Chapter I

HISTORY OF THE GUN 9
Discovery of Gunpowder 9
The First Fire Arms 9
Earliest Hand Guns 10
Prejudice Against Fire Arms 10
The First Rifle 11
The Arquebus 11
The Match Lock 12
Musket, Petronel 13
The Wheel Lock 13
The Pistol 14
The Snaphaunce 14
The Flint Lock 15
Important Improvements 15
Advance of the Rifle 16
The Percussion Lock 16
The Breech Loader 18

CHAPTER II.

HOW GUNS ARE MADE 22
Gunsmith, Gunmaker 22
Gun Barrels, Best Materials for 23
On Making Gun Barrels 24
Finishing and Proving 25
Action, Stock and Final Finish 26
On Making the Rifle 27
Plain Steel Barrel Guns 27

CHAPTER III.

GUNS NOW IN USE 29
Gun Defined 29
The Old Flint Lock Gun 29
The Percussion Lock Gun 31
On the Muzzle Loaders 33
The Breech Loaders 34
Variety of Breech Loaders 36

CHAPTER IV.

PISTOLS NOW IN USE 37
Old Style Pistols 37
The Derringer 38
The Pepper Box 38
Old Colt’s Revolver 38
Sharp’s Four-shooter 39
The Breech Loading Cartridge Pistols 39

CHAPTER V.

ON GENERAL GUNSMITHING 41
The Gunsmith and his Trade 41
Fitting up a Shop 41

CHAPTER VI.

TAKING APART, CLEANING AND PUTTING GUNS TOGETHER 43
To Take the Gun Apart 43
To Clean the Gun When Apart 44
To Put the Gun Together 45