The Galleries
- Robert E. Petersen Collection
- Ancient Firearms - 1350 to 1700
- Road to American Liberty - 1700 to 1780
- A Prospering New Republic - 1780 to 1860
- A Nation Asunder - 1861 to 1865
- The American West - 1850 to 1900
- Innovation, Oddities and Competition
- Theodore Roosevelt and Elegant Arms - 1880s to 1920s
- World War I and Firearms Innovation
- WWII, Korea, Vietnam and Beyond - 1940 to Present
- For the Fun of It
- Modern Firearms - 1950 to Present
- Hollywood Guns
Heckler and Koch Model 300 Semi Automatic Rifle
These sporting rifles were based on H&K's successful military designs.
1970 Heckler & Koch (Germany) Model 300 Semi-automatic Detachable Magazine Rifle (pressed metal/ repeater/ breech-loading/ smokeless powder/ cartridge ammunition) This rifle is another example of Heckler & Koch's advancing technology. It works on an energy transfer system to reload automatically after each pull of the trigger. This system is essentially that used in H&K's military rifles, but this civilian model features warm wood and a softened shape intended to impart a non-military appearance.
These changes make this rifle acceptable in civilian markets without requiring changes in manufacturing tool design. The same tools that produce military arms also produce civilian rifles. This strategy has made H&K a tough participant in world competition for sales. It has also shown that American gun buyers do not fear advanced technology per se; rather, it is their cultural perception of what is 'proper' or 'improper' that is of concern. --Dr. William L. Roberts, THE AMERICAN LIBERTY COLLECTION; #167