Gunsmith George Suiter leans over his workbench, engrossed in intricate metal work. Bright sunlight pours in a large window, and he sees clearly the parts he is fitting together. He has more than thirty years of gun-making experience, but this is unexplored territory. Suiter is reproducing an eighteenth-century swivel gun.

Used by wealthy Europeans, swivel guns had two barrels, set one atop the other. One barrel has a smooth interior and fires pellets for hunting birds and other small game. The second barrel is rifled, which means it has spiraled grooves cut into its interior. The grooves make the bullet spin as it heads toward a target, which increases range, stability, and accuracy. This barrel is for big game.

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