This New Luxe Business Plane Uses Fighter Jet Technology to Enhance Performance

Dassault’s Falcon 6X has the largest, most sophisticated cabin in its class.

The new Dassault Falcon 6X business jet has the largest size in its class

Dassault Aviation today introduced the world’s newest business jet, the 16-seat, long-range, ultrawide-body Falcon 6X, during a live-stream event from the airstreamer’s assembly plant in Bordeaux-Mérignac, France.

“The Falcon 6X is going to have a 5,500 nautical mile range, say from LA to Moscow or London to Hong Kong,” said Éric Trappier, chairman and CEO, during the presentation. “It also has a top speed of Mach .90, so the Falcon 6X can connect passengers to major business centers far and wide.”

With the largest cabin in its class, the new business jet was also designed to carry passengers in comfort. Trappier said the 6X has the highest and widest cross-sections of any aircraft designed specifically as a business jet. Having already won an award for interior design, the 6X places passengers in what the airframer calls an “ergonomic cocoon,” with all electronic functions within easy reach.The new Dassault Falcon 6X business jet has the largest size in its class

The interior is designed for both business and personal travel, with all electronic functions within easy reach of the seating. Courtesy Dassault

The new Falcon also offers 30 large windows with an aggregate of 5,000 square inches of glass, more than any other aircraft in its class. The overhead skylight—another first in business aviation—illuminates the galley area to deliver more natural light to the cabin. There is also a selection of “mood lighting” that creates different-colored lighting to promote contrasting environments.

Like the ultra-long-range Falcon 8X jet, the Falcon 6X cabin is pressurized at a comfortable 3,900 feet when cruising at 41,000 feet, and the cabin air is refreshed continuously to deliver, according to Dassault, an environment that is 10 times cleaner than today’s most advanced office buildings.

Derived from Dassault’s Mirage fighter jets, the Falcon 6X’s Digital Flight Control System automatically ensures peak performance and efficiency at all times. Its auto-trim function eliminates the need for constant pilot input.

The new Dassault Falcon 6X business jet has the largest size in its class

The aft area is designed to be a haven for travelers who may want to rest or sleep during intercontinental flights.

The adopted fighter-jet technology also lets the twin-engine Falcon 6X boast an impressive low-speed performance, on top of its long range. This ability to fly at 109 knots gives the new jet access to challenging, steep-approach airports like London City, Lugano, Saint-Tropez and Aspen. Even with a partial fuel load, the Falcon 6X can operate at airports with runways of less than 3,000 feet.

The company’s new flight-control system in the cabin not only makes the pilots’ jobs easier, said Trappier, but also enhances safety. “We have a very safe aircraft that also provides passengers with a very smooth flight,” he said.

The Pratt & Whitney Canada PW812D engine, which was certified last year, will set new benchmarks for enhancing efficiency and lowering emissions. The new engine also requires 40 percent less scheduled maintenance, according to a Pratt & Whitney spokesperson.

The new Dassault Falcon 6X business jet has the largest size in its class

Derived from Dassault’s military fighter jets, the Falcon 6X’s Digital Flight Control System automatically ensures peak performance and efficiency at all times. 

Despite Covid-19 lockdowns across Europe, Dassault’s roll-out of the Falcon 6X has kept the aircraft on schedule for its first flight early next year, when intensive testing on three test aircraft will commence.

“The bird is yours,” said Trappier to a group of test pilots assembled at the live-stream event.

Say Hello To Weed-Beer, Which Will Finally Unite Stoners And Beer Lovers!

What is Cannabis Beer? – Everything You Need to Know About Cannabis-Infused Beer

The close relationship between cannabis and hops plants is well-known, but getting effective and repeatable results from a cannabis infusion in finished beer is still an emerging science but does Cannabis Beer actually get you high? What’s the difference between CBD-infused beer and THC-infused beers?

If we were to divide ‘getting high’ into two parts, it would clearly be ‘High on Alcohol’ and ‘High on Weed’. It is a known fact that the stoner crowd is a completely different one from the lads who like to spend their parties on pegs and the argument is a really strong one.

An interesting fact is that cannabis and hops (the main ingredient in beer) are related by nature? They are both members of the Cannabaceae plant family, which share distinctive features such as actinomorphic flowers (displaying radial symmetry) and short calyxes due to the fact that both are naturally pollinated by the wind.

Both plants share a long history of usage by mankind. There is great discussion about when the first beer was brewed, but archaeological reports suggest it could have been as long as 7000 years ago (in the region we now know as Iran). Strangely enough the history of the use of cannabis hemp as fiber can also be traced back to this region of the world as far back as 8000 BC.

Those two great traditions have officially collided in the Twenty First Century with the rising popularity of cannabis beers.  

Does Cannabis Beer actually get you high?

Yes and no. Whether or not cannabis beer gets you high is dependent on whether the beer is made/infused with THC or CBD. Cannabis beers made or infused with THC have the potential to get you high. Cannabis beers brewed/infused with CBD will not get you high, but will give you the “relaxing” sensation of cannabis.

Cannabis Beers brewed with the marijuana plant will contain THC and will provide the effects of a “very quick” high.

Edibles are a popular way to get high without actually smoking. Edibles usually come in the form of chocolates, gummies or baked goods that are made using THC to produce a “body high” upon consumption.

Body highs produce feelings of relaxation and lethargy. Head highs produce more mood-altering/energetic effects. Body highs are usually attained by ingesting cannabis as the THC enters the bloodstream through digestion… these highs typically take a while to begin whereas head highs (smoking) can have effects almost immediately.

A cannabis beer or cannabis-infused beer would produce a body high.

What are the Effects of THC-infused Beer?

This nano-technology is a big deal for cannabis-infused beverages and is designed to mimic the mood-enhancing effects of alcohol in a similar time-frame. While each product has its own signature recipe and each of us has our own tolerance level, you can generally expect to feel an elevated mood in about 15 minutes and the effects wear off in about 90 minutes. So while you may not get drunk off of these beers, you will get jolly. 

Final Thoughts

While cannabis-infused beer may not be exactly like the real thing, it is pretty dam close and it will get you high. So what’s not to love? As the market continues to grow and more of our favorite breweries hop on board the cannabis train, it can only bring positive things to the realm of weed. We hope this guide answered all of your immediate pressing questions and helped guide you to weed beer success.

DC Avanti

Brake System
Rear Brake Type Disc
Front Brake Type Disc
Dimensions
Wheel Base 2700mm
Overall Width 1965mm
Overall Length 4565mm
Overall Height 1200mm
Engine
Displacement 1998 Cc
Fuel Efficiency 10.0 Kmpl
Engine Type Petrol Engine
Number of Cylinders 4
Valves per Cylinder 4
Valve Configuration/Valvetrain DOHC
Fuel Supply System Direct Injection
Maximum Power 250bhp@5500rpm
Maximum Torque 340Nm@2750-5000rpm
Steering
Steering Type Power
Suspension
Rear Suspension Double Wishbone
Front Suspension Double Wishbone
Transmission
Number of Gears 6
Drive type RWD
Wheels & Tyres
Wheel size 20 Inch
Rear tyre 295/30 R20
Front tyre 255/35 R20

Mercedes Arrow 460 Granturismo

Almost 900bhp, a £2m price tag and answering to the name of a Silver Arrow – it must be the F1-car-for-the-road Mercedes-Benz will be unveiling this September. But how many hypercars have an anchor, sunbeds and a ‘terrace by the sea’? 

If Mercedes were to design a posh motor yacht it would be…exactly like this. Got an S-class? You’ll feel right at home here. Park your Mercedes-AMG S63 alongside the Arrow460-Granturismo and the only problem will be telling them apart (note, the boat floats beautifully, the car less so). 

Yachts from car companies are nothing new… 

And for good reason – brand extensions are rarely as fast, sexy and exciting after all. Even Mercedes, in the distant past, has made waves. The three points of its star do represent land, sea and air, after all. BugattiAston offtheclothboff.com the-aston-martin-am37-powerboat Lexus Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar are a few more that have recently taken the plunge. 

Often they are just dream boats, or marketing exercises with no more input from the car firm than colour and trim. The Merc is rather different. It was designed by Mercedes-Benz Style at its Como studios in Italy – under the direction of Daimler AG design supremo Gorden Wagener – at the behest of a UK registered start-up company called Silver Arrows Marine. 

Mercedes Silver Arrow Marine Yacht: the £2 million 460-Granturismo at sea

Silver Arrows Marine’s big idea was to reinvent the 14m motor yacht as something more innovative and usable than just a noisy and uncomfortable wave-crusher using design, features and processes from the motor industry. Top speed was to be less important than comfort and refinement, so more GT than GT3. Hence the first Arrow460’s billing as the ‘Granturismo of the seas’. 

With a lot of never-before-done boaty stuff and, unusual in yacht terms, a prototype stage (usually with boats the first customer is the guinea pig), the R&D has been protracted – the idea first surfaced in 2008. It took a clean sheet of paper and a ‘brain’s trust’ of eminent yacht designers and partner firms like M-B Style, but the yacht is now in production. 

You could buy a real Silver Arrows for that! 

Supercharged 1930s Mercedes racing cars are notoriously tricky in the wet. Not so their 2017 namesake which I am in Cap Ferrat on the Med to put through its paces for CAR magazine.  

Mercedes Arrow460-Granturismo yacht and a Mercedes-AMG S63

Two million quid’s worth of luxury yacht is not my usual on-water experience, but, heck, I’ve got a dinghy and done my Powerboat Level 2. Believe me, you don’t need any of it. 

This is one very  easy and smooth boat to drive – literally child’s play. A lot of it is down to an Easy Docking joystick system that coordinates prop and bow thrusters with perfect precision. No more falling-about-laughing bystanders when you try to squeeze into that berth… 

At speed it’s mechanically quiet and smooth with a pillowy ride through moderately choppy waters. There’s no crashing and banging, plus the real bonus that you don’t get wet. All very relaxed and civilised. Top whack is 38 knots but at a 24-knot cruise you certainly won’t spill your G&T plus you will have enough range for the 160 miles across the Med from the Cote d’Azur to Corsica. And if you live in Eastbourne rather than the Cote d’Azur? Bad luck. 

Mercedes Silver Arrow Marine Yacht: what’s it like to live with?

You can moor up and try that ‘terrace by the sea’. It’s a hydraulically-extending swim platform that slides out of the stern, so you can plop straight into the water.

Then maybe some supper – there are kitchen facilities but mostly it’s a wine fridge – around a large glass table, with the fully retractable side windows down and the vast glass sunroof lifted up high on hydraulic struts. Think gentle sea breezes filling the cabin and harbour lights twinkling across the water…

The Mercedes yacht controls

Not romantic enough? Push another button and the table disappears and out slides a king-size double bed for a night under the stars. 

The open-plan ‘loft-style’ below decks area is a revelation with its Mercedes concept car-style design and Alcantara and mesh fabric materials aplenty. There’s even a big shower room. And your millions buys lots of goodies: JBL and Bose entertainment systems, electronically dimming glass (like the Merc SL’s MagicSky) for UV protection and privacy, and of course full air-con – the eyeball air vents are in fact the only actual Merc component on board. 

Verdict

Who says cars and boats don’t mix? It’s bit of a stunner we reckon and a shiny silvery revelation among all those lookalike aggressive and very white sports cruisers. But who will buy it? These days the world’s oceans – sorry, glamour hot-spots – are full of superyachts and they all need tenders. (Sir) Philip Green is not going to get out to Lionheart in a rowing boat is he? 

With all it has going for it, the Arrow460 is far more than just a tender, though, doubling up as a dayboat for partying (it can take 10 people) or an all-mod-cons overnighter for two people. 

A true Mercedes? If it looks like one and swims like one…

Arrinera Hussarya 33

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If you’re not familiar with Arrinera, it’s just one of those small manufacturers that came out of nowhere to build a fancy supercar of its own. The Polish brand surfaced a couple of years ago with the Venocara Concept, a Lamborghini-like study that was powered by a V-8 mill generating 650 horsepower.

The Venocara morphed into a better looking supercar about a year ago. It is known by the name of Hussarya, a moniker that pays tribute to Poland’s 17th century cavalry, the Hussars. Interestingly enough though, the Hussarya has yet to go into production. The company’s initial plan included a 2013 launch, but for some reason the supercar got delayed.

Now, after about year of complete silence, the Poles are back to announce that the Hussarya is inching closer to production, with final testing sessions to commence in October on race tracks in Poland and the United Kingdom. There’s no word as to when actual assembly will begin, but we expect for the first units to show up in 2015.

Speaking of which, the Arrinera Hussarya will step into the crowded world of supercars with a launch edition limited to only 33 examples. Arrinera is demanding €200,000 (about $272,800 as of 06/06/2014) for each car and is hoping to sell them mainly to customers in China and the Middle East. By comparison, the regular Hussarya costs €160,000 ($218,000).

Arrinera Hussarya 33

Car Information:

Class Type Fuel Refill Time In Game
C Epic 4 1:15 Hours Update 7 – 08/2019

Performance Data:

RANK TOP SPEED ACCELERATION HANDLING NITRO
Stock 340 71,2 44,4 25,68
1 341,5 72,16 46,31 28,48
2 344 73,41 48,88 32,74
3 346 74,54 51,21 36,41
4 347,8 76,27 54,78 39,92
5 352,1 78,53 59,47 47,71

Car Ranks:

Stock 1⭐ 2⭐ 3⭐ 4⭐ 5⭐
2229 2440 2744 3010 3343 3897

Blueprints:

1⭐ 2 3 4 5 Total
35 15 21 28 35 134

Upgrades:

Stage Top Speed Acceleration Handling Nitro Total
Stage 0 7.130 7.130 7.130 7.130 28.520
Stage 1 11.600 11.600 11.600 11.600 46.400
Stage 2 18.600 18.600 18.600 18.600 74.400
Stage 3 27.900 27.900 27.900 27.900 111.600
Stage 4 40.300 40.300 40.300 40.300 161.200
Stage 5 56.500 56.500 56.500 56.500 226.000
Stage 6 79.000 79.000 79.000 79.000 316.000
Stage 7 110.500 110.500 110.500 110.500 442.000
Stage 8 155.000 155.000 155.000 155.000 620.000
Stage 9 216.500 216.500 216.500 216.500 866.000
Stage 10 303.000 303.000 303.000 303.000 1.212.000
Stage 11 425.000 425.000 425.000 425.000 1.700.000
Stage 12 Max Max Max Max 5.804.120

Import Parts:

Uncommon  
Credits Top Speed Acceleration Handling Nitro Total Credits
40.000 9 9 9 9 1.440.000
Rare
Credits Top Speed Acceleration Handling Nitro Total Credits
80.000 4 4 4 4 1.280.000
Epic
Credits Top Speed Acceleration Handling Nitro Total Credits
240.000 2 2 2 2 1.920.000
Total Credits all Import Parts: 4.640.000

Total Upgrade Cost:

Max Upgrades Common Parts Rare Parts Epic Parts Total Upgrade Cost
5.804.120 1.440.000 1.280.000 1.920.000 10.444.

Arrinera Hussarya 33 już legalna. Została wypuszczona w ekspresowym tempie.  Teraz śmiałe przymiarki do wersji elektrycznej - Dziennik.pl

ARRINERA HUSSARYA 33 IN DETAIL

Although you’d normally expect from a launch edition to carry some exclusive features to justify the heftier price tag, there’s no mentioning whether or not the Hussarya 33 has any additional features to brag about aside from the “33” moniker that’s likely to become a simple badge.

However, the only two photos provided by the automaker suggest the 33 will boast a number of visual modifications. The front bumper, for instance, is slightly different and comes with a small lip spoiler, while the headlamps benefit from a new configuration, with LED daylight running lamps mounted toward the fenders.

Around back, the cool mini spoiler mounted on each side of the hood are now replaced by a more conventional active wing, with the twin grille removed altogether in the process. Lastly, a new set of twin five-spoke wheels are replacing the regular ones seen on the initial car.

Just like the regular model, the Hussarya 33 is powered by a 6.2-liter, mid-mounted V-8 engine that generates 650 horsepower. The unit enables the supercar to sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 3.2 seconds and onto a top speed of 211 mph. Not bad, but there’s plenty of room for improvement.

25 of the Best Handguns Ever

Take a walk through more than a century of gun history as we list some of the greatest revolvers, pistols, and sidearms of all time

Any time you’re debating what are the best handguns ever, those iconic names—and several others—have to be included. From classic cavalry sidearms of the 1800s to today’s accurate semi-automatic pistols, handguns have been a constant source for innovation and ingenuity. And that’s what inspired us to go back in time and highlight 25 of the greatest handguns, pistols, and revolvers in history—starting all the way back in 1850 when Colt released a game-changer that would go on to catch the eyes of soldiers and gunslingers alike. Many of the guns in this list are no longer available, but the impact and influence they had on handgun design will live on forever. Now, onto the list.

1. Colt 1851 Navy Revolver

1851: The Colt Revolver
1851: The Colt Revolver Wiki Commons

In production from 1850 until 1873, the Colt Navy Revolver changed warfare and the world. Much lighter than the Colt Dragoon of 1847 and originally designated the “Ranger,” the Colt Navy was adored by cavalry soldiers, partisan ruffians, and gunslingers like Jesse James and Wild Bill Hickock. The revolver remained popular long after the introduction of the modern self-contained cartridge. The Colt Navy is a legendary sidearm and could be considered the first true fighting handgun.

2. Colt Single Action Army

1873: The Colt Single Action Army
1873: The Colt Single Action Army Colt

Likely the most iconic handgun in existence, the Colt Single Action Army gained fame in the holsters of Roosevelt’s Rough Riders and won the West in the hands of men like Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson. General George Patton also carried an 1873 Colt Single Action Army, which should be all the endorsement a pistol needs to achieve fabled status. Known as the Peacemaker, the gun would’ve cost you about $17 in the 1870s. Today, you’ll pay 100 times that for a current production 1873 and as much as 500 times the original price for a first-generation specimen in good condition.

3. Smith & Wesson Model 10

The Smith & Wesson Model 10 on a white background.
Even a modern S&W Model 10 (1899) has a timeless look. Smith & Wesson

Also known as the Military & Police or Victory Model, this fixed-sight, double-action revolver has been offered with barrel lengths ranging from 2 to 6 inches, and it is estimated that more than six million Model 10s have been manufactured. The revolver saw service in both World Wars and was chambered in .38 Long Colt, .38 S&W, and .38 Special. Thousands of policemen have walked their beats with a Model 10 at their sides. In 1974, S&W introduced a heavy-barrel version chambered for the .357 Magnum known as the Model 13.

4. The Luger Pistol

1902: The Luger Pistol
1902: The Luger Pistol Luger

The Pistole Parabellum—also known as the Luger—was offered in a variety of configurations from 1898 until 1948. It is the pistol that made the 9mm Parabellum/Luger/9x19mm cartridge famous, and now the most popular pistol cartridge in the world. The Luger was used by the German Army in World War I and II and has, in a way, become a symbol of Nazi Germany. Because of this, it was a longtime favorite handgun for Hollywood villains. The Luger and its unique operating system essentially died at the end of WWII, but by then, it had already made history.

5. The Colt 1911

1911: The iconic Colt
1911: The iconic Colt Colt

Created by John Browning—arguably the greatest firearm designer of all time—this pistol served the American military from 1911 until 1990 and is still in the holsters of some soldiers today. The Colt 1911 helped win two World Wars and may be the most copied handgun ever. Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper referred to it as the “Yankee Fist,” and today, the 1911 is more popular than ever before. It dominates the custom handgun market and is offered in multiple configurations by many manufacturers.

6. Colt Woodsman

1915: The Colt Woodsman
1915: The Colt Woodsman Bardbom/Wiki Commons

Another great John Browning design, the Colt Woodsman was manufactured in various forms from 1915 until 1977. It was the first successful semi-automatic, rimfire pistol and is considered by many to be the quintessential .22 LR handgun. The Woodsman became very popular with small game hunters, trappers, hikers, and outdoorsmen, and it remains very popular with collectors, with some variations selling for as much as £4,000.

7. Colt Detective Special

1927: The Colt Detective Special
1927: The Colt Detective Special Wiki Commons

This six-shot, steel-framed, two-inch-barreled, double-action revolver was instantly appealing to those looking for a pocket-pistol that could be easily concealed. It was one of the first of what would soon be called “snub-nose” revolvers and offered in .32 New Police, .38 New Police, and .38 Special. The latter chambering did indeed become popular with plain-clothes detectives and other lawmen who worked the desk and undercover jobs.

8. Smith & Wesson K22

1931: The S&W K22
1931: The S&W K22 Smith & Wesson

You would never think that a high-quality, double-action revolver (with a six-inch barrel and Circassian walnut grips) chambered for the .22 Long Rifle, could have been a success–especially considering that it was introduced during the depression. But between 1931 and 1939, Smith & Wesson sold more than 17,000 K22s. With a crisp, single-action trigger pull and a guarantee to shoot within 1.5 inches at 50 yards, this gun became an instant classic and was the forerunner to a long line of .22 rimfire revolvers from Smith & Wesson.

9. Walther PPK

1931: The Walther PPK
1931: The Walther PPK Walther

The Walther PPK (Polizeipistole Kriminalmodell or Police Pistol Detective Model) is a blow-back, semi-auto with an exposed hammer and a traditional double-action trigger. It has been offered in a wide variety of configurations and has been chambered for several cartridges; most notably the .380 ACP or 9mm Kurtz. The pistol reached meteoric fame as the sidearm of the fictional special agent, James Bond, and will forever be known as 007′s pistol. Compact but heavy, the steel-framed PPK is a great personal sidearm, and they are now manufactured in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

10. Browning Hi-Power

1935: The Browning Hi-Power
1935: The Browning Hi-Power Wiki Commons

In its prototype form—as designed by John Browning—the Browning Hi-Power was a striker-fired 9mm pistol with a double-stack magazine, link-less barrel, and a pivoting, revolver-like trigger. Sounds like a Glock, right? In its final form, the handgun became a single-action, hammer-fired pistol, and would ultimately be used by more military units than any other handgun. The Browning Hi-Power was the first wonder-nine, and it laid the foundation for modern defensive handgun design as we know it today.

11. Ruger Standard Model

1949: The Ruger Standard Model
1949: The Ruger Standard Model Ruger

The Ruger Standard Model was the beginning of a company known as Sturm, Ruger & Co.—which, by the way, was founded with a $50,000 investment. The design is unique in that the pistol’s slide is internal, and the current model remains very similar to the original. The gun is now in its fourth iteration, and there have been more than two dozen variations of this handgun. An outstanding pistol for the new shooter, small-game hunter, or outdoorsman, today the Standard MK IV, which is much easier to field-strip than the original, retails for more than ten times the original price.

12. Smith & Wesson Model 36

1950: The S&W Model 36
1950: The S&W Model 36 Smith & Wesson

Introduced at the 1950 International Association of Chiefs of Police convention, the S&W Model 36 would ultimately be known as the “Chief’s Special.” This name came about, rather uniquely, through a vote held at the convention. The gun was an immediate success and was originally available with either a blued or nickel finish. This five-round, double-action revolver has served law-enforcement officers well as a duty gun for detectives and administrators, and as an ankle or back-up gun for patrol officers. It is still being manufactured and retails for around £749.

13. Ruger Single Six

1953: The Ruger Single Six
1953: The Ruger Single Six Stephen Z / Flickr

The 1950s were the heyday of the television western. Shows like Gunsmoke pulled the little bit of cowboy that was in all of us to the surface, and the world was ripe for a .22 LR single-action revolver that hearkened to the Old West. During its 66-year history, the Ruger Single Six has been chambered for the .22 LR, .22 Magnum, .17 HMR, and even the .32 H&R Magnum. With barrel lengths ranging from 4 ⅝ to 9 ½ inches, the Single Six became one of the best-selling firearms Ruger ever produced. Great for new shooters and hunters, this gun is still in production with the option of 6-, 7-, 9-, and 10-shot cylinders. Prices start at about £600.

14. Colt Python

The 2020 Colt Python.
1955: The (newly relaunched) Colt Python Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC

The Colt Python has a reputation for a smooth trigger pull, tight lock-up, and accuracy. It is described by many as the finest production double-action revolver ever made. Immortalized in a two-tone format by Robert Blake in the movie, Electra Glide in Blue, the Python was adopted by several state highway patrol departments and might be the Rolls Royce of revolvers. Discontinued in 2005, used examples in good condition command outlandish prices, sometimes fetching more than £10,000.

15. Smith & Wesson Model 39

1955: The S&W Model 39
1955: The S&W Model 39 Wiki Commons

This pistol has the distinction of being the first U.S. designed/manufactured double-action, semi-automatic pistol marketed in the United States. The Model 39 was chambered for 9mm Luger and was designed by S&W at the request of the Army to be an American equivalent to the Walther P38. The de-cocker and 8-round, single-stack magazine were like those on the P38, but it had a locking mechanism similar to the Browning Hi-Power. The Model 39′s true contribution was that after adoption by the Illinois State Police in 1967, it set the stage for a switch to semi-automatic handguns by American law enforcement. It also served as the forerunner to the higher-capacity Model 59—and many aluminum- and steel-framed S&W pistols—that so many police agencies would fall in love with.

16. Ruger Blackhawk

1955: The Ruger Blackhawk
1955: The Ruger Blackhawk Ruger

Following on the heels of the Single Six, Ruger’s next logical step was to design a more powerful single-action revolver. They decided on the Blackhawk and originally produced the revolver in .38 Special/.357 Magnum. It has since been chambered in a wide assortment of cartridges. In several cases, Blackhawks were called “convertibles” and sold with two cylinders, such as .45 ACP and .45 LC. The fixed-sight Vaquero version, offered in 1993, took sales to the stratosphere thanks to the popularity of cowboy-action shooting at the time. It has been produced in a stunning array of variations and is still available today for less than £700. The Ruger Blackhawk has become one of the most successful American made firearms.

17. Remington XP 100

1961: Remington XP 100
1961: Remington XP 100 Wiki Commons

An oddity for sure, the Remington XP 100 is a bolt action pistol intended for hunting and silhouette shooting. It also has the unique distinction of being the forerunner to a rifle—Remington’s Model 600. The XP 100′s centrally-located grip allowed the long-barreled handgun to balance well, and until the introduction of the Thompson/Center Contender, it was the most popular handgun for target shooters and handgun hunters. The XP 100 was chambered for a variety of cartridges including the .308 Winchester and .35 Remington. The gun was discontinued in 1998, but it might have been ahead of its time considering that in 2019, Remington introduced a similar handgun called the 700 CP.

18. Thompson/Center Contender

1967: The T/C Contender
1967: The T/C Contender Thompson/Center

This single-shot, break-open handgun became very popular because owners could buy additional barrels chambered for a wide array of cartridges–from .22 LR up to .45-70. The Contender has a great reputation for accuracy, and it essentially brought about the end of Remington’s XP 100. Like with the XP 100, the Contender evolved into a rifle, and with the addition of longer barrels and buttstocks, shooters had a great deal of versatility. The Contender and the newer Encore are still sold as a kind of build-your-own system.

19. Beretta 92

1975: The Beretta 92
1975: The Beretta 92 Beretta

The Beretta 92 has a distinctive look because the slide does not completely enclose the barrel. The pistol has a slide-mounted safety/de-cocker and a long, often described as “tedious,” trigger pull. None the less, in 1985, the U.S. Army adopted the Beretta M9 as the standard sidearm, and then the complaining began. This was partly because it was chambered for 9mm Luger instead of .45 ACP, and also because it was not American made. However, the Beretta M9 proved reliable, and due to U.S. military use, its popularity skyrocketed.

20. CZ 75

1975: CZ 75
1975: CZ 75 CZ USA

Though widely distributed, this Czechoslovakian-made pistol was not sold in that country until it was a decade old. Now it is the standard sidearm of the Czech Police. Similar to the Browning Hi-Power in that it uses a link-less, locked-breach barrel, the CZ 75 differs in that it is a double-action. Unlike most semi-automatic pistols, the slide rails on the CZ 75 ride on the inside of the grip frame. CZ 75s have a great reputation for reliability and accuracy, and there is a wide range of variants now offered with retail prices starting at about $600.

21. Smith & Wesson Model 686

1980: The S&W Model 686
1980: The S&W Model 686 Smith & Wesson

Smith & Wesson’s Model 686 is one of the most successful revolvers ever created. There are more than a dozen variants with barrel lengths ranging from 2.5 to 6 inches, and at one time, the 4-inch version was one of the most prolific sidearms for law enforcement. At 48 ounces, it’s heavy enough to dampen .357 Magnum recoil, and these revolvers have an uncanny record of reliability and accuracy.

22. Glock 17

1982: The Glock 17
1982: The Glock 17 Glock

The Glock 17 was the first of an extensive line of polymer handguns to be offered by the Austrian manufacturer. Now in its fifth generation, the Glock 17 has become one of the most recognized pistols in the world, and today a Glock, in some form or another, likely fills the holsters of more policemen than any other handgun. Essentially the design is nothing more than a modification of the 1935 Browning Hi-Power, and the 17, like all Glocks, has a fine reputation for reliability and durability. Because of their performance for the price, Glocks are one of the widest distributed handguns in the world.

23. Ruger Single Seven

2014: The Ruger Single Seven
2014: The Ruger Single Seven Ruger

In 2014, Ruger took their iconic Single Six revolver and chambered it for the .327 Federal Magnum. They also drilled seven holes instead of six into the cylinder. Offered in three barrel lengths—4 ⅝, 5 ½, and 7 inches—this revolver became an instant hit because it finally housed the potent .327 in a handgun fitting of its service. With the ability to also chamber and fire .32 ACP, .32 Short, .32 Long, and .32 H&R Magnum ammunition, Ruger essentially created the ultimate trail/camp gun. Single Sevens are only available through Lipsey’s for £652.

24. Sig Sauer P320

2014: Sig Sauer P320
2014: Sig Sauer P320 SIG SAUER

Other than its really nice trigger, there’s nothing really ground-breaking about the design of the Sig Sauer P320. You could say it is just another polymer-framed, striker-fired, double-stack, 9mm handgun. However, in 2018, the P320 was selected as the standard issue sidearm of the United States Army and named the M17. That alone qualifies it as one of the greatest handguns of all time. Sig Sauer offers a wide array of P320 variants to include a civilian version of the M17, which sells for around an affordable £768.

25. Wilson Combat EDC X9

2017: The Wilson Combat EDC X9
2017: The Wilson Combat EDC X9 Wilson Combat

It could be argued that the three best modern fighting pistols are the 1911, Browning Hi-Power, and Glock 17. What if you could combine the best features of all three of those pistols? Well, that’s exactly what Wilson Combat did. The EDC X9 operates like a 1911, has the ultra-comfortable grip of a Hi-Power, and the capacity and size of a Glock 17. Available with or without an accessory rail, the EDC X9 is quite possibly the best fighting pistol ever made—and at around £2,895, it’s priced accordingly.

The Aston Martin AM37 PowerBoat.

Every once in a while, something radically different from the norm is introduced to the world which alters people’s perceptions. In the powerboat industry this game-changing moment has now arrived as earth meets water in the most spectacular way imaginable.

For many years, those who love driving on both land and water have wondered how it might feel to own a boat that would match the ‘Power, Beauty and Soul’ of their Aston Martin car. Their wish – your wish – has now been fulfilled.

Merging design, technology, style and comfort in a totally new way, The best of all worlds is encapsulated in the stunning AM37 powerboat.

The AM37S Aston Martin

Sometimes it’s what is missing that’s more important than what’s present in a yacht. The noise of the engine, the shouts of the person next to you trying to speak over the din, the feeling that you need to grip something to feel secure. It’s only when all these things, often commonplace in a high-performance boat blasting along, are suddenly not there that you take notice.

Such is the case on board the 11.1 metre Aston Martin AM37S from Quintessence Yachts. Speeding along the Monte Carlo coastline early in the morning, effortlessly cruising at 30 knots, the AM37S has a stillness unusual for a boat in her class. You can speak easily to someone on the other side of the cockpit without raising your voice, and the ride is smooth even when making a 360 degree turn and springing over our own wake.

The AM37S climbs nicely on to the plane in a light chop and sits there as stable as anything. The trim tabs notch down slightly for added comfort, ensuring a totally dry ride as she accelerates to a 50 knot maximum speed.

the-transom-of-the-aston-martin-speedboat-am37s
running-shot-of-the-aston-martin-speedboat-am37s
the-foredeck-of-the-aston-martin-speedboat-am37s

The founder of Quintessence Yachts is an Aston Martin owner who felt there wasn’t anything in the marine environment comparable with the feeling of being behind the wheel of his car. So the UK-based company was formed for the express purpose of bringing this project to life and approached Aston Martin with the idea. Within six months the two companies were working together and in two years the idea became a reality.

It’s more than just a branding exercise, according to Katia Bassi, managing director of AM Brands, Aston Martin’s luxury partnerships division. “This has always been about creating an experience, building a boat that could be comparable to the same level of an Aston Martin car in the quality of production,” she says. “We really wanted to achieve sports car-like performance, handling and comfort, but also luxury finishing and state-of-the-art technologies.”

The entire boat is a blend of modern cleverness and old world craftsmanship, the high-tech epoxy composite and carbon fibre hull and carbon cockpit details blending with hand-stitched leather and teak decks. Aston Martin and Quintessence teamed up on the exterior.

the-helm-station-of-the-aston-martin-speedboat-am37s
the-helm-of-the-aston-martin-speedboat-am37s
the-interior-of-the-aston-martin-speedboat-am37s

“Everything had to be checked from the nautical perspective, for what could be produced and what would be effective,” says Mariella Mengozzi, CEO of Quintessence Yachts. The biggest similarities between car and boat are the proportions, which Bassi notes are both inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man. The result is sleek, elegant and curvy in all the right places.

The helm really is reminiscent of sitting behind the wheel of an Aston Martin. The dash is pure artistry, the screen one continuous piece of glass framed by carbon fibre. The wheel and seats are automotive-inspired and completely custom, with the ergonomic design of the seats providing an unmatched level of comfort as a curve supports the lumbar spine. And just like a car, the seats adjust easily at the touch of a button.

Owners can choose the colour scheme of their AM37 to match their car, with myriad paint and leather choices available, while the “Q programme” offers customisation options for someone who wants to specify further. The first hull will be delivered in early 2017 to an owner based in Miami while the second hull is already underway.

The pièce de résistance is the innovative sliding deck and swim platform. The entire cockpit can be closed off from the weather when not in use with a carbon panel, which slides completely out of the way upon boarding. The solid bimini is also secreted away under the engine hatch, which extends over the cockpit and can stay up even at full speed.

the-hard-top-of-the-aston-martin-speedboat-am37s

The sliding hardtop of the Aston Martin AM37S provides shelter from the sun

Finally, a teak-covered swim platform appears on demand from the transom for easy boarding and water access. The interior affords just enough room to escape from the elements, with a sofa, galley with Miele appliances and head. A skylight in the deckhead brightens the space and strip lighting runs across the ceiling.

Even the lighting design has been carefully considered, designed by Rogier van der Heide, whose previous work includes the Yas Marina hotel in Dubai and a number of large superyachts.

But as with an Aston Martin car, it all comes back to the performance. Naval architects Mulder Design created a deep-V, multi-stepped hull that gives a dry and comfortable ride.

the-hull-of-the-aston-martin-speedboat-am37s

The Aston Martin AM37S has a top speed of 50 knots

Engine options range from the standard 430hp engines to twin 520hp Mercurys, tested here in the “S” version, which take top speed to 50 knots and make the AM37S one of the world’s fastest superyacht tenders. Twin 370hp diesels are also available. The AM37 is priced from £1.2 to £1.6 million, option dependent.

Though capable of reaching high speeds, the AM37 was never meant to be an extreme performance boat, but to offer the owner-operator ease of control so they could feel like they are in their Aston Martin, confidently handling turns, only out at sea.

Think Your a Kung Fu Master Fast enough to Catch a fly? You’re not Here’s why.

You dont need the skills of a Kung Fu master to catch a fly but you’d think that they’d be easier to swat one down, but no, the fly almost always outmaneuvers your attack and escapes, living to see another one of its 28 days. 

Flies avoid being swatted in just the same way Keanu Reeves dodges flying bullets in the movie The Matrix – by watching time pass slowly they experience time in an almost Slow-mo like fashion.

To the insect, that rolled-up newspaper moving at lightning speed might as well be inching through thick treacle.

Like Reeves standing back and side-stepping slow-mo bullets, the fly has ample time to escape. And it is not alone in its ability to perceive time differently from us. Research suggests that across a wide range of species, time perception is directly related to size.

Generally the smaller an animal is, and the faster its metabolic rate, the slower time passes.

The evidence comes from research into the ability of animals to detect separate flashes of fast-flickering light.

“Critical flicker fusion frequency”

It’s like you’re moving in slow motion.

Actually, from the fly’s perspective, you quite literally are moving in slow motion, because every species experiences time differently. The reason? Differences in sight.

All animals, including humans, see the world in what’s essentially a seamless movie. What’s really happening, however, is that the brain is taking individual images sent from the eye at a fixed rate per second in distinct flashes and piecing them together.

The rate at which this occurs is called “flicker-fusion frequency,” which is measured by determining how rapidly a light needs to be switched on and off before it appears to an animal as a continuous stream. Scientists measure this in insects by hooking up tiny glass electrodes to the photoreceptors of its eyes and flashing light at increasingly fast speeds, all while a computer graphs the signals sent from the photoreceptors.

It turns out this rate is different for every animal. The general rule is: the smaller the species, the quicker the vision.

Humans see about 60 flashes per second while flies see about 250 — a full four times faster than humans. 

In fact, the majority of flying animals, including vertebrates, have faster vision than humans – possibly because it’s mortally important that they’re to quickly react and dodge obstacles.

(A quick note about trying to get your dog to watch TV: The refresh-rate on traditional TVs is about 60Hz, which is on par with the flicker-fusion frequency of humans. However, dogs see at about 80Hz, which means that unless you have a high-quality TV, your favorite movie appears as rapid-fire still images to your dog.)

The fastest-seeing flies are blindingly quick, even relative to their own kind. A “killer fly,” a predatory species found in Europe, is able to launch from a resting position into the air, circle several times around another fly in mid-flight, catch it, and bring its twitching body down to the ground in less than a second.

Why is the killer fly so much faster? The light-detecting cells in its eyes contain more mitochondria, essentially the “batteries” of cells, than other flies, and this powers its supercharged vision. For this insect, time moves in extra-slow motion – about six times slower than it does for humans.

It begs the question: If certain flies see more quickly than other flies, then do some people experience time differently than other people? Does that have anything to do with why times seem to speed up as we get older?

Quite possibly, according to Andrew Jackson, an associate professor at Trinity College Dublin in the Republic of Ireland who has researched flicker fusion rates among various species.

“It’s tempting to think that for children time moves more slowly than it does for grownups, and there is some evidence that it might,” he told The Guardian. “People have shown in humans that flicker fusion frequency is related to a person’s subjective perception of time, and it changes with age. It’s certainly faster in children.”

Rube Burrow

Like the more famous outlaw Jesse James, Lamar County native Reuben Houston Burrow, better known as Rube Burrow, headed a gang of train robbers that included his younger brother Jim and that made off with thousands of dollars. The outlaws worked from Texas to Alabama. A number of legends have grown up around Burrow as the “Alabama Robin Hood” because he allegedly never robbed the poor.

The undated Victorian-Era photograph depicts the visage of notorious Old-West outlaw gang leader Rube Burrow

Reuben Houston “Rube” Burrow (1855-1890) was born on his family’s farm in Lamar County, Alabama. Rube Burrow worked on the family farm until the age of 18 when he moved to Stephenville, Texas to work on his uncle’s ranch. By all accounts, Burrow fully intended to become a rancher by saving up enough money to buy a spread of his own, marry, & eventually start a family. He attempted farming but his wife died of yellow fever in 1880, leaving him to care for two small children. He remarried in 1884 & moved to Alexander, Texas, but when his crops failed he turned to robbing trains with his brother Jim in 1886.

In June 1887, Rube & his “Burrow Gang” robbed a Texas & Pacific Express train near Marinda, Texas. The robbers boarded the eastbound Texas & Pacific Express at the Ben Brook Railroad Station in the town of Marinda (present-day city of Benbrook) south-west of Fort Worth. Burrows had the engineer held at gunpoint & forced him to stop the train on the bridge over Mary’s Creek outside the town. This was meant to discourage passengers, who would “have to brave the heights & meagre footing” in order to interfere with the robbery. The bandits then forced the engineer to break down the door to the express car with a coal pick, after which they absquatulated with $1,350.00 in cash & three registered letters.

Three & one-half months later, on Tuesday, September 20, 1887, the Burrow Gang robbed a second train at the same spot. On the second occasion, news reports estimated that Burrows & his gang escaped with anywhere from $12,000 to $30,000. The bridge where these robberies occurred has been known ever since as “Train Robber’s Bridge.”

In December, while still in Alabama, the brothers appear to have met up with William Brock and robbed the St. Louis, Arkansas & Texas Railroad line in Genoa, Arkansas. On December 9, they made off with the monies collected for the Illinois lottery, raising the attention of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, a private security and investigative organization often employed by railroad companies. After a brief skirmish with a sheriff and his men outside Texarkana, Arkansas, the Burrow brothers returned to Lamar County, and William Brock headed back to Texas. There, Pinkerton agents traced him via coats the men had discarded near the tracks after the robbery and arrested him on December 31, 1887, outside the town of Dublin, Texas; he soon implicated the Burrow brothers and told the detectives where they were.

In early January 1888, Pinkerton assistant superintendent John McGinn raised a party in Lamar County to arrest Burrow at his house but lost him after a series of errors about which house was the right one. That night, the brothers boarded a Louisville and Nashville (L&N) train just south of Birmingham and headed south. A conductor on the train recognized them from police flyers, wired ahead to the station in Montgomery (where the brothers intended to get off), and arranged for the police to meet the train when it stopped.

The police attempted to lure them to the jail when they left the train by posing as railroad workers and offering to find them lodging; however, the Burrows realized the ruse and fought with the police. Rube escaped after shooting an officer, but Jim was captured. Burrow escaped the subsequent manhunt, stole a horse, and headed south, where his pursuers lost his trail. Burrow then turned back north and returned to Lamar County to seek news of his brother, who was now imprisoned in Little Rock, Arkansas.

In March 1888, Burrow partnered with Leonard. C. Brock (also known as Lewis Waldrip), who had worked with Burrow as a ranch hand in Texas, and convinced him to adopt the name of notorious Texas train robber “Joe Jackson” to strike fear in pursuers by convincing them that he had taken up with an even more dangerous outlaw. The men set out from Lamar County and travelled south through Columbus, Mississippi, before heading east and seeking shelter in a logging camp in the backwoods of Baldwin County, Alabama. In May, Burrow and Brock headed back north to Lamar County, hoping that their pursuers had given up interest in the area.

After reaching home, Burrow began working on a plan to free his brother from jail. In August, Burrow and Brock headed for Little Rock after learning that Jim Burrow would be moved to Texarkana. The men could not intercept Burrow’s train, however. After arriving in Texarkana, Jim Burrow wrote home to his family to send funds for a lawyer and voiced his belief that he would be acquitted of all charges when his trial took place the following March. In late September, however, he fell ill, and he died on October 5, 1888, most likely of tuberculosis.

Having failed in their rescue attempt, Burrow and Brock headed back to Lamar County, taking back roads to avoid detection. On December 15, 1888, they robbed a train in Duck Hill, Mississippi, and shot and killed a passenger who attempted to thwart the robbery. His murder raised alarms in the national press and among the railroad companies, who feared a loss in revenue if the safety of train travel came under question. Because the description of the shooter also matched that of train robber Eugene Bunch, the Pinkertons pursued him rather than Burrow. Burrow and his men returned safely to Lamar County, where Burrow’s extended family provided the men with supplies and safe haven throughout the spring of 1889 and kept watch for detectives and bounty hunters.

During the final years of the American frontier, Rube Burrow became one of the most hunted outlaws in the Old West since Jesse James. From 1886 to 1890, he & his gang robbed express trains in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, the Indian Territory & Texas whilst being pursued throughout the southern half of the United States by hundreds of lawmen, including the Pinkerton National Detective Agency.

Brothers and Lamar County natives Rube (left) and Jim Burrow were part of an outlaw gang that robbed trains in southern states during the late 1880s. Rube and his brother would continue to rob the trains until eventually his luck ran out, after the capture of his brother in Montgomery and his subsequent death in jail, Rube would eventually make the fatal mistake of trusting the wrong people which led to his arrest.

On October 7, 1890, Rube Burrow was captured by two black men, Jesse Hildreth & Frank Marshall, with the help of two white planters, John McDuffie & Jeff “Dixie” Carter, at George Ford’s cabin, at the town of Myrtlewood in Marengo County, Alabama. McDuffie had suspected that Burrow would be in the area & had warned Hildreth to be on the lookout. When Burrow showed up at Ford’s cabin, Hildreth was inside & was able to get word back to McDuffie. Hildreth & Marshall jumped Burrow & held him for McDuffie & Carter who took him to the jail at Linden, Alabama, with Burrow entertaining them all the way with funny stories. Rube offered Hildreth a hundred dollars if he would let him go. Hildreth said “I couldn’t use it then, ‘cause you’d kill me first.”

During the early-morning hours of December 9, 1890, Burrow complained of hunger & talked his jailers into handing him his bag, which contained some ginger-snap cookies. Rube’s bag also contained a gun, which Burrow held at the head of one of the guards he then made his way to the front of the jail, .He escaped, locking two guards (including McDuffie) in his cell, & taking another guard with him to find Carter at Glass’s store to get back money that had been taken from him. Burrow reportedly believed that Dixie Carter was Nick Carter, the famous fictional detective. Carter was in the store, & when he came outside, he & Burrow exchanged gunfire Burrow fired all of the bullets in his pistol, striking Carter once in the abdomen, before Carter shot Burrow in the chest as he turned to run, killing him instantly. Burrow was dead in the street & Carter was wounded.

His body was sent back to Lamar by train and was put on public display.

A coroner’s inquest was held, and the body of Rube Burrow being thoroughly identified a verdict of death in the manner described was rendered. After treating the body with preservatives it was taken to Demopolis, Ala. Here hundreds of people assembled to view the remains of the great bandit.

The body of train robber Rube Burrow was displayed to the public on its way back to Lamar County from Linden, Marengo County, where he was killed in a shootout while attempting to escape from jail in October 1890.

On arrival at Birmingham, at three o’clock on the morning of the 9th of October, it is estimated that over a thousand people were in waiting to get a glimpse at the body of the great train robber. Special officers were employed to keep the morbid crowd at bay. Photographs of the body were taken, and at seven o’clock A. M. the train leaving Birmingham for Memphis conveyed the remains to Sulligent, making several stops along the way so that the public could see the body of the famous train robber. His weapons were also put on display in Memphis, Tennessee, and attracted huge crowds.

A telegram had been sent to Allen Burrow, stating that Rube’s dead body would be delivered to him at noon that day at Sulligent. When his body reached Sulligent, it was collected by his father, and Burrow was buried in Fellowship Cemetery. Exactly one month later, former gang member William Brock leapt to his death from the top floor of the Brock Penitentiary in Jackson, Tennessee, after receiving a life sentence.

Guns From The Old Wild West

These were the “smoke wagons,” “street howitzers” and repeaters that tamed the American West.Each of these firearms are not only significant guns of the American West, they belonged to some of the most famous and infamous frontiersmen (and women), soldiers, and icons who forged the American West both in myth and reality—a West we nostalgically remember today.

Certainly, in popular history, the Winchester Model 1873 is given this distinction. While the trusty ol’ lever-action shooting iron more than earned its stripes in military conflicts, range wars and protecting the Back 40, it far from single-handedly tamed the vast American frontier.

In reality, no one gun can make the claim. It was a vast arsenal of different revolvers and rifles and shotguns of every conceivable design, make and model that carved this nation from coastline to coastline.

Even if there was no single gun that won the West, there are certainly some six-shooters, repeaters and other great guns that more than pulled their share of the weight during this era. With that in mind, here are the 10 guns you have to know from the Old West. While there were many other firearms that left their mark on this time, these were among the most important.

"Buffalo

Buffalo Bill’s Remington Rolling Block RifleRemington Rolling Block Rifle, .45-70 caliber, serial number 3, date: ca 1873.

William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody owned this embellished serial number 3 Remington Rolling Block Rifle. Cody earned his nickname working for the Goddard Brothers on the Kansas Pacific Railroad. He then rose to fame through stage performances and ultimately the internationally renowned Buffalo Bill’s Wild West. The Remington Rolling Block was made in many calibers and configurations. The original concept was designed by Leonard Geiger in 1863 and improved upon by Remington’s Joseph Rider. Production of this action occurred from 1867 through 1934.

"Yellow

Yellow Hair’s Remington Army RevolverRemington Army Revolver, .44 caliber, serial number 51344, date: ca 1865.

On July 17, 1876, after George Armstrong Custer’s demise at the Battle of Little Bighorn, the Battle of Warbonnet Creek occurred. The most notable component of this event was an encounter between Buffalo Bill and Cheyenne warrior Yellow Hair. During this interaction, Cody shot and killed Yellow Hair. This gun is believed to be the gun that Cody took from his victim. Remington became known for its Navy and Army Revolver models. The first revolver they made was a design by Fordyce Beals. Its introduction in 1857 is linked with the expiration of Colt’s revolving patent.

"Wild

Wild Bill Hickok’s Colt Model 1851 Navy RevolverColt Model 1851 Navy Revolver, .36 caliber, serial number 204672, date: ca 1860s.

James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok was known for many things – ranging from lawman to showman. But it is his death that, like the folk hero, has become legendary. Hickok died during a poker game in Deadwood, South Dakota. This Colt Model 1851 Navy Revolver belonged to Hickok and was sold to help pay for his burial expenses. I recognize the Colt Model 1873 “Peacemaker” is more famous than the 1851 Navy in terms of American Western lore. But the museum doesn’t have a famously associated Peacemaker, so I thought to honor Colt’s legacy for this list with Mr. Wild Bill.

"George

George Armstrong Custer’s Sharps Model 1853 Sporting RifleSharps Model 1853 Sporting Rifle, .44 caliber, serial number 21130, date: 1854-1859.

Possibly best known for his greatest failure, the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876, Custer held a mostly prestigious military career. He served as a Brevet General during the American Civil War. He was the Lieutenant Colonel of the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment when he died. While a military man, this Sharps reflects his civilian life. The Sharps Rifle is iconic on the frontier, known for its military uses but also for bison hunting. This model is earlier in Sharps history – pre-Civil War. And was the last model on which Christian Sharps worked before he left the company.

"Annie

Annie Oakley’s Smith & Wesson No. 3 RevolverSmith & Wesson No. 3 Revolver, .44 S&W, serial number 3653, date: 1890s.

Annie Oakley was one of the most popular performers for Buffalo Bill’s Wild West. Oakley was born Phoebe Ann Moses in Darke County, OH and began hunting at an early age to support her family. At the age of 15, she entered a shooting match with famed marksman Frank E. Butler. Oakley won the match, ultimately married Butler, and went on to international fame for her marksmanship. This well-worn Smith & Wesson No. 3 Revolver belonged to Oakley. It is believed she ordered three No. 3’s during her lifetime. While Smith & Wesson initially were involved in the lever action side of iconic western guns, they quickly shifted to the top break revolvers that made them famous. Thanks once again to Colt’s pesky patent expiration in 1857.

"Buffalo

Buffalo Bill’s Winchester Model 1873 Smoothbore RifleWinchester Model 1873 Rifle, .44 caliber, serial number 6745, date: 1875.

Buffalo Bill has already made an appearance on this list – and he will again. This Winchester was used, by the showman, during his arena performances. Note that the rifle is designated smoothbore. The legend goes: during an arena performance, one of the performers shot through a greenhouse window and from that point on the crew would shoot shot rather than a bullet. The Winchester Model 1873 is the quintessential “Gun that Won the West” – thanks in no part to clever marketing during the post-World War I era (sarcasm). But this model is one of the most frequently seen in western film, literature, and lore.

"President

President Theodore Roosevelt’s Winchester Model 1895 RifleWinchester Model 1895 Rifle, .405 WCF, date: ca 1900.

This Winchester Model 1895 may seem a tad out of place in a traditional western list, but because it belonged to Rough Rider Theodore Roosevelt, I couldn’t resist. This Winchester Model 1895 in the iconic .405 Winchester Centerfire Cartridge went with Roosevelt on his African Safari in 1909. The Winchester Model 1895 showed an evolution in lever action technology. Based from John Moses Browning’s design, this lever action abandoned the stereotypical tubular magazine of guns like the 1873 and adopted a box magazine – better suited for spitzer cartridges.

"Liver-Eatin’

Liver-Eatin’ Johnson’s Hawken RifleHalf-stock Hawken Rifle, .56 caliber, not serialized, date: ca 1860.

Liver-Eatin’ Johnson was known by many names and immortalized as Jeremiah Johnson thanks to the Robert Redford film. John Johnston (with a T) is known best by oral history and legend as the man who declared war on the Crow Nation after the murder of his Flathead Indian wife. However, that story has been refuted by evidence that places him as a soldier in the Mexican American War at the time the story came to be. Regardless, he is considered an icon in the West. And the Hawken Rifle is every bit as famous. The Hawken Bros, out of St. Louis, MO, made single shot muzzleloaders that became known as the mountain man’s firearm of choice.

"Buffalo

Buffalo Bill’s Springfield Model 1866 Trapdoor Rifle – Lucretia BorgiaSpringfield Model 1866 Trapdoor Rifle, .50 caliber, date: ca 1865.

William F. Cody earned the nickname Buffalo Bill with this rifle. He used this gun while bison hunting for the Kansas Pacific Railroad. He named it Lucretia Borgia after the femme fatale character from the stage play Lucrezia Borgia. Note that part of the firearm is missing. This happened during Buffalo Bill’s lifetime. Trapdoor technology was a popular breechloading modification used in the West. The Model 1866 was the second conversion of Erskine Allin. While many attribute the Sharps Rifle as THE bison gun, it is interesting that Buffalo Bill earned the Buffalo before Bill with not a Sharps, but this Springfield.

"Frederic

Frederic Remington’s Spencer Repeating CarbineSpencer Model 1865 Repeating Carbine, caliber not noted in record, serial number 17192, date: ca 1865.

Colt Paterson

RIA_May14_1147 old west

While not as storied as some Colts, the first commercially successful repeating firearm, nonetheless, left its mark on the West. Patented in 1836 and produced until 1842, just a little more than 2,000 of the cap-and-ball revolvers were manufactured. Despite their limited numbers, the Colt Patersons found their way into a number of definitive conflicts in the mid-1800s.

Among the most storied was the Battle of Bandera Pass, which marked the turning point of the Texas-Indian wars. In the early 1840s fight, 50 or so Texas Rangers, led by legendary Captain John “Jack” Hays, routed a vastly superior force of Comanche, thanks in large part to their five-shot Colt Patersons.

This wasn’t the only time Hays prevailed against overwhelming odds due to the revolver. Previously in the Battle of Walker Creek and his Big Fight at Enchantment Rock, the Paterson proved its worth. While the revolver came in many calibers, the .36-caliber No. 5 became known as the “Texas Patterson” for its use by the Rangers.

Henry 1860

henry1 - old west

Though limited in use, the 1860 Henry proved itself a wicked weapon in the Civil War. But its devastating effect was perhaps best demonstrated in another heralded American battle — the Little Bighorn.

Armed with the brass-receiver beauties, among other repeaters, Sioux and Cheyenne Warriors utterly devastated the 7th Cavalry. Some archaeological evidence points to 134 firearms in the hands of the Indians, 62 of them Henrys.

The cavalry, on the other hand, was armed with single-shot Springfield Model 1873 rifles firing the now-notorious copper cartridges — known to expand and jam the breech. So it seems George Armstrong Custer and his men weren’t only outnumbered that late June day, they were also vastly outgunned.

Beyond formal conflict, the Henry was a mainstay among many pioneers during westward expansion. Its 15 rounds of .44 Henry rimfire not only proved adequate for protecting a homestead or scaring off cattle rustlers, but also bagging the odd deer. 

Colt Single Action Army

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No other gun sums up the Wild West like this Colt. Introduced in 1873 originally as a Cavalry revolver, the Single Action Army spread across the frontier like a prairie fire.

Perhaps no single gun hung off the hips of more cowboys, lawmen and outlaws than this revolver. The likes of Wyatt Earp, John Selman, John Wesley Hardin, Bat Masterson and many others all favored the Colt and for good reason. The revolver was well balanced, provided a fast rate of fire and superior ergonomics. To the last two points, the six-gun’s design allowed it to rock back in the hand upon firing, setting the shooter up to cock the hammer for his next shot. On top of that, the Colt SAA packed a wallop, particularly in its most prominent chamberings — .44-40 WCF and .45 Colt.

The Colt SAA wasn’t infallible, however. Slow on the reload and only able to be safely loaded with five rounds (unless an hombre wanted to lose a pinky toe), the gun could quickly be out of the fight and slow to reenter. But in competent hands, and there were many, there was no deadlier weapon on the American frontier.

Colt 1851 Navy

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Named for the Republic of Texas Navy, ironically, this gun saw little action on the high sea. But on the vast American frontier, the handsome six-gun was among the most prolific cap-and-ball revolvers. Some quarter of a million were made between 1850 and 1873.

Though on the surface it doesn’t appear so, what made the gun so desirable, aside from its smooth handling and potency, was its portability. Designed as a sidearm, the 1851 Navy was much lighter than similar revolvers — the Walker Colt and Colt Dragoon. In turn, an hombre could easily keep this peace of mind at hand out of the saddle.

In its cap-and-ball form, the Navy was a .36-caliber gun, but toward the 1870s a number of the revolvers were converted to accept .38-caliber metallic cartridges. The 1851 saw prolific use in the Civil War and across the West. Robert E. Lee carried a Navy while serving with the 2nd Cavalry in Texas, and it was the preferred revolver of no less than James “Wild Bill” Hickok.

1873 Springfield Trapdoor

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In an age filled with some of the most iconic repeaters to ever drop a hammer, the Springfield Trapdoor seems downright frumpy. The single-shot rifle, however, was among the most plentiful firearms out West.

This is primarily due to it being the U.S. Army service rifle for the better part of the American age of expansion (1873 to 1892). It was a mainstay for both sides of the intermittent conflict known as the Indian Wars and a fairly solid rifle once the bugs were worked out.

Its main sticky point, literally, was the rifle’s early ammunition. The Trapdoor initially shot .45-70 Government ammo loaded in copper cases, which, when heated, expanded and had a tendency of jamming the breech with devastating consequences. Many blame this flaw as one of the reasons the 7th Calvary was routed at the Little Bighorn.

Custer’s last stand prompted the Army into action and eventually to adopt brass cases, which made all the difference in the world. The .45-70 round itself was more than enough to handle anything a soldier set his sights on out to 1,000 yards. And given this potential, the Army began to emphasized marksmanship. Shooting practice and, eventually, competitions became a more regular part of training, preparing soldiers to use the rifle with crack-shot accuracy on the open prairie.

Winchester Model 1873

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Arguably the most famous and recognizable rifle of the Old West, the 1873 is a true icon of the frontier. The iron-framed, lever-action rifle was ideal in a saddle scabbard or at the homestead, ready to take care of any chore a revolver couldn’t handle. And plenty of good and bad men had chores for the 1873, with the likes of William F. Cody, the Texas Rangers, Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy and a long list of other Western notables employing the rifle.

In addition to its ease of use and low maintenance, what made the 1873 a success was Winchester chambering it for a number of its proprietary pistol ammunition — .44-40, .38-40 and .32-20. This took a load of burden off a buckaroo during a period when logistics were not at the top of their game. A fella never knew when a desperado might highjack the latest ammunition delivery heading to the local general store thus leave a pistol or rifle high and dry.

The rifle was also awash across the West, with some half-million manufactured before the turn of the 19th Century. Honestly, no self-respecting lawman, rancher or outlaw would be caught without one.

Double-Barreled Shotgun

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New take on the old gun. The Stoeger Coach Single Trigger Supreme.

Certainly, the 1873 Winchester Rifle and Colt Single Action Army were as abundant as tumbleweeds out West; but they most likely paled in numbers to the simple double-barreled shotgun. The firearm was ubiquitous, brought in droves by pioneers heading for new lives in the West.

Double-barreled shotguns came from all corners of the globe, many rolling out of local blacksmith shops. And they made a lot of sense as a tool to tame the land, given their flexibility. Capable of bagging nearly any game known to man — be it covered in fur or feather — the shotgun also doubled as one of the most notorious defensive arms ever to bare a trigger.

There was a good likelihood every lawman had one at hand and they were heavily utilized to guard stagecoaches in their shortened coach gun variation. But the double-barrel shotgun was also the stock-in-trade for some of the wickedest men to roam the West. “Deacon” Jim Miller, for one, cottoned to the brutal instrument and used it to devastating effect on a number of occasions.


Sharps Rifle

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Uberti USA’s take on the 1874 Sharps. Photo: Uberti

While it saw its share of military battles and the odd lawman might have one at hand, the venerable Sharps left its mark on the West in a much different fashion than many of this era’s storied firearms — hunting. During the hide-hunting era of the American frontier, the powerful single-shot rifle felled more buffalo than perhaps any other firearm. It was ideal for the task.

Chambered for powerful rounds such as .50-90, .50-110 and .45-70, the falling-block rifle was reasonably accurate, allowing hunters to harvest buffalo at relatively long ranges. This is a black mark against the rifle today, with commercial hunting typically blamed for pushing the prairie behemoth to the brink of extinction.

Even with the ballistics to drop a buffalo more than 1,000-yards out, there is modern research that points more to disease than the Sharps and other big-bore rifles in the animal’s disappearance. Either way, the rifle still had an impact — be it large or small — and today is considered by many as iconic in the West as the Colt SAA and Winchester 1873.


Smith & Wesson Model 3

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The first revolver that fired metallic cartridges adopted by the U.S. Military, it didn’t take long for this break-top beast to catch on with good and bad men alike. From lawmen like Pat Garrett to outlaws such as John King Fisher, the Model 3 delivered the goods.

Chambered originally in .44 S&W — later in other .44-caliber variants, as well as .38 — the six-shooter offered more than enough power to take care of even the most stubborn adversary. On top of that, it was fast to reload. Opening from the top to expose all six cylinders, a gunslinger could quickly get the single action back into a fight.

This was a distinct advantage in an era where old cap-and-ball revolvers were still prevalent. Even the beloved Colt Single Action Army couldn’t beat out the Model 3 since it had to be reloaded one cartridge at a time.

Winchester 1886

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John M. Browning, of course, left a mark on the Old West, perhaps no more so than with his first repeating rifle with Winchester. A stronger rifle than the Model 1876, with vertical locking bolts, the ’86 was also sleeker and easier to handle. And it vastly outgunned the majority of repeaters of the day, shooting some of the most powerful big-game cartridges around (and well) — .45-70, .45-90 and .50-110.

Perhaps best of all, it added a dimension of firepower to the equation with the lever action’s nine-round tubular magazine. In one fell swoop, the single-shot rolling-block rifles were outclassed and obsolete on the hunt. But it wasn’t only hunters who saw the benefit of the massive and powerful Model 1886.

Bob Dalton of the notorious bank and train robbing Dalton Gang is reported to have carried the lever action. And a number of the hired Texas killers — known as the “Invaders” — utilized the rifle in Wyoming’s Johnson County War.