Obscure Gun Facts

[Rick]

We have a lot of folks on here that enjoy weapons of all sorts and many that have some excellent training and experience so I thought I would give you all a fun challenge. I'll offer up some questions on some obscure weapons facts and let you answer them. I won't make them too tough but I won't make them too easy, either.

I'll start you off with a fairly easy one to get you started.

What year was the first Remington rifle made? (Hint: It was before the company was founded!)

[Beo]

1816 I think, maybe wrong.

[Beo]

What was the 1st automatic weapon?

[Rick]

You are correct! In 1816 young Eliphalet Remington II made his first rifle at his father's forge in Ilion Gulch, New York (a flintlock). That fall, he entered a shooting contest. Although he only won second place in the contest, he won a number of orders for his rifle. The rest, as they say, is history.

Good job, Beo!

Hey! My game. My questions.

[Beo]

Thank you.

[Rick]

I'll take obscure gun facts for 50, Alex.

This is a two part question.

Samuel Colt is well known for his famous Colt .45 Peacemaker. What did he invent that revolutionized weapons and what gave him the idea?

[Beo]

was it the revolving-breach loading, folding trigger firearm?

[Beo]

I do know that while reading the compendium of knowledge he discovered that Robert Fulton and other inventors had accomplished things that were said to be impossible until they were done and he decided he would be an inventor and create the impossible gun although I don't know what the impossible gun is.
Could be this, if not I'm baffled and gotta do research.

[Rick]

You are correct on the revolving cylinder. It turned handguns from single-shot devices into multi-shot machines that were far more useful and deadly in combat. However, you missed on the inspiration so I'll leave it open for a while and see if anyone knows.

What inspired Samuel Colt to develop the cylinder design in handguns?

[Beo]

It it when he was 16 years old and sailing on a ship to India he carved a model of a single-barrelled pistol with automatically revolving chambers. No no it was inspired by his observations of the ship's wheel during this voyage.... Ha ha this is fun.

[Rick]

Right again. Doing good.

I'll take Obscure Gun Facts for $75, Alex.

Another two part question, sports fans.

George Luger invented the famous Luger pistol of German fame. What is the real name of the pistol and from where does it derive it's real name?

[Beo]

1. The Parabellum-Pistole (Pistol Parabellum) and is designated the Luger P08 pistol
2. The word Parabellum is a noun of the the Latin saying si vis pacem, para bellum, meaning If you want peace, prepare for war.

[Beo]

For $500 What was the 1st automatic weapon? Any takers?

[Rick]

The Maxim invented by Hiram Maxim. You stole one of my questions. And just for that, tell me two other weapons related inventions my buddy Hiram came up with.

[Beo]

The first autoamtic weapon was the Gattling Gun, so you are wrong.

[Beo]

He invented the mousetrap and the "Captive Flying Machine" amusement ride. He tried as his father did to make a helo but the efforts failed, he made a huge plae but the flight was aborted. If thats no it I'm busted on answers.

[Rick]

No I'm not. The Gatling Gun was not automatic. You did say automatic. The Gatling gun was hand cranked. The Maxim was the first automatic machine gun.

You are also wrong on the two other inventions of Mr. Maxim. Note that I said weapons related inventions. There are two that have been in universal use around the world.

[trax]

Hey Rick, some amusement rides could qualify as weapons, suicide machines getting on them. Ever seen the upkeep on some of those things? Scary, man.

[Beo]

The Maxim gun was the first self-powered machine gun, not the first automatic weapon.
The Gatling gun was the first "machine gun" because, while it did not automatically reload under its own power, it was capable of firing continuously. The first Gatling gun relied on a hand crank for external power. Some time later, Gatling-type weapons diverted a fraction of gas from the chamber to spin the rotating barrels.
Per the U.S. Military... thank you very much.
And I said in my last post I didn't know but now I will look it on the net.

[Rick]

Way back when I was union and worked outside a bunch of the guys wanted to go to Six Flags one week-end. I said not me brother. Everyone started in on my case about not going. I said, "Look, you guys are going up there and pay good money to ride on those contraptions. If riding them was part of your job you'd file a grievance claiming they were unsafe." No one went, which I thought was pretty funny.

Back to the questions. What two weapons related inventions did Hiram Maxim invent besides the Maxim Machine Gun? Both have been in universal use around the world.