251:
copy and persuade leading London gun maker Joseph Lang that this was the gun of the future. Lang was universally credited to be the first established
British gunmaker to produce pinfires in any numbers. His first weapon of this new type was produced in 1853. Other British gun makers including Lancaster, Blanch and Reilly were similarly inspired by French originals and improved pinfire breechloaders became the new type of gun which by 1857–1858 every fashionable British prince and titled gentleman wanted to have. EC Hodges continued to make a good living as a specialist independent maker of breechloading actions commissioned by leading gunmakers such as Boss, Lancaster, Egg, Grant, Atkin, Rigby, Dickson, Purdey, Woodward, Army and Navy, and many others.
418:
394:
406:
463:
451:
382:
133:
211:
479:
miniature pinfire pistols are manufactured in calibers as small as 2 to 3 millimeters (.0787 to .118 inches) in diameter. Although not practical weapons, they use pinfire ammunition because the caliber is too small for centerfire or rimfire. Antique pinfire firearms and cartridges are available on the collector market and modern reloading kits exist which contain specialized cartridges which can be hand loaded, though the process is far more complex than loading rimfire or centerfire cartridges.
247:
in France and some were imported by
British gun makers to overwhelming indifference on the part of the gun users there. They were prejudiced technically against a gun that 'broke' in the middle, despite the much vaunted benefits of breechloading. They owned muzzle-loaders of exquisite perfection, considered themselves the best engineers in the world (inventing the Industrial Revolution), and had a poor view of the French - the old enemy and an unreliable ally.
36:
141:
243:
won't move, which was a problem in some early cartridge designs at the time. The cartridge used metal bases (often brass) with paper tubes which were usually loaded by the shooter or his staff but were not entirely gas-tight. This reduced the force of the charge and allowed powder residue and gas to escape.
337:
cartridges became available because without a pin which needed aligning in the slot in the chamber wall they were quicker to load. They were also safer because they had no protruding pin which could cause the ammunition to accidentally detonate during rough handling, particularly of loose ammunition.
246:
The pinfire cartridge was greatly improved by the 1846 patent (number 1963) by
Benjamin Houllier of Paris which introduced a base wad and effectively made the cartridge gas-tight which greatly improved the performance. They were cheap and clean shooting. These improved pinfire guns grew in popularity
250:
It was not until the Great
Exhibition of 1851 was held in London that breechloading guns were taken more seriously by British and American gun makers in particular. The display of a Lefaucheux breechloading gun inspired English apprentice gunmaker Edwin Charles Hodges (1831–1925) to make an improved
242:
compound is ignited by striking a small pin which protrudes radially from just above the base of the cartridge. These pins fitted into a small groove cut in the top of each barrel-end and made it easy to see if the gun was loaded. The interior side of the chamber served as an anvil so that the cap
237:
of Paris decided in 1832 to patent a breechloader where the barrel hinged downwards to reveal the breech ends. These still used a separate percussion cap. Though used before this, (as seen in surviving pinfire shotshells that lists the names of early gun makers he signed contracts with in 1833 and
478:
Although pinfire revolver, rifle, and shotgun cartridges are technically obsolete, as pinfire guns have not been made in large numbers since the early 20th century, enthusiasts of vintage weaponry often make pinfire cartridges from modern materials and shoot their old guns. Some modern novelty
230:
attempted to improve this cartridge in the 1820s but a constantly primed cartridge was felt by many to be too dangerous and many breechloading guns reverted to using an unprimed cartridge. This was fired by a separate percussion cap which was used on the still dominant muzzle-loading guns.
277:
While pinfire rifles and shotguns began to decline in use from the early 1860s onward, after the introduction of mass-produced centerfire rifle and shotgun cartridges, pinfire revolvers in particular became very successful and widespread, being adopted by the armies of
184:
The cartridge featured a small pin that, when struck, would ignite the priming compound and initiate the firing process. Despite initial resistance, especially from
British gun users, the pinfire cartridge gained popularity following the
724:
172:
in 1832, but not patented until 1835, it was one of the earliest practical designs of a metallic cartridge to hasten the loading and firing process of a firearm. Its history is closely associated with the development of the
719:
201:
cartridges, which were quicker to load and safer, the pinfire cartridge became obsolete. Today, enthusiasts of vintage weaponry often create pinfire cartridges from modern materials for use in antique firearms.
266:(often called Lefaucheux guns after their inventor whoever the maker was), were manufactured from the mid-1850s until the late 1890s. They were quicker and easier to load than percussion weapons with loose
417:
226:
patented the first breechloading cartridge in 1812. This was for use in a shotgun with fixed barrels which was loaded by lifting a breech block on the top. French gun maker
254:
After
Casimir's death in 1852, his son Eugene continued to market the pinfire design with great success. It became increasingly popular in Europe and large numbers of
393:
136:
Selection of various types of pinfire cartridges in order from 15mm, 12mm, 9mm, 7mm, 5mm, and 2mm. Description of each cartridge is listed on the image's file page.
562:
FR patent 5183, Casimir
Lefaucheux, "fusil se chargeant par la culasse, au moyen d'un mécanisme qui fait basculer le canon", filed 1832-06-16, issued 1833-01-28
528:
FR patent 6348, Casimir
Lefaucheux, "fusil se chargeant par la culasse, au moyen d'un mécanisme qui fait basculer le canon", filed 1835-01-08, issued 1835-03-31
274:; and they were also much more likely to fire reliably when wet. Pinfire cartridges were available in a large number of sizes for various types of weapon.
538:
405:
381:
227:
462:
302:, although sometimes despised because of their low-power compared to more common percussion revolvers made by gun manufacturers such as
680:
450:
100:
72:
608:
79:
168:
is ignited by striking a small pin that protrudes radially from above the base of the cartridge. Invented by
Frenchman
53:
656:
796:
119:
762:
738:
368:
86:
238:
1834,) in 1835 he was granted an addition to the 1832 patent for a new type of cartridge in which the cartridge's
303:
632:
581:
57:
68:
488:
193:
weapons, and it was more likely to fire reliably when wet. However, with the introduction of reliable
353:
347:
46:
17:
310:. Some navies also adopted them for "sea service", these examples were often being made out of
93:
198:
8:
818:
722:, Tibbals, William, "Improvement in Revolving Fire-Arms", issued 1866-06-19
330:
323:
299:
234:
194:
169:
157:
792:
587:
577:
307:
223:
165:
362:
215:
186:
319:
132:
239:
210:
190:
812:
434:
591:
267:
178:
174:
291:
539:"The First Cartridge; A History of Jean Samuel Pauly and His Inventions"
334:
315:
35:
263:
259:
161:
189:
of 1851. Its advantages included easier and faster loading than
440:
295:
279:
271:
311:
287:
283:
255:
423:
Pinfire
Cartridge Boxes by Union Metallic Cartridge Company
140:
681:"Cartridge Manufacturer, Union Metallic Cartridge Company"
791:(17th ed.). Iola, WI: DBI Books. pp. 194, 195.
399:
Pinfire Cartridge Box by Allen & Wheelock & Co.
576:. Renonciat, Michel. La Tour-du-Pin: Éd. du Portail.
218:
pistol. Notice the pin protruding from the cartridge.
704:
Newcomer, Aaron (January 2019). "The Pinfire Page".
298:, and others. They were also widely used during the
60:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
511:Newcomer, Aaron (March 2014). "The Pinfire Page".
359:C.D. Leet & Co. of Springfield, Massachusetts
810:
574:Casimir Lefaucheux, arquebusier : 1802-1852
609:"Cartridge Manufacturer, Allen & Wheelock"
387:Pinfire Cartridge Box by Ethan Allen & Co.
374:William Tibbals of South Coventry, Connecticut
27:Obsolete 19th century firearm cartridge design
785:"To Shoot My Pinfire" by Darrel G Dennis in
706:International Ammunition Association Journal
657:"Cartridge Manufacturer, C. Sharps & Co"
513:International Ammunition Association Journal
411:Pinfire Cartridge Box by C.D. Leet & Co.
763:"Cartridge Manufacturer, Kynoch & Co"
468:Pinfire Cartridge Box by Kynoch & Co.
341:
120:Learn how and when to remove this message
786:
703:
510:
428:
209:
139:
131:
739:"Cartridge Manufacturer, Eley Brothers"
718:
571:
144:Schematic of a pinfire pistol cartridge
14:
811:
456:Pinfire Cartridge Box by Eley Brothers
329:Pinfire became obsolete once reliable
177:, which would eventually replace all
633:"Cartridge Manufacturer, C. D. Leet"
603:
601:
524:
522:
506:
504:
58:adding citations to reliable sources
29:
314:which is largely unaffected by the
24:
25:
830:
598:
519:
501:
473:
461:
449:
416:
404:
392:
380:
369:Union Metallic Cartridge Company
34:
779:
755:
731:
712:
697:
45:needs additional citations for
673:
649:
625:
565:
556:
531:
13:
1:
365:of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
572:Gérard., Lautissier (1999).
7:
482:
356:of Worcester, Massachusetts
350:of Worcester, Massachusetts
10:
835:
489:List of handgun cartridges
371:of Bridgeport, Connecticut
205:
494:
787:Bob Bell, ed. (1997).
342:American manufacturers
270:, percussion caps and
219:
145:
137:
429:British manufacturers
348:Ethan Allen & Co.
213:
143:
135:
767:freemycollection.com
743:freemycollection.com
685:freemycollection.com
661:freemycollection.com
637:freemycollection.com
613:freemycollection.com
354:Allen & Wheelock
224:Samuel Joannes Pauly
222:The Swiss gun maker
54:improve this article
789:Handloader's Digest
720:US patent 55743
363:C. Sharps & Co.
69:"Pinfire cartridge"
308:Smith & Wesson
300:American Civil War
235:Casimir Lefaucheux
220:
170:Casimir Lefaucheux
158:metallic cartridge
146:
138:
130:
129:
122:
104:
16:(Redirected from
826:
803:
802:
783:
777:
776:
774:
773:
759:
753:
752:
750:
749:
735:
729:
728:
727:
723:
716:
710:
709:
701:
695:
694:
692:
691:
677:
671:
670:
668:
667:
653:
647:
646:
644:
643:
629:
623:
622:
620:
619:
605:
596:
595:
569:
563:
560:
554:
553:
551:
550:
535:
529:
526:
517:
516:
508:
465:
453:
441:Kynoch & Co.
420:
408:
396:
384:
318:, caused by the
216:Lefaucheux M1858
187:Great Exhibition
166:priming compound
156:) is a type of
125:
118:
114:
111:
105:
103:
62:
38:
30:
21:
834:
833:
829:
828:
827:
825:
824:
823:
809:
808:
807:
806:
799:
784:
780:
771:
769:
761:
760:
756:
747:
745:
737:
736:
732:
725:
717:
713:
702:
698:
689:
687:
679:
678:
674:
665:
663:
655:
654:
650:
641:
639:
631:
630:
626:
617:
615:
607:
606:
599:
584:
570:
566:
561:
557:
548:
546:
537:
536:
532:
527:
520:
509:
502:
497:
485:
476:
469:
466:
457:
454:
431:
424:
421:
412:
409:
400:
397:
388:
385:
344:
208:
126:
115:
109:
106:
63:
61:
51:
39:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
832:
822:
821:
805:
804:
797:
778:
754:
730:
711:
696:
672:
648:
624:
597:
582:
564:
555:
530:
518:
499:
498:
496:
493:
492:
491:
484:
481:
475:
474:Current status
472:
471:
470:
467:
460:
458:
455:
448:
445:
444:
438:
430:
427:
426:
425:
422:
415:
413:
410:
403:
401:
398:
391:
389:
386:
379:
376:
375:
372:
366:
360:
357:
351:
343:
340:
207:
204:
179:muzzle-loading
128:
127:
42:
40:
33:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
831:
820:
817:
816:
814:
800:
798:0-87349-192-0
794:
790:
782:
768:
764:
758:
744:
740:
734:
721:
715:
708:(525): 14–15.
707:
700:
686:
682:
676:
662:
658:
652:
638:
634:
628:
614:
610:
604:
602:
593:
589:
585:
579:
575:
568:
559:
544:
540:
534:
525:
523:
515:(496): 72–74.
514:
507:
505:
500:
490:
487:
486:
480:
464:
459:
452:
447:
446:
443:of Birmingham
442:
439:
436:
435:Eley Brothers
433:
432:
419:
414:
407:
402:
395:
390:
383:
378:
377:
373:
370:
367:
364:
361:
358:
355:
352:
349:
346:
345:
339:
336:
332:
327:
326:environment.
325:
321:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
297:
293:
289:
285:
281:
275:
273:
269:
265:
261:
257:
252:
248:
244:
241:
236:
232:
229:
225:
217:
212:
203:
200:
196:
192:
188:
182:
180:
176:
171:
167:
163:
159:
155:
151:
142:
134:
124:
121:
113:
102:
99:
95:
92:
88:
85:
81:
78:
74:
71: –
70:
66:
65:Find sources:
59:
55:
49:
48:
43:This article
41:
37:
32:
31:
19:
788:
781:
770:. Retrieved
766:
757:
746:. Retrieved
742:
733:
714:
705:
699:
688:. Retrieved
684:
675:
664:. Retrieved
660:
651:
640:. Retrieved
636:
627:
616:. Retrieved
612:
573:
567:
558:
547:. Retrieved
545:. 2018-11-23
542:
533:
512:
477:
328:
276:
268:black powder
253:
249:
245:
233:
221:
214:Detail of a
183:
175:breechloader
164:, where the
153:
149:
147:
116:
107:
97:
90:
83:
76:
64:
52:Please help
47:verification
44:
292:Switzerland
819:Ammunition
772:2018-12-28
748:2018-12-28
690:2018-12-28
666:2018-12-28
642:2018-12-28
618:2018-12-28
583:2865510409
549:2018-12-19
335:centerfire
228:Henri Roux
199:centerfire
191:percussion
181:firearms.
80:newspapers
437:of London
316:corrosion
264:revolvers
110:June 2010
813:Category
592:48221554
483:See also
324:maritime
260:shotguns
162:firearms
160:used in
150:pin-fire
331:rimfire
240:priming
206:History
195:rimfire
154:pinfire
94:scholar
18:Pinfire
795:
726:
590:
580:
296:Sweden
280:France
272:bullet
262:, and
256:rifles
96:
89:
82:
75:
67:
495:Notes
322:in a
312:brass
288:Spain
284:Italy
101:JSTOR
87:books
793:ISBN
588:OCLC
578:ISBN
333:and
320:salt
306:and
304:Colt
197:and
152:(or
148:The
73:news
543:FMC
56:by
815::
765:.
741:.
683:.
659:.
635:.
611:.
600:^
586:.
541:.
521:^
503:^
294:,
290:,
286:,
282:,
258:,
801:.
775:.
751:.
693:.
669:.
645:.
621:.
594:.
552:.
123:)
117:(
112:)
108:(
98:·
91:·
84:·
77:·
50:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
