For many hundreds of years, Europeans considered precious stones to be the main treasures of India. But in fact, its main wealth has always been iron. Indian steel has been highly valued since the time of Alexander the Great and was used to produce the highest quality and most expensive weapons.

The famous centers of weapons production in the medieval East were Bukhara and Damascus, but... they received metal for it from India. It was the ancient Indians who mastered the secret of producing damask steel, known in Europe as Damascus. They also managed to tame and use elephants in battles, and just like their horses, they dressed them in armor made of chain mail and metal plates!

Several grades of steel were produced in India various quality. The steel was used to produce various types of weapons, which were then exported not only to the markets of the East, but also to Europe. Many types of weapons were unique to this country and were not used anywhere else. If they were bought, they were considered as a curiosity.

The chakra, a flat throwing disc used in India until mid-19th century. The outer edge of the disk was razor-sharp, and the edges of its inner hole were blunt. When throwing, the chakra was vigorously spun around the index finger and thrown at the target with all its might. After this, the chakra flew with such force that at a distance of 20–30 m it could cut through the trunk of a green bamboo 2 cm thick. Sikh warriors wore several chakras on their turbans at once, which, among other things, protected them from above from a saber strike. Damask chakras were often decorated with gold notches and had religious inscriptions on them.

In addition to ordinary daggers, the Hindus very widely used the katar - a dagger with a handle perpendicular to its longitudinal axis. At the top and bottom there were two parallel plates, ensuring the correct position of the weapon and at the same time protecting the hand from someone else’s blow. Sometimes a third wide plate was used, which covered the back of the hand. The handle was held in a fist, and the blade was like an extension of the hand, so the blow here was directed by the stronger muscles of the forearm, rather than the wrist. It turned out that the blade was an extension of the hand itself, thanks to which they could strike from various positions, not only standing, but even lying prone. The Cathars had both two and three blades (the latter could stick out in different directions!), they had sliding and curved blades - for every taste!

Madu. A very original weapon was a pair of antelope horns, which had steel tips and were connected on one handle together with a guard to protect the hand, with points in different directions.

Nepal was the birthplace of the kukri knife, which has a specific shape. It was originally used to cut a path through the jungle, but then found its way into the arsenal of the Nepalese Gurkha warriors.

Not far from India, on the island of Java, another original blade was born - the kris. It is believed that the first kris were made in Java by a legendary warrior named Juan Tuaha back in the 14th century. Later, when Muslims invaded Java and began to persistently spread Islam there, they also became acquainted with these weapons. Having appreciated these unusual daggers, the invaders began to use them themselves.

The blades of the first kris were short (15–25 cm), straight and thin, and were made entirely of meteorite iron. Later they were somewhat lengthened and made wavy (flame-shaped), which facilitated the penetration of weapons between bones and tendons. The number of waves varied (from 3 to 25), but was always odd. Each set of curves had its own meaning, for example, three waves implied fire, five were associated with the five elements, and the absence of curves expressed the idea of ​​unity and concentration of spiritual energy.

The blade, made of an alloy of iron and meteorite nickel, consisted of several repeatedly forged layers of steel. The weapon was given particular value by the moiré-like pattern on its surface (pamor), formed during processing of the product. vegetable acids, so that grains of stable nickel stood out clearly against the background of deeply etched iron.

The double-edged blade had a sharp asymmetrical extension near the guard (ganja), often decorated with a slotted ornament or a patterned notch. The handle of the kris was made of wood, horn, ivory, silver or gold and was carved, with a more or less sharp bend at the end. A characteristic feature of the kris was that its handle was not fixed and easily turned on the shank.

When gripping a weapon, the curve of the handle was placed on the little finger side of the palm, and the upper part of the guard covered the root of the index finger, the tip of which, together with the tip of the thumb, squeezed the base of the blade near the bottom of the ganja. The tactics for using kris involved a quick thrust and pull. As for the “poisoned” kris, they were prepared very simply. They took dried dope seeds, opium, mercury and white arsenic, mixed everything thoroughly and crushed it in a mortar, after which the blade was covered with this composition.

Gradually, the length of the kris began to reach 100 cm, so that in fact it was no longer a dagger, but a sword. In total in South-East Asia up to the present day there are more than 100 varieties of this type of weapon.

Kora, Khora or Hora is a heavy striking sword from Nepal and northern India, used for both martial and ritual purposes. Martial and ritual kora are very similar, only the sacrificial sword is wider and heavier. It has a very heavy flared pommel, as it must add weight to the blade and decapitate the sacrificed animal in one blow. The kor blade has a characteristic duck's foot profile, thin near the hilt, with a blade flaring towards the tip with a slightly curved blade. The massive blade has a curved shape, sharpened to inside. Sometimes a fuller is used in the form of a wide groove located along the entire length of the blade and replacing the rib. The presence of several edges allows you to strike with different parts of the sword. The total length of the sword is 60-65 cm, the length of the blade is 50 cm. The guard is ring-shaped, made of metal and has the shape of a disk. Often the guard is placed both on the side of the blade and on the side of the pommel, and protects the hand on both sides.
The kora is usually decorated with an eye symbol or other Buddhist symbolism, which is placed on each side of the blade. Sheath made of genuine leather. There are two types of kor sheaths: a scabbard adapted to the shape of the sword, unfastened by means of buttons located along the entire length of the sheath. In another version, the large sheath looks like a carrying case. There is a kora model with a longer and lighter blade.

Sword puttah bemoh
A two-handed sword or epee with a long narrow straight blade and two handles separated by guards in the shape of crosses or cups. It was first mentioned in the 16th century treatises “Nihang-nama” and “Nujum al-Ulum”. Several copies of such swords have survived. One of them has a total length of 165 cm and a blade length of 118 cm. The handle is divided into two parts, each of which is equipped with a cup-shaped guard. The blade is quite narrow, similar to a sword blade.
It is believed that these swords arose in the 16th century, perhaps under the influence of the German Zweihanders, and were later replaced by Khanda weapons. However, the mel puttah bemokh has an important difference from European two-handed swords - a narrow and relatively light blade, which was not so effective for delivering slashing blows.

In general, the edged weapons of India and the lands close to it were extremely diverse. Like many other peoples of Eurasia, national weapon The Hindus had a straight sword - khanda. But they also used their own types of sabers, which were distinguished by a relatively slight curvature of the wide blade, starting from the very base of the blade. Excellent forging masters, the Indians could make blades that had a slot on the blade, and pearls were inserted into it, which rolled freely in it without falling out! One can imagine the impression they made as they rolled into the slots on an almost black blade made of Indian damask steel. The hilts of Indian sabers were no less rich and elaborate. Moreover, unlike the Turkish and Persian ones, they had a cup-like guard to protect the hand. It is interesting that the presence of a guard was also typical for other types of Indian weapons, including even such traditional ones as a mace and a shestoper.

Talvar – Indian saber. The appearance of the talwar is typical for sabers - the blade is of medium width, slightly curved, sharpening can be one and a half, but this is not necessary. There are variants of the talwar both with and without elmanya. There may be a fuller on the blade of the talwar, but most often it is not there. In some cases, the valley may even be end-to-end; movable balls made of various materials are sometimes inserted into it.
The main difference between the talwar and other sabers is, first of all, its disc-shaped pommel of the hilt. Also, this saber necessarily has a “ricasso” (heel), even if small size. The length of the blade can be from 60 to 100 cm, width - from 3 to 5 cm. The handle of the talwar is straight, with a thickening in the middle, and is designed exclusively for one hand. The disc-shaped pommel prevents the weapon from being lost and gives this saber a unique look. It is often richly decorated, as are the hilt and guard. The latter can have either a straight shape, or an S-shaped or D-shaped one.
The ornaments decorating the talwar usually contain geometric shapes, images of animals and birds. You can see inlay on the weapons of the rich precious stones or enamel.

The Talwar has been around since the 13th century and was a very popular weapon in northern India. Especially among the Rajputs, representatives of the Kshatriya caste, who used these weapons right up to the 19th century.
In addition to military, the talwar also has a certain sacred purpose. According to mythology, it is one of the ten weapons of the gods, with the help of which the forces of good fought against demons and other evil.

Pata or puddha is an Indian sword with a long, straight, double-edged blade that is connected to a gauntlet, a steel guard that protects the arm up to the elbow.

Pata is a combination of a straight, double-edged sword and armor protection for the forearm and hand. The blade fits into a protective cup with a handle inside. The pat has a handle perpendicular to the blade, just like a katar, but there are several belts on the armor to secure the hand.
Pata blades were from 60 to 100 cm with a hilt width of 35-50 mm. The weight reached 1.5 - 2.2 kg. The pata blade was fastened with rivets to plates extending from the protective cup.
The pata cup covering the hand was often made in the shape of the head of an elephant, snake, fish or dragon. In this case, the blade extended from the open mouth like a huge tongue. Another popular cup shape motif is the mythical Yali lion swallowing an elephant.

Apparently, the pata developed at one time from the katar (Indian dagger), going through several modifications of the guard and becoming hypertrophied. First, a protective plate was added to the catarrh to cover the wrist, then it was connected to the side metal strips. This design gradually transformed into a “plate glove” that covered the arm up to the elbow. The “handle glove” could be of a skeletal type - made of metal crossed strips (probably earlier forms) or made in the form of the heads of mythical animals.
According to another version, it’s the other way around - in the beginning there was a stalemate, from which the Cathars originated by simplifying the design. But the truth is that both Qatar and Pata were in service during the same period of history.

Bhuj (also kutti, gandasa) is an Indian glaive-type weapon. It consists of a short handle (about 50 cm) connected to a massive blade in the form of a knife or cleaver. Thus, this weapon is similar to the short variants of the palm or dadao.
In the classic version, the bhuja blade was quite wide and had a one-and-a-half sharpening, while it was distinguished by a double bend: closer to the handle it was concave, and towards the tip it was curved, so that the tip was directed upward relative to the handle. Along the center of the blade, from the tip to the level at which the butt began, there was a stiffening rib. The handle was often made of metal (steel, bronze, copper), less often of wood. In some cases, the bhuj was accompanied by a scabbard, usually made of wood and covered with velvet.
Thanks to the massive blade, this weapon could deliver powerful slashing blows, which is why one of its names meant “knife-axe.” In addition, the junction of the blade with the handle was sometimes made in the form of a decorative elephant's head, which is where another name comes from - “elephant knife”.

The name "bhuj" is derived from the city of the same name in Gujarat, where this weapon originates. It was widespread throughout India, especially in the north. There were also rarer variants, for example, those that had a handle with a guard, or that had a different blade shape. A bhuj is also known, combined with a percussion pistol, the barrel of which is located above the butt of the blade; A stiletto is inserted into the end of the handle opposite the blade. In southern India, an analogue of the bhuja was used - the verchevoral, which had a concave blade and was used to cut through thickets.

Driven - a klevet used in India in the 16th - 19th centuries.
Its name comes from the Persian word meaning "crow's beak", since this was the shape of the warhead. The beak was made of steel in the form of a rather thin dagger blade, usually with a stiffening rib or fullers. The tip sometimes curved down towards the handle, in other cases the blade was straight. On the butt there was sometimes a decorative bronze figurine depicting, for example, an elephant. Less often, a small ax was made instead - such a weapon was called a tabar-driven one.

Mints of other types were less common. In particular, peckers with a round cross-section or faceted beak were in circulation. Quite exotic artifacts have also been preserved, one of which has 8 beaks at once, secured so that 2 were directed in each of the four directions, and ax blades are attached between them. Another specimen is similar to a tonga ax with a double forward-pointing tip.
The handle of the coins was made of wood or metal. Sometimes a stiletto could be inserted into the hollow metal handle on the opposite side of the combat part. These coins were one-handed weapons. Their total length ranged from 40 to 100 cm.

Haladi dagger.
The haladi had two double-edged blades connected by a handle. It was an attack weapon, although the slightly curved blade could easily be used for parrying. Some types of khaladi were made of metal, and were worn like brass knuckles, where another spike or blade could be located. These types of khaladi were perhaps the world's first three-bladed daggers.

Urumi (lit. - twisted blade) is a traditional sword, common in India in the northern part of Malabar. It is a long (usually about 1.5 m) strip of extremely flexible steel attached to a wooden handle. The excellent flexibility of the blade made it possible to wear the urumi concealed under clothing, wrapping it around the body.

In some cases, the length of such a sword could reach six meters, although one and a half meters can be considered the standard. Previously, such flexible swords were worn by assassins, remaining unnoticed for weapons. After all, this sword, as already mentioned, is very flexible, and can be wrapped around a belt.
A flexible sword is a rather dangerous weapon that requires martial art. It can work both as a regular whip and as a sword. Interestingly, urumi can have not just one stripe, but several, which makes it powerful and very dangerous weapon in the hands of a true master.
Wielding this sword required good skills. Due to the fact that the urumi was very flexible, there was a serious risk of self-harm for the owner. Therefore, beginners began training with long pieces of fabric. Possession of Urumi is included in the complex of traditional South Indian martial art kalaripayattu.

Kalaripayattu, as a martial art, was developed in the second half of the 16th century, despite the prohibitions of the British colonialists, who feared the emergence of an uncontrolled fighting structure. But, despite the bans, schools continued to train Kalaripayattu fighters. The primary rule of martial art for a warrior was perfect control of his body. The battle took place in conditions of incessant movement, instant lunges and dodges, jumps, coups and somersaults in the air.
The Kalaripayattu fighter was armed with a saber or dagger, a trident or a pike with a steel tip. Some masterfully wielded a long, double-edged sword. But the most terrible weapon was the Urumi sword. Several flexible blades, sharp as a razor, about two meters long, extended from the handle. The fight could have ended in the first second, since Urumi's movement was completely unpredictable. One swing of the sword sent the blades to the sides and their further movement was unpredictable, especially for the enemy.

The complex oriental bow was also well known in India. But due to the characteristics of the Indian climate - very humid and hot - such onions are not widely used. Having excellent damask steel, the Indians made small bows from it, suitable for horsemen, and bows for infantrymen were made of bamboo in the manner of the solid wooden bows of English archers. Indian infantry of the 16th–17th centuries. already quite widely used long-barreled matchlock muskets, equipped with bipods for ease of shooting, but there were always not enough of them, since in craft production they were produced in large quantities it was extremely difficult.

A feature of Indian striking weapons was the presence of a guard even on poles and maces.

Very interesting were Indian chain mail with a set of steel plates on the front and back, as well as helmets, which were used in India in the 16th–18th centuries. often made from separate segmental plates connected by chain mail weaving. Chain mail, judging by the miniatures that have come down to us, had both long and short sleeves up to the elbow. In this case, they were very often supplemented with bracers and elbow pads, often covering the entire hand.

Over the chain mail, mounted warriors often wore elegant bright robes, many of which had a additional protection gold-plated steel wheels. Knee pads, leg guards and leggings (chain mail or in the form of solid forged metal plates) were used to protect the legs. However, in India, metal protective shoes (as in other countries of the East), unlike the protective shoes of European knights, never became widespread.

Indian shield (dhal) from Rajasthan, 18th century. Made of rhinoceros skin and decorated with rock crystal umbons.

It turns out that in India, as well as in all other places, right up to the 18th century, the weapons of heavily armed cavalry were purely knightly, although again not as heavy as they were in Europe until the 16th century. Horse armor was also widely used here, or at least cloth blankets, which in this case were complemented by a metal mask.

Kichin horse shells were usually made of leather and covered with fabric, or they were lamellar or lamenar shells made of metal plates. As for horse armor, in India, despite the heat, they were popular until the 17th century. In any case, from the memoirs of Afanasy Nikitin and some other travelers, it can be understood that they saw cavalry there “entirely dressed in armor,” and the horse masks on the horses were trimmed with silver, and “most were gilded,” and the blankets were sewn from multi-colored silk, corduroy, satin and “Damascus fabrics”.

Bakhterzov armor for a war elephant, India, 1600

This is the most famous armor for the war elephant. It is on display at the Royal Armories in the English city of Leeds. It was made around 1600, and it arrived on the shores of Foggy Albion 200 years later.
Elephants fought in this armor in Northern India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Today this is the largest elephant armor in the world, which is officially registered in the Guinness Book of Records.

Scale armor for a war elephant, India, 17-18 centuries

Metal plates are sewn onto a base, such as leather. Some of the plates are made of yellow metal, like tiles. Each plate overlaps several neighboring ones, which allows for stronger protection and thinner plates. Thanks to thinner and lighter plates, the weight of the entire armor is also reduced.

Plate armor for a war elephant

Few people remember that before the 1917 revolution, weapons were freely sold in hunting stores. Mausers, Nagans, Brownings, Smith-Wessons, and here are the Parabellums. Ladies' models that fit in a woman's handbag. "Velodogs" - revolvers for cyclists, for effective protection against dogs. Without much hassle, you could even buy a Tula-made Maxim heavy machine gun...

Let's open, for example, the Easter issue of the magazine "Ogonyok", 1914. Peaceful pre-war spring. We read the advertisement. Along with advertising for the “wonderful smelling cologne of Dralle,” photographic cameras “Ferrotype” and the anti-hemorrhoid remedy “Anuzol,” there is an advertisement for revolvers, pistols, and hunting rifles. And here is our old friend! The same Browning model 1906:

The magazine especially advertises EXACTLY Browning. In A. Zhuk's classic book "Small Weapons" the number of this model is 31-6. Made in Belgium, model 1906, caliber 6.35 mm. Weights only 350 grams, but has 6 rounds. And what cartridges! The cartridges were created specifically for this model. Jacketed bullet, smokeless gunpowder (3 times more powerful than smoke gunpowder). Such a cartridge was more powerful than a revolver cartridge of the same caliber. Browning's 1906 model was very successful. The dimensions of the pistol were only 11.4 x 5.3 cm and it easily fit in the palm of your hand. What else was needed for a safe trip to the market??? Market traders before the revolution were armed. It is not surprising that the concept of “racketeering” was completely absent in those days...

Browning could be worn secretly - it could even fit in a vest pocket and a lady's travel bag. Due to its light weight and low recoil, women were willing to buy it, and the name “ladies' pistol” was firmly attached to it. Browning was a popular model among wide sections of Russian society for many years. Students, high school students, students, businessmen, diplomats, even officers - even gardeners! - had it at hand. Thanks to its low price, it was available even to schoolchildren, and teachers noted the fashion among high school students and students of “shooting because of unhappy love.” Small-caliber pistols were also called “suicide weapons.” Large-caliber pistols smashed the head like a pumpkin, and after a shot in the head from Browning, the dead man looked good in the coffin, which should have led to tears of remorse from the unfaithful traitor... But Browning was dangerous not only for its owner.

It was an effective self-defense weapon. A small-caliber shell bullet pierced a layer of muscle and got stuck inside the body, completely giving it its energy. The level of medicine at the beginning of the twentieth century often did not allow saving a person struck in the internal organs. Thanks to its compact size and its combat qualities, the Browning Model 1906 was the most popular model. In total, more than 4 MILLION of them were made! But how did they look at “exceeding the limits of necessary defense” in tsarist times? The term “necessary defense” first appeared in the decree of Paul I (whom our citizens often imagine as almost half-crazy) and it meant absolutely not what we are all used to. In the 18th century in Russia there was such a predatory trade - river piracy.

Isn’t this the kind of brass knuckles that journalists and writers walked around hot places with in their pockets? Isn’t this what V. A. Gilyarovsky mentions in his book “Moscow and Muscovites”?

Gangs of vagabonds attacked and robbed riverboats sailing along the main rivers. Emperor Paul I adopted a decree on the strict deprivation of the nobility of all nobles who were attacked on the rivers and did not offer armed resistance. The nobles then naturally had swords and if they did not carry out the NECESSARY DEFENSE, they were deprived of this sword, as well as their estates and titles... Thanks to this formulation of the issue, in a very short time the robbers were killed or fled and robbery on the rivers stopped That is, the necessary defense was the NECESSITY for the armed man to DEFEND.

The Velodog pistol was very popular in the 19th century. It was designed for cyclists who were often attacked by dogs.

There were no “limits”. In Soviet times, this useful concept was distorted and if it occurs, it is only in the combination “EXCEEDING THE LIMITS OF NECESSARY DEFENSE.” A criminal offense was introduced for armed resistance to robbers, and the weapons themselves were taken away from the population. The Bolsheviks confiscated weapons from the population. For the complete “disarmament of the bourgeoisie”, detachments of the Red Guard and Soviet police worked hard, conducting mass searches. However, some irresponsible “kulaks,” as we see, were in no hurry to part with Brownings until the mid-30s. And I understand them, beautiful and necessary thing...

The pistol, from an everyday item, has since turned into a symbol of belonging to the security forces or the highest party elite in the USSR. The caliber of a pistol was inversely proportional to one's position in society. (The higher the official, the smaller the caliber of his pistol.) ... This Browning model was so popular that it gradually went out of circulation only with the creation of the Korovin pistol in 1926. Compared to the Browning, its cartridge was strengthened and the barrel was slightly lengthened, and the magazine capacity increased to 8 rounds. It is interesting that despite its small caliber, it enjoyed great success among the command staff of the Red Army.

And all that remains for the average Russian citizen, exhausted by street crime, is to look longingly at the pages of pre-revolutionary magazines: “REVOLVER WITH 50 CARTRIDGES. ONLY 2 RUBLES. A safe and reliable weapon for self-defense, intimidation and raising alarm. Completely replaces expensive and dangerous revolvers. It hits amazingly hard. Everyone needs it. No permit is required for this revolver. 50 additional cartridges cost 75 kopecks, 100 pieces - 1 ruble. 40 kopecks, for mailing by cash on delivery 35 kopecks are charged, to Siberia - 55 kopecks. When ordering 3 pieces, ONE REVOLVER is included FREE OF CHARGE. Address: Lodz, Partnership "SLAVA" O.»»

To be fair, it must be said that there were also some restrictions on the circulation of firearms: 1) the Supremely approved Opinion of the State Council of June 10, 1900, approved by Nicholas II, “On the prohibition of the manufacture and import from abroad of firearms of samples used by the troops” 2) the highest Emperor's decree “On the sale and storage of firearms, as well as explosives and about the construction of shooting ranges." Accordingly, customs restrictions on the import and export of military-style firearms were tightened. There were also secret circulars from the tsarist government ordering local authorities, at their discretion and taking into account the current situation, to confiscate weapons from disloyal subjects.

This is what Professor of the Imperial Moscow University I.T. wrote about the right of ordinary citizens to acquire, store and use civilian weapons in “Essay on the Science of Police Law”. Tarasov: “Despite the undoubted danger from careless, inept and malicious use of weapons, the prohibition of having weapons in no way can be general rule, but only an exception that occurs when:

1. disturbances, disturbances or insurrections give reasonable cause to fear that the weapon will be used for dangerous criminal purposes;
2. the special situation or condition of those persons, for example, minors and minors, the insane, hostile or warring tribes, etc., which give rise to such fear;
3. past facts of careless or malicious use of weapons, ascertained by the court or otherwise, indicated the advisability of confiscating weapons from these persons.”

It is safe to say that in the Russian, then Russian, state, the right to arms was an inalienable right of every law-abiding and mentally healthy citizen; it was naturally subject to some temporary and local restrictions. Over time, this right underwent changes, meeting the needs of the era. In the 19th - early 20th centuries. Granting citizens the right to weapons, their acquisition, storage and use can be considered a progressive phenomenon, since at that time such a right did not exist in all countries. In the process of evolution, legislation has developed a rather strict procedure for storing, carrying and acquiring firearms by citizens. Since the 17th century, the right to bear arms was granted only to certain categories of persons. At the beginning of the 20th century, they were persons who had weapons as part of their uniform (for example, police or gendarmerie officials) who needed them for self-defense; for some, the carrying of weapons was obligatory due to custom, not prohibited by law; for hunting or sporting purposes.

With the development of firearms, legislation began to divide them into types: military - non-military models; rifled - smoothbore; guns - revolvers, etc. Thus, from 1649 to 1914 in Russian state a harmonious legislative system was formed that avoided the extremes of permissiveness, on the one hand, and blanket prohibition, on the other.

A.S. Privalov, category III expert. Legislation on weapons in Russia in the 19th century

PURCHASED WEAPONS ALLOWED TO CARRY IN UNIFORM

Since the 18th century, commemorative inscriptions were most often made on donated army weapons: “For courage,” “God is with us!”, “Army of Free Russia.” Freedom as a state of society exists as long as the ownership of weapons is recognized as a natural right. A society ceases to be free when the natural right to own arms is replaced by a privilege granted by the state. Since the times of the Roman Empire, the main difference between a slave and a free citizen, along with political rights, was the right to carry and use weapons - from a dagger under a tunic to a Berdanka in a barn or a pistol in a holster. Incredibly, but true - throughout almost its entire history, the inhabitants of Russia were almost all of them were armed (as, indeed, were the inhabitants of neighboring Europe), until the middle of the 20th century.

"Clement" and "Bayard", convenient for concealed carry:

People without weapons easily became prey to highwaymen or nomads on the borders, as well as wild animals. Everyone had weapons - even the serfs. While liberal journalism was full of bile about “wild Asians” and “serfs,” the “slaves” owned hunting rifles and bladed weapons. This did not require any licenses or permits. They carried weapons freely where it was dictated by local customs that were not prohibited by law - for example, in the Caucasus or in places where the Cossacks lived, but this concerned mainly bladed weapons. By the way, in the Caucasus, not only the local “mountain eagles” freely carried weapons - Russians who came to the Caucasus had weapons with them almost without fail, and not only daggers, but also pistols.

The weapons culture in Russia developed in a very unique way. It had very significant differences by region, and there were also differences between city and countryside. In the European part of Russia, revolvers and pistols were considered “the master’s weapon” and absolutely useless for rural farming. “Risk people” - hunters, Siberian explorers and Cossacks - were armed with long-barreled rifled weapons; these passionaries of that time had a rifle or carbine in every house. Another thing is a gun - a useful thing in all respects. Coachmen, especially in the postal service, were not allowed to travel without a gun. The tavern keepers kept it under the counter, with cartridges loaded with coarse salt. The watchmen, preserving the master's property, used it as well. Traveling doctors were armed with pistols. The right to purchase, store and carry weapons was practically unlimited.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the first acts began to appear establishing categories of subjects who could own weapons, and the further, the more these categories became. Somewhere from the 19th century, in some regions of the Empire, the acquisition system formally became permissive - the governor-general or mayor issued mentally healthy and law-abiding residents permission to purchase “non-combatant” types of firearms (except for hunting ones, their possession was free). They, in the presence of “extraordinary circumstances” (unrest, riots, as well as specific facts of careless or malicious use of weapons), could deprive a person of weapons or introduce a special procedure for their sale, but only for the duration of these circumstances. But in practice, weapons permits were obtained everyone who contacted, because At that time the state did not yet suspect that every student was a Marxist and a Narodnaya Volya member, or that every officer was a Decembrist. For violation of the regime of carrying weapons, the code of laws of the Russian Empire established liability, but the same Code minimized cases of its use.

Moreover, in villages and rural settlements, where most of the population then lived, there were no gendarmes or officials at all, and every peasant considered it his duty to keep a gun behind the stove from robbers. Such liberalism, by the way, gave rise to the very controversial practice of duels. For ardent students, young poets, proud officers and other nobles, it was never a problem to resolve a male dispute by force of arms. The government did not like this practice, which led to the prohibition of duels and strict punishment for participation in them, but never to the restriction of the right to arms. Well-known pre-revolutionary Russian lawyers (Koni, Andreevsky, Urusov, Plevako, Alexandrov) drew attention to the fact that subjects of the Russian Empire very often used manual firearms for self-defense, protecting the right to life, health, family and property. Needless to say, the majority of lawyers educated in the spirit of European freedoms directly supported the right of Russian people to freely own weapons.

In cities before 1906, Nagan or Browning pistols could be purchased completely freely at an affordable price of 16 - 20 rubles (minimum monthly salary). The more advanced Parabellum and Mauser already cost more than 40 rubles. There were cheap samples, 2-5 rubles each, although they were not of particular quality. After the first Russian revolution, the confiscation of firearms began. Now only a person who presented a personal certificate (similar to a modern license) issued by the chief of the local police had the right to buy a pistol. During 1906 alone, tens of thousands of revolvers and pistols acquired by the Russians before the adoption of new rules were confiscated (1,137 “barrels” were confiscated in Rostov alone). But this campaign affected only powerful pistols (over 150 J of muzzle energy) and military models. In native Russia, military-style rifles and carbines were also confiscated, including from “gentlemen,” except for award and prize items. For the “civilian public”, for hunting in the European part of Russia, rifled single and double-barreled fittings or “tees” were considered permitted. And on the “outskirts of the Empire” people were still quite armed.

The exceptions were officers of the army and navy, ranks of the police and gendarmerie, border guards, as well as government bodies, who had the right to purchase as personal property, for official needs, any small arms. These “sovereign” people could and were even obliged to use weapons for personal self-defense or maintaining public order even during off-duty periods. Upon retirement, these categories of civil servants retained the right to own weapons.

At the beginning of the century, when scientific and technological progress was gaining momentum, and residential buildings and hotels were already appearing in Russia, modern in all respects, where there was hot water, elevators, telephones and refrigeration units. Electricity illuminated not only apartments, rooms and entrances, but also the areas adjacent to new buildings, where city trams ran briskly. electric traction.

At the same time, a new word was said in the field of self-defense weapons - a hammerless semi-automatic (self-loading) pocket pistol, which combined the compactness of a small-caliber revolver, or derringer, but the safety and quantity of self-loading ammunition:

Hammerless pistols allowed a potential victim to use such a weapon without much preparation. A fragile, frightened and confused lady could hit an attacker without even damaging her manicure. However, there were all sorts of hybrids that were quite successful and in demand.

1. Hammerless shotgun from the Liege Manufactory according to the Anson and Delay system. Steel barrels from the "Liège Manufacture" tested with smokeless powder, left-handed choke-bor, guilleché rib, triple bolt with Greener bolt, block with cheeks protecting the barrels from loosening, safety on the neck of the stock, if desired, the strikers can be lowered smoothly without hitting the piston, Perdet forend , small English engraving, caliber 12, 16 and 20. Price 110 rub.2. A hammerless cage gun made by the Liege Manufactory according to the Anson and Delay system. Steel barrels from the "Liège Manufacture" tested with smokeless powder, both chock-boron, guilleché rib, quadruple "Rational" bolt with Griner bolt, block with cheeks protecting the barrels from loosening, safety on the neck of the stock, if desired, the strikers can be released smoothly without hitting the piston , Perde handguard, fine English engraving, caliber 12, barrel length 17 inches, weight about 8 pounds. Price 125 rubles. There were also much cheaper and quite reliable single-barreled and double-barreled guns available to the poor, at a price of 7-10 rubles.

Anatoly Fedorovich Koni, chief prosecutor of the criminal cassation department of the Government Senate (highest prosecutorial position), member of the State Council of the Russian Empire “On the right of necessary defense”: “Man has an inherent sense of self-preservation. It is inherent in him both as a morally rational being and as a higher animal creation kingdom. This feeling is implanted by nature in a person so deeply that it almost never leaves him; a person strives for self-preservation on the one hand, instinctively, and on the other, realizing his right to exist. Due to the desire for self-preservation, a person tries to avoid danger and accepts everything measures to avert it; - he has the right to this and, moreover, a right that should be considered as innate. Conscious of his right to exist, a person protects this right from any encroachment of others, from any wrong." The most reliable pistol was still revolver, the misfire of one cartridge did not lead to the removal of the revolver from the combat state, since the next time the trigger was pressed, another cartridge was fed. And the drums of small-caliber revolvers of the "Velodog" type could hold up to 20 cartridges:

Apart from hunting rifles, for the purchase of which in Russia, until 1917, permission was never required from anyone or anyone. There were also pistols, which were essentially sawn-off shotguns of single- and double-barreled hunting rifles, both the simplest and those stylized as antique or combat pistols. These are very formidable weapons (some samples are capable of completely blowing off an attacker’s head), along with hunting rifles, they were used demand from those who did not want to burden themselves with a trip to the police station or, due to the specifics of the work, transferred it, for example, from one watchman to another or from one salesman who passed his shift to another:

Almost all coachmen and car owners had such a pistol under their seat or a cheaper, but no less effective domestic analogue, the abundance of which was provided by various kinds of artels and partnerships, which did not need advertising because of their cheapness. And the state Imperial Tula Arms Plant (ITOZ), in addition to a low price, also ensured high quality thanks to constantly carried out research and testing. But guns and pistols camouflaged under a cane (some models also did not require absolutely any permits) could always be in the hand and ready for use. It is very difficult even for an experienced robber to take the owner of such a weapon by surprise:

Among the pragmatic Russian peasantry, as a rule, domestic hunting rifles were in greatest demand; in addition to the always necessary practical benefits, they were also an excellent guarantee against any encroachment by uninvited guests. The ratio of price and quality put the famous state Imperial Tula Arms Factory beyond any competition , on free Russian market civilian weapons. These “economy class” guns, but of excellent quality and reliability, were offered even by expensive metropolitan gun showrooms:

Naturally, with the onset of 1917, the beginning of mass desertion from the front, and the weakening of the government, control over the armament of citizens decreased significantly. In addition, soldiers leaving the hated war often returned home with rifles and pistols, or even something heavier. Thus, the widespread arming of Russians during the Civil War contributed not only to bloodshed, but also to the self-defense of Russian residents from numerous gangs, as well as, for example, the expulsion of interventionists and widespread guerrilla warfare against Kolchak in Siberia without any Red Army. An interesting moment - after October revolution The Bolsheviks were able to immediately gain a foothold only in the central provinces of Russia, whose population was less armed than in the Caucasian and Cossack outskirts. The harsh actions of the food detachments did not meet any resistance only in central Russia, from which people most willingly joined the Red Army - weapons restored a sense of freedom.

Having seized power, the Bolsheviks tried to limit the right to own weapons by introducing a corresponding ban into the Criminal Code. However, the Criminal Code of the RSFSR of 1926 contained a completely ridiculous sanction for those times - six months of correctional labor or a fine of up to a thousand rubles with confiscation of weapons. In 1935, imprisonment for up to 5 years was established, when the situation in the world became more complicated, and various types of terrorists were operating in the country, the “authorities” actually turned a blind eye to the violation of this article. Plus, this did not apply to hunting weapons. Smoothbore guns, berdanks, and small guns were sold and stored completely freely, like fishing rods or gardening tools. To purchase them, you had to present a hunting license.

It is important to understand here that the Bolsheviks did not ban, but simply transferred the ownership of weapons to a different level. And the “tightening of the screws” was compensated by the free circulation of hunting weapons and the general militarization of civilian life. In addition, the majority of civilian passionaries of that time - plant managers, party commissars and all politically important people, including collective farm foremen, had a pistol with them and could open fire on those who seemed to them to be a bandit or terrorist. During a period of constant tension on the borders, weapons were generally an integral attribute of tens of millions of people living in threatened territories. And, for example, “excesses on the ground” during collectivization immediately met with an adequate armed rebuff, which was one of the reasons for course correction and recognition of “vertigo” from success." Operational reports from the NKVD departments of that time are full of reports of how peasants met particularly zealous “collectivizers” with merciless shooting.

After 1953, there was also a legislative relaxation of the procedure for the circulation of weapons among the population. Thus, citizens were given the right to freely purchase hunting equipment from trading organizations. smoothbore weapon without any “problems” with hunting tickets. At the same time, a group of lawyers from the Supreme Council of the RSFSR prepared the first bill on weapons. According to it, “reliable citizens” (as in tsarist times, loyal to the regime) were supposed to be allowed to purchase firearms, including short-barreled ones, as personal property. It was planned to sell to citizens removed weapons (except automatic ones), as well as captured and Lend-Lease weapons (no restrictions on the power of the ammunition used were planned). The law was approved by almost all authorities, except for one, the most important one - by the end of the 50s, the “nuts” returned to their original position.

Everything changed in the late 1960s. The free possession of even hunting weapons was prohibited and the requirements for hunting licenses were restored. Since then, no one except police and military personnel could freely own weapons. Weapons have become the privilege of police officers and security officers. For an ordinary citizen, even a hunting rifle meant a humiliating “walking around on certificates.” A campaign began to pass the “hunting minimum”, which resulted in the police permit system. And the number of police officers has increased fivefold.

How often do we talk about how our “own” is better than someone else’s? Meanwhile, in technology, the concepts of “one’s own” and “someone else’s” very often, in fact, mean nothing. Well, in the field of weapons best example This is perhaps the case with the pistols of the Spanish company Bonifacio Echeverría SA from Eibar, which began production around 1908 with the production of a pistol, the development of which is usually attributed to Juan Echeverría himself. There is practically no information preserved both about the company and about him, especially regarding the first years of operation of this enterprise, but it can be said that the pistols that received the name “star”, that is, “star”, were simply copied from the “Mannlicher” » 1901. But at the same time, their similarity was not identical, so the Austrian gunsmith could not sue the Spaniards. And again, it is not clear why, but the “star” trademark was registered only in 1919, i.e. 18 years after the first pistols under that name were released!

Pistol "Star" model B 9-mm caliber chambered for "Parabellum" cartridge.

At this time, Bonifacio Echeverria was already both the main owner of the company and its chief designer. And it was then, namely after 1920, that another “star” appeared with a closed bolt-casing, designed on the model of the Colt M-1911. But again on the basis. Well, then the company “Echeverria and Co.” became one of those four Spanish arms companies that were able to work after the civil war, and it still exists today and still produces pistols under the “Star” brand - needless to say, solid longevity !

Austrian “Manlicher” 1901. The design typical for revolvers is evident.

Well, we will look at its samples, starting with the 1908 Star model. It is clear that it appeared a little earlier, namely at the end of 1907, and for a long time it was known only to a very narrow circle of specialists. It was a pistol with a fixed barrel, a free open bolt housing and ribbed washers on it for the fingers - which is why they talk about it as a copy of the Mannlicher pistol.

The openly located trigger only increased the resemblance to the Mannlicher pistol, but that was where it ended, since the Mannlicher was distinguished by a curved and relatively thin handle, while the Star had a thick handle with “chopped” outlines and a completely different trigger shape. This was done because the “Austrian” was loaded with a cartridge pack, while the “Spaniard” had a replaceable magazine with a spring for eight rounds of 6.35 mm “auto” caliber.

On the bolt-casing it was written AUTOMATIC PISTOL STAR PATENT, and the cheeks of the handle were made of hard rubber and had a checkered notch. Pistol length 115 mm. Weight of the pistol without cartridges: 445 g.

Model 1914.

In 1914, the Star pistol appeared chambered for 6.35 and 7.65 mm caliber cartridges, which differed from the previous model only in details. So, in particular, the “star” trademark appeared on it - a six-pointed star with rays. The length of the pistol was 175 mm. Weight of the pistol without cartridges: 850 g. Barrel length: 112 mm. The magazine has a traditional eight-round design.

Pistol "Star" 1919 (model 1).

It was followed by the Star pistol of the 1919 model (model 1), which differed in the order of disassembly: in the first models of these pistols, the bolt-casing was separated by pressing a knurled peg located in front of the trigger guard. On the 1919 pistol, it was held in place by a special latch on the frame in front of the safety bracket.

Various versions of the 1919 pistol were chambered for 6.35 and 7.65 mm “auto” cartridges or for the 9 mm “short” cartridge and had very different barrel lengths - whatever you like. Here the inscription was already different: BONIFACIO ECHEVERRIA EI BAR (ESPANA).

The Modelo Militar pistol was released in 1920, and became a kind of transitional model between models based on the Mannlicher model and pistols similar to the Colt-Browning. The “Model Militar” was made on the basis of the American Colt M-1911 caliber .45 and had the same barrel bore locking mechanism – that is, the “Browning earring”. But this model also had differences, how could it be without them. The Spanish pistol did not have a frame safety. And the handle itself has a more straightened outline.

Modelo militar pistol. Model 1920

Another characteristic feature became the design of the rear part of the shutter casing. It was raised and equipped with two grooved “tablets” for the fingers. The safety lever is located on the left, where it turns a special flap that prevents the trigger from hitting the firing pin. To ensure its downward movement, a recess is made on the shutter-casing.

The pistol used 9-mm Largo (Bergman Bayard) caliber cartridges, which was done in the interests of its use in the Spanish army. But the military chose the Astra, and Echeverria sent it for commercial sale, at the same time adding modifications for .38 “super” and .45 AKP cartridges. Gun length 200 mm. Weight of the pistol without cartridges: 1100 g. Barrel length 122 mm. The magazine also holds eight rounds.

Pistol "Star" Model A 7.63x25 Mauser. Of course, the protruding barrel is a little unusual, but it could have been threaded for a muffler!

A year later, the Star pistol Model A appeared, which was a modification of the Modelo Militar: with a casing like a typical Colt - i.e. it had vertical notches for the fingers. A small hole was made in the trigger head. The safety lever was moved to the rear left top part frames behind the cheek of the handle, as was envisaged from the very beginning on the Colts. The sights were modeled after the Browning High Power model.

The Model A, or "Model 1921", was chambered for a variety of cartridges, including the 7.63mm Mauser, 9mm Largo and .45 AKP. Some samples at the rear end of the handle had grooves for a holster-butt. The first pistols did not have a frame safety, but then in later models they decided to install it again, and the length of the lever of this safety was almost equal to the length of the entire rear surface of the handle.

Model A gained great popularity among the so-called “Guardia Seville”, which adopted it in October 1922 under the designation “pistola “star” de 9 mm, modelo 1922, para trope de la Guardia Civil.” On the bolt-casing there is a mark: BONIFACIO ECHEVERRIA above the words EIBAR (ESPANA), in front of which there is an image of a six-pointed star and the name “STAR” CAL .9M/M, and their belonging to the “Seville Guard” was certified by the letters GC under the crown. The first pistols received wooden cheeks with a rhombic notch on the handles, which were replaced with plastic ones in later releases. So for those who are making a film about the Spanish Civil War and a pistol is used during the action, it is best to take the Star, especially if the shooter is a guardsman from the Seville Guard.

“Star” Model B. Perhaps the most convenient and attractive model in the “Star” family and... nine cartridges, still more than eight and seven.

The Star Model B pistol appeared after 1926 and was even more similar to the Colt, primarily in the shape of the handle. The hole on the trigger was removed. The pistol was designed for the powerful 9mm Parabellum cartridge. It was produced in the 30s both before and after the end of the Spanish Civil War, and in 1941 - 1944. The German army purchased more than 35,000 pieces. So this pistol had to fight outside of Spain. Production of the Model B pistol ceased around 1984. Pistol length 215 mm. Weight of the pistol without cartridges: 1085 g. Barrel length 122 mm. The magazine has now become more capacious: it holds nine rounds.

In 1946, the Star Super B model appeared, which used a Browning lug instead of a swinging “Browning earring.” In the same year, this pistol was adopted by the Spanish army. And not surprisingly, compared to the American Colt of the classic type and caliber, it was lighter and had not seven, but nine cartridges in the magazine. The powerful Parabellum cartridge, however, even with a smaller caliber had an excellent stopping effect. Well, the fact that these pistols looked similar like twin brothers did not bother the Spanish military at all - the main thing is that the pistol shoots well!

Then the commercial model BM with a steel frame was released, which was one of the smallest pistols that had an interlocking bolt chambered for the 9 mm Parabellum cartridge.

Pistol "Star" Model R disassembled. It is no different from models A and B except the caliber, since it is made for sale in the USA. Caliber 45AKP and, accordingly, there are seven rounds in the magazine. Weight 1085 g. Length 216 mm. Barrel length 122 mm.

The next BKS model, also chambered for the 9 mm Parabellum cartridge, weighed very little - only 20 ounces with a 4.24-inch barrel and an eight-round magazine. It also had a layout typical of a Colt, but there was no frame fuse.

This is how the Star Model B looks in the hand of... a left-hander. As you can see, the dimensions, weight, and coverage are quite acceptable. The cutout on the trigger is made to bring the sample into an exclusively non-combat condition. It is not available on combat models.

Weight reduction was achieved by using a light alloy frame. The BKS model was replaced by the BKM model, which differed mainly in its finishing. They had angled finger grooves on the slide, whereas the previous model had vertical ones. However, it is models A and B that are considered the main success of this company and are very widespread. Their reliability, high quality workmanship and good accuracy are noted. The pistol is comfortable to hold in your hands, unlike the American Colt, for which not every hand is suitable! That is, it is a copy, but a very, very good one!

"Star" model P in luxury design.

Since ancient times, people have made and used various types of weapons. With its help, a person obtained food, defended himself from enemies, and protected his home. In the article we will look at ancient weapons - some of their types that have been preserved from past centuries and are in the collections of special museums.

From stick to club

Initially, man's first weapon was an ordinary strong stick. Over time, for convenience and greater efficiency, they began to weigh it down and give it a convenient shape. By shifting the center of gravity to the end of the gun, maximum acceleration and a heavier impact were achieved. This is how an ancient weapon appeared - the club. For use in collisions with enemies, wedges made of stone or metal were driven into the branch. Manufacturing was cheap and did not require any specific skills in use. Any strong man could use it, unlike a spear, the throwing of which had to be practiced in advance.

Bogatyrskaya mace

Due to the constant conquest of territories and the outbreak of wars, the requirements for weapons as a destructive instrument grew. The wooden club could not cope with the tasks assigned to it. Therefore, they began to shackle it with iron and equip it with spikes. This is how the next ancient Russian weapon arose, which began to be called a mace. At the end of its handle there was a stone or metal pommel with spikes or iron feathers. Reasonable distribution of force made it possible to shorten the weapon. There was no need to carry it on the shoulder; it was enough to tuck the mace into the belt. In addition, its effectiveness sometimes exceeded the quality of the sword. A blow with a mace stopped an enemy faster than a slash through armor with a sword.

Melee Weapons

Along with the club, the warriors used such ancient edged weapons as an ax and a sword. A poleaxe is a battle ax that was used in close combat. The chopping part of this weapon is made in the shape of a crescent. The usefulness of the ax was that the rounded blade could cut through helmets and shields without getting stuck in them. The handle of the ax differed from the ax handle in that it was straight and convenient for interception from one hand to the other. Balance was maintained due to either the heaviness of the butt or the presence of a second blade. The chopping blows of the ax were very effective, but they took a lot of strength from the warrior. It was impossible to swing it as often as a sword. The advantages were that the ax was easy to forge, and the dull blade did not reduce the force of the blow. The ax was capable of breaking the neck and ribs under the armor.

It is worth noting here that such a sword, although it was a combat sword, was created using expensive technology, and only mercenaries and the aristocracy had it. He was capable of delivering cutting, slashing and stabbing blows. Swords appeared in Rus' in the middle of the 8th century thanks to Scandinavian warriors, who exchanged them for beaver and fox fur. Their origin is evidenced by the marks on the blades found on Russian lands. The remaining parts of the swords were produced or improved by ancient Russian craftsmen. Later, the sword was replaced by the saber, which Russian warriors borrowed from the Tatars.

When it smelled like gunpowder

With the invention of gunpowder in the 10th-12th centuries, ancient firearms arose, which began to be used in China. The first use of cannons in Rus' is mentioned in the description during a clash with Khan Tokhtamysh in 1382. Such a weapon was called a handbrake. It was a metal tube with a handle. Gunpowder poured into the barrel was set on fire through a special hole with a hot rod.

At the beginning of the 15th century in Europe, a matchlock and then a wheel lock appeared to set fire to contents. When the trigger was pressed, the cocked spring launched a wheel, which, in turn, rotated and rubbed against the flint, striking sparks. At the same time, the gunpowder ignited. It was a complex ancient weapon that could not replace the matchlock, but became the prototype of pistols.

The impact flint lock appeared in the middle of the 16th century. In it, the sparks that ignited the gunpowder were struck by a flint located inside the trigger and striking the flint. The cartridge, which contained a lead bullet and a charge of gunpowder, was introduced into use at the end of the 17th century. Later the weapon was equipped with a bayonet, which made it possible to participate in close combat. In the Russian army, the principle of operation of weapons did not change; the differences were only in certain types of designs corresponding to each

Since ancient times, people have made and used various materials. With its help, people obtained food, defended themselves from enemies, and protected their homes. In the article we will look at some of its types, preserved from past centuries and located in the collections of special museums.

From stick to club

Initially, man's first weapon was an ordinary strong stick. Over time, for convenience and greater efficiency, they began to weigh it down and give it a convenient shape. By shifting the center of gravity to the end of the gun, maximum acceleration and a heavier impact were achieved. This is how an ancient weapon appeared - the club. For use in collisions with enemies, wedges made of stone or metal were driven into the branch. Manufacturing was cheap and did not require any specific skills in use. Any strong man could use it, unlike a spear, the throwing of which had to be practiced in advance.

Bogatyrskaya mace

Due to the constant conquest of territories and the outbreak of wars, the requirements for weapons as a destructive instrument grew. The wooden club could not cope with the tasks assigned to it. Therefore, they began to shackle it with iron and equip it with spikes. This is how the next ancient Russian weapon arose, which began to be called a mace. At the end of its handle there was a stone or metal pommel with spikes or iron feathers. Reasonable distribution of force made it possible to shorten the weapon. There was no need to carry it on the shoulder; it was enough to tuck the mace into the belt. In addition, its effectiveness sometimes exceeded the quality of the sword. A blow with a mace stopped an enemy faster than a slash through armor with a sword.

Melee Weapons

Along with the club, the warriors used such ancient edged weapons as an ax and a sword. An ax is one that was used in close combat. The chopping part of this weapon is made in the shape of a crescent. The usefulness of the ax was that the rounded blade could cut through helmets and shields without getting stuck in them. The handle of the ax differed from the ax handle in that it was straight and convenient for interception from one hand to the other. Balance was maintained due to either the heaviness of the butt or the presence of a second blade. The chopping blows of the ax were very effective, but they took a lot of strength from the warrior. It was impossible to swing it as often as a sword. The advantages were that the ax was easy to forge, and the dull blade did not reduce the force of the blow. The ax was capable of breaking the neck and ribs under the armor.

It is worth noting here that such an ancient weapon as a sword, although it was a combat weapon, was created using expensive technology, and only mercenaries and the aristocracy had it. He was capable of delivering cutting, slashing and stabbing blows. Swords appeared in Rus' in the middle of the 8th century thanks to Scandinavian warriors, who exchanged them for beaver and fox fur. Their origin is evidenced by the marks found on blades found on Russian lands. The remaining parts of the swords were produced or improved by ancient Russian craftsmen. Later, the sword was replaced by the saber, which was borrowed from the Tatars.

When it smelled like gunpowder

With the invention of gunpowder in the 10th-12th centuries, ancient firearms arose, which began to be used in China. The first use of cannons in Rus' is mentioned in the description during a clash with Khan Tokhtamysh in 1382. Such a weapon was called a handbrake. It was a metal tube with a handle. Gunpowder poured into the barrel was set on fire through a special hole with a hot rod.

At the beginning of the 15th century in Europe, a matchlock and then a wheel lock appeared to set fire to contents. When the trigger was pressed, the cocked spring launched a wheel, which, in turn, rotated and rubbed against the flint, striking sparks. At the same time, the gunpowder ignited. It was a complex ancient weapon that could not replace the matchlock, but became the prototype of pistols.