The OLDEST Known Handgun is 732 y.o:

THE HEILONGJIANG Hand Gun:

This gun is described as a bronze HAND-CANNON - it is 13.4 inches (34 cm) long and has a one inch bore (2.6cm) with a 6.9 inch long barrel.

This firearm is at least 732 years old.

The Heilongjiang hand-gun is dated to 1288 (or earlier) and - like everything else nowadays was made in China.

Gunpowder was invented - where else - in China way back in the 9th century - and before this earliest known example of a metal handgun there were various cannon, fire-lances, fire pots, grenades and gunpowder bombs. 

- Weighing 7.83 pounds (3.55 kg.) the gun's 2.6 inch bulbous chamber has thick walls and a 'touch-hole for ignition. Behind the chamber there is a conical socket for a wooden stock.

.. Wouldn't it be a great experiment for someone to get a modern replica turned-up and to fire it up on range with various light charges and projectiles such as the original rocks & arrows? - They might do it properly using ballistic Gel and a chronograph while firing remotely .. but really - if using decent modern metal there would be little risk of failure.

- As expected there is an excellent Wikipedia page detailing this ancient piece:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heilongjiang_hand_cannon

This oldest hand cannon was discovered by Wei Guozhong (魏國忠) in July 1970 at an archaeological site in Banlachengzi village (半拉城子).

Marty K.

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Marty K.