From the Invention of Gunpowder to the First Shotgun Cartridges

The earliest recorded reference of gunpowder was in the Taishang Shengzu Jindan Mijue during the Tang Dynasty in China; it was discovered during an alchemist's search to find an elixir of life. (Cambridge University Press 2008) It would still be hundreds of years until gunpowder would begin to be harnessed in way that resembles a more modern firearm.

Craig Koshyk, Editor-in-Chief of Hunting Dog Confidential and foremost authority on hunting dog history and development, inspired me to dig into old books to find the clues that lead to the stories of our past. One such book is The Gun and Its Development, written by W. W. Greener in 1897. In the second chapter of this historic text, Greener lays out the oldest historic references to the development and use of gunpowder. He references the invention of gunpowder in China as early as the 9th century, but leans heavily into discussing its development in Europe as it was harnessed for the refinement of the modern firearm and, more specifically, for the breech-loader.

What follows is a collection of excerpts from The Gun and Its Development by W. W. Greener, 1897.