155 years ago today, Confederate forces fired the first shots on Fort Sumter, triggering the opening of the Civil War. History books tend to stress the political influences of all U.S. military engagements but they often overlook the firearms employed to keep us free.
From the Kentucky Flintlock of the American Revolution to today’s U.S. M4 Rifle, you can actually see firearms technology as it has evolved. Curators at the National Firearms Museum identified a representative rifle and handgun from each of nine major U.S. conflicts. A detailed photograph of every firearm is presented in silhouette, accompanied by a description of its caliber and the skirmishes where it had its greatest impact. The appearance of aged parchment is offset on each print by a rich, chocolate brown mat. A die-cast NRA medallion is inserted into the mat, and each print is framed under glass with dark, walnut toned wood.