Got a Real-World Weapon, Armor or Tactics Question? Mk. XXIV

[Mr Beer]

I still run into people who think that arquebuses and muskets were so inaccurate that their primary effect on the battlefield was to scare horses. :-/

I know the 'common sense' test doesn't always apply to historical studies but it seems to me that if your aim to is make a loud noise which will 'scare horses', then developing a firearms industry would be a lot more onerous than simply making a bunch of firecrackers.