** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
Pictured above: Men of the fledgling U.S. Army Air Service break some clay pigeons with the Model 1897 trench gun at Issoudon, France, during June 1918.
Firearms technology and world history are deeply intertwined. In celebration and recognition, today's #ThrowbackThursday is all about the last century of firearms history. Let's check in with what happened in the eighth year of each decade from 1918 until today:
1918
1928
1938
1948
1958
1968
1978
1988
1998
2008
What's in store for 2018? We don't know, but keep an eye on this website and we'll keep you posted!
Firearms technology and world history are deeply intertwined. In celebration and recognition, today's #ThrowbackThursday is all about the last century of firearms history. Let's check in with what happened in the eighth year of each decade from 1918 until today:
1918
- World War I ends
- U.S. Army adopts the Pedersen Device for Springfield rifle
- U.S. Army adopts the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR)
- U.S. Army Air Corps adopts Marlin (Swebilius modified) Colt-Browning machine gun
- Remington introduces the Model 51 semi-auto pistol
- Beretta Model 1918 submachine gun (Villar Perosa action) adopted by Italian army
- German Army introduces first widely issued submachine gun, the MP18/I
- Zbrojovka Brno (ZB) established in Brno, Czechoslovakia
- A.F. Stoeger established in New York City
1928
- Production of Thompson submachine guns moves from Colt to Savage
1938
- German Army adopts Walther P38 pistol to replace P08 Luger and adopts MP38 submachine gun
- Beretta introduces Model 1938A submachine gun
1948
- Remington introduces Model 721 bolt-action sporting rifle
- Marlin modifies the Model 36 lever-action rifle into the new Model 336
1958
- Savage introduces the model 110 bolt-action sporting rifle
- Weatherby introduces the Mark V bolt-action sporting rifle
- Ruger introduces Bearcat single-action rimfire revolver
- Remington introduces the Nylon 66 .22 semi-automatic rifle; first production synthetic-stocked rifle
- U.S. Army adopts M60 machine gun
1968
- U.S. Congress passes Gun Control Act 18 U.S.C.
- Ruger introduces Model 77 bolt-action and No. 1 single-shot sporting rifles
- Daisy introduces V/L .22-cal. caseless rifle and ammunition
1978
- Steyr introduces the AUG 5.56mm rifle; Austrian Army adopts as StG 77
1988
- U.S. Army adopts M24 sniper rifle
1998
- National Instant Check System (NICS) replaces Brady Act's five-day waiting period
- Taurus introduces Millennium-series polymer-frame pistols
2008
- In a landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the District of Columbia's gun ban under District of Columbia vs. Heller
What's in store for 2018? We don't know, but keep an eye on this website and we'll keep you posted!
