This video segment from American Rifleman Television explores the French Tabatière rifle, a fascinating transitional firearm from the mid-19th century. It details how obsolete muzzleloading muskets, including those already converted to percussion, were modified into breechloaders to meet the demand for modern arms before the Chassepot rifle was widely available. The video highlights the historical significance of these conversions for collectors, comparing them to other transitional firearms like the trapdoor Springfield and Snider.
This video showcases the rare Lindner Breech-Loading Carbine, a Civil War-era firearm. Brownells Gun Tech Caleb Savant examines the carbine's unique breechloading mechanism, which utilized a paper cartridge. Despite being an improvement over muzzleloaders, the Lindner was quickly made obsolete by the advent of metallic cartridges and repeater rifles like the Henry and Spencer. Approximately 900 were delivered to the U.S. War Department, but a dispute led to the contract being largely voided, with remaining units sold in Europe. The video details the loading process and the historical context of its limited production and adoption.
This video explores a unique Confederate Gillam & Miller Rolling Block rifle transformation, highlighting how muzzleloading rifles were converted to cartridge-firing firearms in the post-Civil War South. The description emphasizes the rarity of the Gillam & Miller pattern, with only 677 produced for North Carolina. It explains the process of using existing rifle components with a new Remington Rolling Block action to create a more modern firearm at a lower cost than a new rifle. The example shown illustrates the practical, hard-use nature of firearms in the post-war era, updated for continued utility.
This video delves into the fascinating history of George Morse's breechloading carbine, a revolutionary design that, despite its innovative self-contained brass cartridge patented in 1856, failed to secure a US military contract in 1857, losing to the Burnside carbine. To generate revenue, Morse produced 100 commercial sets featuring a receiver with interchangeable rifle and shotgun barrels. The description also touches upon Morse's subsequent contract for military muzzleloader conversions, the stalled progress of that project, and Morse's eventual allegiance with the Confederacy to produce his rifles in the South, setting the stage for a future video.
This video details Italy's modernization of its firearms post-1866 Prussian victory, focusing on the conversion of existing muzzleloaders to needle-fire rifles. It highlights Salvatore Carcano's system, which reused 17.5mm barrels and utilized lighter paper cartridges, offering an impressive rate of fire for its time and a cost-effective solution. The conversion process involved cutting the barrel and adding a bolt, with the Carcano system incorporating safety features. The video notes the rarity of these converted 1844/67 Artillery models due to their limited use and subsequent scrapping.
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