Europe's oldest handgun may date to 14th-century siege at German castle

A series of stone balls near a small stone tube with carvings on it, all against a white background.

Fragments of an early handgun found in Brandenburg, Germany, could be from Europe's oldest known portable gunpowder weapon, according to new research.

The artifact, which is about 2 inches (6 centimeters) long, may date to 1390. If so, it would be nine years older than the famous Tannenberg rifle, which dates to 1399 and is widely considered the oldest handheld firearm in Europe.