These skilled metalsmiths developed the American long rifle, which also became known as the Kentucky, Ohio or Pennsylvania rifle. American Gunsmithsįor early settlers pioneering the wilderness of North America, gunsmiths became vital members of small settlements. Thanks in part to the Silk Road and adventurous traders like Marco Polo, by the 13th century ancestors of the modern firearm had spread from Asia to Europe, where they were further developed as weapons in the form of matchlock, wheel lock and flintlock firearms.īy the time early colonists arrived in America in the 15th century, firearm design had advanced significantly and the weapons were routinely included in journeys to the New World.Īmong the firearms commonly associated with the early colonists was the German-made blunderbuss, an early version of the shotgun that featured a flared muzzle and a broad opening at the top, which made for faster and easier loading.Ĭolonists also carried matchlock muskets, which used a match-in the form of a small piece of burning rope-to ignite gunpowder through a small hole in the gun’s loaded barrel.

The devices had limited range and were likely used only in hand-to-hand combat. Cannons and grenades were among the earliest weapons to incorporate gunpowder, followed by primitive handheld firearms, which consisted of a hollow bamboo tubes, packed with gunpowder and small projectiles. Initially black powder, as it was known, was used for fireworks, but the substance soon found its way into weaponry. Historians estimate that as early as 850 A.D., alchemists in China stumbled upon the explosive properties of gunpowder (a combination of potassium nitrate, sulfur and charcoal) while seeking an elixir of life.Ī Chinese Buddhist alchemist wrote the earliest known account of the substance, saying, “Some have heated together the saltpeter, sulfur, and carbon of charcoal with honey smoke and flames result, so that their hands and faces have been burnt, and even the whole house burnt down.” The origin of firearms began with gunpowder and its invention, mostly likely in China, more than 1,000 years ago. culture, but the invention of firearms started long before colonists ever settled on North American soil. The American Revolution was fought-and won-with guns, and the weapons have become ingrained in U.S.

Early 1800s photo gun