A hand cannon (also called a gonne or handgonne) (Arabic: midfa; Chinese: 手銃; Russian: пищаль) is an early form of firearm. It is possibly the oldest type of portable firearm, as well as the simplest type of early firearm, as most examples require direct manual external ignition through a touch hole without any form of firing mechanism. It may also be considered a forerunner of the handgun. The hand cannon was widely used in Europe and throughout Asia until at least the 1520s, when it was supplanted by matchlock firearms.
In modern society, the term "hand cannon" is also used colloquially to refer to a pistol or revolver chambered for a powerful cartridge such as the .454 Casull or .500 S&W Magnum.
Read more about Hand Cannon: Origins, Design and Features, Impact
Famous quotes containing the words hand and/or cannon:
“I have a blood bolt
and I have made it mine.
With this man I take in hand
his destiny and with this gun
I take in hand the newspapers and
with my heat I will take him.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)
“The cannon thunders ... limbs fly in all directions ... one can hear the groans of victims and the howling of those performing the sacrifice ... it’s Humanity in search of happiness.”
—Charles Baudelaire (1821–1867)