The reason Kalashnikov didn't earn any money was because he was in a communist nation. He lost the rights to his own invention the second he thought of it.

"When government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny." Thomas Jefferson, third US President

Guns were advancements of cannons, which were advancements of ballista's, which were advancements of crossbows, which were advancements of long bows, which were advancements of spears, which were advancements of throwing rocks. So, if you think about it, a gun is just a really expensive, high tech rock thrower.

To all the Americans complaining that he's not talking about American guns enough, just realize this is what its like watching an American documentary lol Only ever talkin about themselves.

Spoken by a true Britard

Was expecting Lee Enfield

did they skip STG44?

Clarkson is never boring in what he makes...

I will never tire of Jeremy Clarkson being an absolute toolbar with professionals in their own fields. LOL

As always, the BBC must be politically correct. I happen to think that political correctness does more damage than any gun.

That awkward moment when the BBC teaches us how to manufacture gunpowder and firearms

I love how Jeremy is so happy that all guns were built from an idea that was thought of by a British person

This guy could speak for an hour about the story of how the spoon was invented it would still be interesting

It's great how he also pointed out the gun brought up so many "unvoluntary" advances in technology. The gun is an inevitable step in a world with an intelligent bunch of individuals.

And to think you could buy a Thompson fully automatic from a hardware store back in the 1920s and early 30s.

I liked how he weaved in the English age old phrases such as "going off half cock'd" and "a flash in the pan".

Interesting Story, like that a lot. But, he forgot mentioning one very important new technology in the improvement of the guns: The switch from loading a gun/rifle from the front to loading from behind and, in connection with that, the invention of the cartridge, where powder and the bullet and the igniting device is all in one cartridge, what makes the modern machine gun possible. The developer was a German company, the Dreyse company back in the 19 the century.

To all the people complaining that they didn't mention their favorite company/designer/gun. They only had an hour to cover the entire history of the gun.

"Wouldn't be the last time drugs money paid for firearms"

General Sedgwick's death in the overland campaign during the American civil war was likened by Grant (commanded the army of the Potomac) as more devastating than the loss of an entire division. He was a very well respected, and very well loved General. He was standing while all his troops were hiding, to try to give them a tougher fighting resolve; when he was shot and killed by a confederate sniper- much like the death of General Reynolds at Gettysburg