securing The barrel of the revolver contains rifling—a series of grooves with a precise twist that cause the bullet to spin as it exits the gun. To produce the rifling, a worker draws a broach-like cutting tool through the barrel blank repeatedly, removing metal to approximately .01 inch deep. In an alternative method called 'button rifling,' a hardened form tool is drawn through the barrel blank under high force, displacing the metal in the grooves without cutting. This is similar in some respects to the forging operation, only it is done without heating the barrel. the cylinder for firing. At the end of the travel, the hammer is latched by the trigger sear and held ready for firing. When the trigger is fully depressed, the hammer unlatches from the trigger sear and is propelled forward by the hammer spring. This energy is transmitted to the firing pin, which strikes the primer of the cartridge, firing the weapon. This sequence of firing is called single action. With the advent of the double action design, a connection bar was used to allow the trigger to rotate the cylinder, cock the hammer, and complete the firing in one motion.

This design promoted an increase in rate of firepower and simplified the draw and fire situation. Most modern revolvers are of the double action design. After firing, the shooter releases the trigger. The trigger spring then returns the trigger to the forward position and forces the hand and latch to retract within the frame in preparation for the next shot. Once the cartridges have been fired, the cylinder latch on the side of the frame is pressed, disengaging the cylinder pin from the frame. This allows the entire assembly to swing out of the frame on the crane for reloading. The extractor shaft is pressed, lifting the cartridge cases out of their chambers, after which the cylinder spring returns the extractor to the cylinder. Live cartridges are again loaded and the cylinder is then simply pushed back into the frame, where the cylinder pin spring latches it back into place. Raw Materials With the exception of the grips, which may be wood or plastic, nearly all components of the revolver are metal. Steel was the primary metal until changes in its availability and advances in other metals rendered them more desirable. For example, during the 1860s, the disruption in the steel supply caused by the Civil War led to the use of brass for revolver frames.

During World War II, the need for a lightweight weapon for use by aircraft crews brought about the use of a aluminum alloy frame. The stainless steel frame and barrel soon followed, improving corrosion resistance and reducing maintenance. The Manufacturing Samuel Colt - Inventions - HISTORY.com Samuel Colt A+E Networks Introduction In 1836, Connecticut-born gun manufacturer Samuel Colt (1814-62) received a U.S. patent for a revolver mechanism that enabled a gun to be fired multiple times without reloading. Colt founded a company to manufacture his revolving-cylinder pistol; however, sales were slow and the business floundered. Then in 1846, with the Mexican War (1846-48) under way, the U.S. government ordered 1,000 Colt revolvers. In 1855, Colt opened what was the world’s largest private armament factory, in which he employed advanced manufacturing techniques such as interchangeable parts and an organized production line. By 1856, the company could produce 150 weapons per day. Colt was also an effective promoter, and by the start of the U.S.

Civil War (1861-65) he had made the Colt revolver perhaps the world’s best-known firearm. He died a wealthy man in 1862; the company he founded remains in business today. Google Early Years Samuel Colt was born on July 19, 1914, in Hartford, Connecticut , the son of textile manufacturer Christopher Colt and wife Sarah. By visiting his father’s mill in Ware, Massachusetts , and helping out at a nearby farm, the young Colt gained an interest in all things mechanical and often dismantled objects–including his father’s firearms–to discover how they functioned. At age 16, he enrolled at Amherst Academy in Massachusetts to study navigation; however, his youthful hi-jinks later got him expelled from the school. His father then gave the teen the opportunity to study navigation firsthand, sending him out to sea on the Corvo, a ship that embarked on a nearly yearlong voyage in 1830. Did You Know? Samuel Colt hired engravers and craftsmen to decorate special presentation pistols that were given to European kings, Russian czars and military officials, among other dignitaries. These firearms were often lavishly engraved and inlaid with gold.

Aboard the Corvo, Colt became fascinated with the ship’s wheel, particularly the way it could alternately spin or be locked in a fixed position through the use of a clutch. He translated this controlled rotation to firearms and a means whereby a single-shot pistol could be adapted to fire multiple rounds in quick succession. During his time at sea, Colt carved a six-barrel cylinder, locking pin and hammer out of wood. Although this prototype for a pistol featured multiple rotating barrels, in later versions Colt would opt instead for a rotating cylinder containing multiple bullet chambers to reduce the gun’s weight and bulk. After returning from his adventure at sea, Colt spent two years traveling North America under the name Dr. Coult, hosting a road show during which he entertained and educated crowds on the uses of nitrous oxide (laughing gas). The profits he saved through his skill as a promoter enabled him to perfect his revolver mechanism, and he hired gunsmiths to create a series of prototypes.

Patents for the Revolving Pistol Colt’s revolver mechanism is considered by some to be more innovation than invention because it improved upon a revolving flintlock (a firing mechanism used in muskets and rifles) already patented by Boston inventor Elisha Collier (1788-1856). The British patent for Colt’s mechanism was acquired in October 1835, and on February 25, 1836, the American inventor received U.S. Patent No. 138 (later 9430X) for his revolving-cylinder pistol. The enhancements listed in this patent include greater “facility in loading,” changes in “the weight and location of the cylinder, which give steadiness to the hand,” and “the great rapidity in the succession of discharges.” Colt’s Patent Arms Manufacturing Company began making the Paterson pistol in 1836 at its Paterson, New Jersey , factory using funds advanced by Colt’s family. Initially, Colt produced three “revolving” handguns–belt, holster and pocket pistols–and two rifles. All models incorporated a revolving cylinder into which gunpowder and bullets were loaded.

Primer was placed on a strike plate outside the cylinder, and combustion was initiated by pulling the trigger and releasing the hammer onto the strike plate. The ability to fire six shots without reloading–a task that required 20 seconds using a single-shot firearm–provided a crucial advantage to soldiers and settlers encountering danger in the nation’s frontier regions. Colt continued to refine his initial design, obtaining patents on such components as a cylinder-locking mechanism, fluted cylinders, longer grips and beveled-cylinder mouths to eliminate igniting adjacent chambers. A savvy businessman, he retained rights to these patents, making his applications as an individual rather than through the Patent Arms Manufacturing Company. A Business Failure Seeking a government contract for his guns, Colt visited the office of the U.S. secretary of war, but the Army judged the use of a percussion cap in Colt firearms too innovative and therefore potentially unreliable. Scattered sales in the newly formed Republic of Texas and in Florida , where the Second Seminole War (1835-42) was ongoing, did not translate into the revenue required to maintain the veneer of success Colt needed to impress potential clients. Eventually, the company’s shareholders took control of Patent Arms Manufacturing, and Colt was relegated to sales agent.

In 1842, the company was forced to close, and its fixtures and inventory of guns and gun parts were auctioned off to the highest bidder.With his company failing, Colt turned to another interest: perfecting an underwater mine for use in harbor defense. His remote-ignition “submarine battery” required him to develop a waterproof cable capable of transmitting electricity underwater. As with his revolver mechanism, Colt’s innovative cable was adapted from an earlier design: a cable developed by telegraph inventor Samuel F.B. Morse (1791-1872). The relationship between the two inventors led to a partially implemented scheme to install a telegraph line from the New York Merchant’s Exchange to Sandy Hook, New Jersey. (The line went only as far as Fire Island, New York, before the project was abandoned.) Busy with these new projects, and discouraged by the failure of Patent Arms Manufacturing, Colt also found himself caught up in a national scandal after his brother, John Colt, murdered a printer with whom he did business. U.S. Expansionism Sparks a Need for More Guns The 1844 election of President James K.

Polk (1795-1849) saw the implementation of Polk’s plans for outward expansion into Texas and the Western territories. Seeing a new opportunity, Colt submitted a sample of his enhanced revolving holster pistol to the U.S. war department. In 1846, with the Mexican War under way, Colt had a visit from Captain Samuel H. Walker (1817-47) of the U.S. Mounted Riflemen. After Colt and Walker collaborated on the design for a new and improved gun, General Zachary Taylor (1784-1850) ordered 1,000 Colt revolvers. The guns were delivered to the Army in 1847. Colt’s guns were now produced in Hartford, where his factory was managed by mechanic-minded supervisor Elisha K. Root (1808-65). Under Root’s guidance, the renamed Colt Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company hired talented mechanics and engineers who continued the innovations Colt had begun.

In the early 1850s, a company branch was established in England, and in 1855 a new Hartford factory–the largest privately owned armament manufacturing plant in the world–was built overlooking the Connecticut River. By 1856, the company could produce 150 weapons per day using interchangeable parts, efficient production lines and specially designed precision machinery. The Colt brand was now recognized worldwide through savvy promotion and was associated with quality and dependability. A masterful promoter, Colt positioned his firearms within the American mythos, even hiring artist and explorer George Catlin (1796-1872) to create paintings depicting Colt guns in use by sportsmen and explorers encountering exotic predatory animals in North and South America. The Civil War and Beyond During the late 1850s, while tensions mounted between the North and South that would soon lead to the American Civil War , Colt continued to do business with longstanding customers in Southern states. However, when war was finally declared on April 12, 1861, he turned his focus almost exclusively to supplying the Union army. He also outfitted the 1st Regiment Connecticut Rifles, a volunteer regiment from his company’s home state.

Colt’s Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company operated at full capacity and employed over 1,000 people in its Hartford factory. By that time, Samuel Colt had become one of the wealthiest men in America and owned a Connecticut mansion called Armsmear. The strain of supplying the war effort eventually took its toll on Colt. Suffering from chronic rheumatism, the 47-year-old gun manufacturer died at his home on January 10, 1862, leaving behind an estate worth millions. The company, which manufactured more than 400,000 firearms during Colt’s lifetime, was left to its founder’s wife, Elizabeth, and Root was appointed president. In 1901, the Colt family sold the company to a group of investors. Still in business today, the Colt’s Manufacturing Company went on to produce the Colt Single Action Army handgun, also known as the Colt .45 or the Peacemaker, the standard service revolver of the U.S. military between 1873 and 1892. To date, the company founded by Samuel Colt has produced more than 30 million pistols, revolvers and rifles.

Tags Important Dates in Gun History 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. Event Date 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 1247 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) 1267 Edward III used cannon against the Scots * [*Date may be wrong as this is year of Edward's birth according to one site visitor.] 1327 Hand Cannon had appeared in the field of battle during the reign of Edward III in 1364 Hand guns were known in Italy in 1397, and in England they appear to have been used as early as 1375 The first mechanical device for firing the hand gun made its appearance in 1424 We hear of armour being penetrated by bullets and the hand gun showing signs of becoming a weapon capable of rudimentary precision by 1425 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 1485 The standard flintlock gun came in about 1630 The rates of pay for repairs and new arms were fixed in 1631 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).

1637 The screw or cannon barrel pistol came in probably prior to 1640 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 1640 The London Gunmakers' Company enjoyed powers which enabled them to enforce proof when the second charter was granted in 1672 A ring attachment was added to the bayonet so that it no longer served as a muzzle plug 1680 The earliest known English breech-loading rifle was made by Willmore, who was apprenticed to Foad in 1689 The "Brown Bess" was known in Ireland as a "King's Arm" from its use by William at the Battle of the Boyne 1690 The whole English army was equipped with flintlocks in 1690 Snaphaunces continued to be made on the Continer%+, till about 1700 In the reign of Queen Anne the "Brown Bess" was known as the "Queen's Arm" in Ireland 1702-1714 The socket bayonet had appeared and was adopted in the British service about 171

0 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 1714-1830 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 1714-1727 The French established their "Manufacturers Royales" at Charleville, St. Etienne and Maubeuge in 1718 The large box lock type of pistol made its appearance about 1730 A few hammerless flintlock sporting guns were made by Stanislaus Paczelt, of Prague in Bohemia about 1730 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.

1746 The use of pistols for duelling purposes became general as the practice of carrying the rapier or small sword died out between 1750-1765 The top rib in double-barreled guns appeared about 1780 Spring bayonets are common on blunderbusses and pistols of the period subsequent to the date of the patent (John Waters, Pat. No. 1284) in 1781 The first patent for single trigger locks for double arms (James Templeman, Pat. No. 1707) was in 1789 Single trigger pistols, with side by side, and also under and over barrels, were made by Egg about 1789 The acorn pattern trigger guard extension toward the barrel used up to about 1790 The duelling pistol approached perfection by 1790-1800 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 1792 The saw handle was very popular, both in flint and percussion pistols about 1815-1825 The true flintlock revolver is the very rare weapon made by Collier about 1820 Flints were converted to percussion cap, and the flint principle lost favor from 1820 The percussion cap came into universal use on private arms about 1826 The Delvigne (French) service rifle was invented in 1826 The "Third Baker Rifle" was issued about 1830 The back action lock made its appearance about 1830 The Robert rifle was invented by Robert, a gunsmith of Paris in 1831 The needle fire cartridge was patented by Adolph Moser in last The percussion cap system of ignition was in common use before it was adopted for the service weapon.

It was tested at Woolwich in 1843 Coach pistols supplied to the guard of public stage coaches are extremely rare, but were made with flintlocks and brass lock plates until 1835 Percussion cap locks fitted with a pierced platinum disc below the nipple gradually fell into disuse and are seldom found in arms subsequent to 1835 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 1835 Colt claims the ratchet motion, locking the cylinder and centre fire position of the nipples as particular points of his specification 1835 Colt did not know that the revolving principle was an age-old European idea until he visited England in 1835 The Enfield percussion carbine - .65 inch calibre with hinged spring triangular bayonet folding below the barrel was made for Constabulary service in 1835 The true pin-fire cartridge emerged about 1840 It was not until 1840 that we definitely find a breech-loading needle gun cartridge patented (Wm. Bush, Pat. No.

8513) in 1840 The Brunswick rifle superseded the Baker model about 1840 1840 Duelling declined in England after 1840 The period of decadence of duelling was noticeable for the production of rather short barreled pistols 1840-1850 A few service arms were converted to the percussion cap system in 1839, and it was officially adopted in 1842 The service percussion musket was mainly experimental until 1844 A double-barreled 26 inch barrel, .67 inch calibre arm was issued for constabulary use in 1845 The Minie (English) service rifle was introduced in 1850 Minie's patent for the self-expanding bullet was purchased and adopted by the British Government for the Enfield rifle in 1851 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 1851 Colt delivered a lecture on Colt revolvers before the Institute of Civil Engineers during his visit to London in 1851 Charles Lancaster brought out his

 central fire under lever gun with extractor and the first true centre fire cartridge in 1852 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 1853-1857 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 1853 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. 1854-1856 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. 1855 Whitworth rifles were produced in 1857 Duelling continued in India to the date of the Mutiny 1857-1858 The first recorded European revolver for central fire cartridges appears to be that patented by Perrin and Delmas in 1859 The first effective and widely used magazine repeater was undoubtedly the Spencer carbine, patented in the U.S.A. in 1860 Tyler F.

Henry [sic] brought out the Henry rifle in 1860 In the American Civil War, both breech and muzzle loader were used 1860-1865 Note: It was the patent of Pottet, a French gunsmith.

Breech loaders were coming into general use by 1861 The first central fire repeater appears to have been Ball's carbine made by the Lamson Arms Co., Windsor, Vermont, U.S.A., in 1863 For all practical purposes, metallic cartridges were not widely introduced until 1863-1864 The first cartridge repeater shot-gun appears to have been the Roper of 1866 The Snider service rifle was issued in 1866 The Henry was merged into the Winchester in 1866 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 1866 Duels were fought in Ireland till as late as 1868 The Martini-Henry rifle was issued in 1869 The first European magazine military arm was the Swiss Vetterli rifle of 1869-1871 In 1866, the Chassepot was authorized and all branches of the French army were equipped with the weapon by 1870 The Franco-German War was almost entirely a breech

-loading affair 1870-1871 The first true hammer-less gun appears to have been that of Murcott in 1871-1871 The first bolt action military repeater seems to be the Edge rifle (Pat.

No. 3643) of 1874-1875 The History and Evolution of Guns as Told Through Pictures – TheBlaze This article is part of a series on Guns in America that explores the use of firearms in our country and the debate over gun control. This is an editorially independent series sponsored by Tactical Firearms Training Secrets. — While people on both sides of the Second Amendment debate are consumed by the contemporary legalities surrounding guns, few have taken the time to pause and consider the unique history of firearms — a robust and colorful timeline that dates back centuries. Regardless of where one stands on the legislative front, it’s hard not to appreciate the unique developments that have been ingrained in the protection and progression of our society. Firearms have been around for quite some time. Believe it or not, guns were being used as early as 1364. Obviously, the weaponry being employed in early days is nothing like what we have today, but understanding this expansive history offers a fascinating lens into the past. From primitive guns to modern-day automatic weapons, the evolution is noteworthy.

Medieval hand cannon from around 1350 (Photo Credit: National Firearms Museum) THE WORLD’S FIRST GUNS It was in 1364 that mankind first recorded the use of a firearm. These weapons, called “hand cannons,” were the first step in the creation of guns. Just 14 years later, handguns were already making their way across Europe. Guns, in their infancy, were very different from today’s multifaceted weapons, as PBS notes . Originally, a wick was tied to “touch hole” inside of the barrel of guns. Then, when one lit the wick, the powder would inevitably be ignited inside, creating the reaction needed to launch the projectile. 19th century matchlock musket (Photo Credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art) It wasn’t until the matchlock gun arrived in the 1400s that guns began to evolve. This particular firearm was the first gun that used mechanics to release a bullet. Finding early examples of these guns is difficult, as they are rare. The NRA’s National Firearms Museum provides more information about how these weapons worked: The first gun to combine all three components was the matchlock, in the early 1400’s.

Many early hand cannons were ignited with a “slow match” – a length of slender rope or cord that had been chemically treated so that an end could be ignited and would continue to burn or smolder, much like a 4th of July punk used to shoot fireworks. Obviously it was awkward to hold both gun & slow match while trying to dip the match to the touch hole of the hand cannon. The matchlock solved this problem by using an arm called a serpentine on the gun to hold the slow match. By mechanical linkage, a trigger on mounted on the bottom of the lock could be pressed to lower the match to the touch hole, which now included a small pan of fine gun powder that would be ignited first, transmitting the fire through the hole to fire the main charge in the barrel. 16th-17th century matchlock musket (Photo Credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art) THE GUN’S FIRST MAJOR EVOLUTION In 1498, the gun experienced its first major evolution with the discovery of rifling (putting grooves in the barrel of a gun to improve accuracy).

The National Firearms Museum explains the concept : Archers had found that if the fletching feathers on the rear of their arrow were at a slight angle, causing the arrow to rotate in flight, their ability to hit the target was improved. This concept was applied to gun barrels by cutting slowly twisting grooves down the interior length of the barrel, imparting a spin to the bullet as it left the muzzle. These grooves were called rifling, and “rifled muskets” or “rifles” so equipped were found to be much better at hitting their mark over further distances than “smooth-bore” muskets. And just a few years later in 1509, the creation of the wheel lock made for an even more intriguing and advanced weapon. Contrary to the matchlock, which required a wick to ignite the gun for usage, the wheel lock was a steel wheel that created the spark needed to ignite the gun. Wheel lock gun (Photo Credit: Small Arms of the Bavarian National Museum, Munich/Nick Michael) As PBS notes , the wheel lock technology was extremely expensive, leading some to still choose the matchlock despite improvements (the latter was half the price of the former).

Double-barreled wheellock pistol circa 1540-1545 (Photo Credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art) THE EMERGENCE OF THE FLINTLOCK The next major advancement in gun technologies came in 1640, when the first true flintlock emerged. As PBS notes , this particular technology solved a problem that had been hampering shooters for quite some time. For much of the gun’s existence up to this point, a lid was used to protect or expose powder — a tool that had to be moved manually. U.S. model 1816 flintlock pistol (Photo Credit: NRA Blog/American Riflemen) The flintlock solved this annoyance by being designed to both push back the lid and spark a flint simultaneously. The development was so profund, in fact, that it lasted for two centuries without any major alterations. Here’s how HowStuffWorks.com describes the technology : The basic goal of the flintlock is simple: to create a spark that can light the gunpowder stored in the barrel of the gun. To create this spark, the flintlock uses the “flint and steel” approach. The idea behind flint and steel is straightforward.

Flint is an amazingly hard form of rock. If you strike iron or steel with flint, the flint flakes off tiny particles of iron. The force of the blow and the friction it creates actually ignites the iron, and it burns rapidly to form Fe3O4. The sparks that you see are the hot specks of iron burning! If these sparks come near gunpowder, they will ignite it. A diagram showing the parts of the flintlock technology (Photo Credit: HowStuffWorks.com) Before guns there were swords (known as rapiers). Men would carry these weapons and use them for self-defense and duels. But around 1750, PBS notes that people began carrying guns rather than rapiers. While a variety of firearms were initially used, around 1777, a more standard practice of using a flintlock was being employed. These pistols were used in this fashion until the mid-1800s when dueling was no longer a fad.

Lavish flintlock pistols from England circa 1800-1801 (Photo Credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art) PERCUSSION-CAP GUNS The flintlock’s technology finally peaked around 1825 when the percussion-detonating principle was in general use. About.com claims that percussion-cap guns, invented and patented by the Rev. John Forsyth in the early 1800s, no longer required a flash pan. By the time the Civil War rolled around, both the Union and Confederate forces were using the newfound technology. HowStuffWorks.com further explains the intricacies behind the technology: The percussion cap was made possible by the discovery of a chemical compound called mercuric fulminate or fulminate of mercury. Its chemical formula is Hg(ONC)2 — it is made from mercury, nitric acid and alcohol. Mercuric fulminate is extremely explosive, and it is shock sensitive. A sharp blow, or even too much finger pressure, can cause it to detonate.

By putting a small amount of mercuric fulminate in a pre-made cap (a tiny cup about the size of a pencil eraser) and affixing the cap to a nipple and tube leading into the barrel, the cap can ignite the gunpowder in the barrel. Colt Third Model Dragoon Percussion Revolver (Photo Credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art) THE COLT REVOLVER The first multi-shot, revolving firearms that were mass produced came from Samuel Colt. Colt produced a gun that enabled people to fire multiple shots without reloading — a development that forever changed warfare. By mass producing these weapons, the inventor made them more affordable and, as PBS Notes, their accuracy and reliability made them useful among hunters and soldiers, alike. The first Colt revolver emerged in 1835. The Colt web site has more about this fascinating history: Sam Colt’s success story began with the issuance of a U.S. patent in 1836 for the Colt firearm equipped with a revolving cylinder containing five or six bullets. Colt’s revolver provided its user with greatly increased firepower. Prior to his invention, only one- and two-barrel flintlock pistols were available.

In the 163 years that have followed, more than 30 million revolvers, pistols, and rifles bearing the Colt name have been produced, almost all of them in plants located in the Hartford, Connecticut, area. Civil War-era Colt revolver (Photo Credit: North Carolina Museum of History) GUN TECHNOLOGIES VASTLY IMPROVE It was the second half of the 19th century that gun technologies monumentally expanded. In 1840, the pinfire cartridge was introduced (more about this here ). And by 1850, true shotguns were in use. As PBS notes , guns were given new life, again, in 1860, with the introduction of the Spencer repeating carbine: Introduced at the start of the Civil War, Spencer repeating guns were technically advanced, used cartridges (a recent development), and could fire 7 shots in 15 seconds. But the Army didn’t want a repeating gun, fearing that soldiers would fire more often, constantly need fresh ammunition, and overtax the supply system. But in 1863, President Lincoln test-fired a Spencer.

His approval led to the purchase of 107,372 Spencer repeating carbines and rifles (of 144,500 made), and the Spencer became the principal repeating gun of the Civil War. Spencer Repeating Rifle (Photo Credit: North Carolina Museum of History) While most guns in use until the mid-1800s were muzzle-loading (from the front of the barrel), breech-loading (from the back of the barrel) firearms were in common use by 1861. To provide some context, most guns originally required the former system of loading bullets. From the matchlock phase through the percussion era, muzzle loading was the norm. Through this system, the projectile and powder were dropped down the muzzle at the front of the gun’s barrel and rammed to the rear prior to firing a shot, the National Firearms Museum claims . Eventually, breech-loading took precedence. MACHINE GUNS COME TO FRUITION Photo Credit: National Firearms Museum In 1861, the Gatling Gun came on the scene — a magnificent technology, considering its usefulness.

About.com provides a snapshot of its capabilities and history (it is considered the precursor to the modern machine gun): In 1861, Doctor Richard Gatling patented the Gatling Gun, a six-barreled weapon capable of firing a (then) phenomenal 200 rounds per minute. The Gatling gun was a hand-driven, crank-operated, multi-barrel, machine gun. The first machine gun with reliable loading, the Gatling gun had the ability to fire sustained multiple bursts. Richard Gatling created his gun during the American Civil War, he sincerely believed that his invention would end war by making it unthinkable to use due to the horrific carnage possible by his weapons. At the least, the Gatling Gun’s power would reduce the number of soldiers required to remain on the battlefield. The 1862 version of the gatling gun had reloadable steel chambers and used percussion caps. It was prone to occasional jamming. In 1867, Gatling redesigned the Gatling gun again to use metallic cartridges – this version was bought and used by the United States Army.

Gatling gun at the National Park Service at Fort Laramie in Wyoming (Photo Credit: Matthew Trump) THE WINCHESTER RIFLE EMERGES In 1873, the Winchester Rifle emerged, distinguishing itself as an immensely-popular firearm. In 1887, the first repeating shotguns were released by the company and, in 1903, Winchester again made history when it created the first automatic rifle. Winchester Model 1873 rifle, which was produced in 1897 (Photo Credit: National Firearms Museum) And in 1892, as PBS notes, the first automatic pistol was created by Joseph Laumann. Just just one year later — in 1893 — the Borchardt pistol emerged, complete with a separate magazine. Within eight years, automatic weapons were in regular use. A Borchardt Pistol from 1893 (Photo Credit: National Firearms Museum) According to the National Firearms Museum, the first truly fully automatic machine guns (firearms that fire continuously while the trigger is held down) emerged in the 1880s when Hiram Maxim perfected the technology.

Then, John Moses Browning followed these weapons up with the .30 caliber Model 1917 and the .50 caliber M-2 “Ma Deuce” — the latter of which is still used today. In 1900, the historical firearms period came to a close and contemporary technologies abounded. You can read more about modern gun advances in the National Firearms Museum web site.

Question: When was the revolver, a hand gun with a rifled barrel and a revolving cartridge cylinder, invented?
Answer: 1835