This video segment from "American Rifleman Television" explores the history and development of the Whitworth rifle. Initially commissioned by the British government to improve production of the Pattern 1853 Enfield, engineer Sir Joseph Whitworth opted to create a superior rifle. He reduced the bore to .451, designed a bullet three times longer than its diameter, and implemented a unique hexagonal rifling system that provided exceptional accuracy. Despite its superior performance, the Whitworth rifle was expensive to produce and prone to fouling, leading the British military to stick with the Enfield. However, the Whitworth found its way into long-range competitions and, notably, saw service with the Confederacy during the American Civil War.
This video corrects a previous misinterpretation of 'figure of merit' accuracy measurements for the Whitworth rifle. The presenter clarifies that 'figure of merit,' also known as mean radial dispersion, is not the same as a group size. This metric, averaged over a 20-shot group, provides a more nuanced understanding of a rifle's accuracy than simple group diameter. The Whitworth rifle's accuracy is re-evaluated, with corrected figures indicating approximately 3 MOA at 500 yards, rather than the previously overstated sub-1 MOA. The video acknowledges contributions from John Simpson, David Minshall, and Rob (BritishMuzzleLoaders) for spotting and correcting the error.
This video delves into the historical significance and unique engineering of the Confederate Whitworth sniper rifle. It highlights Sir Joseph Whitworth's innovative hexagonal bore design and mechanically fitted bullets, which resulted in exceptional accuracy for its time. The description notes the rifle's high cost prevented widespread military adoption but details its limited but effective use by Confederate sharpshooters during the Civil War, particularly against Union artillery crews. The video also discusses the rarity of surviving examples and the process of restoring a specimen with period-correct telescopic sights.
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