Alchemy & Incendiaries600–1100
Dawn of Gunpowder1100–1400
- c. 1126Thunderclap bombmilitary
- c. 1132Fire lance in Song dynasty Chinamechanisms
- 1221Iron-cased explosive bombmechanisms
- 1259Fire-emitting lance (first bullet)mechanisms
- c. 1267Roger Bacon records gunpowdermechanisms
- c. 1280Gunpowder in the Islamic worldmilitary
- c. 1288Heilongjiang hand cannonmodels
- 1298Xanadu Gunmodels
- 1326First depiction of a European cannonmilitary
- 1346Cannon at the Battle of Crécymilitary
- c. 1350One-piece cast-iron cannonmanufacturing
- c. 1350Huolongjing compiledmechanisms
Matchlock Era1400–1550
Wheellock Era1550–1610
Flintlock Era1610–1820
- c. 1610True flintlock (Marin le Bourgeoys)mechanisms
- 1637London Gunmakers' Company charteredlaw
- 1689English Bill of Rights arms provisionlaw
- 1722Brown Bess (Land Pattern Musket)models
- 1740sAmerican long riflemodels
- 1776Ferguson riflemodels
- 1791Second Amendment ratifiedlaw
- 1807Forsyth's percussion lockmechanisms
- 1813Birmingham Proof House establishedlaw
- 1816Eliphalet Remington forges his first barrelmanufacturing
- 1819Hall Model 1819 — first standard breechloadermodels
Percussion Revolution1820–1865
- c. 1822Percussion capmechanisms
- c. 1823Hawken riflemodels
- 1826Delvigne's chambered breechmechanisms
- 1830sPepperbox pistolsmodels
- c. 1835Lefaucheux pinfire cartridgemechanisms
- 1836Colt Paterson revolvermodels
- 1836Greener's expansive bullet trialedmechanisms
- 1836Samuel Colt's careerdesigners
- c. 1836William Greener's careerdesigners
- 1841Dreyse needle gun adopted by Prussiamechanisms
- 1842Fully interchangeable parts (Springfield/Harpers Ferry)manufacturing
- 1842Norwegian Kammerladermodels
- 1842Springfield Model 1842 musketmilitary
- 1845Flobert rimfire cartridgemechanisms
- 1847Colt Walkermodels
- 1848Colt Dragoonmodels
- 1848Sharps falling-block riflemodels
- 1849Minié ballmechanisms
- 1851Adams double-action revolvermechanisms
- 1851Colt 1851 Navymodels
- 1851American system stuns the Great Exhibitionmanufacturing
- 1853Crimean Warmilitary
- 1853Enfield Pattern 1853 rifle-musketmodels
- 1854Whitworth hexagonal-bore riflemodels
- 1855Colt's Hartford armory opensmanufacturing
- 1855Pottet centerfire cartridgemechanisms
- 1855Rollin White's bored-through cylinder patentmanufacturing
- 1855Volcanic Repeating Armsmodels
- 1856LeMat revolvermodels
- 1856Smith & Wesson partnership (re)foundeddesigners
- 1857S&W Model 1 — first metallic-cartridge revolvermodels
- 1857Oliver Winchester takes over New Haven Armsmanufacturing
- 1860Henry riflemodels
- 1860Spencer repeating riflemodels
- 1861American Civil Warmilitary
- 1861Springfield Model 1861 rifle-musketmodels
- 1862Gatling gunmodels
Metallic Cartridge Era1865–1900
- 1866Chassepot needle riflemodels
- 1869Vetterli riflemodels
- 1870Berdan riflemodels
- 1871Martini–Henrymodels
- 1873Winchester Model 1873models
- 1879John Moses Browning's careerdesigners
- 1884Maxim gunmodels
- 1884Smokeless powder (Poudre B)mechanisms
- 1886Lebel Model 1886models
- 1887Webley revolvermodels
- 1888Gewehr 1888 'Commission Rifle'models
- 1891Carcanomodels
- 1891Mosin–Nagantmodels
- 1895Lee–Enfieldmodels
- 1895Mannlicher M1895models
- 1896Mauser C96 'Broomhandle'models
- 1898Gewehr 98models
- 1898Luger pistolmodels
- 1899Smith & Wesson Model 10models
Age of Automatics1900–1950
- 1903Pistols Act 1903 (UK)law
- 1903M1903 Springfieldmodels
- 1905Ross riflemodels
- 1908Mondragón riflemodels
- 1911Colt M1911models
- 1915Fyodorov Avtomatmodels
- 1915Villar Perosamodels
- 1918M1918 Browning Automatic Riflemodels
- 1918MP 18 — first practical submachine gunmodels
- 1920Firearms Act 1920 (UK)law
- 1921Thompson submachine gunmodels
- 1926ZB vz. 26models
- 1927Colt Detective Specialmodels
- 1927DP-27 light machine gunmodels
- 1934National Firearms Act (US)law
- 1934MG 34 — first general-purpose machine gunmodels
- 1935Chiang Kai-shek rifle (Type 24)models
- 1935Karabiner 98kmodels
- 1935Nambu Type 94 pistolmodels
- 1936M1 Garand adoptedmilitary
- 1936Winchester Model 70models
- 1938Federal Firearms Act (US)law
- 1938Bren light machine gunmodels
- 1938DShK heavy machine gunmodels
- 1939United States v. Millerlaw
- 1940MP 40models
- 1941Owen gunmodels
- 1941PPSh-41models
- 1942FG 42models
- 1942MG 42models
- 1943Błyskawica submachine gunmodels
- 1943Gewehr 43models
- 1944StG 44 — first assault riflemodels
- 1944Sterling submachine gunmodels
- 1945StG 45(M) and the roller-delay lineagemodels
- 1947AK-47models
- 1949SKS carbinemodels
Cold War1950–1991
- 1950Remington Model 870models
- 1951Uzimodels
- 1953FN FALmodels
- 1956ArmaLite AR-15models
- 1957M14models
- 1957M60 machine gunmodels
- 1958Japan's Firearm and Sword Control Lawlaw
- 1958FN MAGmodels
- 1959Heckler & Koch G3models
- 1961PK machine gunmodels
- 1962Remington Model 700models
- 1963Stoner 63models
- 1963SVD Dragunovmodels
- 1964M16 adoptedmodels
- 1966Heckler & Koch MP5models
- 1968Gun Control Act (US)law
- 1969Criminal Law Amendment Act (Canada)law
- 1974AK-74models
- 1975D.C. Firearms Control Regulations Actlaw
- 1975Beretta 92models
- c. 1975FN Minimimodels
- 1977Steyr AUGmodels
- 1978FAMASmodels
- 1982Glock 17models
- 1983Desert Eaglemodels
- 1985Accuracy International L96models
- 1986Firearm Owners Protection Act (US)law
- 1988Undetectable Firearms Act (US)law
- 1989Roberti–Roos Assault Weapons Control Act (California)law
- 1990Gun-Free School Zones Act (US)law
Contemporary1991–2026
- 1993Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (US)law
- 1994Federal Assault Weapons Ban (US)law
- 1994M4 carbinemodels
- 1995Firearms Act and long-gun registry (Canada)law
- 1996Australia's National Firearms Agreementlaw
- 1997Firearms (Amendment) Acts 1997 (UK)law
- 1997Heckler & Koch G36models
- 2007NICS Improvement Amendments Act (US)law
- 2008District of Columbia v. Hellerlaw
- 2008Ruger LCPmodels
- 2013Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 fails (US)law
- 2022Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (US)law
- 2022NYSRPA v. Bruenlaw