small arm: Quick Facts

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Photos

Semiautomatic pistol

flintlock pistol

British Enfield Pattern 1851 (top), a percussion-ignition, Minié-type muzzle-loader, and German 1898 Mauser (bottom), a bolt-action, magazine-fed repeater.

MP5 submachine gun

Black Uzi submachine gun with folded stock and magazine inserted, displayed on a white background.

Maxim machine gun

Browning automatic rifle

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Topics

double action slow match silencer flashpan Blakeslee cartridge box grenade launcher Ghost gun machine gun rifle pistol bazooka gunsight artillery gun control Blowgun Panzerschreck air gun

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

military technology: The first small arms

Key People

Browning, John Moses

John Moses Browning

American gun designer

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Eliphalet Remington II

American manufacturer and inventor

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Elisha King Root

American inventor, engineer, and manufacturer