Read the full article from NPR here.

By Robert Smith and Joel Rose.

Colt is an iconic American gun company. It has a proud history of invention. It perfected the revolver before the Civil War. One advertising slogan went, “God created man, Sam Colt made them equal.” Big words for a big leap for the gun industry. The company also manufactured the famous M16 rifle for the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. The Colt .45 name even inspired a malt liquor.

Read more here.