Topic: Origin of

Firearms
Learning Objectives: At the end of the lesson, the learner will be
able to:
1. Trace the origin and history of firearms.
2. Enumerate and describe the general classification of firearms
FIREARMS IDENTIFICATION
In its narrowest meaning, it is the science by which one can determine whether or not a
particular bullet was fired from a particular gun.

 In its broadest definition, it is knowledge with which one is enabled to

reveal any pertinent facts about firearms or ammunition which assist the
investigation of a crime or incident in which either is involved.

 Discipline of forensic science which has as its primary concern the

examination of bullets, cartridge cases, and other ammunition
components to determine if they were fired in/from a specific firearm.
THE ORIGIN OF FIREARM
The development of firearms followed the invention of gunpowder in
Western Europe in the 13th century. One of the earliest recorded uses of
firearms in warfare was an attack in Seville, Spain in 1247. History also
showed that cannons were used by King Edward III of England in Crecy in
1346. Mohammed II of Turkey in his famous conquest of Constantinople in
1453 used cannons. It was 1350, when a portable arm which could be
operated by a single person appeared.
Stages of Development of Mans’ Weapon
 1. Stone -the earliest weapons that humans made that could use to
beat or throw at something (or someone). Soon after, it must have
occurred to us to develop ways to sharpen these objects into
rudimentary yet deadly spears or edged stones. They would have been
as equally good for killing prey as for dispatching rivals and enemies.
Clubs-a short staff or stick, usually made of wood, wielded as a
weapon] since prehistory .
Knives-have been used as weapons, tools
and eating utensils since prehistoric times
Spears and Darts
Slingshots-A slingshot or catapult is a small hand-powered projectile
weapon. The classic form consists of a Y-shaped frame, with two natural
rubber strips or tubes attached to the upper two ends. The other ends of
the strips lead back to a pouch that holds the projectile. One hand holds
the frame, while the other hand grasps the pocket and draws it back to the
desired extent to provide power for the projectile—up to a full span of the
arms with sufficiently long bands.
Bows and Arrows-is a ranged weapon system consisting of an elastic launching device (bow) and
long-shafted projectiles (arrows). Humans used bows and arrows for hunting and aggression long before
recorded history, and the practice was common to many prehistoric cultures.
Gun-a device designed to propel a projectile
using pressure or explosive force
Missiles-is an airborne ranged weapon capable of
self-propelled flight aided usually by a propellant,
jet engine or rocket motor.
FIREARM - Basically termed as a gun.
 It is an instrument used for the propulsion of projectiles by means of the
expansive fore of gases coming from burning gunpowder
 Technically, it is a weapon consisting essentially of a metal tube that
fires a projectile by using the force of an explosive propellant.

Legal Definition: (Sec. 877 of the RAC and Sec. 290 of NIRC)
 Firearms or arms include rifles, muskets, carbines, shotguns, pistols,
revolvers, and all other deadly weapons from which bullets, balls, shots,
shells or other missiles maybe discharged by means of gunpowder or
other explosives.
 The term also includes air rifle, except those that are small in calibre
and usually used as toys. The barrel of any firearm is considered a
complete firearm for all and purposes thereof.
CANNON
Essential parts of cannon:
The projectile or cannonball (shot)
Gunpowder
Touch hole (or vent) in which the fuse or other ignition device is inserted
AIR RIFLE - A type of weapon designed to shoot pellets by means of compressed air.
Before guns were invented, there were many types of spring-driven catapult that hurled large stones: the Springdale, the
trebuchet, the arbalest and a wheeled catapult known as mangoes. These were all known as gins, a now obsolete shortening of
the word engine. It is possible that gun came from gyn, but it is much more probable that it derived from mangonel which was
familiarly known in the early medieval days as a Gonne. All these catapults threw stones and so did the early power-loaded cannons.

What is a trebuchet?
It is a type of catapult that uses a rotating arm with a sling attached to the
tip to launch a projectile. It was a common powerful siege engine until the
advent of gunpowder. The design of a trebuchet allows it to launch
projectiles of greater weights and further distances than that of a
traditional catapult.
 Arbalest-was a large weapon with a
steel prod, or bow assembly

HISTORY OF THE FIRST FIREARM

The first firearms that developed were small
arms in the form of miniature artillery
weapons and were at first called hand
cannons.
These are classified as follows:
THE HAND CANNON - Seem to have appeared about 1350 and
consisted of a simple iron tube with a stock.

The tube had a hole at the rear end, the touchhole, and a little
extension or pan to hold a small amount of powder, known as priming
charge.
THE MATCH-LOCK ARMS-Appeared about 1485, these were simple improvement
of the hand cannon. They utilized a lever, spring and trigger to hold the burning
match and bring it in contact with the powder in the pan when firing the gun.

WHEELLOCK – Developed about 1500 - Wheelock, wheel-lock or wheel lock

is a mechanism for firing a firearm. It was the next major development in
firearms technology after the matchlock and the first self-igniting firearm. The
mechanism is so-called because it uses a rotating steel wheel to provide
ignition.
THE FLINT-LOCK ARMS - Introduced about 1630, the flint-lock rapidly replaced earlier
firearm-ignition technologies, such as the matchlock and wheel-lock mechanisms. It
continued to be in common use for over two centuries, replaced by percussion cap
and later, cartridge-based systems in the early-to-mid 19th century.

 Percussion Muzzle Loading Rifle Pattern

In 1807, a Scotch Minister, the Reverend Alexander John Forsyth,
patented a chemical compound consisting mainly of mercury fulminate,
which would explode on being struck.
Percussion firing requires the use of an explosive that will detonate
when struck a sharp blow
TWO GROUPS OF FIREARMS
1. LONG ARMS OR SHOULDER ARMS
a. RIFLE - This is a type of weapon normally designed to be fired
with the support of the shoulder.
Named because the grooving inside the barrel is known as RIFLING.

b. MUSKET - Long smooth bored firearm that is designed to fire a

single round lead ball. Muzzle loading firearms.
c. SHOTGUN - Long smooth bored firearms having a barrel of 25-
30 inches long and designed to shoot a number of lead pellets in one
charge.
. HANDGUN/SHORT ARMS - It is a firearm designed to be held in the hand when used. Portable handguns
appeared only in the early years of 16 th century.

A. SEMIAUTOMATIC PISTOL - A repeating firearm requiring a separate pull of the trigger for each shot fired.
-

 It is a handgun whose chamber is integral with the barrel. A handgun that is

magazine fed.
 REVOLVER. A firearm with a cylinder having several chambers so arranged as to
rotate around an axis and be discharged successively by the same firing
mechanism.
TYPES OF REVOLVER ACCORDING TO OPERATION
 Single-action revolvers - Require manual cocking of the hammer before
sufficient force on the trigger releases the firing mechanism. Pulling the trigger
releases the hammer, driving the firing pin to detonate the cartridge.
 Double Action Revolvers - Are similar to single-action revolvers with the
following exceptions:
 Called “double action” because the trigger performs two actions.
 The trigger cocks the hammer and
 It releases the hammer
 Note: The word “handgun” specifies both pistol and revolver but the two are
very different weapons.
FIREARM NOMENCLATURES (HANDGUNS)
 Parts of a Pistol
Slide Extractor Ejection port
Breech face Firing pin aperture Trigger Guard
Barrel Trigger
Ejector Safety Pin

Parts of Revolver

Cylinder Hammer Breech face Slide plate screw

Trigger Barrel Firing pin

 The Three Main Parts of Revolver and Pistol

REVOLVER – Cal. 38 PISTOL – Cal. 45
Barrel Assembly Barrel Assembly
Cylinder Assembly Slide Assembly
Frame or receiver Frame or receiver

The automatic pistol, besides having the main parts and detailed parts , it has also
the so called auxiliary parts (accessories) which must all be removed first before
disassembly of the weapon can be accomplished.
1. Barrel bushing 4. Recoil spring guide
2. Slide stop pin 5. Recoil plug
3. Recoil Spring
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION OF FIREARMS
A) According to Gun Barrel Internal Construction
1. SMOOTH-BORE FIREARMS - Firearms that have no rifling inside the gun barrel.

2. RIFLED-BORE FIREARMS - Firearms that have rifling inside the gun.

Ex. Pistols, revolvers and other weapons
Rifling-consists of spiral grooves cut into the inside of a barrel of a gun
B) According to Caliber of Projectiles Propelled

1.ARTILLERY - Those type of firearms that propel projectiles one (1) inch
and more in diameter.
Ex. Cannons, Mortars, Bazookas
SMALL ARMS - Those types of firearms that propel projectiles less than one (1) inch in
diameter.
Ex. Machine guns, Shoulder arms and Handguns

C) According to Mechanical Construction

1.Single shot Firearm - Type of firearm designed to only one shot for
every loading.
Ex. Single shot pistol, Rifle and Shotgun
2. Repeating Firearm - Fire several shots in one loading. A rifle that have
a number of cartridges stored in some form of magazine.
Ex. Automatic pistols, Rifles, Revolvers, Shotguns

3. Automatic Loading Type - After the first shot is fired, automatic

loading or feeding of the chamber takes place. Those that discharge one
cartridge with each pull of the trigger and that continue to fire as long as
the trigger is held back.
 Ex. Rifles, Machineguns
4. Bolt Action Type - Reloading is done by manipulation of the bolt.
Bolt Action Rifle - A firearm that is manually loaded by the reciprocation and
engagement of a bolt.

5. Lever Action - A design wherein the breech mechanism is cycled by an

external lever generally below the receiver.
6. Machinegun Type - A firearm with a rifled barrel firing rifle ammunition
and capable of fully automatic fire. A weapon which shoots or design to
shoot automatically or semi automatically more than one shoot without
manual reloading.

7. Shotguns - From the standpoint of operation, shotgun mechanisms

parallel those of rifles. The major difference between the two types of guns
is the barrel. It is a smooth-bored firearm; it has no rifling grooves cut into
the barrel.
UNUSUAL OR MISCELLANEOUS TYPE
Those type of firearms that are unique in mechanism and construction.

a. Gas guns - Used for firing tear gas and other forms of disabling gas.
b. Traps - These are designed to the set in the woods and left where
animals will encounter them. They may fire a bullet or a poison charge,
depending on their construction.
c. Cane gun, knife pistols, etc - Also known as freakish device
-Many devices primarily designed for another purposes will have a gun
mechanism incorporated in them.
d. Tools - There are many numbers of tools using cartridges which are
designed to drive studs, punch holes, or cut tables. Such tools may be
encountered in the investigation of an accident.
e. Zip Guns - These may be in any form, since the name has been applied
to all homemade guns.
f. Flare Guns - Used in cases such as for sending signals and enabling to
see enemies in the dark.
g. Harpoon Guns - Barbed spear in hunting large fish.

h. Multi-barrelled Guns - Having three or four barrels mounted in one

receiver.
i. Liberator - Made by the US government for use in occupied countries of
Europe during the recent war and fired .45 ACP cartridges, single shot
and smooth bore.
j. GUSTAV GUN - Largest gun in the world
k. GATLING GUN - The world’s first genuinely effective rapid fire weapon,
although it was not a true machinegun. Invented by American Richard
Gatling in 1862.
l. MAXIMUM MACHINE GUN - Developed by Hiram Maxim – the world’s
first true machinegun
Classification of Firearms As To Power Pursuant To Ra 8294

LOW POWERED FIREARMS - Includes rim fire handguns, .380 or .32 and
other firearm of similar fire powder.

HIGH POWERED FIREARMS - Includes those with bores bigger in

diameter than .38 caliber and 9mm such as caliber .40 .41 .44 .45 and also
lesser caliber firearms but consider powerful such as caliber .357 and
caliber .22 center fire magnum and other firearms with fire magnum and
other firearms with firing capability of full automatic and by burst of two (2)
or three (3).