On June 21, 1916, William Batterman Ruger was born in Brooklyn. He would go on to lend his name to one of the iconic arms companies of the 20th century.
This Day in History: William B. Ruger is Born
Logan Metesh
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This Day in History: B. T. Henry Dies
On June 8, 1898, Benjamin Tyler Henry passed away at the age of 77. Henry’s repeating rifle design paved the way for Winchester to become a household name.
This Day in History: Rollin White, of Revolver Patent Fame, is Born
Rollin would become best-known as the man who provided Sam Colt with a golden opportunity to be on the cutting edge of revolver design and was rebuffed.
Five Favorite Firearms Coming Up at Morphy Auctions
There are more than 700 lots available during Morphy Auctions’ Extraordinary Firearms Auction, but I’ve managed to narrow it down to my five favorites.
This Day in History: Winchester is Founded
On May 22, 1866, one of the most iconic names in the arms industry was founded: Winchester Repeating Arms Company.
This Day in History: D. B. Wesson is Born
On May 18, 1825, Daniel Baird Wesson was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. He began working in the firearms industry at 18 with an apprenticeship to his older brother Edwin.
The Guns of Cinco de Mayo – Mexico’s Victory Over French Forces
It’s not uncommon for people to mistake Cinco de Mayo as a day to celebrate Mexico’s independence, but that’s actually September 16, 1810.
This Day in History: Thomas Blanchard, Gunstock Duplicating Lathe Inventor, Dies
On April 16, 1864, Thomas Blanchard died at the age of 75. He spent his entire life inventing all sorts of things, but some of his best-known creations were for the arms industry.
This Day in History: Joseph Manton, Pioneering British Gunsmith, is Born
On April 6, 1766, Joseph Manton was born in Grantham, England. By the time he was 23, Joseph had opened up a gun shop of his own.
This Day in History: M1 Garand Becomes Greatest Battle Implement
On January 26, 1945, Gen. Patton uttered the famous phrase, “In my opinion, the M-1 Rifle is the greatest battle implement ever devised.”
This Day in History: Horace Smith Dies
On January 15, 1893, Horace Smith passed away at the age of 84. He retired 20 years earlier in 1873, having spent most of his life in the arms industry.
This Day in History: Arms Designer Christopher Spencer Dies
Christopher Spencer’s most impressive moment was securing a military contract for his gun by walking into the White House then shooting it with the President of the U.S. on the National Mall…
This Day in History: Samuel Colt Dies
On January 10, 1862, Samuel Colt passed away at his home in Hartford, Connecticut. He was one of the wealthiest men in America, with an estimated worth of $15,000,000.
This Day in History: John H. Hall Inventor, Machinist & Gunsmith is Born
John Hancock Hall was born on January 4, 1781, in Maine. He spent more than two decades working at the Harpers Ferry Armory.
This Day in History: John T. Thompson is Born
Born on December 31, 1860, John T. Thompson was the man who made “The Gun That Made the ‘20s Roar” – the Tommy Gun.
This Day in History: Mikhail Kalashnikov Dies
On December 23, 2013, Lieutenant-General Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov passed away at the ripe old age of 94.
This Day in History: Charles Richards is Born
On December 23, 1833, Charles Richards was born in Brooklyn, New York. He had spent 22 years – fully one-quarter of his life – working for Colt’s.
This Day in History: Georg Luger Dies
On December 22, 1923, Georg Luger passed away in Berlin at the age of 74. He forever linked his name to an iconic gun and an unfailing caliber.
The Police Gun of the Future – in 1993
Like most inventors, John and Murray were convinced that their design was going to change the world of law enforcement. This new gun would “save lives, prevent lawsuits, and help prevent riots.”
This Day in History: Gun Maker Leech & Rigdon Dissolve ~ VIDEO
On December 13, 1863, Thomas Leech & Charles Rigdon formally dissolved their partnership, ending “Leech & Rigdon,” which was the second-largest revolver manufacturer for the Confederacy.
Cannonballs and Armor Do Not Mix
François-Antoine Fauveau was wearing this cuirass at the 1815 battle of Waterloo when he was killed by a cannonball.
This Day in History: Oliver Winchester is Born
On November 30, 1810, Oliver Fisher Winchester was born in Boston, Massachusetts.
J.H. Dance & Bros. Confederate Revolvers – VIDEO
Revolvers made by J. H. Dance & Bros. are some of the most distinctive guns to come out of the south during the Civil War.
This Day in History: John Moses Browning Dies
On November 26, 1926, John Moses Browning passed away in Liege, Belgium, at the age of 71.
This Day in History: Hiram Stevens Maxim Dies
On November 24, 1916, Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim died at the age of 76. Despite holding patents for everything from mousetraps to curling irons, Maxim is best known for his machine gun.
This Day in History: Swing-Out Revolver Cylinder Patented
On November 21, 1865, US patent 51,117 was issued to William Mason for the swing-out revolver cylinder.
Martin Fry’s Failed Flintlock Pistols ~ VIDEO
Martin Fry was an accomplished gunsmith, but 113 of the 116 pistols he made for a government contract in 1808 were rejected.
This Day in History: Gun Maker Eliphalet Remington is Born
On October 28, 1793, Eliphalet Remington II was born in Suffield, Connecticut. His father was a blacksmith, and Eliphalet followed in his footsteps, eventually going to work in the family business.
This Day in History: Gun Control Act of 1968 Signed into Law
On October 22, 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Gun Control Act of 1968 into law.
This Day in History: the UD42 is Patented
On October 14, 1940, Carl Swebilius of High Standard patented a submachine gun chambered for the 9x19mm cartridge.