Firearms Evolution

First Division Museum at Cantigny

Teaching Military History 101

The “Hand Cannon”

The original matchlocks of the early 14th Century required the soldier to be near a fire in order to heat an iron wire and poke it into the “touch hole” of the gun in order to fire. Like the cannons of that time, the matchlock had a bright flash, loud bang, and created a lot of smoke, but it did little damage.

1300’s – 1400’s

Matchlock Like artillery, the

matchlock gun evolved greatly over time. As matchlocks developed, the match could be attached to the gun and a trigger used to fire. Eventually, sights were added and the gun could be aimed.

1400’s-1600’s Columbus through Pilgrims Matchlock

M1763 Charleville

American Revolution Flintlock Musket

SPECIFICATIONManufacturer French National Armories: Charleville, Maubeuge, and St. EtienneCalibre .69SmoothboreMuzzle LoadingTotal Length 1,511.3mm/59.5inBarrel Length 1,130.3mm/44.5inWeight Unloaded 8.8 lbsMaximum Range 200 meters, but only fairly accurate up to 50 meters.

M1812 Whitney Eli Whitney “laid the

foundation and created techniques that became known as the American System of Manufacture.” Whitney’s system of manufacture created interchangeable parts that could be made with unskilled labor.

American Civil War Flintlock Musket

Springfield M1842 First Percussion MusketFirst

Interchangeable PartsLast Smoothbore Musket

SPECIFICATIONManufacturer SpringfieldCalibre .69 round ball, or .69 cal round ball and 3 buckshot (known as a “buck and ball” cartridge)SmoothboreMuzzle loadingTotal Length 1,460.5mm/57.5inWeight Unloaded 10 lb

American Civil War Percussion Musket

Smooth Bore versus Rifling and the advent of the Minnie ball

Springfield M1864SPECIFICATIONManufacturer SpringfieldCalibre .58RifledMuzzle LoadingAccurate Range 400 yards

Indian Wars Percussion Rifle

Hammer Percussion cap goes here

The hammer strikes the percussion cap and ignites the gunpowder, which propels the bullet out the barrel of the gun.

Sights

Trapdoor Springfield

Indian Wars Breech Loading Rifle

SPECIFICATIONManufacturer Springfield,Calibre .45Rifled Breech Loading Barrel Length 829mm/ 32.6in

M1898 Krag-Jorgensen

Spanish American War - Philippine Insurrection Bolt-Action Rifle

SPECIFICATIONManufacturer SpringfieldCalibre .30-40Magazine Capacity 5 (no stripper clip)Action Bolt ActionTotal Length 1,248mm/49.15inBarrel Length 762mm/30in Weight Unloaded 9 lbEffective Range 900m/3,000ft

M1898 Mauser Rifle

Spanish American – WWI Bolt-Action Rifle

SPECIFICATIONManufacturer Mauser and various othersCalibre 7.92 mm Magazine Capacity 5Action Bolt ActionTotal Length 1,249mm/49.2inBarrel Length 740mm/29.15in Weight Unloaded 9.02lb

M1903 Springfield

WWI Bolt Action Rifle

SPECIFICATIONManufacturer Springfield, Remington, WinchesterCalibre .30-06Magazine Capacity 5 round stripper clipAction Bolt ActionTotal Length 1,102mm/43.4inBarrel Length 615mm/24.2inWeight Unloaded 8.5 lbsEffective Range 2,500 yards

M1 Garand

WWII – Korea Semi Automatic Rifle

M1 Garand en bloc clip with

eight .30 Caliber

rounds

SPECIFICATIONManufacturer Various USCalibre 7.62 x 63mmMagazine Capacity 8 en bloc clipAction Gas Operated/ rotating boltTotal Length 1,105mm/43.5inBarrel Length 609mm/24inWeight Unloaded 9.5 lbsEffective Range 500vd (457m)

M14 Rifle

1957 – Vietnam, Iraq Marksman Rifle

SPECIFICATIONManufacturer Springfield, H&R, TRWCalibre 7.62mm NATOMagazine Capacity 20 round boxAction Gas OperatedTotal Length 1,117mm/44inBarrel Length 558mm/22inWeight Unloaded 8.56 lbsEffective Range 460 meters / 500 yards

Left to Right: M1 Garand 8-round en-bloc clip, M14 20-round magazine, M16 20- and 30-round capacities.

M16 Rifle

Vietnam – Present Assault Rifle

SPECIFICATIONManufacturer Calibre 5.56x45mm CartridgeMagazine Capacity 20 and 30 round boxAction Gas Operated Rotating BoltWeight Unloaded 8.5 lbsRate of Fire 800-900 rounds per minuteEffective Range 550m (600 yards)

M203 grenade launcher attached to M16

Scope attached to M16

Gatling Gun

Heavy Machine Gun

Dr. Richard Gatling invented the Gatling gun in 1862. The Gatling gun was a mechanical machine gun powered by a person turning a crank (Weir, 127).

Maxim Gun

World War I Heavy Machine Gun

SPECIFICATIONManufacturer DMW, Spandau, othersCalibre 7.62mmMagazine Capacity 250 Round BeltRate of Fire cyclic rpm: 550Muzzle Velocity 2,800 ft/secondWatercooledAction Recoil OperatedWeight Unloaded 52.8 lbs with no water or tripod

The Maxim is reputed to have killed more human beings than any other gun in history (Weir, 128).

Hotchkiss Gun

World War I Heavy Machine Gun

SPECIFICATIONManufacturer Hotchkiss et CieCalibre 8mm LebelMagazine Capacity 24- & 30-round traysAction Gas OperatedTotal Length 1,270mm/50inBarrel Length 775mm/30.5inWeight Unloaded 42 lbs w/out tripod, which added 60 lbs

M1917 Browning Machine Gun

WWI and WWII Heavy Machine Gun

SPECIFICATIONManufacturer ColtCalibre .30-06Magazine Capacity Belt FedAction Recoil Operated Total Length 978mm/38.5inBarrel Length 610mm/24inWeight Unloaded 32.6 lbs without mount

Trigger and pistol grip

Water jacket for coolingPiece to mount

gun to tripod

M1918 BAR: Browning Automatic Rifle

World War II Light Machine Gun

SPECIFICATIONManufacturer ColtCalibre .30-06Magazine Capacity 20Action Gas OperatedTotal Length 1,214mm/47.8inBarrel Length 610mm/24inWeight Unloaded 19.4 lbs

Box Magazine attached here

Magazine Release

Flash Suppressor

Gas Cylinder Tube

Gas Cylinder

Parts of a Gun

Parts of a Gun

Bayonets: Plug, Ring, Socket, Knife

PlugRing

Socket Knife

Sources

Fowler, Will and Patrick Sweeney. The World Encyclopedia of Rifles and Machine Guns. Anness Publishing Ltd, London, England. 2007. Hand Cannon Photo

Hogg, Ivan V. Weapons of the Civil War. The Military Press, New York, 1987. Gatling Gun Photo

Hogg, Ivan. V. The Encyclopedia of Infantry Weapons of World War II. The Military Press, New York, 1977.

The Eli Whitney Museum and Workshop at www.eliwhitney.com Springfield Armory Museum Online at http://www.rediscov.com/spring.htm Picture of M1842 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:M1842.jpg

Center for military history: http://www.history.army.mil/index.htmlCombined Arms Research library: http://www.cgsc.edu/carl/A website with military history documentaries: http://www.factualtv.com/videos/military-history

Additional Research Sites