Matchlocks to Assault Rifles: Part 7, The Breech-loading Rifle and The Metal Cartridge
by In this part I look at the development of the breechloader, to the point where it became practical for mass adoption by armies.
This is the seventh part of a ten part series. The previous parts are: Part 1 (The First “Handgonnes”), Part 2 (The Matchlock Musket), Part 3 (The Smoothbore Flintlock Musket), Part 4 (The Bayonet), Part 5 (The Muzzle-loading Flintlock Rifle) and Part 6 (The Percussion-lock Minie Bullet Muzzle-loading Rifle).
The invention of the practical mass-produced breechloader was a milestone in military small-arm development but it faced several problems. The barrels of muzzle loaders were tubes only open at the muzzle end (the end the bullet is fired out of). The breech end was sealed solid except for a tiny hole for the flash from the external primer to enter to fire the main charge of gunpowder. There was therefore very little chance of the back end of the gun blowing open in the firer’s face when the trigger was pulled. With a breechloader, the breech end of the barrel had to be open to insert the cartridge, but then there had to be a mechanism to block it closed before firing, as a sealed chamber is necessary for all the explosive power of the gunpowder to be directed forward into firing the bullet out of the gun. In other words there had to be a moveable breech block, and it had to lock tight against the back end of the barrel before the gun was fired so that hot gas didn’t leak out or even worse the entire block be blown back into the face of the firer.
The tight mechanical tolerances necessary to achieve this meant that although breechloaders had been around for some time, they remained custom-made and expensive until factory precision engineering machinery evolved to the point where accurately machined breech mechanisms could be mass produced. That time was around the middle of the 19th century.
The long heritage of the breechloader is shown by a surviving weapon from the 15th century that belonged to King Henry VIII of England. But for centuries the breechloader would be an expensive prestige or novelty weapon only owned by royalty and the very wealthy.
<LINK TO PAGE TWO>
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Post Commentanndavey650
On March 1, 2011 at 10:28 am
You certainly know your weapons!
Jenny Heart
On March 1, 2011 at 12:07 pm
Well written and very interesting!
Sexyhood03
On March 1, 2011 at 10:06 pm
interesting article! so you say if i want to get paid through paypal how much do i have to earn before i can request to be paid? i tried to leave u a message in your inbox but u dont have one a lot of peoples profile is that way i wonder y that is too. thanks for reading & commenting on my work i appriciate it friend.
CHIPMUNK
On March 2, 2011 at 3:37 am
great read
Lord Banks
On March 2, 2011 at 5:08 am
I really am enjoying this series on weaponary. I have read and been told by my late father how slow Governments can be on buying new and clearly more efficient weapons. The stupendous difference to re-loading time from the breech loader to the muzzle loaders combined with smoke less gunpowder as you mention before. To my linited knowledge the Winchester repeating rifle was avalible to the American cavalry and Infantry but because of contracts being honoured to suppliers they stuck with their single shot rifles? Good Article.
john smither
On March 2, 2011 at 5:55 am
Interesting series on the development of firearms.
FX777222999
On March 6, 2011 at 1:26 pm
Good development but with proper handling.
Mr Ghaz
On March 10, 2011 at 12:36 am
very interesting military history. thanks for sharing this