Antique Firearms 1849-1899 A Four Decade Anthology: Volume II Used In War Paperback – May 20, 2024

This second volume of the series focuses on the history of some American firearms inventions which were actually issued to soldiers and sailors in wartime. Firearms inventors have produced many innovative designs, yet few have been sufficiently practical that they were made in quantity. Threats of war, or actual war, enlivened inventors to develop new ideas that make use of the always evolving state of technology. New precision machinery, improved metallurgy and continued scientific study have always combined to increase the lethality of military weapons. This is the history of some of the weapons that went to war in the mid to late 1800s, an era included several major conflicts: the American Civil War, the Franco-Prussian War, the Spanish Carlist Wars, and the War of the Pacific (Guerra del Pacifico). Also discussed are some inventors who produced multiple designs with only one or two reaching actual production: their less successful ideas are described as well. Included I'm this category are Hiram Berdan’s many breechloader designs, the Starr-Walcott carbines and several Maynard tape primer musket ideas. Each inventor made his contribution, large or small, to the art of war.The chapters include the following subjects:Colt Navy revolving riflesPeabody and Remington rifles for PeruNeedham conversion musketsPeabody conversion musketsRoberts conversion musketsStarr and Wolcott carbinesBallard carbinesLindner carbines and rifles converted to breechloadingMusket conversions to Maynard percussion tape primerHiram Berdan’s many breechloadersSpringfield Armory: Models 1866 & 1868, Joslyn & Spencer alteration rifles Read more