This video analyzes the British Money-Walker 1868 Trials Rifle, a notable contender in the 1868 British breechloading rifle trials. Patented by Colonel G.H. Money and Mr. M. Walker, the rifle features a simple falling block mechanism with an internal hammer. While it demonstrated moderate rapidity of fire (20 shots per minute and 14 seconds) during testing, it performed poorly in exposure trials. Ultimately, the Martini rifle won the trials, and the Money-Walker system saw limited commercial use in rifles and shotguns.
This video explores William Soper's "Direct Action Breech Loader," a single-shot rifle designed in 1868 for rapid firing. The rifle's innovative lever mechanism simultaneously recocks the hammer, opens the breech, extracts, and ejects the spent casing. Soper's design aimed for the fastest possible rate of fire for its time, with an assistant reportedly achieving 60 rounds per minute. Despite its impressive design, Soper was a day late for testing and the Martini-Henry rifle was ultimately adopted by the British military. The video features access to a rare example of this historical firearm, provided by a Dutch collector.
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