Editing Firearm (section)

==History==
{{main|History of the firearm}}
{{see also|History of gunpowder}}
[[File:Yuan chinese gun.jpg|thumb|[[Hand cannon]] from the Chinese [[Yuan dynasty]] (1271–1368)]]

The first firearms were invented in 10th century [[History of science and technology in China|China]] when the man-portable [[fire lance]] (a bamboo or metal tube that could shoot ignited [[gunpowder]]) was combined with projectiles such as scrap metal, broken porcelain, or darts/arrows.<ref name="Helaine" /><ref>{{cite encyclopedia |author=Ho Peng Yoke |editor-first=Helaine |date=1997 |editor-last=Selin |encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures |title=Gunpowder |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=raKRY3KQspsC&pg=PA389 |access-date=30 July 2013 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-0-7923-4066-9 |page=389 |archive-date=9 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009040612/http://books.google.com/books?id=raKRY3KQspsC&pg=PA389 |url-status=live }}</ref>

An early depiction of a firearm is a sculpture from a cave in [[Sichuan]], China. The sculpture dates to the 12th century<ref>{{harvnb|Chase|2003|p=32}}: "The earliest true firearms may well date from as early as the first half of the 1100s. The evidence comes from sculptures in a Buddhist cave temple in Sichuan. [...] The earliest inscription in the cave dates from 1128, but even the later inscriptions all date from the 1100s [...]."</ref> and represents a figure carrying a vase-shaped [[Bombard (weapon)|bombard]], with flames and a [[Round shot|cannonball]] coming out of it.{{sfn|Chase|2003|pp=31–32}} The oldest surviving gun, a [[hand cannon]] made of bronze, has been dated to 1288 because it was discovered at a site in modern-day [[Acheng District]], [[Heilongjiang]], China, where the ''Yuan Shi'' records that battles were fought at that time.<ref name="needham volume 5 part 7 293 294">{{Harvcolnb|Needham|1986|pp=293–94}}</ref> The firearm had a {{cvt|17.5|cm|in}} barrel of a {{cvt|2.5|cm|in|0}} diameter, a {{cvt|6.6|cm|inch}} chamber for the gunpowder and a socket for the firearm's handle. It is {{convert|34|cm|in}} long and {{convert|3.54|kg|lb}} without the handle, which would have been made of wood.{{sfn|Chase|2003|p=32}}

The Arabs and [[Mamluk]]s had firearms in the late-13th century.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Al-Hassan |first1=Ahmad Y. |title=Gunpowder Composition for Rockets and Cannon in Arabic Military Treatises in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries |author-link1= Ahmad Y. al-Hassan |journal= ICON |date= 2003 |volume= 9 |pages= 1–30 |issn= 1361-8113 |publisher= [[International Committee for the History of Technology]] |jstor=23790667 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1= Broughton |first1= George |last2= Burris |first2=David |title=Advances in Wound Care: Volume 1 |date=2010 |publisher=[[Mary Ann Liebert]] |isbn=9781934854013 |pages=3–7 |chapter-url= https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/9781934854013.3 |chapter= War and Medicine: A Brief History of the Military's Contribution to Wound Care Through World War I |quote= The first hand cannon appeared during the 1260 Battle of Ain Jalut between the Egyptians and Mongols in the Middle East |doi=10.1089/9781934854013.3 |doi-broken-date=1 November 2024 |access-date=24 April 2019 |archive-date=3 April 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190403051335/https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/9781934854013.3 |url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Books |first1=Amber |last2=Dickie |first2=Iain |last3=Jestice |first3=Phyllis |last4= Jorgensen |first4= Christer |last5= Rice |first5= Rob S. |last6= Dougherty |first6= Martin J. |title= Fighting Techniques of Naval Warfare: Strategy, Weapons, Commanders, and Ships: 1190 BC – Present |date= 2009 |publisher= [[St. Martin's Press]] |isbn=9780312554538 |page=63 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=9iYLAQAAMAAJ |quote= Known to the Arabs as midfa, was the ancestor of all subsequent forms of cannon. Materials evolved from bamboo to wood to iron quickly enough for the Egyptian Mamelukes to employ the weapon against the Mongols at the battle of Ain Jalut in 1260, which ended the Mongol advance into the Mediterranean world. |access-date=2019-04-24 |archive-date=2019-12-30 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191230082704/https://books.google.com/books?id=9iYLAQAAMAAJ |url-status= live }}</ref> Europeans obtained firearms in the 14th century.{{sfn|Chase|2003|p=1}} The Koreans adopted firearms from the Chinese in the 14th century. The Iranians (first [[Aq Qoyunlu]] and [[Safavids]]) and Indians (first [[Mughal Empire|Mughals]]) all got them no later than the 15th century, from the Ottoman Turks. The people of the [[Nusantara (archipelago)|Nusantara]] archipelago of Southeast Asia used the [[Java arquebus|long arquebus]] at least by the last quarter of the 15th century.<ref name="Crawfurd-1856">{{Cite book|last= Crawfurd|first= John|title= A Descriptive Dictionary of the Indian Islands and Adjacent Countries|url=https://archive.org/details/adescriptivedic00crawgoog|publisher=Bradbury and Evans|year=1856}}</ref>{{Rp|23}}

[[File:Satinggar_Malay.jpg|thumb|The [[istinggar]], a result of Indo-Portuguese gun-making traditions]]

Even though the knowledge of making gunpowder-based weapons in the [[Nusantara (archipelago)|Nusantara]] archipelago had been known after the failed [[Mongol invasion of Java]] (1293), and the predecessor of firearms, the [[Hand cannon|pole gun]] ([[bedil tombak]]), was recorded as being used by Java in 1413,<ref>Mayers (1876). "Chinese explorations of the Indian Ocean during the fifteenth century". ''The China Review''. '''IV''': p. 178.</ref><ref name="Manguin-1976">{{Cite journal|last= Manguin|first= Pierre-Yves|date= 1976|title= L'Artillerie legere nousantarienne: A propos de six canons conserves dans des collections portugaises|url=https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-02509117/file/arasi_0004-3958_1976_num_32_1_1103.pdf|journal= Arts Asiatiques|volume= 32|pages=233–268|doi=10.3406/arasi.1976.1103|s2cid= 191565174|access-date= 2020-09-08|archive-date= 2020-10-17|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201017043603/https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-02509117/file/arasi_0004-3958_1976_num_32_1_1103.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Rp|245}} the knowledge of making "true" firearms came much later, after the middle of 15th century. It was brought by the [[Islam]]ic nations of West Asia, most probably the [[Arabs]]. The precise year of introduction is unknown, but it may be safely concluded to be no earlier than 1460.<ref name="Crawfurd-1856"/>{{Rp|23}} Before the arrival of the Portuguese in Southeast Asia, the natives already possessed firearms, the [[Java arquebus]].<ref name="Tiaoyuan-1969">{{Cite book|last= Tiaoyuan|first= Li|title= South Vietnamese Notes|publisher=Guangju Book Office|year=1969}}</ref>

[[File:Portuguese eastern matchlock evolution.png|thumb|A) The matchlock gun with button for trigger, which came to Lisbon from Bohemia, used by the Portuguese until the conquest of Goa in 1510. B) The Indo-Portuguese matchlock gun resulted from the combination of Portuguese and Goan gunmaking. C) The Japanese matchlock gun appeared as a copy of the first firearm introduced in the Japanese islands.]]

The technology of firearms in [[Southeast Asia]] further improved after the [[Capture of Malacca (1511)|Portuguese capture of Malacca]] (1511).<ref>Andaya, L. Y. 1999. Interaction with the outside world and adaptation in Southeast Asian society 1500–1800. In ''The Cambridge history of southeast Asia''. ed. Nicholas Tarling. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 345–401.</ref> Starting in the 1513, the traditions of German-Bohemian gun-making merged with Turkish gun-making traditions.<ref name="Daehnhardt-1994">''The bewitched gun : the introduction of the firearm in the Far East by the Portuguese'', by Rainer Daehnhardt 1994.</ref>{{Rp|39–41}} This resulted in the Indo-Portuguese tradition of matchlocks. Indian craftsmen modified the design by introducing a very short, almost pistol-like buttstock held against the cheek, not the shoulder, when aiming. They also reduced the caliber and made the gun lighter and more balanced. This was a hit with the Portuguese who did a lot of fighting aboard ship and on river craft, and valued a more compact gun.<ref name="Eaton-2013">{{Cite book|last= Eaton|first=Richard M.|title=Expanding Frontiers in South Asian and World History: Essays in Honour of John F. Richards |publisher= Cambridge University Press|year=2013|isbn=9781107034280|location=Cambridge}}</ref>{{Rp|41}}<ref>{{Cite book |last= Egerton|first= W.|title= An Illustrated Handbook of Indian Arms|publisher= W.H. Allen|year=1880}}</ref> The [[Malacca Sultanate|Malaccan]] gunfounders,{{typo help inline|date=April 2020}} compared as being in the same level with those of Germany, quickly adapted these new firearms, and thus a new type of arquebus, the [[istinggar]], appeared.<ref>{{Cite book |last= Tarling |first= Nicholas |title= The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia: Volume 1, From Early Times to C.1800|publisher= Cambridge University Press|year= 1992|isbn= 9780521355056}}</ref>{{Rp|385}} The Japanese did not acquire firearms until the 16th century, and then from the Portuguese rather than from the Chinese.{{sfn|Chase|2003|pp=31–32}}

[[File:Jacob de Gheyn - Wapenhandelinge 4.jpg|thumb|upright|left|A [[musketeer]] (1608)]]

Developments in firearms accelerated during the 19th and 20th centuries. Breech-loading became more or less a universal standard for the reloading of most hand-held firearms and continues to be so with some notable exceptions (such as mortars). Instead of loading individual rounds into weapons, magazines holding multiple munitions were adopted—these aided rapid reloading. Automatic and semi-automatic firing mechanisms meant that a single soldier could fire many more rounds in a minute than a vintage weapon could fire over the course of a battle. Polymers and alloys in firearm construction made weaponry progressively lighter and thus easier to deploy. Ammunition changed over the centuries from simple metallic ball-shaped projectiles that rattled down the barrel to bullets and cartridges manufactured to high precision. Especially in the past century{{Clarify timeframe|date=February 2022}} particular attention has focused on accuracy and sighting to make firearms altogether far more accurate than ever before. More than any single factor though, firearms have proliferated due to the advent of mass production—enabling arms-manufacturers to produce large quantities of weaponry to a consistent standard.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}

Velocities of bullets increased with the use of a "jacket" of metals such as copper or copper alloys that covered a lead core and allowed the bullet to glide down the barrel more easily than exposed lead. Such bullets are known as "full metal jacket" (FMJ). Such FMJ bullets are less likely to fragment on impact and are more likely to traverse through a target while imparting less energy. Hence, FMJ bullets impart less tissue damage than non-jacketed bullets that expand.<ref>Dougherty and Eidt, 2009.</ref> This led to their adoption for military use by countries adhering to the [[Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907|Hague Convention of 1899]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last= Coupland|first= Robin |date= |title=The 1899 Hague Declaration concerning Expanding Bullets A treaty effective for more than 100 years faces complex contemporary issues|url= https://www.icrc.org/en/doc/assets/files/other/irrc_849_coupland_et_loye.pdf |journal=IRRC|volume=85|pages=137|access-date=2021-04-30|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210709195515/https://www.icrc.org/en/doc/assets/files/other/irrc_849_coupland_et_loye.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

That said, the basic principle behind firearm operation remains unchanged to this day. A musket of several centuries ago is still similar in principle to a modern-day rifle—using the expansion of gases to propel projectiles over long distances—albeit less accurately and rapidly.<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://allthingsliberty.com/2013/07/the-inaccuracy-of-muskets/|title= The Inaccuracy of Muskets|date= 2013-07-15|work= Journal of the American Revolution|access-date= 2018-04-09|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-04-09|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180409110127/https://allthingsliberty.com/2013/07/the-inaccuracy-of-muskets/|url-status= live}}</ref>

===Early firearm models===
====Fire lances====
{{main|Fire lance}}
[[File:Fire Lance Knight.jpg|thumb|A cavalryman wielding a fire lance.]]
The Chinese [[fire lance]] from the 10th century was the direct predecessor to the modern concept of the firearm. It was not a gun itself, but an addition to soldiers' spears. Originally it consisted of paper or bamboo barrels that would contain incendiary gunpowder that could be lit one time and which would project flames at the enemy. Sometimes Chinese troops would place small projectiles within the barrel that would also be projected when the gunpowder was lit, but most of the explosive force would create flames. Later, the barrel was changed to be made of metal, so that more explosive gunpowder could be used and put more force into the propulsion of projectiles.<ref name="Chase">{{Harvcolnb |Chase|2003}}</ref>{{rp|31–32}}

====Hand cannons====
{{main|Hand cannon}}
[[File:Dictionnaire raisonné du mobilier français de l’époque carlovingienne à la Renaissance, tome 6 - 357.png|thumb|A Swiss soldier firing a hand cannon.]]
The original predecessor of all firearms, the Chinese [[hand cannon]] from the 13th century, was loaded with gunpowder and the projectile (initially [[lead shot]], later replaced by cast iron{{citation needed|date=December 2010}}) through the muzzle, while a fuse was placed at the rear. This fuse was lit, causing the gunpowder to ignite and propel the projectiles. In military use, the Chinese hand cannon was tremendously powerful, while also being somewhat erratic{{citation needed|date=December 2010}} due to the relative inability of the gunner to aim the weapon, or to control the ballistic properties of the projectile. Recoil could be absorbed by bracing the barrel against the ground using a wooden support, the forerunner of the [[Stock (firearms)|stock]]. Neither the quality nor amount of gunpowder, nor the consistency in projectile dimensions was controlled, with resulting inaccuracy in firing due to [[windage]], variance in gunpowder composition, and the difference in diameter between the [[Caliber|bore]] and the shot. Hand cannons were replaced around the 15th century by lighter carriage-mounted [[artillery]] pieces, and ultimately by the [[arquebus]].

In the 1420s, gunpowder was used to propel missiles from hand-held tubes during [[History of Czech civilian firearms possession#Origins of civilian firearms possession|the Hussite revolt]] in Bohemia.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/development-early-handguns.html |title=Andrew Knighton, The Development of Early Handguns, warhistoryonline.com, Oct 19, 2018 |date=19 October 2018 |access-date=January 4, 2021 |archive-date=February 27, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210227152539/https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/development-early-handguns.html |url-status=live }}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=April 2023}}

====Arquebuses====
[[File:Musée du Château de Foix 02.jpg|thumb|A 17th Century arquebus at the [[Château de Foix]] Museum, France.]]
The [[arquebus]] is a long gun that appeared in Europe and the [[Ottoman Empire]] during the 15th Century. The term ''arquebus'' is derived from the Dutch word ''haaqbus'' (literally meaning ''hook gun''). The term arquebus was applied to many different types of guns. In their earliest form they were defensive weapon mounts on German city walls in the 15th Century. The addition of a shoulder stock, priming pan and matchlock mechanism in the late 15th century turned the arquebus into a handheld firearm, and also first firearm equipped with a trigger. Heavy arquebuses mounted on [[war wagon]]s were called ''arquebus a croc''. These heavy arquebuses fired a [[lead]] ball of about 3.5 ounces (100g).

====Muskets====
{{main|Musket}}
[[File:Grand Turk(36).jpg|thumb|Muskets and bayonets aboard the [[sailing frigate|frigate]] [[Étoile du Roy|Grand Turk]].]]
[[Muzzleloader|Muzzle-loading]] muskets (smooth-bored long guns) were among the first firearms developed.{{when|date=August 2018}} The firearm was loaded through the muzzle with gunpowder, optionally with some wadding, and then with a bullet (usually a solid lead ball, but musketeers could shoot stones when they ran out of bullets). Greatly improved muzzleloaders (usually rifled instead of smooth-bored) are manufactured today and have many enthusiasts, many of whom hunt large and small game with their guns. Muzzleloaders have to be manually reloaded after each shot; a skilled archer could fire multiple arrows faster than most early muskets could be reloaded and fired, although by the mid-18th century when muzzleloaders became the standard small-armament of the military, a well-drilled soldier could fire six rounds in a minute using prepared cartridges in his musket. Before then, the effectiveness of muzzleloaders was hindered both by the low reloading speed and, before the firing mechanism was perfected, by the very high risk posed by the firearm to the person attempting to fire it.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}

One interesting solution to the reloading problem was the "Roman Candle Gun" with [[superposed load]]s. This was a muzzleloader in which multiple charges and balls were loaded one on top of the other, with a small hole in each ball to allow the subsequent charge to be ignited after the one ahead of it was ignited. It was neither a very reliable nor popular firearm, but it enabled a form of "automatic" fire long before the advent of the machine gun.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.scotwars.com/html/equip_firearms2.htm#3|title=Roman Candle Gun|work=Scotwars.com|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090302211812/http://scotwars.com/html/equip_firearms2.htm|archive-date=March 2, 2009}}</ref>

===Firing mechanisms===
{{further|Trigger (firearms)|Firearm action}}

====Matchlock====
{{main|Matchlock}}
[[File:Edo period rifles.jpg|thumb|left| Various Japanese (samurai) [[Edo period]] matchlocks (''tanegashima'')]]
[[Matchlock]]s were the first and simplest firearms-firing mechanisms developed. In the matchlock mechanism, the powder in the gun barrel was ignited by a piece of burning cord called a "match". The match was wedged into one end of an S-shaped piece of steel. When the trigger (often actually a lever) was pulled, the match was brought into the open end of a "touch hole" at the base of the gun barrel, which contained a very small quantity of gunpowder, igniting the main charge of gunpowder in the gun barrel. The match usually had to be relit after each firing. The main parts of the matchlock firing mechanism are the pan, match, arm, and trigger.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.credoreference.com/entry/move/musket |title=> Where Are You From? |publisher=Credo Reference |access-date=2014-04-19}}</ref> A benefit of the pan and arm swivel being moved to the side of the gun was it gave a clear line of fire.<ref>Weir, William. 50 Weapons That Changed Warfare. Franklin Lakes, NJ: New Page, 2005. 71–74. Print.</ref> An advantage to the matchlock firing mechanism is that it did not misfire. However, it also came with some disadvantages. One disadvantage involved weather: in rain, the match could not be kept lit to fire the weapon.  Another issue with the match was it could give away the position of soldiers because of the glow, sound, and smell.<ref>Saidel, Benjamin. "Matchlocks, Flintlocks, and Saltpetre: The Chronological Implications for the Use of Matchlock Muskets among Ottoman-Period Bedouin in the Southern Levant." ''International Journal of Historical Archaeology'' 4 (2000): 191–215.</ref> While European pistols were equipped with wheellock and flintlock mechanisms, Asian pistols used{{when|date=February 2022}} matchlock mechanisms.<ref>{{Cite book|last= DK|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Ma0MAwAAQBAJ&q=asian+snap+matchlock&pg=PA74|title=Firearms: An Illustrated History|date= 2014-04-01|publisher= Penguin|isbn= 978-1-4654-3089-2|language= en|access-date= 2020-10-31|archive-date= 2021-12-19|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211219202931/https://books.google.com/books?id=Ma0MAwAAQBAJ&q=asian+snap+matchlock&pg=PA74|url-status= live}}</ref>

====Wheellock====
{{main|Wheellock}}
[[File:Wheellock for a firearm, 17th century, iron - Stadtmuseum Fembohaus - Nuremberg, Germany -DSC02125.jpg|right|thumb|A wheellock pistol mechanism from the 17th century]]
The [[wheellock]] action, a successor to the matchlock, predated the flintlock. Despite its many faults, the wheellock was a significant improvement over the matchlock in terms of both convenience and safety, since it eliminated the need to keep a smoldering match in proximity to loose gunpowder. It operated using a small wheel (much like that on a [[Lighter|cigarette lighter]]) which was wound up with a key before use and which, when the trigger was pulled, spun against a flint, creating the shower of sparks that ignited the powder in the touch hole. Supposedly invented by [[Leonardo da Vinci]] (1452–1519), the Italian [[polymath|Renaissance man]], the wheellock action was an innovation that was not widely adopted due to the high cost of the clockwork mechanism.

====Flintlock====
{{main|Flintlock}}
[[File:FlintlockMechanism.jpg|thumb|Flintlock mechanism]]
The [[flintlock]] action represented a major innovation in firearm design. The spark used to ignite the gunpowder in the touch hole came from a sharpened piece of flint clamped in the jaws of a "cock" which, when released by the trigger, struck a piece of steel called the "[[frizzen]]" to generate the necessary sparks. (The spring-loaded arm that holds a piece of flint or pyrite is referred to as a cock because of its resemblance to a rooster.) The cock had to be manually reset after each firing, and the flint had to be replaced periodically due to wear from striking the frizzen. (See also [[flintlock mechanism]], [[snaphance]], [[Miquelet lock]].) The flintlock was widely used during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries in both muskets and rifles.

====Percussion cap====
{{main|Percussion cap|Caplock mechanism}}
[[Percussion cap]]s ([[caplock mechanism]]s), coming into wide service in the early 19th century, offered a dramatic improvement over flintlocks. With the percussion-cap mechanism, the small primer charge of gunpowder used in all preceding firearms was replaced by a completely self-contained explosive charge contained in a small brass "cap". The cap was fastened to the touch hole of the gun (extended to form a "nipple") and ignited by the impact of the gun's "hammer". (The hammer is roughly the same as the cock found on flintlocks except that it does not clamp onto anything.) In the case of percussion caps the hammer was hollow on the end to fit around the cap in order to keep the cap from fragmenting and injuring the shooter.

Once struck, the flame from the cap, in turn, ignited the main charge of gunpowder, as with the flintlock, but there was no longer any need to charge the touch hole with gunpowder, and even better, the touch hole was no longer exposed to the elements. As a result, the percussion-cap mechanism was considerably safer, far more weatherproof, and vastly more reliable (cloth-bound cartridges containing a pre-measured charge of gunpowder and a ball had been in regular military service for many years, but the exposed gunpowder in the entry to the touch hole had long been a source of misfires). All [[muzzleloader]]s manufactured since the second half of the 19th-century use percussion caps except those built as replicas of the flintlock or earlier firearms.

===Loading techniques===
{{main|Muzzleloader|Breechloader}}
[[File:Meyers b8 s0102a.jpg|thumb|[[Percussion cap]] and early [[bolt action]] form]]
Most early firearms were muzzle-loading. This form of loading has several disadvantages, such as a slow rate of fire and having to expose oneself to enemy fire to reload—as the weapon had to be pointed upright so the powder could be poured through the muzzle into the breech, followed by the ramming the projectile into the breech. As effective methods of sealing the breech developed along with sturdy, weatherproof, self-contained metallic cartridges, muzzle-loaders were replaced by single-shot breech loaders. Eventually, single-shot weapons were replaced by the following repeater-type weapons.

====Internal magazines====
{{main|Magazine (firearms)}}
Many firearms made from the late-19th century through the 1950s used internal magazines to load the cartridge into the chamber of the weapon. The most notable and revolutionary weapons of this period appeared during the U.S. Civil War of 1861–1865: the [[Spencer repeating rifle|Spencer]] and [[Henry rifle|Henry]] repeating rifles. Both used fixed tubular magazines, the former having the magazine in the buttstock and the latter under the barrel, which allowed a larger capacity. Later weapons used fixed box magazines that could not be removed from the weapon without disassembling the weapon itself. Fixed magazines permitted the use of larger cartridges and eliminated the hazard of having the bullet of one cartridge butting next to the primer or rim of another cartridge. These magazines are loaded while they are in the weapon, often using a stripper clip. A clip is used to transfer cartridges into the magazine. Some notable weapons that use internal magazines include the [[Mosin–Nagant]], the [[Mauser Kar 98k]], the [[Springfield M1903]], the [[M1 Garand]], and the [[SKS]]. Firearms that have internal magazines are usually, but not always, rifles. Some exceptions to this include the Mauser C96 pistol, which uses an internal magazine, and the [[Breda 30]], an Italian light machine gun.

====Detachable magazines====
Many modern firearms use what are called detachable or box magazines as their method of chambering a cartridge. Detachable magazines can be removed from the weapon without disassembling the firearms, usually by pushing a magazine release.

====Belt-fed weapons====
{{main|Belt (firearm)}}
A belt or ammunition belt, a device used to retain and feed cartridges into a firearm, is commonly used with machine guns. Belts were originally composed of canvas or cloth with pockets spaced evenly to allow the belt to be mechanically fed into the gun. These designs were prone to malfunctions due to the effects of oil and other contaminants altering the belt. Later belt-designs used permanently-connected metal links to retain the cartridges during feeding. These belts were more tolerant to exposure to solvents and oil. Notable weapons that use belts include the M240, the M249, the M134 Minigun, and the PK Machine Gun.

===Cartridges===
{{main|Cartridge (firearms)|Ammunition}}
[[File:Snider-Martini-Enfield Cartridges.JPG|thumb| (From left to right): A [[.577 Snider]] cartridge (1867), a [[.577/450 Martini-Henry]] cartridge (1871), a later drawn brass .577/450 [[Martini-Henry]] cartridge, and a [[.303 British]] Mk VII SAA Ball cartridge.]]
Frenchman [[Louis-Nicolas Flobert]] invented the first [[rimfire ammunition|rimfire metallic cartridge]] in 1845. His cartridge consisted of a percussion cap with a bullet attached to the top.<ref>[http://www.firearmsadvantage.com/history_of_firearms.html "History of firearms"] {{webarchive|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151222090129/http://www.firearmsadvantage.com/history_of_firearms.html |date=2015-12-22 }} (fireadvantages.com)</ref><ref>[http://www.firearmsadvantage.com/how_guns_work.html "How guns work"] {{webarchive|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151222103328/http://www.firearmsadvantage.com/how_guns_work.html |date=2015-12-22 }} (fireadvantages.com)</ref> Flobert then made what he called "[[parlor gun]]s" for this cartridge, as these rifles and pistols were designed to be shot in indoor shooting-parlors in large homes.<ref>{{cite book|title = Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms and Their Values|page=775|first= Norm |last=Flayderman |edition= 9|publisher =F+W Media, Inc|year= 2007 |location=Iola, Wisconsin|isbn =978-0-89689-455-6 }}</ref><ref name="BarnesBodinson2009">{{cite book|last1= Barnes|first1= Frank C.|author-link= Frank Barnes (gunsmith)|last2= Bodinson|first2= Holt|title= Cartridges of the World: A Complete and Illustrated Reference for Over 1500 Cartridges|chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=3_-kUkNXTNwC&pg=PA441|access-date= 25 January 2012|year= 2009|publisher= Gun Digest Books|location= Iola, Wisconsin|isbn= 978-0-89689-936-0|page= 441|chapter= American Rimfire Cartridges}}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> These [[6mm Flobert]] cartridges do not contain any powder, the only [[propellant]] substance contained in the cartridge is the percussion cap.<ref>[http://www.arquebusiers.be/section-tir.htm Shooting section (''la section de tir'')] {{webarchive|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131110001815/http://www.arquebusiers.be/section-tir.htm |date= 2013-11-10 }} of the official website (in French) of a modern indoor-shooting association in Belgium, ''Les Arquebusier de Visé''.</ref> In English-speaking countries, the 6mm Flobert cartridge corresponds to [[.22 BB Cap]] and [[.22 CB Cap]] ammunition. These cartridges have a relatively low muzzle-velocity of around 700&nbsp;ft/s (210&nbsp;m/s).

Cartridges represented a major innovation: firearms ammunition, previously delivered as separate bullets and powder, was combined in a single metallic (usually brass) [[Cartridge (firearms)|cartridge]] containing a percussion cap, powder, and a bullet in one weatherproof package. The main technical advantage of the brass cartridge case was the effective and reliable sealing of high-pressure gasses at the breech, as the gas pressure forces the cartridge case to expand outward, pressing it firmly against the inside of the gun-barrel chamber.  This prevents the leakage of hot gas which could injure the shooter. The brass cartridge also opened the way for modern repeating arms, by uniting the bullet, gunpowder, and primer into one assembly that could be fed reliably into the breech by mechanical action in the firearm.

Before this, a "cartridge" was simply a pre-measured quantity of [[gunpowder]] together with a ball in a small cloth bag (or rolled paper cylinder), which also acted as [[wadding]] for the charge and ball. This early form of cartridge had to be rammed into the muzzleloader's barrel, and either a small charge of gunpowder in the touch hole or an external percussion cap mounted on the touch hole ignited the gunpowder in the cartridge. Cartridges with built-in percussion caps (called "primers") continue to this day to be the standard in firearms. In cartridge-firing firearms, a hammer (or a firing pin struck by the hammer) strikes the cartridge primer, which then ignites the gunpowder within. The primer charge is at the base of the cartridge, either within the rim (a [[Rimfire ammunition|"rimfire"]] cartridge) or in a small percussion cap embedded in the center of the base (a "[[centerfire]]" cartridge). As a rule, centerfire cartridges are more powerful than rimfire cartridges, operating at considerably higher pressures than rimfire cartridges. Centerfire cartridges are also safer, as a dropped rimfire cartridge has the potential to discharge if its rim strikes the ground with sufficient force to ignite the primer. This is practically impossible with most centerfire cartridges.

Nearly all contemporary firearms load cartridges directly into their [[Breechloader|breech]]. Some additionally or exclusively load from a [[Magazine (firearms)|magazine]] that holds multiple cartridges. A magazine is a part of the firearm which exists to store ammunition and to assist in its feeding by the action into the breech (such as through the rotation of a revolver's cylinder or by spring-loaded platforms in most pistol and rifle designs). Some magazines, such as that of most centerfire hunting rifles and all revolvers, are internal to and inseparable from the firearm, and are loaded by using a "clip".  A [[Clip (ammunition)|clip]] (the term often mistakenly refers to a detachable "magazine") is a device that holds the ammunition by the rim of the case and is designed to assist the shooter in reloading the firearm's magazine. Examples include revolver [[speedloader]]s, the [[stripper clip]] used to aid loading rifles such as the [[Lee–Enfield]] or [[Mauser 98]], and the [[En-bloc clip#En bloc|en-bloc clip]] used in loading the [[M1 Garand]]. In this sense, "magazines" and "clips", though often used synonymously, refer to different types of devices.

===Repeating firearms===
{{main|Repeating firearm}}
{{further|Single-shot}}
[[File:FAMAS dsc06877.jpg|thumb|The French [[FAMAS]], example of a [[bullpup]] rifle]]
[[File:M4w-att.jpg|thumb|The [[M4 carbine]], a modern [[service rifle]] capable of being fired automatically. It is in service by the U.S. military and has a wide ability for customization.]]
Many firearms are "single shot": i.e., each time a cartridge is fired, the operator must manually re-cock the firearm and load another cartridge. The classic single-barreled shotgun offers a good example. A firearm that can load multiple cartridges as the firearm is re-cocked is considered a "repeating firearm" or simply a "repeater". A lever-action rifle, a pump-action shotgun, and most bolt-action rifles are good examples of repeating firearms. A firearm that automatically re-cocks and reloads the next round with each trigger-pull is considered a semi-automatic or autoloading firearm.

The first "rapid firing" firearms were usually similar to the 19th-century [[Gatling gun]], which would fire cartridges from a magazine as fast as and as long as the operator turned a crank. Eventually, the "rapid" firing mechanism was perfected and miniaturized to the extent that either the recoil of the firearm or the gas pressure from firing could be used to operate it, thus the operator needed only to pull a trigger—this made the firing mechanisms truly "automatic". An [[Automatic firearm|automatic]] (or "fully automatic") firearm automatically re-cocks, reloads, and fires as long as the trigger is depressed. An automatic firearm is capable of firing multiple rounds with one pull of the trigger. The [[Gatling gun]] may have been the first automatic weapon, though the modern trigger-actuated machine gun was not widely introduced until the [[World War I|First World War]] (1914–1918) with the German [[MG 08|"Spandau"]] (adopted in 1908) and the British [[Lewis gun]] (in service from 1914). Automatic rifles such as the [[M1918 Browning automatic rifle|Browning automatic rifle]] were in common use by the military during the early part of the 20th century, and automatic rifles that fired handgun rounds, known as submachine guns, also appeared at this time. Many modern military firearms have a [[selective fire]] option, which is a mechanical switch that allows the firearm to be fired either in the semi-automatic or fully automatic mode. In the current M16A2 and M16A4 variants of the U.S.-made [[M16 rifle|M16]], continuous fully-automatic fire is not possible, having been replaced by an automatic burst of three cartridges (this conserves ammunition and increases controllability).