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History:
The Chinese first developed gun powder and utilized it for warfare during the 13th century. This led to the development of most modern firearms. |
http://fourriverscharter.org/projects/Inventions/pages/china_gunpowder.htm |
 https://www.usna.edu/Users/history/abels/hh381/castillon.htm |
Jump forward just a few hundred years to find this remarkable bronze cannon used in the siege of Constantinople by the Turks in the 15th Century. This Cannon fired projectiles 3ft across weighing an astounding 800 lb. The cannon itself weighed in at 50,000 lb. |
By 1450 The matchlock portable hand-cannon had been developed and was seeing use on the battlefield. Its advent did not immediately out-date the longbow as we can see from this artist's rendition; large cannons, hand-cannons, and bows were all being used side-by-side. |
https://www.usna.edu/Users/history/abels/hh381/castillon.htm |
Author's Photo: |
The flintlock pistol was, in its day (1600s), the smallest, most compact firearm available. Its most important attributes were its small size compared to the rather large and cumbersome hand-cannons it was to eventually replace, and its ability to self-ignite the powder charge. |
By the early 17th Century the revolving flintlock pistol had been invented and marked notable improvement on its predecessors. Its design enabled it to have an extremely high rate of fire compared to other firearms of its day. It was the birth child for the ingenious designs to come. |
http://www.montanaoutdoor.com/2013/07/history-of-the-handgun/ |