[leadcounsel]

In what era would you say did handgun technology become "excellent?" I know this is subjective, but by excellent I mean a reliable, quickly reloadable, durable and accurate handgun for semi auto and revolver. Answer the same for long guns. Keep in mind this is for individual use for defensive and/or miliary purposes, not necessarily just for a one shot hunting purpose.

[possom813]

No gun is perfect

But for the sake of the question posed

Semi Auto perfection-1911

Revolver-Colt Navy, I forget the year

Not sure about rifles, but I'm thinking 1894

[Treo]

I'd say late 1800s. I'd also say it was more the advances in cartridge techology than weapon technology that made handguns reloadable.

That said I'm W/ possum813 handgun techology peaked in 1911.

[XDKingslayer]

I think the modern era is the highlight of all weapons.

Pistols made from polymers and other lightweight allows. Long guns are becoming more and more accurate. Military weapons have made leaps and bounds in flexability of use. Ammo has made all kinds of technological advances with new calibers, better powders, better bullet design etc.

[Sato Ord]

Excellence started looooonnnng before gunpowder was invented.

The first big break-through in ranged weaponry was the atlatl.

http://www.hollowtop.com/atlatlbob.htm

It was invented thousands of years before the bow, and is the weapon that gave our ancestors the edge over the stronger, tougher Neanderthal (properly pronounced, ne-an-dare-tall).

It was an excellent weapon in its day. As was the matchlock compared to the crossbow. As was the flintlock with rifled barrel compared to the brown-bess. As was the caplock compared to the flintlock. Etc, etc, etc...

As for when did modern weaponry become excellent, it still depends on your perspective. I'd say when they invented the repeater they were getting close. Smokeless powder cartridges was the next big thing that got us really close.

The GLOCK ani't it though.:neener:

[TallPine]

I would say with the introduction and widespread use of centerfire metal cartridge ammunition (1870's?) - which took the guesswork and black art out of loading and firing.

That, and smokeless powder a few years later, which simplified cleaning immensely.

Everything since that time has just been minor refinements.

[3pairs12]

I agree with possum. Although through technology things have progressed significantly, I still have to think that guns became excellent when cartridges started to become more available.

[macadore]

The Colt 44 Dragoon was the first excellent handgun. Soldiers could ride into battle with two of these in saddle holsters, take out 12 of the enemy, ride out, replace the empty cylinders with full cylinders, and do it again. This was as big a technological leap as the Gatling gun.

[jnyork]

I beleive most of the good stuff was already invented or designed over 100 years ago or so. .30'06 for instance, still as good as you can get for the intended job. .45 ACP and 1911 Colt will be 100 very soon, and still as good as you can get for the job. Colt Single Action Army, .45 Colt, 1873 vintage and both still going strong. 45-70 Marlin lever action 1894 still flying off the shelves. 1891 Mosin-Nagants sell by the thousands along with the ammo for same. Mauser bolt action rifles still the world standard and WAY over age 100. Been lots of technical improvements over the last century, but the basics are still with us.

[ArmedBear]

I would say with the introduction and widespread use of centerfire metal cartridge ammunition (1870's?) - which took the guesswork and black art out of loading and firing.

Having shot black powder rounds in most types of firearms, I'll say that there's more "black art" to loading for a BP cartridge rifle like a Sharps, than loading a muzzleloader. And yes, the commercial hunters of the 1870s did load their own BP cartridges.

BP revolvers are easy. There are more steps involved, and your hands get dirtier, but a cap-n-ball revolver requires no more "black art" than a SAA does. Flasks have built-in measures; guns have built-in loading levers.

I'd say that personal firearms technology became excellent in the 1850s with the Colt Navy and its competitors. Rifles and shotguns became excellent a few years later, with the first repeaters and break-action doubles, both of which made carrying extra rounds much, much easier.

Smokeless powder was the next great advance, and is probably underrated. Black powder rusts a gun very quickly. Smokeless powder allows a gun to be used with a lot less dirty, time-consuming maintenance. They still feed after a few rounds, too. Of course, many early primers were corrosive, which did require swabbing the bore, at least.

[Harve Curry]

"In what era did personal firearms technology become excellent? "

Excellent for their day.
Colt Percussion revolvers started with the 1836 Patterson, then the 1847 Walker. Great feats were done with them when everyone else was shooting single shot muzzleloaders or bows and arrows.

Then came the metalic cartridge. Rimfire was popular at first. The American Civil War made leaps in firearms technollogy. I'd say in small arms the Spencer 56-56 and the Henry 44, both rimfires. The Henry held more ammo but an anemic cartridge. The Spencer held seven powerful 54cal 375gr cartridges.

I'd say the next leap was the 1873 Colt SAA in 45, the 45-70 gov't cartridge, and the 1873 Winchester in 44wcf.

Smokeless powder, 1890's.

John Browning's designs set the standard in almost every firearm from the 1880's to the 1920's. So his 1911 Colt 45acp marks the dawn of semi-auto pistols for every man.

1938; The M1 Garand and it's 30-06 cartridge. Improving on that the M14.

1960's the M16. Now the M4 with all it's refinements. The cartridge/caliber has always been an issue.

[Cosmoline]

For handguns the early centerfire cartridge revolvers were the first that could truly be considered excellent IMHO. The earlier repeaters and single shot pistols offered neither the stopping power nor the ease of use. The cap and ball are very nice but still have some reliability issues. If you're limited to semis the Colt 1903 hammerless would probably get the nod as first in a line of excellent JMB products.

For long guns there have been excellent smoothbore muskets as least as far back as the Brown Bess. There have also been great rifles going back to the ornate wheel-lock affairs. But my biased vote would go to the Pennsylvania rifles on the early eastern frontier. They were exceptionally accurate, powerful, clean shooting, reasonably easy to reload and very easy to maintain.