Hi folks,

Over Christmas I was re-reading The Washing of the Spears, a pretty good history of the Zulus and that region. One of the photos in the book was dated 1873 and was of a Zulu chief and his retainers. I had closer look at the rifles they were carrying. There was the ussual collection of Brown Bess and trade muskets among the rank and file. The rifles carried by the higher ranks were more interesting. One carried a muzzle loading double and the chief and another carried underlever doubles. Evidently, breach loading doubles came along earlier than I thought. Can anyone tell me when breach loading doubles and the BP cartridges they used first came into use?

Thanks,
Dean

The breech loading cartridge guns and rifles came around in the 30's, gaining popularity in the 50's

Heavy muzzle loading rifles remained in use well into the 70's as they were tried/true/trusted on dangerous game.

The early cartridges were pin-fire, with a transition in the 60's to central fire, and another transition in the 70's to the express type cartridge, with the 'cordite era' to follow giving us the Nitro Express!!



Cheers
Tinker

Have a read of anything on Sir Samuel Baker.

He transitioned all of the major developments
AND used them all, even changing his mind in the end on smaller Breech loaders.

.