They won their first game against the Pittsburgh Pirates (now Steelers) 6–0, and lost the last two to the Detroit Lions (40–7) and the Green Bay Packers (21–14).

In 1931, the 128th Field Artillery of the Missouri National Guard, announced through its spokesman that it would sponsor a team for the upcoming football season.

After the game, Cardinals captain, Ernie Nevers, called the Gunners the "best independent club we have ever faced."

While most of the core of the team was kept intact, the Gunners brought in Dick Thornton and Mack Gladden from the University of Missouri.

Later that year, the Tigers, Gunners and the Oklahoma City Chiefs each laid some claim to a mythical "independent championship,".

Two of the team's losses that season came against NFL caliber opponents, the Cardinals, 20–7, and the Portsmouth Spartans, 12–0.

The team's only two NFL losses of the year came against the Green Bay Packers and the Cincinnati Reds.

On August 17, the other owners decided to reject the Gunners bid to buy the Reds, probably because St. Louis was considered to be too remote from the rest of the clubs, most of which were in the Northeast, and yearly trips there would have increased travel expenses.

The Blues then moved to Kansas City two days later in order to avoid fighting the Gunners for control of the St. Louis fan base.

The team managed to defeat the Pirates again in a 10–0 rematch, but the game, scheduled while the Gunners were still playing independently, was subsequently ruled an exhibition.