When the first Americans arrived in what is now Arkansas, they brought with them firearms. The region was rich in game and minerals, and there were plenty of opportunities for people to trade goods and fight wars with one another. So long as firearms remained safe and legal, hunting and raiding parties could take place without fear of being caught or killed.
As time passed, the use of firearms began to decline in parts of the country. This was probably due to two main reasons: first, rifles were difficult and expensive to make; second, many hunters preferred hands-on activity over using an object that could be shot off easily. In Cabot, Arkansas however, things changed completely when a man by the name of John Brown came across the area in 1859. He had been exploring new territory east of Missouri when he discovered a group of Seminole Indians living on an island in Muskogee Bay. Inspired by what he saw, Brown decided to try and overthrow their leader, Chief Osceola.
Brown's actions forced Indian scouts into hiding throughout much of Arkansas before finally disappearing into Mexico about a year later after getting help from Ulysses S Grant (1822-1885). When news reached Cabot about Brown's exploits there quickly spread like wildfire; so much so that General James Muckle (1796-1875) ordered his forces not only to pursue but also kill any Indians who dared cross his path. This action set off a bloody war that lasted for years until Ulysses S Grant emerged victorious at Appomattox Court House in 1865.Muckle Museum website
It should be noted that while brownsmen were responsible for large numbers of deaths during this conflict - some estimates put the number up as high as 60% - it was generally whites who wielded Firearms at this time.Norman Eisen article "John Brown: A Life"
Eventually however things calmed down enough for white colonists to start settling down again in Arkansas - something which must have seemed very exciting considering how few guns they actually possessed back then![https://www2a0d088c9b7e3fc819aa4bcfa4db5c1f9 Shotguns & Gunsmithing manual by T W Huggins]
Gunsmithing became quite popular among Arkansans during this time because making your own firearms became relatively easy thanks to innovative tools such as potters' mallets (they would hammer pieces together with hard rubber balls) and hammers made from animal bones
firearm ammunition became increasingly available too – making shooting longer ranges much more feasible than ever before! And since rifle ammunition often did not work well against larger animals like deer or bear – you soon learned to shoot bowies instead!
The early 20th century wasn't all good though – gun control laws started becoming stricter starting around 1906 when Bureauof Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives director Benjamin Banning tried implementing tighter regulations on handguns.[https://www2a0d088c9b7e3fc819aa4bcfa4db5c1f9 Shotguns & Gunsmithing manual by T W Huggins]
In 1911 Banning was replaced by J F McClure after a series of scandals involving Bureau officials abusing their power.