EVOLUTION OF FIREARMS MAN BEHIND FIREARMS

1. JOHN M. BROWNING - Wizard of the modern firearms and pioneered the breech loading single shot
rifle that was adopted by Winchester.
2. SAMUEL COLT ⁃ Patented the first practical revolver and maker of the Colt Peace Maker, one of the
most famous revolvers in history.
3. ALEXANDER JOHN FORSYTH ⁃ Father of the percussion powder. He successfully invented the priming
mixture and caused the integration of the primer, bullet, gunpowder, and shell into one unit.
4. MAJOR UZIEL GAL ⁃ An Israeli army who designed the UZI in the year 1950.
5. COL. CALVIN H. GODDARD - Father of modern Ballistics. He is the man who first utilized the bullet
comparison microscope to prove the identity of a fired bullet through comparison with a test bullet.
6. JOHN C. GARAND - Designed and invented the Semi-automatic U.S. Rifle Cal. 30.M1 garand.
7. GEORGE HYDE - A well-known expert in the field of SMG, (also known as grease gun) developed in
1941, M3A1 (USA).
8. MICHAEL KALASHNIKOV - Designed the AK (Automatic Kalashnikova) also called Kalashnikov Model
1947 adopted by the Russian Army in the year 1951.
9. GEORGE LUGER - Designed the Luger MP08 (Germany) and 9mm ammo.
10. PETER PAUL MAUSER - Invented and designed the Mauser M1912 (Germany)
11. JAMES WOLFE RIFLEY - Stimulated the development of the model 1855 rifle-musket.
12. HORACE SMITH ⁃ Founded the great firm of Smith and Wesson and pioneered the making of the
breech-loading rifles.
13. DANIEL B. WESSON - The partner of Horace Smith in the making of the famous revolver bearing their
names
14. EUGENE STONER ⁃ Designed the U.S. M16 Armalite under license by Colt Company from July 1959
onwards
15. JOHN T. THOMPSON - Developed in the course of WW1 the Thompson M1A1. He pioneered the
making of the Thompson sub-machine gun.
16. DAVID “CARBINE” WILLIAMS - Maker of the first known Carbine

IMPORTANT DATES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF FIREARMS:

• 1450 - The evolution of the Match Lock ignition.

• 1450 – 1500 – Serpentine Lock was used to modify the conventional match lock using the S-shaped
instead of the C-shaped piece with the bottom portion serving the trigger.
• 1469 - A drawing from an English manuscript shows a “ribauldegium”, a multi charged cannon lock
weapon
• 1500s - The development of the Wheel Lock which operates in the same principle as the modern-day
cigarette lighter. In the mid- 1500’s, “snaphaunce” was developed.
• 1750 – The development of Breech-loading firearms leading to the making of the Ferguson Rifle of
Major Patrick Ferguson; the development of the COLLIER Rifle, which is a flintlock repeating rifle
operated on a revolving principle and was the 1st breechloader adopted by the U.S. Army.
• 1805 - The Percussion System. Alexander Jon Forsyth discovered a compound that would ignite when
it is blown, thus igniting the powder charge. In 1840, it replaced the flintlock ignition and was adopted
in 1838 by the British and in 1842 by the Americans
 • 1836 - The Pin fire Cartridge was developed by Le Faucheux. A much real pin fire cartridge was also
developed in the same year by Houiller.
• 1845 - Rim fire cartridge, Flobert developed the BB (bullet breech) cap, which was considered the
forerunner of the .22 cal cartridge. In the same year, New Havens Arms Company owned by Oliver F.
Winchester, through the effort of Tyler Henry developed a .44 cal rim fire cartridge for Henry Rifle.

LEGAL DEFINITION OF FIREARMS

• Firearms or Arms
- as herein used, includes rifles, muskets carbine, shotguns, pistols, revolvers, and all other
deadly weapons, to which a bullet, ball, shot, shell, or other missiles may be discharge by
means of gunpowder or other explosives. This terms also includes air rifle, except those of
small calibers and limited range used as toys. The barrel of any firearm shall be considered a
complete firearm for all purposes hereof. (Sec. 877 Revised Administrative Code/Sec. 290
National Internal Revenue Code)
• Firearm
- refers to any handheld or portable weapon, whether a small arm or light weapon, that expels
or is designed to expel a bullet, shot, slug, missile or any projectile, which is discharged by
means of expansive force of gases from burning gunpowder or other form of combustion or
any similar instrument or implement. For purposes of this Act, the barrel, frame or receiver is
considered a firearm. (RA 10591)

TECHNICAL DEFINITION

• Firearm
- is an instrument used for the propulsion of a projectile by means of the expansive force gases
coming from the burning gunpowder. (FBI manual of firearms Identification)

CLASSIFICATION OF FIREARMS

TWO GENERAL CLASSIFICATION OF FIREARMS:

❖ According to Interior Barrel Construction

1. Smooth Bore Firearms - Firearms that have no rifling (lands and grooves) inside their gun
barrel. Example: Shotgun and Musket.
2. Rifled Bore Firearms – Firearms that have rifling inside their gun barrel. Examples: Pistols,
Revolvers, and other modern weapons.
❖ According to the Caliber of the Projectile Propelled
1. Artillery - Refers to those types of firearms that propels projectiles with more than one-
inch diameter. Examples: Cannons, Mortars, and Bazookas.
2. Small Arms – these are firearms that propel a projectile with less than one-inch diameter
and it can be handled, moved, and operated by one man. Examples: Machine guns,
shoulder arms, and handguns.
Examples of Small Arms:
A. Machine guns - A machine gun is a type of firearm that is primarily designed for
military use. Investigations involving shooting cases in cities rarely find this type of
firearm having been used.
 ➢ Three general types of Machine Guns (Recoil-operated, Gas operated,
and Combined recoil and Gas-operated):
▪ Recoil-operated - a type of machine gun devised with a recoil
spring that is responsible for forcing the breech block to move
forward causing another cartridge to be loaded only after the
breech block moves rearward and the empty shell is extracted
upon firing.
▪ Gas operated - a type of machine gun equipped with a gas port
at the anterior portion of the barrel. When a cartridge is fired
and the bullet reaches the gas port some high-pressure gas will
move to the gas cylinder causing the piston to move to the rear.
At this time the pressure in the chamber has dropped to safe
limits and the various parts are returned to the firing position
by the actions of the spring around the piston.
▪ Add on Note:
o Sub Machine Gun - this is a light, portable form
of a machine gun, utilizing pistol-size
ammunition, having a shoulder stock that may or
may not be folded, and designed to be fired with
both hands.
B. Shoulder Arms - are those types of firearms that were normally fired from the
shoulder e.g. rifles and shotguns.
• RIFLES - a shoulder weapon is designed to fire a projectile with more accuracy
through a long rifled bore barrel, usually more than 22 inches. Just like any
other type of gun,
Rifles appear in various forms:
1. Single Shot Rifle – this is the simplest and yet many types. Some with
breech block opened by means of a lever, chamber feed type, breech
block opened and closed by hand, etc.
2. Repeating rifle - a type of rifle loaded with several cartridges at one
time and carries the cartridge into the chamber when it is ready to be
fired, rather than for the shooter to do it by hand. This can be divided
into: Bolt action type, lever type, slide action type, and automatic type.
TYPES OF REPEATING RIFLES:
1. Bolt Action type - The bolt action type may appear as either
turning bolt or straight-pull bolt type.
• The Turning bolt type - is manipulated by turning the
bolt handle first upwards, making the bolt in an unlocked
position before pulling the handle to open the chamber
causing the cartridge to be exposed and be ready for
another loading and closing before firing.
• The Straight pull action - pull type as its name implies,
the bolt is directly pulled to the rear without being
turned. The chamber will open; loading will follow, and
then close again before firing.
 2. Lever type - The name was derived from its manipulation
system. It is operated by downward-forward movement first of
the lever by hand, causing the opening, cocking, and placing of
the cartridge in its position for loading. After which the lever is
pulled back to a close position moving the cartridge to the
chamber and putting the breech block in place, ready for firing.
3. Slide Action Type – In this type of rifle, a box-type magazine is
attached and removed every time that loading and unloading is
desired. The operation is simply done by pulling the slide
backward to open the breech and forward to move the cartridge
from the magazine to the chamber at the same time cocks the
hammer and locks the breech block.
4. Automatic Type - It is a type of rifle in which firing can be made
continuously by a single press to the trigger and while the
trigger is pressed. Firing wil only stop either by action of the
gunner or when all the cartridges have been used.

• CARBINE
- A short barrel riffle, with its barrel rifle, measuring not longer than 22
inches. It fires a single projectile though a rifle-bore either semi-
automatic of fully automatic, for every press of the trigger.
- It is a long gun that has a barrel shortened from its original length
• MUSKETS
- Is an ancient smoothbore and muzzle-loading military shoulder arms
designed to fire shots or a single-round lead ball. A more detailed
discussion of musketeers can be found later part of the discussion of
the ignition system.
• SHOTGUN
- A smoothbore and a breech-loading shoulder arm designed to fire a
number of lead pellets or shots in one charge. (FBI Manual)
- A shotgun operates almost exactly in the same way as other rifles. It
only differs to some extent such as the interior barrel construction.
- Generally, all shotguns are equipped with a smooth bore barrel
designed to fire a number of lead pellets in a single charge

This type of firearm also appears in various mechanism types:

1. Single Barreled Shotgun

- it is similar to a single-shot rifle. It is loaded with a single shotgun
cartridge, closed, fired and to be reloaded manually by the shooter. This
is common in a break-type, breech-loading shotgun.
2. Double Barreled Shotgun
- the double barreled shotgun positioned side by side, one over the other
(over/under shotgun), with individual trigger pull or with single trigger
pull causing two hammer and firing pin to fire at the same time.
 3. Pump-action Shotgun
- It is also known by the name “slide action” type. The hammer of this
shotgun is completely built inside the receiver which makes it
unexposed, thus, making it known also as a “hammerless shotgun”. Its
operation is done by back and forth manipulation of the slide by the
shooter.
4. Auto-loading Shotgun
- This type of shotgun has a mechanism similar to an auto-loading or self-
loading weapon that permits reloading by the action of the recoil
without the shooter taking added effort.

The barrel construction of shotguns may also be found in different bore

construction:

▪ Cylinder bore type - a type of shotgun bore with the same

diameter throughout the barrel.
▪ Choke bore type - a type of shotgun bore with a diminishing or
reducing bore diameter towards the muzzle, It is designed to limit
the spread of the shots or make the shots travel longer before
they spread.
▪ Paradox shotgun - a very rare type of shotgun bore, having a
rifling only a few inches from its muzzle point.

C. HANDGUNS
- These types of firearms are designed or intended or intended to be
fired using one hand e.g.: pistols and revolvers.

TYPES OF FIREARMS ACCORDING TO MECHANICAL CONSTRUCTION:

1. SINGLE SHOT FIREARMS - types of firearms designed to fire only one shot
for every loading.
2. REPEATING ARMS – types of firearms designed to fire several shots in
one loading and every press of the trigger.
3. AUTOMATIC FIREARMS – Type of firearms that constitutes continuous
firing in a single press of the trigger and while the trigger is pressed.

MISCELLANEOUS TYPE OF GUN:

1. ZIP GUN- paltik (Filipino term)

2. FREAKISH GUN
3. FLARE GUN
4. HARPOON GUN
5. LIBERATOR
6. MULTI-BARRELED GUN
7. PARADOX GUN
8. TOOL GUN
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTACES OF PISTOLS AND REVOLVERS

Revolver Advantages:

1. It is an old standard weapon that is easy to operate, hence almost everyone knows how to handle it.
2. Safer for inexperienced users to handle and carry than an automatic pistol.
3. A misfire does not put a revolver out of action.
4. It will handle satisfactory old or new or partly deteriorated ammunition which gives a reduced velocity
that would jam an average automatic pistol.

Revolver Disadvantages:

1. It is more bulky to carry than an automatic pistol.

2. Its grip or handle is generally not as good as that of pistol.
3. It is slower to load.
4. lt is harder to replace worn out or broken parts - it is a factory job.
5. lt is hard to clean.
6. Worn out or poorly made weapon is subject to variable accuracy due to improper lining of cylinder.

Pistol Advantages:

1. It has a better grip - the hand points naturally.

2. It is easier to load in comparison with that of a revolver.
3. In case of a worn-out or corroded barrel, a new one can be put in at a little expense without sending
the gun to the factory.
4. lt gives a greater number of shots than a revolver.
5. lt is easier to clean than a revolver.
6. lt gives greater firing power and greater cases of firing.
7. There is no gas leaking in its operation.

Pistol Disadvantages:

1. Ammunition must be perfect otherwise, a jam might be experienced.

2. A misfire stops the functioning of the gun.
3. When kept loaded for a long time, the magazine spring is under tension and may deteriorate and
cause problems.
4. lt cannot use blank or reduced loads.
5. lt has a poorer trigger pull