doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com The pinfire game gun

All good things come to an end. I started this thread with the triple aim of shedding light on the pinfire game gun for those who had encountered few of them before, sharing information on pinfire guns and their makers, and gathering new information from followers of this board who have pinfires in their collections. As I've reached all three of my objectives, this is as good a time as any to stop with the regular posts to this thread, before interest in the subject matter wanes entirely. I shall go back to concentrating on finishing the book, for which my posts can be considered a hint of what's to come. Indeed, the book will delve into a more complete history of Britain's role in the development of the pinfire system, starting with Charles Howard's experiments with fulminates. The book will look at specimen guns in greater detail, about 60 or so in my collection, and possibly others. The book will also look at the cultural and historical influences of the time that influenced the adoption of the breech-loader, and reflect on the evolution of the gunmaking world as it threaded through the political and social changes of the period.

I hope others will keep adding to this thread to keep it going and I will be around to contribute and comment as I can, and answer questions and queries should they come up. Thank you to all who have contributed to the discussion so far and who have kept it on-topic, and thanks to the silent readers for having built an astounding (to me) view count on this thread of over 48,000 views. I never thought such a narrow and esoteric subject would have engendered such an interest.

Posts are always more interesting with pictures, so here are random images that show off well the gunmaking skills of the period.






To finish, it is proper to return to Mr Casimir Lefaucheux, the inventor of the pinfire system. I do not have one of his guns, but I do have one of his cases... As is typical with Continental cases there is no printed paper or leather label, but the maker's name, in gold, is pressed on to the inner baize, over padding. Though faded and with letters missing, the lid inscription should read: "Lefaucheux Inventeur 37 Rue Vivienne Paris". Casimir Lefaucheux moved to this address in 1850, and died in 1852. The case likely dates somewhere from 1850 onwards, and is quite likely earlier in date than any British pinfire.