Firearms are portable weapons which use explosive force produced from gunpowder to shoot bullets. They are mostly used for sport shooting, military purposes and hunting.

Firearms were first used in China. The earliest versions were simple tubes filled with gunpowder from one end and metal balls (bullets) from the other. They were known as fire lances or headcanons. Those early versions slowly evolved into guns and more complex weapons today. These machines underwent many improvements in their design and technology.

1. The History Of Firearms

• 9th century: Around this time, gunpowder was invented in China. Gunpowder was used for fireworks and, much later, by military personnel.
• 13th Century: The first versions of firearms were already in use under fire lances and head cannons. They were simple metal tubes filled with gunpowder and rocks or metal balls. They were ignited by applying flame to a touch hole, and as a result of the gunpowder explosion, the rocks and metal balls were shot out at high velocity.

• 13th-14th Century: During this period, firearms began to be traded to Europe. There, they were designed with more ignition value and a stable barrel structure.

• 15-16th Century: Significant advancements and improvements were made due to the development of the matchlock and wheellock mechanisms. The matchlock ignited the gunpowder, while the wheellock used a springy wheel to create the sparks further. 

• 17-18th Century: This period saw the widespread use of firearms with Flintlocks. They consist of a flint used against steel to generate sparks to ignite the gunpowder. They soon became the standard military weapons during that period. 

• 18-19th Century: This period was also known as the Industrial Revolution, which brought mass production techniques and ways to make firearms more available on a larger scale. Firearms were now standardized and had increased efficiency.

• 19-20th Century: Now firearms are more sophisticated and have many varieties like breech-loading rifles, revolvers, semi-automatic pistols and automatic rifles. Advancements in studying metals also boasted about firearms’ performance and reliability. 

2. The Components OF Firearm

Firearms are typically composed of many key parts:

• Barrel: First and foremost, the tube stabilizes and guides the bullet as it travels after giving it direction.

• Magazine: A magazine is a small container attached to the firearm. It stores bullets, commonly known as ammo, and feeds them into the firearm chamber.

• Trigger: Trigger is what we pull to initiate the firing. It starts by fueling the gunpowder, resulting in the bullet being shot.

• Action: This part loads, fires, and unloads cartridges. There are two types of firearm actions: the first type is manually operated actions, which consist of bolt action, lever action, and pump action. The second type is self-loading or self-automatic actions, which consist of Semi-automatic and Automatic actions. 

• Bolt Action: The shooter manually operates the bolt handle to cycle the bolt and feed the bullet to the chamber. It is considered lightweight and has good accuracy.

• Lever Action: Lever action firearms use a lever near the trigger guard to cycle the action. 

• Pump Action: Also known as slide action or trombone action, pump action firearms require the shooter to move a sliding forearm back and forth manually

3. Types Of Firearm

Firearms come in many types, including pistols, rifles, shotguns, and submachine guns. Each type is designed for specific purposes and has different parts and features.

• Semi-Automatic: These firearms are capable of automatically reloading the chamber for the next round, but each shot requires a separate trigger pull.

• Automatic: Automatic firearms can automatically fire multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger as long as bullets are available in the magazine. They are faster due to their back-to-back follow-up shots.

• Semi-Automatic Pistol: Semi-automatic pistols are more like handguns with a self-loading mechanism. They have a detachable magazine and are widely used for self-defence purposes and law enforcement.  

• Semi-Automatic Rifle: Semi-automatic Rifles are long guns that fire one round on one trigger pull, automatically reloading the next round into their chamber. They are ideal for hunting and target shooting.

• Semi-Automatic Shotgun: Semi-automatic shotguns are similar to semi-automatic rifles and pistols but also fire shotgun shells.  
• Stock: A firearm’s stock is a wood or plastic component to which the gun’s metal parts are attached. It enables the shooter to hold the firearm.

4. The Functioning Of The Firearms

Firearms use the force generated by the gunpowder explosion inside a cartridge. It starts like this:

• The firing pin strikes the primer and ignites the gunpowder

• The gunpowder rapidly burns, resulting in expanding gasses that force the bullet down the barrel.

• The recoil generated by the fired round cycles the firearm’s action, removing the used cartridge (bullet shell) and inserting a new round ( in semi-automatic and automatic models).

5. Safety Measures

Operating firearms require special training. Adherence to safety measures is essential to prevent accidents and minimize risk factors. Some of the main preventive measures are:

• Treating every firearm like it’s loaded.
• Keeping the barrel end in a safe direction. 
• Knowing your target and what’s behind it. Sometimes, the bullet passes through the initial target and hits the one behind it. 
• Wearing appropriate eye and ear protection.  
• Fingers off the triggers until ready to shoot.
• Following the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Handling firearms carefully, even when not in use.
• Avoid using them under the influence. 

5. Regulations

Most countries have strict regulations regarding the manufacture, sale, and ownership of firearms. These regulations often require background checks, identity proofs for registration, and certain restrictions for civilian ownership.

In certain places, civilians owning firearms are outright banned as well. Some of the main regulations that are taken into consideration are:

• Licensing and Background Checks
• Age restrictions
• Registration
• Storage requirements 
• Transportation Regulations 

Firearms have been used for many centuries worldwide. As science improved, so did the design and technologies used in them. Today, we find many advanced firearms used in defence and many other fields.

Last Updated on May 11, 2024 by Annanya Chakraborty