Guns were a big thing ever since their invention. Even back in the day, they were used as a means of protection by people, but also for hunting and providing food to the rest of the family. Therefore, guns have left their mark on the U.S. and became part of the country’s culture, as we know even nowadays.
But there have been a few moments in the history of guns that changed the game. If you are curious about them, here are some important events that influenced the history of guns.
- The First Firearms
When the first guns were invented, it’s unclear how they were making their gunpowder. Some documents from a Chinese Buddhist have been saying that people have tried a combination of sulfur, saltpeter, honey, and carbon of charcoal. Apparently, they have been heated and burnt people’s faces, hands, and even houses.
The first actual powder was a black powder used for fireworks, which was later added to weapons. Guns were made as small versions of cannons to be operated by hand. They had hollow bamboo tubes and used small projectiles to shoot, but they didn’t have the best range, so it’s believed they were used in hand-to-hand combat only.
- Colt .45
The name “Colt” is widely recognized by gun lovers. Back in 1836, Samuel Colt invented a gun that would take over the market. This would allow the user to rotate the multi-chambered cylinder thanks to a multi-firing system. Each chamber would have some powder on top of which the bullet was situated. The gun would be loaded from the front of its cylinder.
When the user cocked the hammer, one of the chambers would rotate and come to align with the barrel. Once the trigger is pulled, the load in the chamber is fired when the hammer drops. This gun system would be the core of all similar firearms, and this system is still used to create today’s guns.
- Gun Control
Although gun violence was already a thing, the deaths of President John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy heightened the gun’s role in violence in America and led to changes in the laws. The Gun Control Act was passed in 1968, and it added some limits to the way weapons were being sold.
Basically, this act would regulate not only firearm owners but also the whole industry. Firearms would not be given to anyone who ever inflicted domestic violence acts, people from mental institutions, or convicted criminals. Simply put, if there was a restraining order against you, you were committed to mental institutions before, or you were a non-citizen, you were banned from owning a firearm. If you were previously discharged from the Armed forces because you did something bad, you were banned from owning firearms too. And as expected, those who were running from justice had no right to own a gun either. Not to mention that everyone selling firearms were required to have a license. Any company or individual selling guns had to get a license, or they wouldn’t be allowed to run their businesses.
President Lyndon B. Johnson has declared that the act will disarm all insane people, as well as careless and criminal ones. But a lot of people disagreed with Johnson and his limits when it came to purchasing weapons, and the NRA started to be more dedicated to gun rights. There have been attempts from them to loosen the law. After a first amended version of NRA’s legislation draft, many penalties have been rolled back. Federal agencies were banned from having a register of the guns and the owners of the guns.
Later on, the assassination attempt on President Reagan would spark the next gun control movement. Although he wasn’t killed, he was still left paralyzed. However, it isn’t clear if he joined the gun control movement. He did sign the Firearm Owner Protection Act in 1986. He also provided his support, during the Clinton administration in 1994, for the Brandy Bill. In other words, it’s hard to say whether he was fully supporting gun control or not.
- The Maxim Gun
The machine gun would step up its game once Hiram Maxim put his idea into application. Basically, this weapon used the recoil energy from each bullet and eliminated a used cartridge while pulling the following one.
His idea was enough to help the British army, as well as the Russian, Italian, Austrian and Swiss armies. Basically, his machine gun had the ability to shoot 600 rounds per minute, which was a big thing that would help in combat.
In World War I, people had access to newer versions of the Maxim gun after the company became more influential.
These weapons were so good and effective that they led to trench warfare development. It was hard to hide from rains of bullets from the other side, which is why shelter became a must. That being said, the Maxim gun didn’t only change guns, but also trench warfare.
- AK-47 Inventions
The AK-47 has become one of the most known rifles of all time ever since its invention during the Cold War. Mikhail Kalashnikov invented it back in 1947 for the Soviet military. Little did he know what effect it would have on gun history.
The gun had a short barrel, curved magazines, and steep front-sight posts. It was a deadly weapon, and later on, a new assault rifle was created, known as the AR-15. The AR-15 was created by Armalite back in 1959. However, Colt bought these rifles, after which they offered them to the Air Force. This rifle went under a lot of development, which allowed it to be redesigned into full auto and dub the M-16 later, in 1963. Not to mention that M-16 became the mainly used weapon in the military during the Vietnam War.
These rifles would be modernized and used even in the 21st century. They have the ability to shoot hundreds of bullets per minute. They have become semi-automatic weapons, and now, using them is a much easier task.
Not to mention that you even have the option to look for military-style hardware to help with the accuracy of the firearm. For example, you can add a sniper scope like the Schmidt and Bender PMII 3-12×50. This product has an amazing build, but above that, it gives you amazing clarity of what’s in front of you while shooting. As a result, you can have the best shot with your rifle.
Final Thoughts
Guns have a long history, and the developments they’ve gone through have been very impactful as time passed. Whereas the first guns were not as effective as the ones we know today, they started a whole culture. Moreover, some rifles created many decades ago are still widely used and known in the present day, like the AK-47 and AR-15.
It is nice to go back in time and see how everything started and how things changed. Hopefully, you found this post informative enough.
About the Author: Jay Chambers is a pro free speech business owner based in Austin, Texas. Having lived through several natural disasters and more than a few man-made ones (hello 2008), he believes that resilience and self-sufficiency are essential in this increasingly unpredictable world. That’s why he started a business! Jay writes over at Minute Man Review.