Reilly Military Rifle clones: In case I get hit by a bus or something, Id like to pass along to the Reilly community my observations on Reilly and Military Guns.

Reilly's business model from the beginning was to produce a quality product, cheaply and deliver it rapidly. He sold used guns, and put his name on guns he was an agent for (Trantor revolvers, Henry rifles, etc.). And, unlike Purdey, Holland & Holland, etc., Reilly made hundreds of military rifle clones over the life of the firm. There was a very good business reason for doing this. Britain at the time was a nation of hunters - if you were to aspire to a certain class, you had to hunt just like you had to gamble; It was the heyday of the British Empire and British colonial officials and officers going abroad wanted their own guns; they took military clones because it enabled them to use military issue ammunition.

In addition from at least 1840, when J.C. Reilly first displayed a mortar bomb he designed, the Reillys did go after one big prize: a British Army military contract for small arms. He did this with the Prince patent breech loader (1855), The Greener breech loader (1862), and the Reilly Comblain breech loader (1868).

This led Reilly to produce copies of prominent breech loaders on the market at the time. He rarely numbered these rifles (though sometimes he did) for reasons to be explained. These guns are not the lovely, engraved, graceful Damascus barreled side by sides associated with Reilly; but this post is necessary to understand the companys business philosophy and its ambitions - he did not want to compete with Purdey - he wanted business..he wanted to undercut Purdey selling quality wares at half the price - and EMs business model was successful - for instance in 1880 he sold 660+ numbered guns (in addition to used guns and guns made under license); Purdey sold 238; Holland & Holland 200.

Following are examples of Reilly military rifle clones produced on the following military designs:
1853 .577 Enfield muzzle loader, percussion rifle.
1855 Prince patent breech loading rifle
1862 Green Brothers patent breech loader rifle
1866 Snider Enfield rifle
-- 1868 Reilly Comblain breech loader
1871 Martini Henry rifle
1902 Enfield SMLE .303 bolt action mag-fed rifle. (yes Reilly fansread on)

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1853 Enfield:



.577 Enfield officially designated the P-1853 Enfield Rifle Musket: In October 1853 the British Army, after extensive trials adopted the .577 muzzle-loading percussion hammer gun as the official rifle of the Army. It was widely regarded as the finest military muzzle loader in the world from 1853 until it was supplanted in the 1860s by breech loaders. This was the gun that armed the British Army during the latter stages of the Crimean War, the Mutiny in India and much of the Confederate army and the Union Army during the War Between the States aka the War of Northern Aggression.



It had 3 groove rifling, fired a .577 minie ball, and had a revolutionary adjustable backsight. Reilly made Enfields and usually put his Serial Number on them. He may have made these from scratch - he did not order Enfield parts from the armory and assemble them. (In later Enfields - Sniders and Martini's the Enfield factory would ship parts to the firm wanting to sell a replica or clone). Here are a few examples of Serial Numbered Reilly 1853 Enfields:

11227 - A numbered Enfield, which the seller claims was made in standard military configuration and engraved and assembled by Reilly. It has E.M. Reilly & Co., New Oxford St., London on the rib. The SN is where is should be, on the tang behind the trigger guard. The seller claimed it should be 1861. The SN indicates it was indeed numbered circa 1860.



Xxxx - An unidentified sporterized Enfield made by Reilly from a Polish site. Note the sight which identifies it as an Enfield clone; Note the engraving.



xxxxx - 2 band 1858 .577 short Enfield with no SN labeled on the receiver Reilly, New Oxford St., London.



12079 - E.M. Reilly & Co., 315 & 502 Oxford Street, London; .451 cal. Rifle; Percussion, muzzle loader. (1st 315 Oxford St. address identified on a surviving Reilly gun rib). 12079 should have been numbered circa 1861.



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1855 Prince Patent

In 1855 London gunmaker Frederick Prince patented a breech loader. It was tested by British Ordinance and outshot the just adopted .577 Enfield muzzle loader in rapidity of fire and accuracy at 300 yards. It was called beyond comparison the best breech loader in a testimonial signed by twelve of the best known London gunsmiths (Reilly included?). Ordinance refused to adopt it regarding it as too complicated (and face it - they didn't like new-fangled stuff). In 1859 a group of London gun makers including Manton, Wilkinson, Samuel Nock, Parker Field and Tatham (and Reilly?) petitioned Ordinance to reconsider the decision. It was turned down.

Reilly had some sort of undefined relationship with Prince...the same crowd of gun makers were with Prince and with the Green Bros later. Green Bros an Prince had a partnership for awhile that dissolved in 1959; Reilly got manufacturing rights for Green Bros breech loader in 1862. Again, when you look at who was friends with whom, the same suspects show up so Reilly had to be part of the group advocating for Prince.

Princes Patent rifles were produced by a several different British gunmakers including Princes own company Prince & Green, Wilkinsons, E.M. Reilly andIsaac Hollis & Sons. The rifles were made in various calibres from the British armys standard issue .577 to much smaller rook and rabbit hunting guns .24 and .37 calibre.

http://www.historicalfirearms.info/post/130088370814/frederick-princes-breech-loading-rifle-in/embed

In view of the fact that Reilly built Prince breech loaders, one must assume EM Reilly was one of the 12 prominent gun makers who testified about the Prince in 1855 and was part of the 1859 petition, possibly with the hope of participating in a lucrative Ordinance contract.

Here are two surviving Reilly Prince Patent guns which he has serial numbered - usually meaning he produced and made the parts for the gun himself:

10782 - Reilly, New Oxford St. London. .577 cal; Rifle; single barrel breech loader, Frederic Prince patent (circa1858)



11645 - Reilly, 502 New Oxford Street, London. 100 bore; Rifle. Prince patent, single barrel, breech loader, (circa 1860)


Last edited by Argo44; 09/11/18 12:41 PM.
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