Firearms Evolution First Division Museum at Cantigny Teaching Military History 101.
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Transcript of Firearms Evolution First Division Museum at Cantigny Teaching Military History 101.
Firearms Evolution
First Division Museum at Cantigny
Teaching Military History 101
The “Hand Cannon”
The original matchlocks of the early 14th Century required the soldier to be near a fire in order to heat an iron wire and poke it into the “touch hole” of the gun in order to fire. Like the cannons of that time, the matchlock had a bright flash, loud bang, and created a lot of smoke, but it did little damage.
1300’s – 1400’s
Matchlock Like artillery, the
matchlock gun evolved greatly over time. As matchlocks developed, the match could be attached to the gun and a trigger used to fire. Eventually, sights were added and the gun could be aimed.
1400’s-1600’s Columbus through Pilgrims Matchlock
M1763 Charleville
American Revolution Flintlock Musket
SPECIFICATIONManufacturer French National Armories: Charleville, Maubeuge, and St. EtienneCalibre .69SmoothboreMuzzle LoadingTotal Length 1,511.3mm/59.5inBarrel Length 1,130.3mm/44.5inWeight Unloaded 8.8 lbsMaximum Range 200 meters, but only fairly accurate up to 50 meters.
M1812 Whitney Eli Whitney “laid the
foundation and created techniques that became known as the American System of Manufacture.” Whitney’s system of manufacture created interchangeable parts that could be made with unskilled labor.
American Civil War Flintlock Musket
Springfield M1842 First Percussion MusketFirst
Interchangeable PartsLast Smoothbore Musket
SPECIFICATIONManufacturer SpringfieldCalibre .69 round ball, or .69 cal round ball and 3 buckshot (known as a “buck and ball” cartridge)SmoothboreMuzzle loadingTotal Length 1,460.5mm/57.5inWeight Unloaded 10 lb
American Civil War Percussion Musket
Smooth Bore versus Rifling and the advent of the Minnie ball
Springfield M1864SPECIFICATIONManufacturer SpringfieldCalibre .58RifledMuzzle LoadingAccurate Range 400 yards
Indian Wars Percussion Rifle
Hammer Percussion cap goes here
The hammer strikes the percussion cap and ignites the gunpowder, which propels the bullet out the barrel of the gun.
Sights
Trapdoor Springfield
Indian Wars Breech Loading Rifle
SPECIFICATIONManufacturer Springfield,Calibre .45Rifled Breech Loading Barrel Length 829mm/ 32.6in
M1898 Krag-Jorgensen
Spanish American War - Philippine Insurrection Bolt-Action Rifle
SPECIFICATIONManufacturer SpringfieldCalibre .30-40Magazine Capacity 5 (no stripper clip)Action Bolt ActionTotal Length 1,248mm/49.15inBarrel Length 762mm/30in Weight Unloaded 9 lbEffective Range 900m/3,000ft
M1898 Mauser Rifle
Spanish American – WWI Bolt-Action Rifle
SPECIFICATIONManufacturer Mauser and various othersCalibre 7.92 mm Magazine Capacity 5Action Bolt ActionTotal Length 1,249mm/49.2inBarrel Length 740mm/29.15in Weight Unloaded 9.02lb
M1903 Springfield
WWI Bolt Action Rifle
SPECIFICATIONManufacturer Springfield, Remington, WinchesterCalibre .30-06Magazine Capacity 5 round stripper clipAction Bolt ActionTotal Length 1,102mm/43.4inBarrel Length 615mm/24.2inWeight Unloaded 8.5 lbsEffective Range 2,500 yards
M1 Garand
WWII – Korea Semi Automatic Rifle
M1 Garand en bloc clip with
eight .30 Caliber
rounds
SPECIFICATIONManufacturer Various USCalibre 7.62 x 63mmMagazine Capacity 8 en bloc clipAction Gas Operated/ rotating boltTotal Length 1,105mm/43.5inBarrel Length 609mm/24inWeight Unloaded 9.5 lbsEffective Range 500vd (457m)
M14 Rifle
1957 – Vietnam, Iraq Marksman Rifle
SPECIFICATIONManufacturer Springfield, H&R, TRWCalibre 7.62mm NATOMagazine Capacity 20 round boxAction Gas OperatedTotal Length 1,117mm/44inBarrel Length 558mm/22inWeight Unloaded 8.56 lbsEffective Range 460 meters / 500 yards
Left to Right: M1 Garand 8-round en-bloc clip, M14 20-round magazine, M16 20- and 30-round capacities.
M16 Rifle
Vietnam – Present Assault Rifle
SPECIFICATIONManufacturer Calibre 5.56x45mm CartridgeMagazine Capacity 20 and 30 round boxAction Gas Operated Rotating BoltWeight Unloaded 8.5 lbsRate of Fire 800-900 rounds per minuteEffective Range 550m (600 yards)
M203 grenade launcher attached to M16
Scope attached to M16
Gatling Gun
Heavy Machine Gun
Dr. Richard Gatling invented the Gatling gun in 1862. The Gatling gun was a mechanical machine gun powered by a person turning a crank (Weir, 127).
Maxim Gun
World War I Heavy Machine Gun
SPECIFICATIONManufacturer DMW, Spandau, othersCalibre 7.62mmMagazine Capacity 250 Round BeltRate of Fire cyclic rpm: 550Muzzle Velocity 2,800 ft/secondWatercooledAction Recoil OperatedWeight Unloaded 52.8 lbs with no water or tripod
The Maxim is reputed to have killed more human beings than any other gun in history (Weir, 128).
Hotchkiss Gun
World War I Heavy Machine Gun
SPECIFICATIONManufacturer Hotchkiss et CieCalibre 8mm LebelMagazine Capacity 24- & 30-round traysAction Gas OperatedTotal Length 1,270mm/50inBarrel Length 775mm/30.5inWeight Unloaded 42 lbs w/out tripod, which added 60 lbs
M1917 Browning Machine Gun
WWI and WWII Heavy Machine Gun
SPECIFICATIONManufacturer ColtCalibre .30-06Magazine Capacity Belt FedAction Recoil Operated Total Length 978mm/38.5inBarrel Length 610mm/24inWeight Unloaded 32.6 lbs without mount
Trigger and pistol grip
Water jacket for coolingPiece to mount
gun to tripod
M1918 BAR: Browning Automatic Rifle
World War II Light Machine Gun
SPECIFICATIONManufacturer ColtCalibre .30-06Magazine Capacity 20Action Gas OperatedTotal Length 1,214mm/47.8inBarrel Length 610mm/24inWeight Unloaded 19.4 lbs
Box Magazine attached here
Magazine Release
Flash Suppressor
Gas Cylinder Tube
Gas Cylinder
Parts of a Gun
Parts of a Gun
Bayonets: Plug, Ring, Socket, Knife
PlugRing
Socket Knife
Sources
Fowler, Will and Patrick Sweeney. The World Encyclopedia of Rifles and Machine Guns. Anness Publishing Ltd, London, England. 2007. Hand Cannon Photo
Hogg, Ivan V. Weapons of the Civil War. The Military Press, New York, 1987. Gatling Gun Photo
Hogg, Ivan. V. The Encyclopedia of Infantry Weapons of World War II. The Military Press, New York, 1977.
The Eli Whitney Museum and Workshop at www.eliwhitney.com Springfield Armory Museum Online at http://www.rediscov.com/spring.htm Picture of M1842 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:M1842.jpg
Center for military history: http://www.history.army.mil/index.htmlCombined Arms Research library: http://www.cgsc.edu/carl/A website with military history documentaries: http://www.factualtv.com/videos/military-history
Additional Research Sites