Article
金属制的火铳最早在元朝制造，是元军攻城掠地的利器，现存有元代、明代的铜手铳实物。与元文宗至顺三年（西元1332年）架上发射的盏口铳。
明朝将火铳大量装备军队，《明史˙兵志》中记载的铳有：手把铜铁铳、无敌手铳、千里铳等十几种。其一为洪武五年（西元1372年）制铜手铳，又名“长铳筒”，此物在《明会典˙军器军装》里称“手把铜”，是现存明代最早的火铳之一。其二为永乐手铳，有永乐七年型和永乐十二年型，造工精细，是明朝神机营的强力配备。
明代初期的手铳因多采用霰弹与铳箭的关系，在推进药与弹丸间会放置木马子。而发表于《科学月刊·2004年2月号》的文章指出，郑和下西洋时舰队上配有大量手铳与碗口铳。
握把
共三型，分别是：
枪棒型：
凸型：
拐子型：握把成“卜”字型。
发射过程
以药匙将火药填入药室→将坛木马子放入→以木槌将木马子舂实→将多颗铅子放入→再次舂实铅子→打开火门→将火捻放入火门并倒上少许火药→以肩窝夹住铳架与将铳架尾端抵住地面→发射
变体
神枪：平交趾后所习得的火器，并设神机营配置此种武器。
为了弥补装填速度的不足，在明代时更加设计了三眼火铳与多眼火铳。
三眼铳：为将三根铳管相叠成品字状，射击时是一起发射的。
十眼铳：一跟长型铳管由前至后塞入十份推进药与弹丸，由前至后也有十眼火门。
多眼铳：如迅雷铳、五雷神机等的五管转膛铳，五条铳管可连续发射。而迅雷铳在明末出现，使用鸟铳的枪管，故迅雷铳其实应归为鸟铳的变体。
韩国地区
在朝鲜历史上出现过的断面为八角形的火铳（1591年）。八角形断面的设计，估计了在铳身加长的情况下保护铳身不受到冲击力的破坏。
中东地区
虽然在中东出现过且称为马达法（madfa）的手铳没有实物留存，但在文献纪录《Schems Eddin Mohamened》中有记载，此书由俄国彼得大帝收集于西元1703年，目前收藏于圣彼得堡的图书馆，此文献至少是西元1300年时记载的。
欧洲地区
在欧洲出现过同样的武器，称为手炮（英语：Hand cannon），有些人认为是跟蒙古人西征时传过去的。手铳在欧洲人的改良后有加上钩爪的防御用版本（德语：Hakenbüchsen），十五世纪中叶出现了置换长柄握把成挂肩托架而演变成的挂肩手铳，而在十五世纪末时挂肩手铳再加上火绳扳机后成为火绳枪。而钩爪手铳、挂肩手铳与火绳枪都称为“Hakenbüchsen”。
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About the game:
USA as a world power? In E-Sim it is possible!
In E-Sim we have a huge, living world, which is a mirror copy of the Earth. Well, maybe not completely mirrored, because the balance of power in this virtual world looks a bit different than in real life. In E-Sim, USA does not have to be a world superpower, It can be efficiently managed as a much smaller country that has entrepreneurial citizens that support it's foundation. Everything depends on the players themselves and how they decide to shape the political map of the game.
Work for the good of your country and see it rise to an empire.
Activities in this game are divided into several modules. First is the economy as a citizen in a country of your choice you must work to earn money, which you will get to spend for example, on food or purchase of weapons which are critical for your progress as a fighter. You will work in either private companies which are owned by players or government companies which are owned by the state. After progressing in the game you will finally get the opportunity to set up your own business and hire other players. If it prospers, we can even change it into a joint-stock company and enter the stock market and get even more money in this way.
In E-Sim, international wars are nothing out of the ordinary.
Become an influential politician.
The second module is a politics. Just like in real life politics in E-Sim are an extremely powerful tool that can be used for your own purposes. From time to time there are elections in the game in which you will not only vote, but also have the ability to run for the head of the party you're in. You can also apply for congress, where once elected you will be given the right to vote on laws proposed by your fellow congress members or your president and propose laws yourself. Voting on laws is important for your country as it can shape the lives of those around you. You can also try to become the head of a given party, and even take part in presidential elections and decide on the shape of the foreign policy of a given state (for example, who to declare war on). Career in politics is obviously not easy and in order to succeed in it, you have to have a good plan and compete for the votes of voters.
You can go bankrupt or become a rich man while playing the stock market.
The international war.
The last and probably the most important module is military. In E-Sim, countries are constantly fighting each other for control over territories which in return grant them access to more valuable raw materials. For this purpose, they form alliances, they fight international wars, but they also have to deal with, for example, uprisings in conquered countries or civil wars, which may explode on their territory. You can also take part in these clashes, although you are also given the opportunity to lead a life as a pacifist who focuses on other activities in the game (for example, running a successful newspaper or selling products).
At the auction you can sell or buy your dream inventory.
E-Sim is a unique browser game. It's creators ensured realistic representation of the mechanisms present in the real world and gave all power to the players who shape the image of the virtual Earth according to their own. So come and join them and help your country achieve its full potential.
Invest, produce and sell - be an entrepreneur in E-Sim.
Take part in numerous events for the E-Sim community.
