People either love guns or hate them. If you're a gun lover, you love the history of antique guns. Guns have been evolving for centuries to change the way the military can defend their country. Guns have been a part of the United States before it was even the United States. They are the reason the country is free, and they have been shaping the country ever since. Some guns have a special place in America's heart. Here are 6 guns that have shaped the United States.

American Long Rifle

The American long rifle, also known as the Pennsylvania rifle and the Kentucky rifle, was an important gun in past wars. It was used by the British-American colonies up through the War of Independence and the War of 1812. The American long rifle was a long and heavy weapon that was loaded through muzzleloading. With muzzleloading, gun powder is poured down the barrel and packed in with a long rod, followed by the bullet. The American long rifle was brought over to the United States (colonies) by the Germans, who used it for woodland hunting in 18th century Germany.

Colt Walker

The Colt Walker was originally manufactured as a revolver. The gun was designed after Captain Samuel Hamilton Walker, a hero of the Texas-Mexican wars, approached Samuel Colt and asked him to create a gun suitable for Texas rangers. After first creating the gun as a revolver, it was purchased by the Army Ordnance Department. The Army had no idea how to use a revolver and many people accidentally fired all six rounds when they only meant to fire one. The gun was changed to a regular pistol with no revolver, and it became the Colt Walker pistol on 1847. The expensive gun quickly became a status symbol, and anyone who could afford one purchased the legendary firearm.

Spencer Repeater

In 1860, Christian Spencer patented the Spencer Repeater. At the time, it was the most advanced infantry weapon ever created. The gun was used by the south during the Civil War. After the repeater became popular, Smith & Wesson created and patented their own, followed by Henry who did the same. The Henry version of the repeater became the most popular and was said to be the most perfected. It was bought by the Army and Navy Ordnance departments in 1861 and 1862.

Winchester Rifle

The Winchester rifle in 1873 was known as "the gun that won the west." It was a repeating rifle used in the American Indian wars and in the "Wild West." The Winchester rifle was a late version of the improved Henry repeating rifle. After Henry changed to New Haven Arm Company, they created new and improved models. As the gun became recreated and improved over the years, they designed the Winchester rifle in 1873 after the company changed again to the Winchester Repeating Arms Company.

Springfield M1903

In World War I, the Springfield M1903 bolt-action rifle was the standard issue for Army infantry. The gun worked so well, it was still used throughout World War II. The gun was widely popular because not only did it have reliable internal mechanisms, but it had long-range accuracy. The accuracy was so great, in fact, it morphed into an entirely new use when the military began using snipers.

AR-15/M-16

The AR-15 was the original name of the legendary rifle, while the M-16 was the military adaptation of the same gun. The gun went down in history as "The Watermelon and Coconut Rifle" in July 4, 1960. General Curtiss Lemay was invited to demonstrate the rifle at a picnic, so he shot watermelons to show off the gun. When demonstrations went on in Southeast Asia, the demonstrators used coconuts to produce the same type of show.

Share