Unfortunately, when we visit great gun collections there is never enough time to do everything we would like to. We always have to leave great stuff undone, as much as we don’t like to. Well, we got to visit one particular collection with a bunch of great stuff, and amongst the other items found a fantastic handful of early breechloading rifles mostly built as converted muzzleloaders for British army trials (not the wheellock, of course). We just didn’t have the time to give them the attention they really deserved, but we were able to whip off a quick video of them. So we apologize for teasing you with just a glimpse, and we promise to show them in much more depth when we are able to get back to this collection.
Semiauto Rifles
Smith & Wesson Light Rifle (Video)
The Smith & Wesson 1940 Light Rifle is one of the spectacular failures of arms design, on several levels. It was too expensive, too heavy, too fragile (ironically, given the weight), too difficult to manipulate, […]
Heavy MGs
Kynoch Machine Gun
The Kynoch company is best known for its ammunition – to this day the brand remains a mainstay of large African hunting rounds like the Nitro Express series of cartridges. George Kynoch started the company […]
Patent drawings
Maxim-Silverman 1896 Pistol
We all know of Hiram Maxim for his groundbreaking work in machine gun development – but not many people are familiar with his automatic pistol designs. In fact, this is at least partly because the […]
the reason they didn’t make it to large scale production? Too complex? I like the last toggle joint rifle, but hey I own a Swiss luger.
Most of them were made to compete for British Army contracts that ultimately went to the Snider conversion. Without a major contract like that, there wasn’t enough demand to start mass-converting muskets.
Most pleasing video sir.
Got to hand it to those old British gumsmiths.
This is a complex job – This job requires high skills of gunsmith – I know what I’m saying because it’s my job
What collection was this filmed at Ian?
In a private collection wishing to remain anonymous (sorry).
What was the name or maker of the breech loader conversion with a bolt handle behind the cocking handle?
Excellent video.
That one was T.J. Mayall’s patent.
Thanks Ian. I can’t help feeling that was the way to go. The British had an aversion to bolt actions and went for the Martini Henry. There is a good video on You Tube called ‘The Gun: Riflemen all’ which laments the delay and gives a bit of an explanation.
Ahh that’s a Shame, currently researching them for a journal paper.
Whose patent was the rifle at 4:13? I didn’t quite catch the name.