The first primitive firearms were invented and constructed by the Chinese in the 13th century A.D. to harness the explosive power of gun powder as a powerful weapon of war. Since then, firearms have undergone an extensive progression of refinement from the first crude matchlocks to flintlocks to caplocks and on to the invention of smokeless powder and metallic cartridges. However, although the firearm was originally developed as a weapon of war, civilians quickly realized the advantages of such a weapon as a hunting tool for providing much needed protein for their families and thus, the firearm was rapidly embraced by civilians as well as military personnel.

Consequently, firearms have been an integral part of American culture since Europeans first landed on American shores and their popularity has persisted through modern times. However, even though firearms are an integral part of life for many people, the fact is that only a small percentage of the population is truly familiar with their capabilities and limitations, and this lack of knowledge has given rise to many myths about firearms which, unfortunately, many people are adamantly convinced are true. In fact, there are at least seven gun myths that persist in people’s minds despite evidence to the contrary.

1. Guns Kill People – One of the favored arguments of those opposed to private ownership of firearms is that guns kill people. However, while it is true that firearms were originally developed as a weapon of war, this argument ignores the fact is that firearms are inanimate objects that are simply not capable of taking action on their own. Therefore, they require a conscious human operator with a clear objective in order to fire a projectile. Consequently, the truth is that it is not the firearm that kills people but, instead, the human operator who makes a conscious decision to take a life. The firearm is merely a tool to that end…. read more at Urban Survival Site