Firearms Research

Cody Firearms Museum staff at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center have compiled a number of resources for your information as you conduct your own firearms research.

If you are looking for specific information on your Winchester, Marlin, or L.C. Smith, visit Firearms Records or contact the Records Office at cfmrecords@centerofthewest.org.

Firearms Glossary

Do you know the difference between a flintlock and a matchlock? What makes a firearm “single action” or “double action”? Visit our Firearms Glossary—while neither a complete or exhaustive treatment of firearms terminology, it’s a great resource for those gaining familiarity with firearms.

Firearms Bibliography

Looking for more in depth information? View our Firearms Bibliography, listing books covering a wide variety of general firearms information and history to specific firearms manufacturers. While not an exhaustive reading list, you can always delve deeper by consulting the sources that appear in the bibliographies of the books in our list.

Categories in our bibliography include:

• General Reference and Histories
• Airguns
• Ballard
• Browning
• Colt
• High Standard
• L.C. Smith
• Marlin
• Parker
• Remington
• Ruger
• Savage / Stevens
• Sharps
• Smith & Wesson
• Winchester
• Military Arms
• Firearms Care and Maintenance

Some of these titles, denoted by an asterisk, may be available for purchase through the Buffalo Bill Historical Center’s Museum Store. To find out, visit www.bbhcstore.com or call 800.533.3838.