The .38 Military & Police, now known as the Smith & Wesson Model 10 revolver is one of the worlds most popular handguns, has been in continuous production since 1899, and over six million units have been produced.The 9mm ParabellumGlock 17 is one of the most common semi-automatic pistols in the world, over six million Glocks have been produced
In the days before mass production, handguns were often considered a badge of office, much the same a sword. As they had limited utility and were more expensive than the long-guns of the era, handguns were carried only by the very few who could afford to purchase them. However, when Samuel Colt patented the Colt Paterson, the first practical mass produced revolver in 1836, they very quickly became popular defensive weapons. Giving rise to the saying "God created men, but Colt made them equal."[1][2] Today, in most of the world, handguns are generally considered self-defense weapons used primarily by police and military officers. However, in the United States, handguns are also widely available to civilians and commonly carried for self-defense.
Firearms first appeared in China where gunpowder was first developed. The oldest known bronze barrel handgun is the Heilongjiang hand cannon, dated to 1288.[3] It's 34 centimeters (13.4 inches) long without a handle and weighs 3.55 kg (7.83 pounds). The diameter of the interior at the end of the barrel is 2.6 cm (1.0 inches).[4] The barrel is the lengthiest part of the hand cannon and is 6.9 inches long.[5]
The hand cannon has a bulbous base at the breech called the yaoshi (藥室) or gunpowder chamber, where the explosion that propels the projectile occurs.[6][7] The diameter of the Heilongjiang hand-gun's powder chamber is 6.6 cm (2.6 inches).[8] The walls of the powder chamber are noticeably thicker to better withstand the explosive pressure of the gunpowder.[7] The powder chamber also has a touch hole, a small hole for the fuse that ignites the gunpowder.[9] Behind the gunpowder chamber is a socket shaped like a trumpet where the handle of the hand cannon is inserted.[5] The bulbous shape of the base gave the earliest Chinese and Western cannons a vase-like or pear-like appearance, which gradually disappeared when advancements in metallurgical technology made the bulbous base obsolete.[10]
The matchlock appeared in Europe in the mid-15th century.[11]
The matchlock was the first mechanism invented to facilitate the firing of a hand-held firearm. The classic European matchlock gun held a burning slow match in a clamp at the end of a small curved lever known as the serpentine. Upon the pulling of a lever (or in later models a trigger) protruding from the bottom of the gun and connected to the serpentine, the clamp dropped down, lowering the smoldering match into the flash pan and igniting the priming powder. The flash from the primer traveled through the touch hole igniting the main charge of propellant in the gun barrel. On release of the lever or trigger, the spring-loaded serpentine would move in reverse to clear the pan. For obvious safety reasons the match would be removed before reloading of the gun. Both ends of the match were usually kept alight in case one end should be accidentally extinguished.
A wheellock pistol or Puffer, Augsburg, c. 1580A wheellock pistol mechanism from around 1730.
The wheellock was the next major development in firearms technology after the matchlock and the first self-igniting firearm. Its name is from its rotating steel wheel to provide ignition. Developed in Europe around 1500, it was used alongside the matchlock.
The wheellock works by spinning a spring-loaded steel wheel against a piece of pyrite to generate intense sparks, which ignite gunpowder in a pan, which flashes through a small touchhole to ignite the main charge in the firearm's barrel. The pyrite is clamped in vise jaws on a spring-loaded arm (or 'dog'), which rests on the pan cover. When the trigger is pulled, the pan cover is opened, and the wheel is rotated, with the pyrite pressed into contact.
A close modern analogy of the wheellock mechanism is the operation of a cigarette lighter, where a toothed steel wheel is spun in contact with a piece of sparking material to ignite the liquid or gaseous fuel.
A wheellock firearm had the advantage that it can be instantly readied and fired even with one hand, in contrast to the then-common matchlock firearms, which must have a burning cord of slow match ready if the gun might be needed and demanded the operator's full attention and two hands to operate. On the other hand, wheellock mechanisms were complex to make, making them relatively costly.
Ketland brass barrel smooth bore pistol common in Colonial America.Sparks generated by a flintlock mechanismFrench flintlock pistol circa 1790–1795.A flintlock pistol circa 1700–1730
A flintlock is a general term for any firearm that uses a flint striking ignition mechanism. The term may also apply to a particular form of the mechanism itself, that was introduced in the early 17th century, and rapidly replaced earlier firearm-ignition technologies, such as the matchlock and the wheellock.
Flintlock pistols were used as self-defense weapons and as a military arm. Their effective range was short, and they were frequently used as an adjunct to a sword or cutlass. Pistols were usually smoothbore although some rifled pistols were produced.
Flintlock pistols came in a variety of sizes and styles which often overlap and are not well defined, many of the names we use having been applied by collectors and dealers long after the pistols were obsolete. The smallest were less than 6 inches (15 cm) long and the largest were over 20 inches (51 cm). From around the beginning of the 1700s the larger pistols got shorter, so that by the late 1700s the largest would be more like 16 inches (41 cm) long. The smallest would fit into a typical pocket or a hand warming muff and could easily be carried by women.
The largest sizes would be carried in holsters across a horse's back just ahead of the saddle. In-between sizes included the coat pocket pistol, or coat pistol, which would fit into a large pocket, the coach pistol, meant to be carried on or under the seat of a coach in a bag or box, and belt pistols, sometimes equipped with a hook designed to slip over a belt or waistband. Larger pistols were called horse pistols. Arguably the most elegant of the pistol designs was the Queen Anne pistol, which was made in all sizes.
Probably the high point of the mechanical development of the flintlock pistol was the British duelling pistol; it was highly reliable, water resistant and accurate. External decoration was minimal but craftsmanship was evident, and the internal works were often finished to a higher degree of craftsmanship than the exterior. Dueling pistols were the size of the horse pistols of the late 1700s, around 16 inches (41 cm) long and were usually sold in pairs along with accessories in a wooden case with compartments for each piece.
Caplock Pistol, Swiss Ordnance 1817/42A typical caplockFrench Navy percussion cap pistol Model 1837Detail cutaway model of a French navy percussion pistol, model 1837
The caplock mechanism or percussion lock was the successor of the flintlock mechanism in firearm technology, and used a percussion cap struck by the hammer to set off the main charge, rather than using a piece of flint to strike a steel frizzen.
The rudimentary percussion system was developed by Rev. Alexander John Forsyth as a solution to the problem that birds would startle when smoke puffed from the powder pan of his flintlock shotgun, giving them sufficient warning to escape the shot.[12] His invention of a fulminate-primed firing mechanism deprived the birds of their early warning system, both by avoiding the initial puff of smoke from the flintlock powder pan, as well as shortening the interval between the trigger pull and the shot leaving the muzzle. Forsyth patented his ignition system in 1807. However, it was not until after Forsyth's patents expired that the conventional percussion cap system was developed.
The caplock offered many improvements over the flintlock. The caplock was easier to load, more resistant to weather, and was much more reliable than the flintlock. Many older flintlock weapons were later converted into caplocks so that they could take advantage of this increased reliability.[12]
The caplock mechanism consists of a hammer, similar to the hammer used in a flintlock, and a nipple (sometimes referred to as a "cone"), which holds a small percussion cap. The nipple contains a tube which goes into the barrel. The percussion cap contains a chemical compound called mercuric fulminate or fulminate of mercury, whose chemical formula is Hg(ONC)2.[12] It is made from mercury, nitric acid and alcohol. When the trigger releases the hammer, it strikes the cap, causing the mercuric fulminate to explode. The flames from this explosion travel down the tube in the nipple and enter the barrel, where they ignite the main powder charge.[12]
Colt Paterson Belt 2nd ModelColt Paterson 5th Model
In 1836, Samuel Colt patented the Colt Paterson, the first practical mass produced revolver. It uses a revolving cylinder with multiple chambers aligned with a single, stationary barrel. Initially this 5-shot revolver was produced in .28 caliber, with a .36 caliber model following a year later. As originally designed and produced, no loading lever was included with the revolver; a user had to disassemble the revolver partially to re-load it. Starting in 1839, however, a reloading lever and a capping window were incorporated into the design, allowing reloading without requiring partial disassembly of the revolver. This loading lever and capping window design change was also incorporated after the fact into most Colt Paterson revolvers that had been produced from 1836 until 1839.[13] Unlike later revolvers, a folding trigger was incorporated into the Colt Paterson. The trigger only became visible upon cocking the hammer.
A Smith & Wesson Model 1, 2nd Issue. This is a two patent date variety shown next to a period box of .22 short black powder cartridges.
The Colt SAA has been offered in over 30 different calibers and various barrel lengths. Its overall appearance has remained consistent since 1873. Colt has discontinued its production twice, but brought it back due to popular demand. The revolver was popular with ranchers, lawmen, and outlaws alike, but as of the early 21st century, models are mostly bought by collectors and re-enactors. Its design has influenced the production of numerous other models from other companies. The Colt SAA "Peacemaker" revolver is a famous piece of Americana known as "The Gun That Won the West".[15][16][17]
Colt New Army Model 1892This .38 Special Model 1899 Military and Police Hand Ejector left the factory on December 20, 1900
In 1889, Colt introduced the Model 1889, the first truly modern double action revolver, which differed from earlier double action revolvers by having a "swing-out" cylinder, as opposed to a "top-break" or "side-loading" cylinder. Swing out cylinders quickly caught on, because they combined the best features of earlier designs. Top-break actions gave the ability to eject all empty shells simultaneously, and exposed all chambers for easy reloading, but having the frame hinged into two halves weakened the gun and negatively affected accuracy, due to lack of rigidity. "Side-loaders", like the earlier Colt Model 1871 and 1873, gave a rigid frame, but required the user to eject and load one cylinder at a time, as they rotated the cylinder to line each chamber up with the side-mounted loading gate.[18] Smith & Wesson followed 7 years later with the ''Hand Ejector, Model 1896'' in .32 S&W Long caliber, followed by the very similar, yet improved, Model 1899 (later known as the Model 10), which introduced the new .38 Special cartridge. The Model 10 went on to become the best selling handgun of the 20th century, at 6,000,000 units, and the .38 Special is still the most popular chambering for revolvers in the world. These new guns were an improvement over the Colt 1889 design since they incorporated a combined center-pin and ejector rod to lock the cylinder in position. The 1889 did not use a center pin and the cylinder was prone to move out of alignment.[18]
Remington Double Deringer cal .41 rimfire.41 rimfire cartridgeA modern double-barreled Bond Arms derringer
The Remington Model 95 derringer was one of the first metallic cartridge handguns. Small and easy to use, Remington manufactured more than 150,000 of these over-under double-barreled derringers from 1866 until the end of their production in 1935.[19][20] The Remington derringer doubled the capacity of older single-shot percussion handguns designed by Henry Deringer, while maintaining a compact size. The Remington Model 95 has achieved such widespread popularity, that it has completely overshadowed it's predecessors, becoming synonymous with the word "derringer". The Model 95 was made only in .41 rimfire. Its barrels pivoted upwards to reload and a cam on the hammer alternated between top and bottom barrels. The .41 Short bullet moved very slowly, at about 425 feet per second (130 m/s), around half the speed of a modern .45 ACP. It could be seen in flight, but at very close range, such as at a casino or saloon card table, it could easily kill. There were four models with several variations. The Remington derringer design is still being made; in a variety of calibers from .22 long rifle to .45 Long Colt, by several manufacturers.[21] The current production of derringers are used by Cowboy Action Shooting reenactors as well as a concealed-carry weapon.
Mauser C96 "Broomhandle", the first mass-produced and commercially successful semi-automatic pistol
In 1896, Paul Mauser introduced the Mauser C96 "Broomhandle", the first mass-produced and commercially successful semi-automatic pistol, which uses the recoil energy of one shot to reload the next. The distinctive characteristics of the C96 are the integral box magazine in front of the trigger, the long barrel, the wooden shoulder stock which gives it the stability of a short-barreled rifle and doubles as a holster or carrying case, and a unique grip shaped like the handle of a broom. The grip earned the gun the nickname "broomhandle" in the English-speaking world, because of its round wooden handle.
Luger Model 1900/06 is one of the first semi-auto pistols to use a detachable magazine housed in the pistol-grip.
The Pistole Parabellum—or Parabellum-Pistole (Pistol Parabellum), commonly known in the United States as just Luger.[22] It's a toggle-locked recoil-operatedsemi-automatic pistol produced in several models and by several nations from 1898 to 1948. It was one of the first semi-auto pistols to use a detachable magazine housed in the pistol-grip. The design was first patented by Georg Luger as an improvement upon the Borchardt Automatic Pistol, and was produced as the Parabellum Automatic Pistol, Borchardt-Luger System by the German arms manufacturer Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken (DWM).[23] The first production model was known as the Modell 1900 Parabellum.[23] Later versions included the Pistol Parabellum Model 1908 or P08 which was produced by DWM and other manufacturers.[24] The first Parabellum pistol was adopted by the Swiss army in May 1900. In German Army service, the Parabellum was later adopted in modified form as the Pistol Model 1908 (P08) in caliber 9×19mm Parabellum.[23]
Walther PPK The Walther PPK pistol is famous as fictional secret agent James Bond's gun in many of the films and novels: Ian Fleming's choice of the Walther PPK directly influenced its popularity and its notoriety.[28][29]
The Walther PP (Polizeipistole, or police pistol) series pistols were introduced in 1935 and are among the world's first successful double action, blowback-operatedsemi-automatic pistols, developed by the German arms manufacturer Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen.[30] They feature exposed hammers, a traditional double-action trigger mechanism,[31] a single-column magazine, and a fixed barrel that also acts as the guide rod for the recoil spring. The Walther PP and PPK models were both popular with European police and civilians for being reliable and concealable. During World War II, they were issued to the German military, including the Luftwaffe, as well as the police.[32]
The Browning Hi Power is a single-action, semi-automatichandgun available in 9mm. It is based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at Fabrique Nationale (FN) of Herstal, Belgium. Browning died in 1926, several years before the design was finalized. The Hi-Power is one of the most widely used military pistols in history,[33] having been used by the armed forces of over 50 countries.[34] The Hi Power name alludes to the 13-round magazine capacity, almost twice that of contemporary designs such as the Luger or Colt M1911. The Browning was one of the first pistols to use high capacity, detachable magazines.
A machine pistol is generally defined as a handgun capable of fully automatic or selective fire. During World War I, the Austrians introduced the world's first machine pistol the Steyr Repetierpistole M1912/P16. The Germans would quickly follow suit with machine pistols versions of the Luger P08 "Artillery Pistol" and later models of the Mauser C96. Their light weight, small size, and extremely high rates of fire, make machine pistol difficult to control in full-auto. Most machine pistols can attach a shoulder stock to improve control, like the Heckler & Koch VP70. Others, such as the Beretta 93R also have a forward hand-grip.
The Solid Concepts 1911DMLS is a 3D printed version of the M1911 pistol.[35][36] It was made public around November 2013[35][36] and was printed via the direct metal laser sintering method.[35][36] It was created by Solid Concepts.[35][36][37] The Solid concepts browning M1911 replica fired more than 600 bullets without any damage to the gun.[36] The metal printer used to create the weapon cost between $500,000 to $1,000,000 at the time the gun was created as of November 2013.[36] The gun is made up of 34 3D-printed components.[38]
Clockwise start at the top left: Glock G22, Glock G21, Kimber Stainless Raptor II, Dan Wesson Commander Classic Bobtail, Smith & Wesson Model 340, Ruger Blackhawk, Ruger SP101, SIG Sauer P220 Combat.
Many handgun are easily concealed on ones person—a trait that is useful both to civilians wishing to bear arms for self-defense and to criminals wishing to carry a handgun for illegal purposes. For these reasons, handguns are a particular focus of debates on gun politics, and in most jurisdictions both keeping and bearing arms is heavily regulated.
^Cary, Lucian (1961). The Colt GunBook. Greenwich, CT, USA: Fawcett Publications. p. 3. ((cite book)): |format= requires |url= (help)
^Hosley, William (1999). "Guns, Gun Culture, and the Peddling of Dreams". In Robert Merrill Muth; Jan E. Dizard; Stephen P. Andrews (eds.). Guns in America: A Reader. New York: NYU Press. p. 47. ISBN0-8147-1879-5. ((cite conference)): Unknown parameter |booktitle= ignored (|book-title= suggested) (help)
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