1500's a button lock was invented, the 1st improovement on matchlock, 1st trigger!

1540-1545 - 1st pistol - Double-Barreled Wheellock Pistol of Emperor Charles V

1580 - Flintlock

1786-1868 - Derringer Short barrle powerful pistol

1808 -1871 Pepperbox pistol - Ethan Allen - Gun maker famous for these pistols

1860 - Colt Army black powder revolver, brass frame

1834 - Slide action repeater - Picture from Glock - Johnathan Browning (1805-1879)

1809-1870 - Robert Addams - English gunmaker - 5 shot self cocking revolver

1800 - gunsmiths found that by putting spiral grooves inside the barrel, it made the bullet spin therfor improoving accuracy.

1835 Samuel pattents 1st Colt revolver where cylinder revolved and locked by cocking the hammer. Also using percussion-ignition system.

1837 George Elgin pattents the elgan cutless pistol

1838-1914 - Peter Paul Mauser. Invents Mauser action pistol (10 shot semi auto)

1854 - Wesson and Smith manufacture volcanic action repeating pistol - 1st pistol with self contained ammo

1855 - Roland White - Revolver with chambers bored end to end through the cylinder - led to design of Smish and Wesson cartrige revolver

1856 - LeMat - Civil war, confederate revolver with shotgun barrel.

1869 - 1st centerfire cartrige - Colonel Henry Berdan and Marcellus Hartley

1877 - 1st practical double action revolver - "The Colt Lightning"

1890 - Hugo Borchardt - 1st successful self loading pistol with togglebolt.

1902 - Colt Military automatic pistol used by U.S. Navy.

1911 - Colt Model 1911 (.45 ACP - meaning .45 caliber)- Replaces original Colt Military - 1902

1921 - Colt .45 Automatic modified, now 1911 A1

1934 - Beretta 9mm - Official Handgun of Italian military

1936 - Enfield revolver - Official pistol of brittish army

1939 - Walter P.38 - Sweedish army, but not dilivered because of problems in Germany

1963 - Mr. Gaston Glock - invents Glock

1980 - Austrian Army uses Glock as their weapn

1990 - .40 S and W cartrige introduced