When 枪 was new

[zhwj]

Saw a picture the other day of a Chinese carbine from the 1400s. Any idea what guns were called back then? Would 枪 have still referred to the spear? Apparently 洋 wasn't used as a prefix until the Qing dynasty. Would it have been some sort of 炮? And how would it have been distinguished from larger artillery in use at the time?

[skylee]

I guess guns were 手銃; cannons were 火銃/炮. Just my guesses, though.

[zhwj]

Makes sense.

Also, it'd be interesting to know how and when 枪 replaced 铳.