Firearm: the story on HearLore

Firearm

The oldest surviving firearm in human history, the Heilongjiang hand cannon, dates to the 2nd of May 1288, yet its existence was nearly lost to time until its discovery in the Acheng District of modern-day Heilongjiang, China. This bronze artifact, measuring 34 centimeters in length, was not merely a weapon but a testament to a technological revolution that began centuries earlier in the Song dynasty. The story of the firearm starts not with a gun, but with a fire lance, a bamboo tube filled with gunpowder and projectiles that was mounted on a spear around the 10th century. These early devices were primitive shock weapons, used effectively during the siege of De'an in 1132, where they created confusion among enemy ranks. The transition from bamboo to metal barrels in the 13th century marked the birth of the hand cannon, a device that could withstand the explosive force of high-nitrate gunpowder. This innovation allowed for the creation of solid projectiles that fit the barrel more closely, replacing the loose shrapnel of earlier designs. The technology spread rapidly across Eurasia, reaching the Arabs and Mamluks by the late 13th century and Europe by the 14th century. By the 15th century, the firearm had become a global phenomenon, with the Koreans, Iranians, Indians, and the people of the Nusantara archipelago all adopting these new weapons. The spread of this technology was not merely a matter of trade but of conquest and adaptation, as seen in the Indo-Portuguese gun-making traditions that emerged after the Portuguese capture of Malacca in 1511. These traditions merged German-Bohemian and Turkish gun-making techniques to create the istinggar, a compact arquebus that was lighter and more balanced than its predecessors. The firearm was no longer just a tool of war; it was a symbol of power that could be wielded by a single individual, changing the nature of warfare forever.

The Mechanics Of Death

The evolution of the firearm is a story of increasing precision and reliability, driven by the need to overcome the limitations of early designs. The matchlock mechanism, the first and simplest firing system, relied on a burning cord called a match to ignite the gunpowder, a process that was often unreliable in wet weather and gave away the position of soldiers due to its glow and smell. The wheellock, supposedly invented by Leonardo da Vinci, offered a significant improvement by eliminating the need for a smoldering match, but its high cost and complex clockwork mechanism prevented widespread adoption. The flintlock, which used a piece of flint to strike a piece of steel called the frizzen, became the standard for muskets and rifles throughout the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. This mechanism was a major innovation, as it allowed for a more reliable and weatherproof firing system. The percussion cap, introduced in the early 19th century, represented a dramatic improvement over flintlocks by replacing the exposed gunpowder in the touch hole with a self-contained explosive charge. This innovation made firearms safer, more weatherproof, and vastly more reliable, as the primer charge was no longer exposed to the elements. The development of the cartridge, a single metallic package containing a bullet, gunpowder, and a primer, was another major leap forward. Frenchman Louis-Nicolas Flobert invented the first rimfire metallic cartridge in 1845, which combined all the necessary components into one weatherproof package. This innovation allowed for the effective and reliable sealing of high-pressure gases at the breech, preventing the leakage of hot gas that could injure the shooter. The cartridge also opened the way for modern repeating arms, by uniting the bullet, gunpowder, and primer into one assembly that could be fed reliably into the breech by mechanical action. The transition from muzzle-loading to breech-loading, and from single-shot to repeating firearms, revolutionized the way wars were fought. The Spencer and Henry repeating rifles, used during the U.S. Civil War of 1861, 1865, were among the first to use internal magazines, allowing soldiers to fire multiple rounds without reloading after each shot. The development of detachable magazines and belt-fed weapons further increased the rate of fire and the capacity of firearms, making them more effective in combat. The Gatling gun, which fired cartridges from a magazine as fast as the operator turned a crank, was one of the first rapid-firing firearms, and the modern trigger-actuated machine gun was not widely introduced until the First World War. The firearm had become a tool of mass destruction, capable of firing multiple rounds with one pull of the trigger.

What is the oldest surviving firearm in human history and when was it made?

The Heilongjiang hand cannon is the oldest surviving firearm in human history, dating to the 2nd of May 1288. This bronze artifact was discovered in the Acheng District of modern-day Heilongjiang, China, and measures 34 centimeters in length.

How did the firearm evolve from early fire lances to modern repeating rifles?

The firearm evolved from bamboo fire lances in the 10th century to metal hand cannons in the 13th century, eventually leading to repeating rifles like the Spencer and Henry models used during the U.S. Civil War of 1861 to 1865. This progression included the development of the flintlock mechanism in the 17th century and the percussion cap in the early 19th century.

How many firearms are distributed globally and how many are held by U.S. civilians?

The Small Arms Survey reported over one billion firearms distributed globally, with 857 million held by civilians. U.S. civilians alone account for 393 million of these civilian-held firearms, representing about 46 percent of the worldwide total.

What are the health hazards and statistics associated with firearm use in the United States?

In 2017, there were 39,773 gun-related deaths in the United States, with over 60 percent being suicides. Gunshot-related homicides were the 31st most common cause of death, while gunshot-related suicides were the 21st most common cause of death in that year.

How is a firearm legally defined under United States federal law?

Under 26 USC § 5845, the term firearm means a weapon designed to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive, including the frame or receiver, any firearm muffler, or any destructive device. This definition distinguishes between title II NFA firearms and title I firearms not restricted by the National Firearms Act.

The Global Arsenal

The global distribution of firearms is a staggering statistic that reflects the ubiquity of these weapons in modern society. The Small Arms Survey reported that there were over one billion firearms distributed globally, of which 857 million, or about 85 percent, were in civilian hands. U.S. civilians alone account for 393 million, or about 46 percent, of the worldwide total of civilian-held firearms. This amounts to 120.5 firearms for every 100 residents, a figure that highlights the prevalence of firearms in American culture. The world's armed forces control about 133 million, or about 13 percent, of the global total of small arms, of which over 43 percent belong to two countries: the Russian Federation, with 30.3 million, and China, with 27.5 million. Law enforcement agencies control about 23 million, or about 2 percent, of the global total of small arms. The top firearms manufacturers include Browning, Remington, Colt, Ruger, Smith & Wesson, Savage, and Mossberg from the United States, Heckler & Koch, SIG Sauer, and Walther from Germany, ČZUB from the Czech Republic, Glock and Steyr Arms from Austria, FN Herstal from Belgium, Beretta from Italy, Norinco from China, and Rostec and Kalashnikov from Russia. Former top producers include the Springfield Armory, the Royal Small Arms Factory, Mauser, Steyr-Daimler-Puch, and Rock Island Armory under Armscor. The proliferation of firearms has been driven by mass production, which has enabled arms manufacturers to produce large quantities of weaponry to a consistent standard. The development of polymers and alloys in firearm construction has made weaponry progressively lighter and thus easier to deploy. The velocities of bullets have increased with the use of a jacket of metals such as copper or copper alloys that covered a lead core and allowed the bullet to glide down the barrel more easily than exposed lead. Such bullets are known as full metal jacket, and they are less likely to fragment on impact and are more likely to traverse through a target while imparting less energy. The basic principle behind firearm operation remains unchanged to this day, but the technology has evolved to make firearms far more accurate and reliable than ever before.

The Cost Of Fire

The health hazards associated with firearm use are a significant impact on the global health system, with fatalities and injuries costing billions of dollars annually. In 2001, it was estimated that the cost of fatalities and injuries was US$4700 million per year in Canada and US$100,000 million per year in the U.S. From 1990 to 2015, global deaths from assault by firearm rose from 128,000 to 173,000, however this represents a drop in rate from 2.41 per 100,000 to 2.35 per 100,000, as world population has increased by more than two billion. In 2017, there were 39,773 gun-related deaths in the United States, over 60 percent of which were suicides. In 2001, firearms were involved in cases constituting the second leading cause of mechanism of injury deaths, after motor vehicle accidents. The most recent, complete data, from 2017, shows gunshot related homicides as having been the 31st most common cause of death in the US, while gunshot related suicides was the 21st most common cause of death. Accidental discharge of a firearm accounted for the 59th most common cause of death, with 486 deaths in 2017, while 616 individuals were killed by law enforcement, comprising the 58th most common cause of death. The total number of deaths related to firearms in 2017 was 38,882, not including incidents of deaths resulting from lethal force when used by law enforcement. The most recent data from the CDC, from 2020, shows that deaths involving firearms accounted for about 0.2 percent of all deaths nationwide in 2020, of which about two-thirds were suicides. In the 52 high- and middle-income countries, with a combined population of 1,400 million and not engaged in civil conflict, fatalities due to firearm injuries were estimated at 115,000 people per annum, in the 1990s. In those 52 countries, a firearm is the first method used for homicide, accounting for two-thirds of cases, but only the second method for suicide, accounting for 20 percent. Based on US data, it is estimated that three people are injured for one killed. A 2017 study found that attacks account for more than half, 50.2 percent, of all nonfatal gun injuries, while unintentional injuries make up more than one-third, 36.7 percent. The health hazards of firearm use extend beyond fatalities and injuries to include noise-induced hearing loss, which can result from long-term exposure to noise or from high intensity impact noises such as gunshots. Individuals who shoot guns often have a characteristic pattern of hearing loss referred to as shooter's ear, with a high-frequency loss and better hearing in the low frequencies. The ear on the side the shooter is holding the gun will receive protection from the sound wave from the shoulder while the other ear remains unprotected and more susceptible to the full impact of the sound wave. The intensity of a gunshot does vary, with lower caliber guns typically on the softer side while higher caliber guns are often louder. The intensity of a gunshot though typically ranges from 140 decibels to 175 decibels. Indoor shooting also causes loud reverberations which can also be as damaging as the actual gunshot itself. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, noise above 85 decibels can begin to cause hearing loss. While many sounds cause damage over time, at the intensity level of a gunshot, damage to the ear can occur instantly. Shooters use custom hearing protection such as electronic type hearing protection for hunters which can amplify soft sounds like leaves crunching while reducing the intensity of the gunshot and custom hearing protection for skeet shooting. Even with hearing protection, due to the high intensity of the noise guns produce shooters still develop hearing loss over time.

The Legal Landscape

The legal definitions of firearms vary significantly across different countries and jurisdictions, reflecting the diverse cultural and political contexts in which these weapons are used. In the United States, under 26 USC § 5845, the term firearm means a weapon which will or is designed to be used to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive, the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any firearm muffler or firearm silencer, or any destructive device. This is the ATF definition of a title II NFA firearm, as defined by the National Firearms Act, and not the definition of a title I firearm, which includes firearms not restricted by the NFA. For practical purposes, a firearm, in the U.S., is defined as the part of a weapon designed to use expanded gas caused by the combustion of explosive material, to propel a projectile, which houses the fire control. English language laws of big legal entities such as the United States, India, the European Union and Canada use different definitions, and other English language definitions are provided by international treaties. The legal status of firearms is a complex and often contentious issue, with debates over the balance between individual rights and public safety. In many jurisdictions, automatic rifles, as well as automatic firearms in general, are prohibited from civilian purchase or are at least heavily restricted. In the U.S. for instance, most automatic rifles are Title II weapons that require certain licenses and are greatly regulated. The legal definitions of firearms also extend to the classification of different types of weapons, such as handguns, long guns, rifles, shotguns, carbines, assault rifles, battle rifles, sniper rifles, automatic rifles, machine guns, submachine guns, and personal defense weapons. The classification of firearms is based on a variety of factors, including their caliber, barrel length, firing mechanism, and intended use. The legal definitions of firearms are also influenced by the historical and cultural context in which they are used, with different countries having different attitudes towards the ownership and use of firearms. The legal landscape of firearms is a dynamic and evolving field, with new laws and regulations being introduced to address the changing nature of firearms and the threats they pose to public safety.