Firearm

History

The first firearms appeared in China at the 5th century with the lances with fire (Huo Sang), species of Lance-flammes, with the effectiveness practices restricted on a battle field (but broader for its flamers qualities). Their psychological effectiveness on beginners could be useful. By observation, the retreat was used as from the 7th century as soon as possible, of the 9th century at the latest with the arrows with fire, whose range was increased and whose capacity flamer in the event of seat could be decisive.

At the 13th century, the troops of Gengis Khan used the fire pots (comparable perhaps to the grenade S) in a marginal way.

The first European firearms appeared during second half of the Moyen-âge, probably at the 13th century, where one found the first mentions of this type of weapon. The first tests of firearm related to especially machines of artillery, the weapons portable proving, first of all problematic to implement, and less effective than the weapons of traditional jet, like the arc and the crossbow. However, the advantage of the Escopette as ready with the shooting combined with its low costs (of 3 books according to English accounts of 1366 compared with 66 for a crossbow) arms gave it a use in the seat, then, in shift, the ammunition being much easier to manufacture when the need was felt some that the arrows or squares. The arquebus, then the mousquet nevertheless preceded the escopette.

The first pieces of artillery, were then used jointly with the Artillerie névro-ballistics, then of use for the seat S. Because of the technological limitations of these first achievements, their employment was often risky for the attacker itself, the first bombards S tending to explode after some shootings, even as of the first. Their effectiveness was doubtful, their projectile disaggregating with the impact, rather than to start the fortification concerned. The progress made in Métallurgie came little by little to end from these first difficulties. It became possible as of the end of the Middle Ages, to carry out gun S which do not explode any more that in a very occasional way and the projectiles in cast iron, are essential on the detriment those in stone, used first of all. The effect on the techniques of seat and fortification is then fundamental, the highest walls, pledges of invulnerability before, become most vulnerable, and one had to reconsider all art to protect a position.

Small firearms in the world in 2007

The light weapons and of small gauge are regarded by UNO as a potential or proven source (according to the contexts) of exacerbation of the Violence.

In July 2007, a report/ratio ('' Small Arms Survey '') of a Swiss research project led by the Academic institute of high international studies of Geneva, information source retained by UNO for the monitoring of the small weapons in the world estimated that 650 of the 850 million small firearms on Ground (76,5%) are in fact held by Civil S, the remainder being it by various the Armée S and police force.

The the United States are largely at the head classification with 290 million weapons, that is to say almost one by anybody (90 small firearms for 100 inhabitants). Come then the Yemen (61 weapons for 100 inhabitants), the Finland (56), the Suisse (46) and the Iraq (39). The France is located at a level comparable with much of European countries, with 32 weapons for 100 inhabitants. The minimal age for the wearing of firearms in Finland is fixed at 15 years. It is estimated that 56% of the Finnish population and 38.000 teenagers hold one of them), who add again themselves to the contributions of the previous years) with unquestionable pollution diffuse of the environment (Plomb Toxique of the balls or the shot, Heavy metals of the starters which are diffués in the environment, becoming sources of animal, avian lead poisoning in particular and perhaps human).

Legality

A barometer tries to follow the legality and the transparency of large the market world of light weapons, small gauge and their ammunition.

The researchers try to differentiate:

the authorized transfers (but they can be it only by one of the 2 governments concerned).
the irresponsible transfers (or “ transfers on the grey market ”); they are authorized by a government at least, but legally doubtful for the International law, with risk of abusive use and/or diversion towards uses or recipients not - authorized, etc Même if one did not retain like " irresponsables" that the transfers prohibited by UNO, the report/ratio 2007 notes that embargoes of UNO on the weapons, although being by contract obligatory for all the members of UNO, only are little respected, and in all impunity (ex: transfers authorized by governments but made in secrecy, towards Lebanon, Somalia and Sudan in 2006).
illegal transfers (on the black-market), which are prohibited by both government.

The illicit transfers include the irresponsible transfers and the illegal transfers (black grey market/). They are difficult with quantifier.
Certains authorized transfers are the subject of diversion solid masses (As example; the report/ratio Small arms survey 2007 cite le diversion of " several hundreds of thousands of light weapons transferred by the USA to Irak" and of " tens of thousands of ammunition of the troops of maintenance of peace in South Africa and Burundi" since 2003.

secret transfers (most difficult to measure), indicating those which are voluntarily hidden by the governments (untrue declarations or complete absence of declaration and transparency).

Because of the Traffic of weapons and Ammunition S and their possible differed use, the consequence of all these transfers perhaps distant in space and time.

In 2 years, of 2002 to 2004, more than 60 States let make or constant transfers of the " type; irresponsables" in direction of 36 countries.

Some figures (evaluations, for small gauges and light weapons)

large exporters: It would be into 2004 the USA, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Austria, Belgium then China (those which export for more than 100 million USD/an).
the largest importers (those whose imported annual value rose to at least 100 million USD) were the United States, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, France and the Netherlands.

Transparency of the transfers (according to the Barometer 2007)
Les the most transparent countries on the trade of the light weapons would be the United States, France, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom and Germany.
Les less transparent: Bulgaria, North Korea and South Africa which do not have provide any information nor evidence.

Principle of operation

Actuation of the projectile

First composed of this type used blasting powder was the , starting from the end 19th century, it was supplanted by the powder without smoke.

The projectile is placed in a room , at the bottom of a Fût. Between the projectile and the bottom of the room (the Cylinder head), is the clashing mixture. The firing of this mixture starts an explosion whose gases, while slackening, propel the projectile in the gun which guides this one so as to confer the desired trajectory to him.

Loading of the projectile

According to the type of weapon and its degree of evolution, the barrel differently comprises or not a system allowing the insertion of the projectile than by the mouth of the gun, possibly supplemented by a system making it possible to repeat the operation automatiquement :

was cast solid (first gun S, Arquebuse S),
removable Culasse (artillery guns, shotguns),
barrel (revolvers) : roll bored right through, each light constituting a section of room in which a ammunition is placed during the loading,
cylinder head with bolt (rifle of precision),
cylinder head with Mécanisme of loading and window of ejection, which room a ammunition (the place in the room) after, if necessary, having ejected the empty case of the preceding one.

Firing of the clashing mixture

With the first firearms, the firing was carried out manually, by flashover of a wick in packing using a Flint or of a Torche.

In the modern firearms, the projectiles contain their own clashing mixture, locked up in the content of a case or a Douille. Inaccessible to a naked flame, its detonation is started by a brutal shock produced by a Percuteur or by an electric discharge .

Types of projectiles

The oldest projectiles used were inert stone or cast iron balls. Then, for the weapons of smaller gauge, one used grapeshot (small pieces of Fer or Plomb).

One currently uses projectiles encapsulated in a casing containing at the same time the useful part (the projectile) and that which ensures the propulsion (clashing mixture) as well as a Amorce starting the latter. A Arme is thus barrack room for a Munition given which strictly defines the form and dimensions (Caliber, but also length and morphology of its casing) and of power. A Munition can be declined in various versions, with in particular of the different projectiles and loads.

The contents of the useful part can largely vary according to the type of use of the arme :

grapeshot,
ball with pointed end,
ball with round ball,
explosive load,
Hollow-charge,
chemical load ,
biological load ,

Types of firearms

Arquebus
Rifle
Rifle
Rifle of attack
Shotgun
Rifle with pump
Rifle of precision
Rifle machine gunner
Lance rocket
Machine-gun
Mousquet
Gun
Machine pistol
Pepper plantation
Revolver

Famous marks and terms

Beretta
Browning
Colt
Česká Zbrojovka
Derringer
FN Herstal
Kalashnikov
Krupp Ag
Manurhin
Munitions factory of Saint-Etienne
Mauser
Remington
Swiss Arms
Smith & Wesson
Winchester
Walther

References

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