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[[Image:Glock30.jpg|right|200px]]

[[Image:Glock30.jpg|right|200px]]

The '''gun''' is a mechanical [[weapon]] which uses expanding gas to fire a [[bullet]], [[dart]] or other projectile through a tube (its shaft). Guns are primarily defensive weapons.

The '''gun''' is a mechanical [[weapon]] which uses expanding gas to fire a [[bullet]], [[dart]] or other projectile through a tube (its shaft).  

The four main types of modern [[firearm]]s today are bolt-operated, pump action, semi-automatic, and automatic weapons. In a bolt-action weapon, each new [[round (ordnance)|round]] must be loaded manually, by moving the [[breech]] to eject the empty casing. In pump action guns (usually shotguns) a new round must be manually loaded by pulling back on pump of the gun, located underneath the barrel.  

The four main types of modern [[firearm]]s today are bolt-operated, pump action, semi-automatic, and automatic weapons. In a bolt-action weapon, each new [[round (ordnance)|round]] must be loaded manually, by moving the [[breech]] to eject the empty casing. In pump action guns (usually shotguns) a new round must be manually loaded by pulling back on pump of the gun, located underneath the barrel.  

==History==

==History==

Gunpowder was invented in [[China]] around the 800s AD. The Chinese recognized the substance's potential for warfare and used gunpowder in rockets and bombs. In the twelfth century, firearms were invented there, and this technology, though inefficient and costly at the time, quickly spread to the [[Islam|Islamic World]] and [[Europe]]. Guns at this time were very inaccurate and not particularly powerful (a full suit of armor could easily repel gunfire) and thus played only a minor role in European warfare until the mid-fifteenth century.

[[Gunpowder]] was invented in China around the 800s AD. Firearms appeared after 1200, and became military weapons around 1600. The musket could not hit a small target, so armies fired them in volleys, giving a shotgun effect. Rifles were indeed accurate but were very slow to reload until the 1850s, when an expanding-base bullet was invented. Rifles were the main weapon on both sides of the [[American Civil War]].  

 

The gun soon became a central part of the Western arsenal, and saw extensive use in both European battlefields and the [[Colonization of the Americas]], where guns were used to subdue native populations.

 

The eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries saw major changes in the design of guns that allowed for better range, accuracy, and firing rate, such as rifling.  

==Gun control==

==Gun control==

[[Gun control]] consists of limitations on the ownership of firearms, and by extension restricts the fundamental right of self-defense.

[[Gun control]] consists of limitations on the ownership of firearms, and by extension restricts the fundamental right of self-defense.

[[Conservative]]s usually emphasize the [[individualism|individual]] [[the right to self-defense]] through the use of guns.  [[Liberal]]s more often oppose this individual right, and tend to dislike even guards or police carrying guns.

[[Conservative]]s usually emphasize the individual [[the right to self-defense]] through the use of guns.  [[Liberal]]s more often stress the dangers of unrestricted ownership.  

Guns are shown to be highly effective at deterring crime and protecting the gun owner.  Police officers often use guns to enforce the law, except in some countries where the police are not armed.  In the Republic of Ireland, the Garda Síochána has since its foundation held that uniformed officers do not carry guns - "The Garda Síochána will succeed not by force of arms or numbers, but on their moral authority as servants of the people", as the first Commissioner said<ref>http://www.garda.ie/faq.html#G4</ref>.  The current Commissioner of the Gardaí has stated that "we do not live in a 'gun culture'", despite a recent rash of armed crime.  In Iceland, there are no armed forces, including the Police, and all Police only carry a baton on duty.<ref>http://www.specialoperations.com/Foreign/Iceland/Default.htm</ref>  In addition, the regular Police forces of the UK<ref>http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=535071&in_page_id=1770</ref> and the Police Force of New Zealand do not carry firearms while on normal patrol, or in the latter case describe themselves as "generally unarmed"<ref>http://www.police.govt.nz/about/history.html</ref>.  However, each of these Police forces also has highly trained specialist teams of armed Police, who are brought into play at time of need.

Guns are said to be effective at deterring crime and protecting the gun owner.  Police officers often use guns to enforce the law, except in some countries where the police are not armed.   

In the Republic of Ireland, the Garda Síochána has since its foundation held that uniformed officers do not carry guns - "The Garda Síochána will succeed not by force of arms or numbers, but on their moral authority as servants of the people", as the first Commissioner said<ref>http://www.garda.ie/faq.html#G4</ref>.  The current Commissioner of the Gardaí has stated that "we do not live in a 'gun culture'", despite a recent rash of armed crime.  In Iceland, there are no armed forces, including the Police, and all Police only carry a baton on duty.<ref>http://www.specialoperations.com/Foreign/Iceland/Default.htm</ref>  In addition, the regular Police forces of the UK<ref>http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=535071&in_page_id=1770</ref> and the Police Force of New Zealand do not carry firearms while on normal patrol, or in the latter case describe themselves as "generally unarmed"<ref>http://www.police.govt.nz/about/history.html</ref>.  However, each of these Police forces also has highly trained specialist teams of armed Police, who are brought into play at time of need.

Studies have repeatedly shown that law-abiding citizens carrying guns are an effective deterrent against crime<ref>http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/467988</ref><ref>http://saf.org/kleck1998.pdf</ref><ref>http://ideas.repec.org/p/nbr/nberwo/8926.html</ref>. Further comparison between different states by [[John Lott]] indicates that states that have more conservative gun laws have lower crime rates, violent crime rates, and firearms [[homicide]]s than states with more liberal gun laws.  

Studies have repeatedly shown that law-abiding citizens carrying guns are an effective deterrent against crime<ref>http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/467988</ref><ref>http://saf.org/kleck1998.pdf</ref><ref>http://ideas.repec.org/p/nbr/nberwo/8926.html</ref>. Further comparison between different states by [[John Lott]] indicates that states that have more conservative gun laws have lower crime rates, violent crime rates, and firearms [[homicide]]s than states with more liberal gun laws.  

== Science Fiction ==

== Science Fiction ==

==See also==

==See also==

*[[Gun control]]

*[[Gun control]]

==References==

==References==

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