Prince’s Patent Breechloading Rifle
Hey guys, here’s my first Armourer’s Bench video of 2019. Towards the end of last year I had the chance to look at an example of Frederic Prince's breechloading percussion rifle dating from the 1850s.
Prince’s rifle used a sliding barrel action, with the barrel sliding forward when the action was unlocked, to open the breech. It’s a fascinating design, almost the reverse of a later bolt action with the bolt attached to the barrel rather than the breechblock/bolt. It was tested by the British Army and recommended for more testing but the trials never took place and it wouldn’t be until the 1860s that the British Army adopted a breechloader.
It’s a beautifully made gun with fascinating history behind it, it was a real pleasure to examine. Feel free to check out the video above and an even more in-depth article I wrote about it with more hi-res photos here.
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