Preview: Arming The World | American Gunmakers In The Gilded Age

by
posted on May 26, 2024
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
Arming The World | American Gunmakers In The Gilded Age

In an incredible tour through the American experience during what is arguably the golden age of firearm development, author Geoffrey Stewart highlights the 25-year period between the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London and the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition of 1876 from the perspective of the American arms industry.

Each of these great industrial showcases bookend one of the most remarkable periods of firearm evolution and encompass a time when American armsmakers grew into industrial giants equipping armies and empires across the world. Within its 314 pages, the book includes remarkable insights that illustrate exactly why and how American firearm companies “armed the world” in the decades following the Civil War. Much of the book details armsmaking and acquisition during the war itself, laying the groundwork for the gun-building boom that followed the cessation of conflict.

Arming The World: American Gunmakers In The Gilded Age is a must-have for the historical firearm enthusiast seeking a greater understanding of the role American armsmakers played in the latter half of the 19th century. Suggested retail pricing is $38. For more information, visit lyonspress.com.

Latest

W3645 AFF 8419+
W3645 AFF 8419+

The Armed Citizen® Aug. 7, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Gun of the Week: Zev Technologies x Magpul FDP-C

One of the most anticipated firearm releases of 2026 was the Zev Technologies FDP, a folding pistol-caliber design that the company produced in conjunction with Magpul Industries.

Review: Taurus 22TUC

Taurus USA's 22TUC is a little, polymer-framed .22 pocket pistol with a tip-up barrel design that, unlike many of the company's guns, is made entirely in the United States.

Korea Coast Guard Increases KelTec KSG Tactical Shotgun Inventory

KelTec recently announced that the Korea Coast Guard has ordered more KSG shotguns to join those already in service aboard the branch's patrol vessel fleet.

Rifleman Review: Mossberg 990 Aftershock

In 2025, Mossberg added to the non-NFA, shotshell-firing firearm category with its 990 Aftershock, which uses a semi-automatic operating mechanism while still maintaining a compact form factor.

Next-Gen Micro Red-Dot: The Steiner MPS 2.0

Steiner Optics has introduced the next-generation version of its Micro Pistol Sight, a red-dot optic that first hit the market in 2021.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.