Famous Inventors who also had Firearms-Related Inventions

[John Wayne]

I heard Eli Whitney mentioned the other day in relation to his invention of the cotton gin, and it got me thinking about how most folks don't know he was also responsible for standardizing the lockwork on US military rifles so that the parts would interchange.

For whatever reason, I also want to say that Ben Franklin invented the half-cock position, but I can't seem to find a source to confirm that. It also seems more likely that the half-cock position would have been more useful with the advent of the percussion cap, not the flint and frizzen that would have been around in ol' Ben's time.

Does anyone know of any other inventors that are well-known for a non-firearm-related invention, but also contributed to the gun world as well? Or, for that matter, inventors associated with guns that had other popular inventions as well?

 

[TraditionalCatholic]

I never even knew that Eli Whitney standardized the lockwork for military rifles. You learn something new every day it seems.

 

[Sebastian the Ibis]

Leonardo Da Vinci came up with plans for a tank, machine guns and anti-aircraft weapons.

http://www.italian-renaissance-art.com/Da-Vinci-weapons.html

 

[John Wayne]

I never even knew that Eli Whitney standardized the lockwork for military rifles. You learn something new every day it seems.

Yup. Before then, military rifles would have been the same caliber and have been built to the same basic specifications, but generally each was produced by one individual who saw it through the whole process. Small parts, like those in the lockwork, were hand-fitted and not likely to be interchangeable between, say, one Brown Bess musket and another. Nothing wrong with this process for custom firearms; in fact it's quite preferable. It's not at all practical for mass-produced guns where it's beneficial to be able to keep spares on hand for each firearm.

 

[Aren't we all]

I seriously doubt that Benjamin Franklin invented the half-cock. The flintlock as we know it today was roughly finished before he was born.

 

[zoom6zoom]

I seriously doubt that Benjamin Franklin invented the half-cock.

He did love his beer.

 

[bluetopper]

Thomas Edison invented the light bulb which was the forerunner to the red dot scope.

Didn't Galleleo invent the telescope?

 

[VegasGeorge]

"Thomas Edison invented the light bulb which was the forerunner to the red dot scope."

Yup, I've noticed that. Stare at a light bulb for a while then sight your gun. I always see the "red dot."

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Didn't Galleleo invent the telescope?

Nope, that was Hans Lippershey. Galileo was the first (known) to use it for atronomy.

 

[shotgunjoel]

Leonardo Da Vinci came up with plans for a tank, machine guns and anti-aircraft weapons.

He is also a candidate for the invention of the wheel lock, but no one's sure.

 

[Oyeboten]

Hiram Maxim

 

[elephant_man]

Jean Alexander Lemat.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeMat_Revolver

 

[loadedround]

Didn't John Wayne invent the Winchester Lever Action?

 

[Double Naught Spy]

I am not sure if he counts in this category, but Preston Tucker was an automotive designer (even had his own line of cars) that invented the turret used on many of the US' bombers. He also came up with the Tucker Combat Car. Here is a cute video of the car and the turret.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTga-68fplQ

It was too fast for its time and considered inappropriate for the battlefield.

 

[bang_bang]

Didn't John Wayne invent the Winchester Lever Action?

giggles

 

[Centaur 1]

Does Nikola Tesla's death ray count as a weapon?

 

[Cosmik de Bris]

Didn't John Wayne invent the Winchester Lever Action?

I think John invented the 100 shot one.