Target shooting by Rifle Volunteers in the National Rifle Association (NRA) matches was primarily with their arm of issue, which in the 1860s was the Pattern 1853 Enfield rifle. Following enquires to the NRA, in April 1861 Captain Edmond H. St. John-Mildmay, the Secretary, sought a ‘definition’ of the rifle. He wrote to Major-General Charles Hay, the Commandant and Inspector-General of Musketry, at the School of Musketry, Hythe (1853-1867). Hay responded and the NRA distributed the correspondence in May 1861 which was published in numerous newspapers of the time. Mildmay’s brief covering note to the newspaper editors, and Hay’s definition follow.
Archives
War Department Notes
In the mid 1860’s a fortunate event occurred, the vast majority of the activities of the Ordnance Department of the British Empire was captured on paper. That is to say that an immense amount of information in the form of written descriptions, original drawings, official printed reports, circulars, proformas & tables etc were bound together in the shape of 5 handsome leather covered volumes.
Military Percussion Caps
Arthur B. Hawes in his ‘Rifle Ammunition’ (1859) describes the manufacture of the military percussion cap, his notes also including information on packing the finished caps. In 1858 British military percussion caps were issued in packs of 75 along with 60 cartridges. That year an additional 20 Eley waterproof caps were also issued.
Enfield Paper Cartridges
For today’s researcher into Enfield ammunition, the definitive reference is “Rifle Ammunition. Being Notes on the Manufactures connected therewith as conducted in The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich” by Arthur B. Hawes, Captain (r.h.p.), Bengal Army and published in London, 1859. Hawes writes in his introduction: “These notes, intended at first only for myself, were, I am happy so say, useful to others; and from that reason more than any other, I am induced now to offer them, imperfect as they are, for the perusal of all who feel interested in the preparation of ammunition of different descriptions, with the exterior of which all soldiers are so familiar.”
Managing the Enfield
The family of British Service Rifles and Carbines introduced during the 1850’s and 1860’s in 0.577 calibre marked the culmination of the soldiers’ muzzle loading firearm. This article does not attempt to deal with the historical aspects of these arms but merely to cover their modern use by enthusiasts. It has to be assumed that the person wishing to shoot these arms can show that he is a competent shot with rifles that are already established as being accurate. The author hopes that these notes intended for the guidance of the newcomer to that superb rifle, the Enfield, will prove of assistance and that, perhaps, there may even be a useful hint to the more experienced.
Bedding the Parker-Hale
It is perfectly possible to clean a muzzle loading Enfield type of rifle thoroughly without ever taking the barrel out of the wood. Do this and you will always have the same point of impact with the same load.
Research Press Digest 2022
Course of instruction at Hythe School of Musketry, 1860. A paper on Rifle Trajectories and Rifles. ‘Wimbledon and the Volunteers’ – life at NRA(UK) annual rifle meeting. A 1903 comparison of the Lee-Enfield and foreign rifles, plus the Magazine Rifle Mark 1 (Lee-Metford). ‘Field Practices on Classification Ranges’ of 1914.
Replacing Whitworth Barrels in the 19thC
The Whitworth rifle with its hexagonal bore set new standards in accuracy and in the early 1860s was used by keen long range riflemen in target shooting competition. By the late 1860s it was however being supplanted by other gunmakers using shallow groove rifling and hardened cylindrical bullets – notably Metford and Rigby. It is not uncommon to find Whitworth stock/lock fitted with such barrels as 19thC riflemen ‘upgraded’ their rifles, and over the years the original Whitworth barrel becomes separated.
Original Whitworth Cannon at Grayling, 2017
Video highlights of the first time out with a newly restored Whitworth Cannon.
Whitworth Rearsights
A few pictures of original Whitworth rearsights illustrating that there was no single pattern; there are also further variants. All those shown are from full stocked Whitworth military style rifles. Whitworth rifles display in their construction many minor variations and finishing differences.
Whitworth rifle of 1858
Lock plate on early Whitworth military rifle, dated 1858. This pre-dates the establishment of the Rifle Volunteer Movement and of the National Rifle Association by a year. The later use of the Whitworth rifle by Rifle Volunteers and others in competition organised by the NRA(UK) kept the rifle in the public gaze.
Curtis’s & Harvey No. 6
Curtis’s & Harvey No. 6 gunpowder was a popular choice in the 19th century for use with the Whitworth rifle. Contemporary loading instruction for the rifle refer to its use.