The Origin of Guns: A Concise Historical Overview

For over a millennium, guns have existed, profoundly influencing warfare and society in ways few other inventions have. These are none other than firearms.

Originally exclusive to military forces, guns have become a perceived right for ordinary citizens in certain regions, notably the United States, where this notion is embedded in the Constitution. This raises the question: when did firearms first emerge?

The Invention of Gunpowder

The origins trace back to China around 850 C.E., where alchemists unintentionally discovered gunpowder during their quest for an elixir of immortality. This black powder, known as "huo yao," was a mixture of charcoal, saltpeter, and sulfur.

The Song Dynasty, ruling at the time, pioneered the use of gunpowder in combat, deploying it against the Mongols, whose relentless invasions were a persistent threat to China during that era.

The First Guns

The Chinese employed fire lances, or "flying fire," against the Mongols — arrows equipped with gunpowder-filled tubes that, once ignited, would launch toward enemy forces.

Over the following centuries, the Chinese developed an array of gunpowder-based weapons to combat the Mongols, introducing innovations such as cannons and grenades.

Gunpowder Arrives in Europe

By the 13th century, gunpowder had reached Europe, likely transported via the Silk Road through Central Asia. Competing nations spent centuries refining gunpowder formulas, eventually settling on the ideal blend: roughly 75% saltpeter, 15% charcoal, and 10% sulfur.

By 1350, basic gunpowder cannons had become standard in the English and French armies, who deployed this explosive technology against one another throughout the Hundred Years' War. Over the following centuries, advancements led to the creation of smaller, more portable cannons.

The Hand Cannon

The hand cannon emerged in the early 15th century, marking the advent of the first true personal firearm. The Ottoman Turks utilized these weapons, along with other cannons, during their victorious siege of Constantinople in 1453.

These formidable new weapons effectively made Europe's traditional walled fortifications obsolete.

Invention of the Modern Handgun

The Chinese fire lance is widely regarded by historians as the earliest form of firearms. However, prior to the 15th century, these primitive guns were cumbersome to operate, requiring both hands and a lit wick to ignite the gunpowder.

Development of the Matchlock

The introduction of the lock, an internal firing mechanism, revolutionized handheld firearms, making them more efficient, user-friendly, and safer. The initial design was the matchlock, which underwent successive improvements, eventually leading to firearms resembling those we recognize today.

The 15th-century French arquebus was the first known firearm to utilize a matchlock. This short-barreled long gun, or rifle, was shoulder-held and compact enough for single-person use. An S-shaped arm held a gunpowder-soaked cord that burned until it ignited a flash powder pan, propelling a small ball toward its target.

Although more accurate, these weapons were unwieldy and required a minimum of two minutes to reload between shots.

Impact of Early Guns

Firearms gradually supplanted traditional weapons due to their cost-effectiveness rather than their deadliness. Mastering the sword or bow demanded a lifetime of dedication, whereas training a lower-class soldier to handle a gun effectively took only weeks or months.

Beyond expanding the pool of soldiers, guns have profoundly altered the dynamics of warfare, from the distances at which armies engage to the nature of injuries sustained. In military history, only the horse, which dominated battlefields for thousands of years, has had a greater impact on modern combat than the gun.

Firearm Innovations

The fire-spurting lances of ancient China bear little resemblance to today's firearms. Here's a look at the origins of some of the most iconic modern guns.

Revolvers

Revolvers are handguns capable of firing multiple rounds without the need for reloading. While the concept dates back to the 17th century, revolvers gained widespread popularity after Samuel Colt introduced his version in 1835.

Colt's use of interchangeable parts in manufacturing his firearms made them highly popular, leading to their extensive use during the U.S. Civil War (1861–65).

Machine Guns

An early form of machine gun, the Gatling gun, was utilized during the U.S. Civil War. Invented by Richard Jordan Gatling in 1862, this weapon featured a hand-crank mechanism that enabled rapid firing.

The creation of smokeless gunpowder paved the way for Hiram Maxim's invention of the Maxim gun in 1884. Unlike the hand-cranked Gatling guns, Maxim guns operated using recoil and saw extensive use in conflicts such as the Spanish-American War (1898) and the South African Boer War (1899–1902).

Maxim-style guns remained widely used throughout both World Wars, but they were eventually superseded by the assault rifle.

Assault Rifles

Assault rifles offer the flexibility of switching between automatic and semiautomatic firing modes. The first assault rifle, the "sturmgewehr" (“assault rifle”) 44, was developed by German inventor Hugo Schmeisser during World War II.

Later in World War II, Russian inventor Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov created the iconic AK-47. (AK stands for “automatic Kalashnikov.”)