Plot Synopsis

Combining history, science, and technology with demonstrations, former Army Ranger Wil Willis examines the evolution of firearms and how the development of each one changed the face of combat forever. In each 60-minute episode, Willis is joined by experts to test a series of iconic firearms and examine what made each one unique from competitors in its class. Gun-mounted cameras and high-speed photography capture every moment of the bullet's trajectory, featuring its explosive escape from the barrel to the powerful force the impact makes on its target. Plus, they trace that weapon's history -- an antecedent that sparked its development as well as a successor that improved upon its technology. In this series, Willis examines handguns, battle rifles, submachine guns, assault rifles, artillery, and rockets. Season 2, which bowed on Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 10pm ET, featured these weapons: the M2, more affectionately known as the Ma Deuce during its 80-year history on the battlefield; combat shotguns, including the Blunderbuss, the modern semi-auto Benelli M4 and the pump-action Mossberg 590; the Aerial Gatling Gun; the M61 Vulcan; the GAU-2 mini-gun; Spec OPS Pistols, like the Navy Seal Sig Sauer P226, the Soviet Tokarev and the massive Desert Eagle; the M1 Abrams Tank; and the Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW). Plus, during Season 2, Wil is joined by former Marine firearms instructor Grant Reynolds, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Sgt. Vincent Hancock, and many more guests, who share shooting tips, provide expertise, or compete on the firing range.