HELP-1870 Enfield Musket

tsr1965

March 02, 2014 14:58

Friends,

A friend of mine, has a very nice condition 1870 Enfield Musket. This is not the 1870 Tower gun which is a percussion muzzleloader.

This rifle has a swiveling breech block. I am interested in the caliber of this rifle, and was it metallic cartridge, or a paper cartridge rifle? I have not personally had the chance to give it the once over, but just word of mouth.

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  Hangfire

  March 02, 2014 15:22

  From your description of the breech-block, it sounds like a Snider conversion..
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snider-Enfield

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  rufe-snow

  March 02, 2014 15:31

  Originally posted by rufe-snow
  More than likely it's a "Snider", as shown in this photo. It was one of the first cartridge firearms adopted by the British. There quite famous and well known. GOOGLE search will bring you loads of information and photos. The cartridge they fired was known as the .577 Snider,
  
  
  The cartridges the Snider used had a integral primer in a metal base, attached to paper cartridge. That made it look like a oldtime shotgun shell.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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  MIKE WISKEY

  March 02, 2014 15:34

  it 'sounds like' a snyder conversion from muzzel loader to breech loader. it fires a .577 cartridge.
  

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  tsr1965

  March 03, 2014 02:55

  Thank all of you gentlemen for the information. That is exactly what it is. It looks as if that mechanism could be delicate or even fragile...more so than the trap door.
  
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  Horse Plains Drifter

  March 03, 2014 06:31

  Wow, this place is awesome! I learn things here often. I never heard of such a thing, but there's lots of stuff I never heard of. Cool!

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  wpage

  March 05, 2014 01:17

  The projectile on that looks somewhat similar to the springfield 1863. That was the US civil war black powder which fired a .58 mini ball.
  Looks like the Britts were transitioning with this gun to a modern cartridge prototype.

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