Gun Stories

We’re taking a look back at the rich history of John Browning’s model 1911. We have a big line up of gun experts for Gun Stories. In this episode, we are featuring Alex Rose, Ken Hackathorn, Stephen Hunter, Gary Paul Johnston, Dr. Jack Atwater, Frank James, Philip Schreier, Ted Nugent, Bill Laughridge, Jim Supica, Buz Mills, Gene “Evil Roy” Pearcey, Larry Potterfield, Dwight Van Brunt, Lance Olson, Ross Seyfried, Dick Williams and Roger Smith.

When smokeless powder were introduced in the late 19th century, we experienced a new era in the manufacturing of firearms. Paul Mauser’s bolt action design has been copied ever since and are still used in modern rifles. Gun experts you’ll meet in this episode: Philip Shreier, Dr. Jack Atwater, Larry Potterfield, Gary Paul Johnston, Lance Olson, Stephen Hunter, Jason Schubert, Ross Seyfried and Ted Nugent.

Samuel Colt and his invention of the revolver changed the world. The ability to fire five or six rounds without reloading made a huge difference in the history of firearms. Sam Colt set a standard, but his 1873 Single Action Army was a model he wasn’t even around to see. Gun experts you’ll meet in this episode: Alex Rose, Gene “Evil Roy” Pearcey, Dick Williams, George Harris, Ken Hackathorn, Bill Laughridge, Jim Supica, Philip Shreier, Dr. Jack Atwater, Larry Potterfield, Gary Paul Johnston, Stephen Hunter, Jason Schubert, Ross Seyfried and Ted Nugent.

The Winchester Model 94 are written in large letters across American history. This rifle redefines the meaning of success. Gun experts you’ll meet in this episode: Alex Rose, Gene “Evil Roy” Pearcey, Dick Williams, Buz Mills, George Harris, Ken Hackathorn, Bill Laughridge, Philip Shreier, Dr. Jack Atwater, Larry Potterfield, Gary Paul Johnston, Frank James, Jason Schubert and Ted Nugent.

Faced with trench warfare, WWI troops needed a portable weapon with enough firepower to change to course of a battle. John Browning stepped up and came up with what was then the perfect answer – the Browning Automatic Rifle. Gun experts you’ll meet in this episode: Stephen Hunter, Lance Olson, Alex Rose, Gene “Evil Roy” Pearcey, Bill Laughridge, Philip Shreier, Dr. Jack Atwater, Larry Potterfield, Gary Paul Johnston, Frank James, Jason Schubert and Ted Nugent.

How did the perfect revolver for its time end up in second place? We look at the Smith & Wesson Top Break, a classic American revolver used by Frank and Jesse James, Annie Oakley, Bill Tilghman and Buffalo Bill . Gun experts you’ll meet in this episode: Larry Potterfield, Jim Supica, Jason Schubert, Dr. Jack Atwater, Dick Williams, Bill Laughridge, Lance Olson and Stephen Hunter.

It is arguably the most recognized firearm in the world, and the longest serving US infantry rifle ever fielded. It has been copied by numerous countries, and its civilian counterpart is produced by virtually every firearms manufacturer out there. Yet, when it was first introduced, many people immediately began writing its obituary because of the problems it encountered. Some claimed it was adopted more through political pressure rather than performance. And the design was a polar opposite of what a United States military rifle’s virtues were supposed to be. But many of its early problems were brought about by factors that its designer had never intended the rifle to operate with.

In the early 1980s, Gaston Glock, who knew nothing about firearms but was an expert in advanced synthetic polymers, assembled a huge group of experts to help him create the ideal military handgun. The result of that meeting was ultimately the Glock 17, which virtually overnight became the single best-selling pistol in history…

There are many images that come to mind when you mention the Cold War. Nuclear arms race, The Soviet Union, the Berlin Wall… East and West, divided. For many, it is the image of the AK 47. Thousands of Soviet troops, marching in-step with a rifle that literally defined communism on the battlefield. But, if the AK defined communism, then the FN FAL was the definitive symbol of Western freedom, and the soldiers who guarded it. So much so that it was called, and is still remembered as “The right arm of the free world.”

How does the oldest family owned corporation in the world teach itself new tricks? If the name is “Beretta,” founded in 1526, about the time Pope Clement VII was creating the Inquisition, the answer is “very well.” And since 1985, when Beretta’s flagship 9mm beat out the legendary 1911 .45ACP, the M9 9mm pistol has been the issue handgun of the U.S. military. But the M9′s tenure has been marked by both praise and controversy…

How many times in history has one man’s vision changed the course of warfare? As short as that list may be, there is no more unlikely story than Ronnie Barrett…a photographer, with no background in building firearms…who dreamed of a shoulder-fired rifle that could handle the awesome .50 caliber Browning Machine Gun cartridge. The Barrett M82 semi auto .50 BMG rifle did indeed change the battlefield, but its birth was anything but easy.

It can be said that the first shotguns — simple iron tubes filled with gunpowder, rocks and pieces of scrap iron — used on a 15th Century battlefield in northern Italy put an end to the Age of Chivalry. Since that time the shotgun has been a companion in both war and peace. But of all the shotguns down through history, none stand as tall as the Remington 870 pump, favored by law enforcement, military and game hunters around the world and, quite simply, the best selling shotgun in history.

Over this first season of Gun Stories, we’ve covered the history, design and even the future of twelve firearms that have been influential not just in gun design, but society itself. Today, we want to take you through somewhat of a crash course in the guns we’ve covered.