Throughout the 19th century, guns were a symbol of manhood and an instrument of power among several ethnic groups in Southern Africa. Although the essay concentrated on this historical setting, there are many different aspects to the legacy of weapons in Southern Africa today. On the one hand, the continued use of weapons in armed conflicts and violent crime results in significant amounts of casualties. On the other hand, for certain locals of the area, hunting is a favorite past time and a source of revenue, and weapons are necessary for this activity. In addition, having a gun is considered as a sign of prestige by certain people who use it to show off their strength and riches. Therefore, there is still a legacy of weapons in Southern Africa today.

There appeared to be plenty of firearms and good shooters in colonial southern Africa. The "gun society" of South Africa began in the seventeenth century, when the Dutch East India Company pushed European immigrants at the Cape of Good Hope to obtain guns and serve in the military. Despite corporate policies prohibiting the practice, European farmers (dubbed Boers) who crossed colonial borders into Africa's interior supplied firearms to Africans. Such laws remained in effect even after British control was established after the Napoleonic Wars. British liberals overcame conservative resistance and enabled trade and labor become nominally free in the early nineteenth century. Liberals also urged evangelical Christianity to expand among Africans. Approximately halfway through With the help of traders and missionaries, more Africans acquired guns. They did so for a variety of reasons, the most important of which were to gain security and to hunt wildlife. By the middle of the century, as game became scarce, British and Boer colonization had expanded north and east, while conservatives were getting the upper hand.

This war happened on 11th Jan 1879 where the Britain's war on the Zulu people and the aim was to divide the Zulu kingdom to suit their colonial aspirations. This picture shows how the battle or war of the British using guns and Zulu people using fighting sticks and spears. This picture also shows how Guns were used back then and introduce.

These weapons were better than those that the British army was employing at the time. On the battlefield, guns were modified. Usually, guns were used in isolation. This was standard Boer attire. Since there was no coordination between the weapons, focusing fire on specific targets was all but impossible. The Boers skillfully utilized the cover and took advantage of the better range (in most cases) of their weapons. Until the opponent had been persuaded to engage in an ambush, they would halt their fire. Normally, their weapons didn't need an escort since they could be pulled back if the enemy approached too closely. The Boers were afraid to risk using their weapons in the open since they were 4:1 outnumbered