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 SPECIFICATION Manufacturer French National Armories: Charleville, Maubeuge, and St. Etienne Calibre.69 Smoothbore Muzzle Loading Total Length 1,511.3mm/59.5in Barrel Length 1,130.3mm/44.5in Weight Unloaded 8.8 lbs Maximum 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 Musket First Interchangeable Parts Last Smoothbore Musket SPECIFICATION Manufacturer Springfield Calibre.69 round ball, or.69 cal round ball and 3 buckshot (known as a “buck and ball” cartridge) Smoothbore Muzzle loading Total Length 1,460.5mm/57.5in Weight Unloaded 10 lb American Civil War Percussion Musket

Smooth Bore versus Rifling and the advent of the Minnie ball

Springfield M1864 SPECIFICATION Manufacturer Springfield Calibre.58 Rifled Muzzle Loading Accurate 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 SPECIFICATION Manufacturer Springfield, Calibre.45 Rifled Breech Loading Barrel Length 829mm/ 32.6in

M1898 Krag-Jorgensen Spanish American War - Philippine Insurrection Bolt-Action Rifle SPECIFICATION Manufacturer Springfield Calibre Magazine Capacity 5 (no stripper clip) Action Bolt Action Total Length 1,248mm/49.15in Barrel Length 762mm/30in Weight Unloaded 9 lb Effective Range 900m/3,000ft

M1898 Mauser Rifle Spanish American – WWI Bolt-Action Rifle SPECIFICATION Manufacturer Mauser and various others Calibre 7.92 mm Magazine Capacity 5 Action Bolt Action Total Length 1,249mm/49.2in Barrel Length 740mm/29.15in Weight Unloaded 9.02lb

M1903 Springfield WWI Bolt Action Rifle SPECIFICATION Manufacturer Springfield, Remington, Winchester Calibre Magazine Capacity 5 round stripper clip Action Bolt Action Total Length 1,102mm/43.4in Barrel Length 615mm/24.2in Weight Unloaded 8.5 lbs Effective Range 2,500 yards

M1 Garand WWII – Korea Semi Automatic Rifle M1 Garand en bloc clip with eight.30 Caliber rounds SPECIFICATION Manufacturer Various US Calibre 7.62 x 63mm Magazine Capacity 8 en bloc clip Action Gas Operated/ rotating bolt Total Length 1,105mm/43.5in Barrel Length 609mm/24in Weight Unloaded 9.5 lbs Effective Range 500vd (457m)

M14 Rifle 1957 – Vietnam, Iraq Marksman Rifle SPECIFICATION Manufacturer Springfield, H&R, TRW Calibre 7.62mm NATO Magazine Capacity 20 round box Action Gas Operated Total Length 1,117mm/44in Barrel Length 558mm/22in Weight Unloaded 8.56 lbs Effective Range 460 meters / 500 yards Left to Right: M1 Garand 8-round en-bloc clip, M14 20-round magazine, M and 30-round capacities.M1 GarandM14M16

M16 Rifle Vietnam – Present Assault Rifle SPECIFICATION Manufacturer Calibre 5.56x45mm Cartridge Magazine Capacity 20 and 30 round box Action Gas Operated Rotating Bolt Weight Unloaded 8.5 lbs Rate of Fire rounds per minute Effective 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 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 SPECIFICATION Manufacturer DMW, Spandau, others Calibre 7.62mm Magazine Capacity 250 Round Belt Rate of Fire cyclic rpm: 550 Muzzle Velocity 2,800 ft/second Watercooled Action Recoil Operated Weight 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 SPECIFICATION Manufacturer Hotchkiss et Cie Calibre 8mm Lebel Magazine Capacity 24- & 30-round trays Action Gas Operated Total Length 1,270mm/50in Barrel Length 775mm/30.5in Weight Unloaded 42 lbs w/out tripod, which added 60 lbs

M1917 Browning Machine Gun WWI and WWII Heavy Machine Gun SPECIFICATION Manufacturer Colt Calibre Magazine Capacity Belt Fed Action Recoil Operated Total Length 978mm/38.5in Barrel Length 610mm/24in Weight Unloaded 32.6 lbs without mount Trigger and pistol grip Water jacket for cooling Piece to mount gun to tripod

M1918 BAR: Browning Automatic Rifle World War II Light Machine Gun SPECIFICATION Manufacturer Colt Calibre Magazine Capacity 20 Action Gas Operated Total Length 1,214mm/47.8in Barrel Length 610mm/24in Weight Unloaded 19.4 lbs Box Magazine attached here Magazine Release Flash Suppressor Gas Cylinder Tube Gas Cylinder

Parts of a Gun

Bayonets: Plug, Ring, Socket, Knife Plug Ring Socket Knife

Sources Fowler, Will and Patrick Sweeney. The World Encyclopedia of Rifles and Machine Guns. Anness Publishing Ltd, London, England  Hand Cannon Photo Hogg, Ivan V. Weapons of the Civil War. The Military Press, New York,  Gatling Gun Photo Hogg, Ivan. V. The Encyclopedia of Infantry Weapons of World War II. The Military Press, New York, The Eli Whitney Museum and Workshop at Springfield Armory Museum Online at Picture of M Center for military history: Combined Arms Research library: A website with military history documentaries: Additional Research Sites