This two volume work covers the subject in exceptional detail containing much unpublished and unknown information. It is the result of over 30 years study and research combined with the experience of having seen, handled, and examined hundreds if not thousands of arms, together with having contact with collectors and museums in many countries. It will become, without doubt, the standard reference work on this fascinating and up until now neglected, yet important subject.

The capping breech loader only existed for a relatively short period, its zenith being 1850 to 1865, although it continued to be used well beyond these dates. It was basically a transitional system between the centuries old muzzle-loaders and the metallic gas-tight cartridge breech loader in the first practical breech-loading system. Although breech loading arms had been around for centuries, and this work also covers their early development from 1500, it was the advancements created by the industrial revolution, machine production, improved metallurgy, and accurate measurement that made breech loading arms a reality. Thus, allowing the dreams and ideas of inventors and gunmakers over the centuries to become a practical reality. The period 1850 to 1865 witnessed the greatest leap forward in firearms design and manufacture ever, musket to machine gun, large bore to small bore, short range to long range and hand production to factory mass production. All this coincided with the advancement of Empire and a growing market for arms, also covered here.

A comprehensive work of a size and scale has never before been undertaken including details of all the major capping breech loading arms and systems tested, adopted, issued, and used in Britain and its colonies. These include the systems of Brand, Calisher & Terry, Cooper, Greene, Jenks, Perry, Prince, Sharps, Westley Richards, and Wilson, together with many of the lesser known unsuccessful systems. The patents, the development of these systems, their trials issue and use, with, in many cases, personal details of the inventors are all covered in detail. The book is exceptionally well illustrated and includes photos in colour, not only of the arms, but also of the inventors and people of the period involved with their trials and use, most of these colour photos have never before been published. The work also covers the early breech loading systems 1500 to 1800 and the development of percussion ignition, without which a practical breech loader could not have existed.

The War Department, or as it was then the Board of Ordnance, first showed serious interest in a breech loader in 1854 due to the needs of the Crimean War. Initially their requirement was for a cavalry carbine, where the advantages offered by breech loading are obvious. As time passed and systems improved they slowly started to consider breech loading rifles for limited infantry issue. The reason for this change being the performance and efficiency of the Westley Richards Monkey Tail. Eventually the War Department could see that breech loading arms were the future and not wishing to be left behind, a series extensive trials were organised to select the best breech loading system with which to convert the vast numbers of P53 Enfield rifles in store. This was to be just a stopgap measure until a perfect small bore breech loader could be selected. It might be a surprise for many to discover that it was not the Snider that was initially selected from these trials but the Mont Storm, a capping breech loader. This brings to light another important question, why the British War Department over a period of many years would only consider a capping breech loading arms, going as far as to eliminate arms using self-contained ammunition? This at a time when such arms were gaining acceptance, not just by sportsmen, but other governments, the reasoning behind this is also explained. Although the issue and use of the capping breech loader in the British and other militaries was short lived, they did gain greater acceptance in the colonial and civilian markets. For practical reasons, the Monkey Tail was still being manufactured into the mid 1880’s, all of which is covered in this work.

CHAPTER LIST

Volume 2

16. Westley Richards Monkey Tail Rifles

17. Westley Richards Private and Colonial Issues

18. Westley Richards Cartridge Variations

19. The Mont Storm

20. Wilson Carbine

21. Other Trials Arms of the 1860’s

· The Byrnes & Benjamin Carbine

· The Della Noce Pat. System

· The Green Brothers System

· The McKenzie & Wentworth System

· The Scott Carbine

· Terry's Improved B.L. System

22. War Department records of 1860s CBL Trials

23. List of Changes in Brit. War Material 1860-66