Firearms

a general name for the pistol, revolver, carbine, musket, shotgun, rifle, howitzer, and even cannon; in short, for all sorts of guns from which missiles are fired by means of explosive gunpowder.

The origin of firearms is unknown, except that Europe got the hint from the East. The first form in use was the small cannon; then came a heavy musket that was rested on a support and fired with a burning match. The flintlock came next and was succeeded by the percussion cap, and the latter, in turn, by the cartridge with a percussion cap within at the base. The rifle, the favorite American firearm, was invented at Leipsic, about the time of the discovery of America. In the barrel are two or more spiral grooves that give a bullet a whirling or rotary motion, and cause it to carry farther and with greater accuracy than a bullet from a smooth bore. The revolving barrel was invented by Samuel colt. It was placed upon the market about 1835. The breechloading rifle attracted attention in 1852. The number and variety of firearms are too great for enumeration here. The largest firearms factory in the United States is that of the Remingtons at Ilion, New York. Hartford is noted for gun factories. According to the last United States census, about 5,000 wage earners are engaged in the manufacture of firearms, producing a total annual output worth from five to seven millions a year, reckoned at factory prices.

In many European countries the general use of firearms is prohibited by law. The common people of Russia are not allowed to have guns of any sort in their possession. While not skilled in the manual of arms, it is safe to assert that the average American young man can handle a gun more intelligently than the average peasant soldier of any country in Europe. Owing to the large amount of open country and a prevalent love of sport, it is probable that, man for man, the Canadians are the best shots in the world. The people of the northwestern part of the United States would be inclined to dispute this statement; but the average for the United States is very much reduced by the large number of people who dwell exclusively in cities and are not familiar with outdoor life.

See Gun; Cannon; Powder; Colt; Armstrong; William George; Artillery; Krupp; Alfred