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Long Range Muzzle Loading ... an Introduction |
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With the formation of Rifle Volunteer Corps in Great Britain in 1859 there was a dramatic growth in interest in rifle shooting. This was further stimulated by the formation of The National Rifle Association in the same year. The NRA held their first annual national rifle meeting on Wimbledon Common, in July 1860. For almost the entire decade 1860-1870 Joseph Whitworth's hexagonal bored .451 calibre rifle was used by finalists in the Queen's Prize, shooting at 800, 900 and 1000 yards. Although only a few reached the US, Whitworth rifles achieved near legendary status in the hands of Confederate Sharpshooters during the American Civil War. |
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Following the principles established by Whitworth, gunmakers developed a special class of 'small-bore' target rifle. The majority of these rifles were around .451 calibre, and the term 'small-bore' was used to distinguish them from the 'large-bore' service rifle of .577 calibre. Captain Heaton, in his 1864 'Notes on Rifle Shooting' describes a number of small-bore rifles: Baker, Beasley, Bissel, Crockart, Edge, Henry, Kerr, Lancaster, Newton, Parsons, Rigby, Turner and Whitworth. These are just a few of the gunmakers connected with the history of the small-bore rifle. By 1870 Whitworth's deeply rifled hexagonal bore and mechanically fitting bullet was being supplanted by the Metford and Rigby rifles, with their shallow groove rifling and hardened lead bullets. These latter rifles dominated in long range shooting for a number of years. |
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The success of the Americans in international matches at Creedmoor and Dollymount in the mid 1870's, using breech loading rifles, marked the beginning of the end for the muzzle loading match rifle. By this time it was also recognised that muzzle loaders were out of date both for sport and war. The legacy of this short period of development is a wealth of muzzle loading rifles for the student to study, and a record of long-range accuracy that is a challenge for todays shooters to match. |
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© 2001 DBMinshall |
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