The start of the percussion era

[Dietle]

I wanted to better-understand the beginning of the percussion era, so I did some research and posted it on my website. I probably should have titled it, "More than anyone ever wanted to know about the beginning of the percussion era". Here's the link: https://korns.org/gunsmiths/percussion-era-342023/percussion-era-342023.html

[Bill Paton]

Thank you, Dietle, for the fine research on this important topic. You have accumulated a notable array of primary source information documenting and furthering our understanding.
 
A corroborating bit of information comes from the journals of John James Audubon. We know him best as the superb artist of birds.  Additionally, to collect his specimens, he was also a proficient and prolific shooter of birds (a fact not often touted by members of the Audubon Society)! He traveled widely and knew guns very well. In 1821 while staying in New Orleans (then a commercial center of the world), he encountered his first percussion gun seeing it demonstrated by its owner. He mentions the owner putting a cap on the rifle and immersing the lock under water before discharging it. Certainly the percussion cap ignition system was in America in 1821 and was not yet in widespread use.

Thanks for sharing your excellent research.

Bill Paton

[Feltwad]

The  start of the , percussion system is credited to Forsyth with his scent bottle lock  also Joseph Manton with his tubelock ,but the first gun maker to use a percussion cap was James Rowntree  of Barnard  Castle Co Durham England this was for Joshua Shaw  a landscape painter who approached Rowntree  to build a gun with his patent  when he came to Barnard Castle to paint landscapes. Rowntree caps were made of  iron and shaped like a top hat he also  made a spring loaded device that held the top hat cap on the nipple  This was prior to 1817 because Shaw  emigrated to America aboard the ship Electra  in 1817 ,in 1821-22 Rowntree sold the patent of his percussion cap to Egg who changed it from iron to a copper cap which he patented .
Feltwad

[Avlrc]

Excellent!

[AZshot]

Excellent write up.  Thanks.

[Daryl]

Cool stuff, Feltwad. sure puts a different perspective on the usual 1820 year of invention.
I suspect the pill lock preceded the tube lock - but likely VERY close.

[smylee grouch]

Thank you Feltwad and Bill for the information and also thanks to the original poster for getting the ball rolling. I remember reading about this before, May be in Greeners book but it's an important topic to air out.

[Feltwad]

Several gun makers in the North-east soon  began using their  own example of the percussion cap one of these  was John Gardner  Of Newcastle -Upon-Tyne  in 1820-23 he built a percussion cap gun to his own  design based on his flintlock principles .John Gardner was a top gunmaker, his apprentice's were William Greener  father of W.W.Greener and Richard Burnand.
Feltwad

Gardner  Patent

[Prairie dog shooter]

Excellent.  Thanks for sharing that.

[Daryl]

In 1858, W. Greener wrote" The Gun and it's Development". WW Greener wrote the 9th edition, the one I have.

[gguimarais]

Hello,

I apologize if I might be hijacking this thread somewhat, but I was hoping Feltwad or someone else knew anything about Peter Small who was Richard Burnand's apprentice?

I just bought one of his SxSs and I've piece together his apprenticeship to R. Burnand, but that is as far as I've been able to go.

The process of figuring out Peter Small's relationship to Mr. Burn

Thanks,

Greg

[Feltwad]

Peter  Small  is more associated to the breech loading have  seen  a few .The workmanship is first class  and resembles the  work of Barnand  and Gardiner
Feltwad

[Feltwad]

James Rowntree trade label of that period he was skilled provincial gun maker and also made  self priming flintlock shotguns rifles and pistols
Feltwad

Trade Label

[gguimarais]

Thank you Feltwad!

I don't know if you know offhand, but was curious about the time period of his career.

(Discussion of breech-loading gun removed by Moderator.)

Regardless, I really appreciate your help thus far.

Regards,

Greg

[Feltwad]

Greg

Discussion of breech loaders is not allowed on these forums  So I will  forward a message when I have time to go through my Records
Feltwad

[DaveM]

Dietle, very interesting summary. Thanks for posting!