Initially, the gun was a weapon of war. From its earliest development in the 1300's, it changed warfare: reducing the knight on a horse to a target, elevating the simple footman to a formidable soldier, and making feudalism a footnote in history. As guns and their manufacture were refined and perfected, they moved from the realm of the soldier to the world of the aristocrat, eventually becoming the device that helped conquer the wilderness in the New World and win independence for the colonies.

In this process guns became more beautiful; their lines more graceful. They were decorated, ornamented, and embellished. Stocks were carved and inlaid, metalwork engraved and chased, all by the finest craftsmen of the era. In short, the utilitarian gun became a work of art.

Antique-gun collecting has aroused enormous interest in the past few years, and can be confusing to the novice collector. Guns have been produced for over 600 years with major developments in manufacture, production, and design happening in this century. After WWII, with the growing prosperity of the American economy, gun collecting took an upturn that continues today. Collectors found that antique guns are a solid investment, many are fascinating historically, and most are esthetically pleasing.

European guns, especially those made in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, can be placed in one of two categories: military and personal. Military guns, by design and function, are utilitarian and solidly built. They were made to be used by relatively unskilled soldiers in rough conditions. The historical importance and limited survivability of military guns make them desirable to collectors. In Europe, especially in the 1700's and 1800's, only the wealthy could afford guns; therefore, most European antique guns are gracefully styled, and in many cases, are ornamented with some form of carved or inlaid decoration. There is a wide range of categories and subgroups for the collector to consider in the field of European arms. Types of ignition systems from the matchlock to the percussion cap might define a collection. Rifles, muskets, or fowling long guns are other areas which might define a collection. Likewise, the field of pistols presents its own collecting options, from single examples to cased pairs of "dueling" pistols to target pistols. Reading and research are to be recommended before investing in any addition to your collection.

American guns evolved from different needs than did European guns. First and foremost, American guns needed to be multipurpose. They were tools that provided food, weapons that protected person and family, and eventually were used to lead a young nation to freedom.

Up until the Civil War, gun making in American was primarily a cottage industry. Guns were handmade by skilled gunsmiths, who stamped each gun with their individuality. There were some gunsmiths who began to specialize in producing parts, such as a barrels or locks, but the majority of American gunsmiths were self-employed businessmen. The federal government, recognizing the need for mass production of military long guns, established the Springfield Arsenal and the Harper’s Ferry Arsenal, but their production was inadequate and the government was forced to contract work out to private producers. The Civil War brought mechanization to military gun making, with the federal arsenals and some private contractors churning out thousands of guns on cleverly designed machines that could be operated by semiskilled workers. After the Civil War some gun makers continued to build guns by hand, but the die had been cast, and mass production became the rule rather than the exception by the last quarter of the 19^th century.

For the nonmilitary collector, there are two periods of American history to examine. The first is the period immediately following the Revolutionary War to the time just prior to the Civil War. This period is often called the "Golden Era" of American gun making. This era originated with German immigrants who had moved to America (mostly to Pennsylvania), bringing with them the gun-making skills they had learned in Europe. They started to produce a hunting rifle similar to the Jäger that was used in their homeland. Soon, the needs of the American frontier modified the design into a graceful and accurate long rifle that we now call the Kentucky rifle. These rifles were skillfully made, used select American hardwoods for the stocks, and were often decorated with attractive patch boxes. Fine-quality pre-Civil War American guns have become highly collectible.

The period after the Civil War saw the production of high-quality, mass-produced guns by makers such as Colt, Remington, and Smith & Wesson. "Western" guns, as these are often called, have always appealed to collectors whose primary interest is the westward expansion of the American frontier. Collectors who grew up watching Westerns on television are captivated by the whole aura of the six-shooter pistols and lever-action rifles that "won the West."