What are the differences or Similarities between modern day guns and 18 century guns?

Answer 1

Differences.. Different gun powder - back then they only had 'black powder' which was slower burning and much more smoke producing, now the powders are 'smokeless' and much more powerful. Different types of primers - back then there would have been mostly flintlocks which ignite a small amount of powder by striking with a piece of flint that produces sparks, now we mostly use a tiny little 'cap' inserted in the base of a cartridge case that gives a spark when hit by the guns hammer. Different ammunition - in the eighteen century the guns were 'muzzle loaders' that you poured gunpowder directly into the barrel, then followed with a projectile (bullet), now we have self-contained cartridges that have the primer, powder, and projectile all preassembled. Different actions - guns in the seventeen hundreds were 'single shot' and required reloading after each shot was fired, now we have guns that can hold multiple rounds and 'auto-load' themselves with each shot. Different barrels - while all guns have a barrel, they used to be just a tube with a smooth interior, now we use 'rifled' barrels that have grooves that run the length of the barrel to enhance accuracy.

So there are lots of differences and if you pick almost any fifty year span, there will have been changes in firarms.

Similarities.. they both shoot projectiles. The weapons of today are also made of high strength steel,or stainless steel while the weapons of the 18th century were made of iron or lower grade steel. If you used modern smokeless powder in guns of the eighteen century it would at least damage the gun and it could cause a very dangerous explosion of the gun - which could injure or kill the person firing the gun.