doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com E.M. Reilly; History; Chronology; Serial Numbers

*41 Reilly and Pistols

Reilly always retailed pistols of all types from the beginning of the firm to the end. He engraved them and put his name on them. However, after 1837 he did not serial number them although Reilly was still listed as “gun and pistol makers” in business anthologies as previously noted in chapter 6.

By 1859 he was selling all types of pistols and revolvers, Trantor, Adams, Colt, Smith&Wesson;*41a He sold Howdah's, pepperboxes, duelers, derringers, Flobert, etc.*41b Some of these are extremely well made.*41c Some are highly engraved such as a gold-washed Trantor revolver that certainly did not leave the Trantor factory like that.*41d But, because he did not serial number these guns, he did not build them.

There are accounts of people buying a Reilly revolver, walking out of the shop and committing suicide on the sidewalk. An Irish terrorist purchased a Reilly revolver in 1898 meaning harm and was arrested; It is interesting that the Reilly shop foreman at the time James Curtis suddenly couldn't identify the man who bought it (Reilly's were Irish of course).

Reilly apparently did assemble foreign made revolvers from parts imported from Liège possibly as early as 1860. But Reilly did not serial number assembled guns. Thus pistols are ignored in this study; they cannot be used to date Reilly long-guns except for those with surviving cases with original trade labels, which helped build a data-base of Reilly case labels.

Reilly marketed Revolvers and dozens of other types of handguns including custom target specials:



Note: A Reilly pepperbox may have been wielded by "Flashman" in the novel Flashman and the Mountain of Light, by George MacDonald Fraser.*41e

Note2: An 1890's "Vampire Kit" exists with cross, hammer and wooden spikes, vials for holy water, bible, mirror (for checking if the suspected Vampire has a reflection), various holy relics etc. along with two Reilly, 316 High Holborn pocket pistols firing silver bullets. Whether Reilly marketed the kit is questionable (Vampire stories originated in the 1890's).*41f




*42 Reilly Cartridges and Ammunition Following is a cursory look at Reilly’s involvement in the cartridge business, which came to be a major revenue producer for him. Specialists in cartridges may have more information on the subject.

For the first five years of Lefaucheaux pin-fire history in the UK, 1854-1860 the majority of the shells and shell hulls used were imported from France. There is a Reilly 12 gauge rifle pin-fire cartridge dated 1855 probably imported from France.*42a The French hulls of course were meant to be reloaded. During the 1858 trials a young Reilly employee was designated to do this task to assure all guns had equal charges, demonstrating Reilly’s involvement in the reloading business.*42b

The principle UK maker of shells and ammunition Eley seems to have begun offering pin-fire shells in early 1858; the first Eley ad for a breech loading cartridge is 02 January 1858 (possible for a rifle such as a Prince) and the first specifically for a pin-fire shotgun in May 1858.*42c These Eley cartridges initially received bad reviews per letters to the Field.*42d.

In a letter he wrote to “The Field” in December 1857, EM Reilly complained about hide-bound practices of the UK cartridge establishment and the inability of UK ammunition makers to manufacture pin-fire shells even when given complete examples, plans and drawings.*42e By that time Reilly was guaranteeing access to ammunition for gentlemen who bought his pin-fires.*42f

In an 1859 book by the editor of “The Field” the author “Stonehenge” pointed out that even at that late date at the very end of decade, French shells could be found in every town in UK and were clearly predominant.*42g

By 1858 it appears that Reilly, frustrated with Eley and possibly influenced by France, saw a marketing opportunity and had made the decision to go into the shotgun shell manufacturing and sales business. Reilly from the beginning of his involvement with pinfires, mentioned “cartridges” in his advertisements for breech-loaders. However, the first stand-alone mention in a Reilly advertisement of cartridge’s being sold appeared in June 1859.*42h Who made the cartridge casings for Reilly is unknown. It is possible that he imported them from France under contract with his name stamped on the base, or he may have found a local manufacturer.

Note: A drawing of a Reilly cartridge which appeared in a book published in early 1860 shows a pinfire 12 bore cartridge with only "Reilly" stamped on the case much like the 1855 12 bore cartridge pictured above.*42i The name of the company changed to E.M. Reilly & Co. circa Feb 1859.*42j. This may indicate that Reilly was filling and selling his own cartridges in 1858-early 1859.

Centripetal Machine: In 1861 he patented a new machine for crimping shells called a “centripetal device.”*42k This patent was renewed twice in 1891 and 1892.*42l



Cost of pinfire cartridges: In 1859 “Stonehenge” recorded the cost of French pin-fire cartridges, 2£ 10s per 1000 cartridges. In modern dollars that would be around $450 for 1000 cartridges, an average of about $11.25 per box of 25, $.45 per cartridge.*42m. (Cheaper than RST today).

Reilly continued to manufacture and sell his own shells for the next 40 years making the jump to marketing centerfire hulls and cartridges around 1865. This was apparently a significant stream of income for the company. Reilly shells (in centerfire format) have been found in archeological digs including an investigation of an old whaling station in New Zealand*42n and in Saskatchewan, Canada.*42o By the 1890's he was providing buyers with options on smokeless powders.*42p.

There is some question about if and when he began to use Eley as a source for his cartridge hulls; the Reilly cartridges unearthed in the archeological dig in Canada allegedly were made by Eley (no pictures to confirm this).*42q. However, in 1868 Reilly definitively for the first time advertised the sale of "Eley's best quality green case" cartridges (50 shillings per thousand empty; 150 shillings per thousand loaded with proper charge). Years later In 1899 Reilly again began advertising the sale of Eley cartridges in his store. This was perhaps an acknowledgement that his cartridge business had succumbed to the weight of specialized mass production.*42r.


*43 Early 1860’s: Reilly and Cutlery, Swords, Bayonets

Business anthologies at this time identified EM Reilly as both gun and pistol manufacturers and sword/cutlery makers.*43a Reilly's name has been found engraved on bayonets and swords from the era. Bayonets were a part of the Yoemanry Militia “kit” and Reilly included a bayonet with each militia rifle he sold, enough volume to make a subsidiary business profitable.*43b

One surviving Reilly bayonet is a slightly modified version of the “official” “sword bayonets” attached to Gen. Jacob’s patent SxS’s which fired an explosive bullet; Reilly made the guns under license.*43c

One Reilly sword/bayonet has the maker's name "Reeves" engraved on it.*43d Charles Reeves patented a solid hilt sword in 1851 and marketed it to officers. Reeves became the largest sword maker in Birmingham in the 1850's and appeared to have partnered with Wilkinson in London. He would engrave or rather etch swords to a retailer's specification. There were makers that made Reeves patent swords under license. Whether Reilly did so or bought the blades from Reeves is not known, but probably the latter.*43e

*44 Reilly Accessories

Reilly like many London gunmakers marketed numerous accessories for his guns. Reilly devoted a lot of time advertising for the Yoemanry Militia, organized in the late 1850’s and offered everything from knapsacks to cartridge belts.*44a A unit he outfitted, the Princesses’ Own, won acclaim for their showmanship, marching and appearance.*44b

Reilly sold everything associated with the trade, cartridge boxes, cartridge belts, bullet molds, likely the products of small cottage industries within London.*44c


. . . . . VIII. FORGING AHEAD:1860 – 1867:


*45 1850’s-1895: Reilly staff; quality young employees:

Without company records available it is difficult to determine who worked for Reilly during the 90 years of the company’s existence. This difficulty is not confined to Reilly but rather is one found across the board in London gun making except perhaps for some elite gunmaker such as Purdey (three of their engravers are known) and those whose records still are intact. The UK census for 1831-41-51 asked only the interviewees occupation. 1861-71-81 the census also asked employers the number of workers employed.

The only way to catch a glimpse of who was working at Reilly during this time is if the employees surfaced in some news report or if they self identified later. There are four so identified shop managers and one store manager in France:

. . . . .John Baker – 185?-1861:*45a Not much is known about Baker. He was born in 1822 and was married. He appeared in a court case on behalf of Reilly in April 1861, when Reilly was seeking payment for a volunteer militia gun from a deadbeat. In June 1861 he registered the patent for Reilly for the shotgun shell crimper and per a newspaper article in October 1861 he accidentally poisoned himself. Since the patent was registered for 315 Oxford Street, he must have been managing that shop. He lived in Westminister Parish, probably within a mile of the Oxford Street manufactory. There seems to be no record of him in the 1861 London census.

. . . . .W. Jennings – 1869:*45b. Jennings was identified as Reilly’s Shop Foreman in a 01 May 1869 series of articles about a fellow who committed suicide after buying a revolver from Reilly (specific store not identified).

. . . . .Francis Davis –1870:*45c He testified for Reilly at the 1870 hearings for violating UK neutrality in the Franco-Prussian war by trying to ship 2,000 shells to his shop in Paris in unmarked packages. No further information on Davis.

. . . . .Ruben Hambling - 1884-85:*45d He may have started out with Reilly in the late 1850's - ran his own gun shop in the midlands then back to Reilly:

. . . . . . . . . .“On the matter of Reuben Hambling, he was a gunmaker. Born in 1833 in Blackawton, Devon, he apprenticed under his father, William Bartlett Hambling. He married in London in 1858, had a daughter there in 1861, and was listed in the 1861 census. He was most likely working as a journeyman for a London gunmaker, name unknown. He was in Manchester from 1865-1869, with his own shop at 27 New Bailey Street, Salford. He may have occupied another address for a time, on Bexley Street. He then moved to High Wycombe northwest of London around 1872 and lived for a time in Brighton (1874-1875), possibly working with his brother William, another gunmaker. From at least 1884-1885 he lived in Paddington, London, on Ashmore Rd. This may have been the time when he was employed by Reilly. After this, he moved to Ashford in Kent, with a business at 41 New Street. He lived at number 39. According to the 1891 census his son, Roger, was apprenticed to him. Reuben Hambling died on 12 December 1891. His son continued the business until 1894.": (Courtesy of Steve Nash)

. . . . . . . . . .Per the Internet Gun Club: "As there is both a New Bailey Street and a New Bexley Street, there is no way of knowing if the paper made an error, or if Reuben Hambling moved from one location to another. He didn't stay long in Manchester and later worked for E. M. Reilly & Co. in London, and finally in Ashford, in Kent. Reuben Hambling died in 1891."

. . . . .James Curtis – 1895:*45d,e He testified in a trial re the purchase of a Reilly revolver by an Irish terrorist (and on the day of the trial conveniently couldn't identify the purchaser).

. . . . .M. Poirat- 1868-84? Paris:*45f Manager of Reilly store at 2 rue Scribe, Paris, who tried to convince the new 3rd Republic to buy 6,000 Chassepot rifles stored in Birmingham from Reilly in fall 1870 - Paris still under siege, Reilly's rifles in his 2 rue Scribe shop confiscated by the revolution. (This would have been totally a violation of UK “neutrality”...far worse that 2,000 shells but he might have gotten away with it. The size of the crime would have been justified by the profits). Poirat was obviously a salesman, not a technician).

There are two young workers identified by last name only, who were highly complimented in the press leading to the conclusion that Reilly carefully screened his young employees and meticulously trained them:

. . . . .Mr. Bennett - 1858:*45g He carefully loaded rounds for the guns used in "The Field" trials of 1858 and 1859.

. . . . .Mr. McNamara - 1862:*45h He was responsible for guiding visitors through the Reilly 1862 London World's Fair exhibit.


*46 1861: Reilly manufacturing and sales:

As the new decade of the 1860’s began and in the lead-up to the 1862 London Exposition, Reilly’s two workshops were busy. Reilly was making about 430 serial numbered guns a year, more than one a day, more than Boss, Purdey and Haris Holland combined. He had increased his production by 30% after the spurt of orders received at the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1855 and with the demand for pinfire center-break guns probably, even with the addition of 315, was hard put to satisfy it.

His reputation as a gun maker after the two trials and with the opening of 315 Oxford Street blossomed. A tacit endorsement by “The Field” quoted in Reilly ads probably helped.*46a

-- Guns under License: In addition to making his own percussion and center-break guns and various breech loading rifles, he began to make guns using patent use numbers from other gun makers (as mentioned in a previous chapter).



. . . . .1861: Dougall “Lockfast” patent:*46b In 1861 Reilly advertised guns using the Dougall “Lockfast” patent (Patent 1128, May 1860).*46b(1) Dougall licensed production of his patent to other gunmakers including Belgians; among them in UK were Benjamin Cogswell, W & J Rigby, E M Reilly and John Lyell of Aberdeen. *46b(2) According to Crudrington & Baker, an entry for payment by Reilly to Dougall for a patent use number exists demonstrating that Reilly likely made the gun.
. . . . . . . . . .There is one extant Reilly Lockfast, sold on Gunstar some years ago unfortunately without mention of its serial number.*46b(3) It probably has the Dougall Patent use stamp like known examples.*46b(4)
. . . . . . . . . .It resembles Dougall SN 2186 in the Royal Armouries.*46b(5)

. . . . .1861: “Double grip” - “Jones Underlever:*46c In 1861 Reilly mentioned for the first time in advertisements his manufacture of the “double grip” system.*46c(1) This was Greener’s description of the Jones underlever patented in 1859. The patent was released to the general public in January 1862. Assuming that the “double grip’ referred to in the 1861 advertisement is indeed a Jones underlever, Reilly would have had to pay royalties to someone. After the patent went public, the U-L became Reilly’s go-to action for his own guns;
. . . . . . . . .SN 11937: 1861. The first extant Reilly with a Jones U-L*46c(2): E.M. Reilly & Co., 502, New Oxford Street, London; 4 bore, Shotgun single barrel; U-L, non-rebounding hammer gun. (possibly converted from a percussion gun.)
. . . . . . . . .SN 12316: 1862.*46c(3) E.M. Reilly & Co., (address not mentioned). 14 bore, Shotgun SxS. pin-fire, U-L hammer gun, non-rebounding hammer, grip safety, extractor.
. . . . . . . . .SN 12527: 1862.*46c(4) E.M. Reilly & Co., (address not mentioned). 10 bore, Shotgun SxS. pin-fire (converted to C-F), U-L hammer gun, rebounding hammers (added).
. . . . . . . . .SN 33457: The last U-L so far photographed is 33457 (1890)*46c(5) E.M. Reilly & Co., 277, Oxford Street, London. 8 bore SxS Shotgun. U-L, hammer-gun; pistol grip.
There is a 10 bore 35012 – 1903 – allegedly with a Jones underlever but with no picture thus not confirmed. Assuredly, though, if one wanted an U-L in 1911, Reilly would get it for you.

-- Developer of inventions: Various gunmakers and experimenters chose Reilly to develop and make their inventions:

. . . . .1859: Nuthall’s Patent:*46d In 1859 Major Nuthall’s patent rifle and ball were developed and built by Reilly per “The Field.”*46d(1) Nuthall rounded the rifling of the barrel to prevent fouling and this was found in a number of subsequent Reilly's. Reilly advertised using Nuthall’s Patent on his Enfield rifles:*46d(2). Reilly was one of two authorized manufacturers, the other been Turner.
. . . . . . . . . .While no Reilly Nuthall patent guns have been found, one made by Turner & Co. of Birmingham still exists. 31 ½ in. (80 cm.) barrel sighted to 1000 yards, marked 'MAJOR NUTHALL'S PATENT'; rounded groove, Birmingham proof marks:*46d(3)

. . . . .1861: .451 Enfield target rifle:*46e Reilly began making a .451 Enfield.*46e(1) which won marksmanship trophies according to a series of articles in “The Field.” Reilly was advertising “rounded off” rifling to reduce fouling (Nuthall Patent above).*46e(2). However the exact specifications of his match rifles are not clear other than the use of .451 elongated bullets and 5 groove rifling:
. . . . . . . . . .SN 12073, Reilly Enfield match rifle.*46e(3)

. . . . .1861: .451 Enfield experimental rifling: Writings in "The Field" from the era indicate extensive experiments with rifling were being conducted by everyone, this just a year after Henry filed his shallow groove rifling patent and after the Whitworth hexagonal .451 high velocity bullet made such an impact. One article referred to a rifling system with shallow groove rifling created by a Volunteer unit which Reilly was making.*46f

. . . . .1861: Capt. Scott's Patent Progressive Twist Rifling and bullet.*46g Reilly was sole manufacturer.

. . . . .1861: General Ray's Pattern Brigade Rifle with elongated bullet.*46h

. . . . .1861: Cape Guns:*46i Reilly was one of the first to advertise “Cape Guns” (22 May 1958, “The Field”).*46i(1) The earliest extant serial numbered Reilly cape guns are:
. . . . . . . . . SN 12207 from late 1861, E.M Reilly & Co., 15 ga/.488 cal percussion gun and from early 1862.
. . . . . . . . . SN 12251 - E.M. Reilly & Co., Oxford Street, London; SxS Cape rifle .25 bore/.500 cal; percussion hammer gun.*46i(2).

. . . . .1861: Bastin Lepage sliding action:*46j He also advertised a sliding action which was certainly Bastin Lepage. A number of London gunmakers at the time were using it. Purdey made 27 Bastin action guns; Durs Egg, Lylell, and others advertised and made them as well. (No extant Reilly Bastin action exists).

-- Retail display: Others chose Reilly’s retail shops to display their new inventions. An example is “The Field” itself; In 1861 ”The Field” decided to market a screw-on action for an Enfield which could act as both a breech loader and a muzzle loader.*46k. It was displayed at Reilly 's.

-- Auction sales: He sold off massive amounts of surplus guns, for instance auctioning 1,500 Enfields in 1861.*46l

-- Dog dealer? And oddly enough there are four advertisements over the course of 40 years for hunting dogs being sold by individuals, details to be obtained from Reilly's business. Whether Reilly himself was involve in selling dogs or whether he was just a clearing house of sorts is unknown.*46m

By 1861 Reilly’ had become known as a gun manufacturer who could get innovative projects made. It appears he rarely said, “No,” to an idea. (It is hard to imagine a gun maker such as Purdey being open to itinerant gun experimenters' concepts). His manufacturing of military rifles such as the Enfield, Jacob’s rifle, Terry Patent breech loader, and Prince patent breech loader, and his selection to make explosive bullets for Baker and Jacob, cutting edge technology at the time, only increased his reputation for seeking out innovations.

Again, Reilly was not an inventor himself; he was a business man. But he had an eye for what might sell. He more resembled the art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel, who funded the Impressionists. Reilly now had bigger things in mind, to wit a military contract using his reputation as a gun manufacturer. But first he was carefully planning his upcoming exhibit at the 1862 London Universal Exposition.


*47 1862: Reilly and the 1862 London exposition:



In 1862 Reilly showed at the London International exposition.*47a Reilly placed great store in publicity from such fairs for his two workshops and carefully planned his exhibit. Just about every gun maker of consequence in the UK were there with UK gunmakers showing marked improvements in their inventiveness over 1851 but with still a way to go to match French barrel decoration and Liège prices.

For a thorough review of the gun exhibits and the status of UK gun making at the time see the section on guns written by John Rigby in "The Record of the International Exhibition," published in 1862 (Glasgow, W. MacKenzie publishers).

Reilly had a large exhibit which showed the guns mentioned in ads above, cape guns, breech loading double-bite pinfires, Dougall patent, muzzle-loaders with Brazier locks as an (expensive) option, revolvers, etc.*47b and apparently showed his own improvements in the pinfires.*47c J.D. Dougall won the overall Gold Medal. Reilly won a sort of “honorable mention” medal which had to be disappointing. It may be that the judges were more engineering minded in their approach in this fair and were looking at workable innovations.

As mentioned before, his careful marketing planning was evident; He was lauded for the intelligent young man who attended his exhibit to explain the guns and take orders (in marked contrast to Lang).*47d Per newspaper accounts he also displayed a gold washed 12 bore muzzle-loader shotgun*47e which may still exist (SN 12532).*47f SN 12532 is housed in a case with the Prince of Wales feathers on it; it was bought to be given as a gift, possibly to an Indian Rajah; This may be one of the reasons why Reilly tried to claim to be a gun maker to the Royal Family the following spring.




*48 1863: Attempts to Curry Favor with the British Royal Family:

Throughout the 1860's Reilly guns were purchased by various members of the British royal family, usually to give as gifts to foreign dignitaries or persons who had done favors for the family. This included guns bought by Prince Albert Edward (Later King Edward VII).*48a and his younger brother Prince Alfred (later Duke of Saxe-Coburg).*48b Reilly tried to obtain, but without success, a Royal Warrant as "Gun Maker to the Royal Family."

Top: Prince Albert Edward (King Edward VII)
Bottom: Prince Alfred (Duke of Saxe-Coburg)



For a few months in 1863 Reilly published advertisements associating himself with the Royal Family based apparently on these royal purchases of Reilly guns. He also spent hundreds of pounds on elaborate gas light decorations to his buildings on the wedding of the Prince*48c and on various Royal anniversaries.*48d He apparently was slapped down pretty quickly and after November 1863, such claims never again surfaced.

Note: The Reilly’s were Irish Catholic. E.M. at least appears to have been involved with the church*48e and to have campaigned against religious discrimination against Catholics in UK.*48f Whether this influenced his ability to obtain a “Royal Warrant” in a very Anglican anti-Catholic England at the time or even to win a contract with Arsenal is problematic. And, one cannot overemphasize the prejudice and discrimination against Irish Catholics at this time in England.


*57 1863-65: Reilly’s Sporting Gun Business

Returning to the early 1860’s and Reilly’s sporting gun business, Reilly was numbering from 400 to 450 guns a year from 1858 to 1868, a pretty consistent number which perhaps reflects the maximum he could produce at the time (still more than Lang, Purdey and Haris Holland combined). Breech loaders shared place of honor with muzzle-loaders especially during the American War Between the States period.

However, it was a time of dynamic change in the UK sporting gun business. Purdey patented his “double-bite” system (pat. 1104) in 1863 which combined with Scotts 1865 Spindle (Pat 2752) became a standard; Reilly was to make (and pay royalties for) dozens over the next 14 years. Snap-actions were introduced. Retractable firing pins. Westley-Richards began building “dolls head” fasteners, etc.

Reilly was not an innovator; but he kept abreast of all new patents changes; he advertised them, paid the royalties and built the guns. There is one 1865 advertisement which pretty well sums up what the entrepreneur E.M Reilly was all about: Reilly in an ad discussing a rifle construction system advocated by James Forsyth, had this to say:

. . . .“We are prepared to waive all the existing prejudices of “the Trade,”
. . . . .and to make Double and Single Rifles to order, on the principles laid down
. . . . .by Mr. Forsyth, and to have the Rifles carefully and accurately tested,
. . . . .so as to warrant their performance.”*57a

If a customer wanted it, Reilly would build it.


*58 1863-73: Pin-Fire vs Center Fire

Center Fire inventions were available early in the history of break-action breech-loaders, Lancaster's patent from the late 1850's being an example. However the pin-fire won out for a variety of reasons.

In 1861 Daw took out his center-fire patent 203, a copy of Pottet’s French patent. By 1862 John Rigby, writing about the London Exposition breech-loaders, stated that the advantages of a center-fire system were obvious. (Rigby bet on Lancaster;*58a The British gun-press on Daw.*58b

By the mid-1860's a center-fire system primacy for center-break guns became more and more evident. Eley broke Pottet’s patent for center-fire shells in 1865. This coupled with the 1866 invention of the shotgun center-fire primer shell by Berdan in America and almost simultaneously by Boxer in the UK made center-fire shotguns practical and viable along with certain other inventions such as the Anson fore-end.

Reilly’s first newspaper advertisements for “Central-Fire” guns appeared in 1865.
. . . . . . . . . .1865 – ad in “The Life of Lord Palmerston” *58c
. . . . . . . . . .03 Jul 1865, “London Daily News”*58d (pictured below)

In the 1867 Paris Exposition catalogue Reilly pictured a center-fire long gun with narrow fences and noseless hammers.*58e (pictured below)

Nevertheless, center-fire systems did not totally supplant pin-fires until around 1872. Extant Reilly pin-fires far out number center-fire guns until that time. There are about 20 Reilly pin-fires existing from this era, about half of which appear to have been converted to central-fire at some point.

There were apparantly two different types of styling on the early (1865-1869) Reilly central fire guns.

. .A). One type used the above mentioned narrow fences with noseless hammers and without a "flash backplate" as pictured in the 1867 Paris Universelle catalogue: Early Reilly Central Fire actions/thin fences/noseless hammers are pictured below:*58f-k

Reillys use of this style C-F action can complicate determining whether a Reilly break-action gun has been converted to center-fire from a pin-fire. The actions are very similar in styles. If a gun has been converted, usually there will be slight marks on the upper barrel chambers where the pin-fire holes have been filled, there may be pin-fire decorations (sunbursts, etc.) or the barrels may have been shortened by ¼” to 1/2”.*58l

However, there are narrow fenced shotguns with an inscription indicating Reilly converted the gun to C-F but with no real identifying marks to tell whether it might once have been a pin-fire.*58m

. .B). The other style ultimately became the ubiquitous C-F hammer gun style which continued up to the end of the century. Its fences became more sustantial, a flash backplate behind the firing pin was added (copying that of muzzle loaders) and it used conventional hammers. (Pictured below)

. . . . .-- SN 13688 (1865) - The first existing Reilly center-break center-fire long-gun is a 20 bore single-barrel under-lever hammer-gun shotgun (converted from an original rifle) with a Joseph Brazier action dated 1865.*58n

. . . . .-- SN 14115 (1866) - Reilly's first extant center-fire shotgun is SxS 12 bore U-L non-rebounding hammer gun dated 1866.*58o



Note: One other invention from this time helped cement centerfire primacy, the invention of rebounding hammers patented by Stanton in February 1867. Most surviving Reilly guns both pinfire and center-fire from this age were later converted to center-fire with rebounding hammers. One would think this was the type of patent that would be immediately adopted. However, the majority of existing, original condition Reilly's up to the 1870's have non-rebounding actions. In fact there continued to be non-rebounding hammers on extant Reilly built guns up until the 1880's (just as there were Reilly built muzzle loaders). The London gun trade was extremely conservative.


*59 1866: Reilly and Purdey Kerfuffle

To illustrate the state of Reilly fortunes and confidence at the time, in 1866 there was a widely reported dust-up between Reilly and Purdey. A salesman at Reilly reportedly told a client that essentially Reilly guns were the same as Purdey's but without the extra-charge for a name, implying Reilly made them for Purdey. Purdey was indignant and fired off an emotionally charged letter demanding retraction.*59a

Reilly not only rejected the charge but in an infamous poem, quoted several times the phrase "exactly the same"...thumbing his nose at the gun aristocracy.

A place-beyond all we in London know
To Messrs. E.M. Reilly & Co.
What other houses charge sixty-five pounds
For, and keep you four or five months (which astounds),
In waiting for; one exactly the same
For which only £45 they claim
Having it ready too in thirty days
Or less, for which they merit highest praise
Exactly the same I've already said
The Gun shall be, by my Art-Heroes made,
But only here to give what's rightly due
You may be able thus to strike more true;. . . .
*59b

(This is not a way to win friends, obviously)

So, the question remains. Did Reilly make guns in the white for Purdey? Purdey didn’t exactly deny it. He just begged the question and deflected.


. . . . . IX: REILLY, ARSENAL AND THE BRITISH ARMY


*49 1863-1872: Attempts to Win a Military Contract; Reilly Builds Military Rifles:

From at least the 1850's the Reilly's thought about trying to win a lucrative military contract from the British government. Reilly’s possible financial involvement with Prince and his building Prince Patent breech loading rifles, his making Terry Patent breech loading rifle (Chap *31 – p.78), Gen. Jacob’s SxS percussion rifle and various Enfields (Chap *30 – p.78) and Enfield rifling variations (Chap *46 – p.85) have been discussed.

The next five chapters somewhat out of chronological order will deal with Reilly building five military Rifles: the Green Brothers Patent Breech Loader, Snider-Enfields, Reilly-Comblain breech loaders, Martini-Henry’s and a M-H variant the Swinburn and Reilly's own 1869 patent for an exploding bullet that he attempted to sell to Arsenal.

Reilly never obtained a major contract (as far as the present day evidence goes). He did build (or in the case of Martini-Henry "assemble"), privately sell and engrave all sorts of British military rifles - Enfields, Snider's, Martini's and later Lee-Speeds; He hawked these guns to the Yoemanry Volunteer Militia and to rifle clubs at wholesale prices, versions of them to Military personnel going abroad and to big-game hunters for 50 years. But, unless he built them himself he did not serial number these guns.

*50 – 1863-1868: Reilly and the Green Brothers Patent Breech Loader:



The Green Bros. Patent 2002 Jun 1862 breech loader is integral to Reilly's story in the 1860’s. As such it is gone into in some detail. The conclusions are, Reilly built about 350 serial numbered Reilly Green Bros. rifles from 1864-1868 in his London workshops, all proofed in London. After 1868 production was likely transferred to Birmingham where another 3,000 may have been made over the course of a few years (depending on whether the patent use numbers remained consecutive; Reilly's pat use #'s seem more chronologically accurate than most). Reilly also made Green Bros. rifles for the trade. C1870 the patent was made by other trade makers with a decline in quality, the last patent use number found being in the 5000’s.

The Green Brothers, CJ and J. were well known in the 1850’s as innovative gun makers in London. For several years they were in partnership with Prince (dissolved in 1859). In 1860 they took out a provisional patent on a breech-loading rifle. The idea was pretty ingenious. Attach a second breech loading chamber to the back of an Enfield and use a bolt actuated plunger to push the charge and bullet into the original chamber, then use the ordinary hammer and usual cap. The gun could be converted back into a muzzle loader simply by unscrewing the action and replacing the barrel plug. (This sounds remarkably like the action advertised by “The Field” and displayed at Reilly’s shop in summer 1861).*50a In June 1862 the Green Bros received patent nr. 2002 for the invention.

As mentioned previously Reilly had some sort of relationship with the Green's and Prince, possibly a financial stake since Reilly did not sign the March 1858 open letter in favor of Prince’s rifle. This relationship with the Green's must have continued to develop in some way and in April 1863 Reilly announced in a newspaper advertisement that he had obtained “sole manufacturing rights” to the gun.*50b Reilly’s early involvement in making breech-loaders and in bringing others’ inventions to market might have persuaded the Green's to follow this track.

Reilly started experimenting with the action by modifying an old Reilly-made 1853 Enfield, SN 12002 (dated 1861), which still exists and carries patent use #1 (see below). This rifle was .577 caliber and retained the Enfield 39” barrels, weighing in at 9 lbs. 2 oz.

Reilly clearly wanted to market the rifle to Arsenal and to other militaries perhaps something which grew out of his experience with the Terry Patent and Prince Patent breech-loaders. In this he was prescient. In early 1864 the Prussians with Austrian allies attacked the Danes over the question of Schleswig. The early performance of the Dreyse needle gun (adopted by the Prussians in 1848 and well known to UK gunmakers) was impressive and panicked Europe’s armies into a frantic search for a similar gun.

By March 1864, while the Scheswig War was still raging, Reilly had the Green Bros Patent breech-loader ready for testing per newspaper advertisements.*50c He began production in late April, early May 1864, The production guns had 24” steel barrels and weighed in at a handy 7 lbs. 4 oz. A series of press articles that spring and summer touted the gun.*50d This happened to be concurrent with the decision by Arsenal to field a request to the UK gun makers to submit an interim breech-loading rifle for testing, to be used by the army until a completely new purpose-built breech-loader could be designed. (The fact that British diplomacy hopelessly bungled the Danish question added force to the recommendations; a combination of Prussia, Austria and France on the continent was more than England could handle).

In the 1865-66 Arsenal trials Reilly’s Green Bros Patent rifle performed well. However, ultimately the Snider action (American) was adopted in 1866. Like the Green Bros rifle the Snider action could be screwed onto an 1853 Enfield barrel and used with the original stock. It was simpler, cheaper and it could use the new “Boxer” cartridge with an integral primer doing away with the percussion cap; The Green Bros rifle could not be adapted to use the metallic cartridge. Nevertheless Reilly continued to advertise the Green Bros Patent and to make the guns as “sole manufacturer” in London up to at least 1868.

From patent use numbers it appears that Reilly made about 350 Green Bros rifles at his shops in London from May 1864 to Jun 1868. The guns, which were built at both 502 New Oxford Street and 315 Oxford Street, may have been made in “batches.” For instance Reilly SN 13326-13333 match patent use #'s #16 - #23; i.e. they were consecutively numbered rifles. SNs 14763-15047 (1867-68) with pat use #’s 177 - 325 would indicate that Reilly made 147 Green Bros rifles out of 300 guns serial numbered during the period September 1867 - February 1868, nearly 50% of his total production.

All extent Reilly Green Bros. rifles with a Reilly serial number were proofed in London. Following are seven existing Reilly-made Green Bros. Patent breech-loading rifles with Reilly serial numbers proofed in London and made by Reilly:

*12002 (original 1861) - E.M. Reilly & Co., (address not mentioned). .577 cal. Rifle; single barrel, Enfield, London proof, breech loader, hammer gun, Green Bros patent; Pat use #1, Reilly manufacture (originally type 3 Enfield) *50e

13326 (spring 1864) - E.M. Reilly & Co., 502, New Oxford Street, London; .577 cal. Rifle; single barrel, London proof, breech loader, hammer gun, Green Bros patent; Pat use #16, Reilly manufacture*50f

13333 (spring 1864)- E.M. Reilly & Co., 502, New Oxford Street, London; .577 cal. Rifle; single barrel, London proof, breech loader, hammer gun, Green Bros patent; Pat use #23, Reilly manufacture*50g

xxxxx (fall 1865?) – E.M. Reilly & Co., New Oxford Street, London. .577 cal. Single barrel rifle, London proof, breech loader, hammer gun, Green Bros patent; Pat use #109, Reilly manufacture (from a Japanese site) *50h

13884 (summer 1865) - E.M. Reilly & Co., Oxford Street, London; .577 single barrel, London proof, breech loader rifle. Green Bros Patent - use #159, Reilly manufacture*50i

14763 (Sept 1867) - E.M. Reilly & Co., Oxford Street, London. .577 cal. Single barrel, London proof, breech-loader rifle. Green Bros Patent - Pat use #177. Reilly manufacture.*50j

15047 (February 1868) - E.M. Reilly & Co., New Oxford Street, London. .577 Rifle. Single barrel, London proof, breech-loader rifle. Green Bros Patent - Pat use #325. Reilly manufacture.*50k

The last Reilly advertisement as “sole manufacturer” for the Green Bros. Patent was in 1868,*50l although in 1869 Reilly was still specifically mentioning Green Bros Patent guns in his advertisements.*50m (Green was replaced by the Reilly-Comblain in the “sole manufacturer” bragging rights category in his ads). Apparently sometime in 1868 Reilly transferred manufacture of Green Bros. rifles to Birmingham (where all his Reilly-Comblain’s were later made). The last Reilly with a Green Bros. patent use number is #3116, date indeterminate. (This number may not represent a chronological progression of the patent use numbers). The reason the rifle remained relevant into the 1870's might be due to the fact it could be used as a muzzle loader as advertised late on; a shooter could use regulation soft cartridges and ball in the gun from either end.

NSN – E.M. Reilly & Co., Oxford Street, London. .577 cal. Single barrel, breech-loader rifle. Green Bros Patent - Pat use #3116. Reilly contract in Birmingham? *50n

There is one known Green Bros rifle with Belgian proofs (no Reilly name)(Royal Armouries).*50o

In addition there are two Green Brothers breech loaders made by other London gun makers which in view of the fact that Reilly was “sole manufacture” of the patent, may have been made by Reilly for the trade. Alternatively in view of the Reilly rifle with pat use #3116 with no serial number, it is possible that Reilly gave-up being “sole manufacturer” in 1868 and subsequent rifles including his own were made in Birmingham:

Xxxxx – Issac Hollis & Sons. .577 cal. Single barrel, proof not mentioned, breech-loader rifle. Green Bros Patent - Pat use #554. Reilly contract in Birmingham?, probably a chronologically accurate pat #.*50p

Xxxxx – Wilkinson, London. .577 cal. Single barrel, Brum proof, breech-loader rifle. Green Bros Patent - Pat use #2858. Reilly contract in Birmingham?*50q

Finally, there is one Green Bros. rifle with no Reilly provenance, made in Birmingham, Pat use #5008, the last pat use # found. The gun is a sad shadow of the guns Reilly had produced with a stock that looks like a fence post and poor fittings and engraving.

Xxxxx – Green Bros Patent Central Fire. .577 cal. Single barrel, Brum proof, breech-loader rifle. Green Bros Patent - Pat use #5008.*50r

Coda: In the late 1860's the Serbian army without a budget searched for a cheap way to modify Enfields available after the American War-Between-The-States to counter the Austrian Empire's upgrading of their rifles. They found they could buy the Green Brothers action cheaply (presumably from Birmingham) and modify the guns themselves. They had major problems with misfires - probably because of the ammunition.


*51 Reilly Builds (Civilian) Snider-Enfields:



Arsenal had been bombarded with proposals to adopt a breech-loading military rifle ever since the adoption of the percussion Enfield rifle in 1853. It was well known that the Prussians were using the Dreyse needle gun (since 1848),*5a but a hide-bound bureaucracy was wedded to the percussion gun. It was thought that breech loaders would only lead to inordinate waste of ammunition by the troops. In early 1864, however, the Dreyse rifle proved its worth on the battlefield*51b in the Schleswig war between the Prussians/Austrians and the Danes.

In July 1864 the British conducted a series of committee meetings on adopting an interim-measure breech-loader. Trials were held that September and ultimately the Snider action was selected.*51c (To repeat the Snider action could be used with the original Enfield barrel and stock and could fire the new Boxer metallic cartridge with integral primer. It was cheap and effective and an easy alteration - although by this time Arsenal realized that it need a higher velocity cartridge).

By fall 1865 Enfield Arsenal had constructed 10 “model guns” for use by gunmakers in making the actions. The Snider was ready for trials in spring 1866 and was formally adopted in September. The cartridges with integral primer redesigned by Col. Boxer were a key component of the new system.*51d

It had its first combat use in Napier’s expedition from India to Ethiopia (Abyssinia) to rescue some European hostages in 1867-1868 where it performed admirably.*51e (Note: Reilly pin-fire shotguns were carried by some on this expedition to supply meat to the troops.*51f)

Hundreds of thousands of percussion Enfields were converted to the Snider action. Arsenal modified only Enfields made 1859 or later. By late 1868 these had all been converted and new-made Snider's began coming out of Enfield and BSA by 1869; they had steel barrels rather than iron, the first in UK army history. The Snider was supplanted in 1874 when the Martini-Henry was adopted. However, it continued in use for 60 years. Sniders were entered in marksmanship contests up to 1920 in Canada and pre-war in Britain.

Reilly did not advertise specifically making or marketing Sniders until March 1867,*51g although it can be safely assumed that he was selling the guns as soon as, if not before, they were formally adopted. This is evident when he supplied a mixture of breech-loaders including a Snider, a Chassepot needle gun, and other breech-loading rifles for a lecture given to a Militia gathering in December 1866.*51h

Reilly converted a lot of percussion Enfields to Snider actions and advertised his ability to do the work.*51i This includes transforming Enfields built by other makers. This makes it difficult to know what were the actual characteristics of a true Reilly-built "new" Snider as opposed to those Enfields he upgraded to a Snider action. Reilly apparently sometimes stamped his own serial number on the guns he modified since he sort of (re)built them, meaning that some Reilly’s, ostensibly serial numbered after the Snider was adopted, were made before 1866 by other makers and have Birmingham proof marks and other non-Reilly characteristics:

. . . . .SN 16036 (1868) - E.M. Reilly & Co., New Oxford Street, London. .577 original Hollis-made Enfield converted to a Snider breech-loading rifle, sporterized, by Reilly; The Reilly SN is stamped on the trigger guard tang and on the barrel. However, there is a faint stamp “Isaac Hollis & Co” (or Sons) on the barrel which has been over-stamped with “E.M.R. 16036.”*51j

However, Reilly also made and serial numbered “new” Sniders in and of themselves, a number of which are extant including large bore big-game rifles. These were civilian guns made before Arsenal began turning them out for the military; Reilly was not given a part of Arsenal contact to make military Sniders. Believe Reilly’s first extant specifically built civilian Snider is SN 15021 (early 1868). The last known (existing) Snider constructed by Reilly is a massive 8 bore big game rifle SN 18514 (1873).

How these Reilly-built Sniders are marked is not clear:

-- Most Reilly rifles have “Snider” stamped on the guns somewhere,*51k sometimes along with other patents (such as Newmarks). All seem to have the "arrow Snider Patent"; Some have the "arrow with GR" stamp which is allegedly "crown property proofed" perhaps meaning the bolt and action were obtained from arsenal. None have the "broad arrow W.D" (War Department) stamps indicating military Sniders.

-- It is not clear to whom of even if Reilly paid royalties for use of the Snider Patent or how much these were. There are no patent use #'s on Snider rifles. Jacob Snider had died before receiving a penny of compensation for his invention. So presumably the "Snider Patent" arrow stamps were pro-forma abiding to the original patent but with no obligations.

-- Nor is it clear where stamps are to be found or what stamps were required. Reilly Snider barrels have London proofs but there are exceptions as mentioned above. They vary from gun to gun (or they are not included in current day auction advertisements).

Note: Government Sniders allegedly were the first UK military gun serial numbered. SN stamps are found on the bolt, barrel, sight, and lever but are often not the same numbers or are simply missing. (These questions will be left for the thousands of Snider action enthusiasts to correct or solve).*51l

Following are a few significant (time-wise) Reilly-Sniders from a historical stand-point: