pietro
08-10-2012, 05:08 PM
Patented Nov 17, 1857 - Greene's .53 cal breech-loading rifle.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QOQu0OBwvUE/UB61FdSdGAI/AAAAAAAAA3A/idDgM0zpSdI/s640/Greene+left+full+view.JPG
The rifles were an underhammer design and had an unusual oval-shaped bore, & was the brainchild of U.S. Army Lt. Col. J. Durrell Greene.
Greene purchased the machinery for producing his oval-bored barrels from Charles Lancaster of London, England - Production begining in 1859 and on through the early 1860s.
Greene’s rifles were manufactured by A. H. Waters of Millbury, Massachusetts with approximately 1,500 Greene Rifles being produced for sale in the United States. An additional 3,000 were made for the Russian government.
Although the Greene was the first U.S. military bolt-action rifle, only 900 were actually purchased by the U.S. Army - But purchased they were, and having had actual use in the war that gives the Greene the distinction of being the very first U.S. military bolt action rifle, according to the NRA Firearms Museum, www.NRAmuseum.com.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9mTtm8BPUUs/UB61iZ0LqOI/AAAAAAAAA3Y/stjmivhAeTY/s640/Greene+top+view+bolt+open.JPG
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PI9CtmLioqs/UB61qMmDoWI/AAAAAAAAA3g/Ek7xdc55QRA/s640/Greene+Hammer-Nipple.JPG
The Greene system required loading two bullets per shot.
One of the bullets served as a projectile and one served as a gas seal.
In the initial loading sequence, a bullet was inserted into the chamber, followed by a powder charge, then a second bullet was inserted behind the powder charge.
The powder charge was most likely contained in a combustible nitrated-paper cartridge.
The first bullet left the muzzle when the rifle was discharged, while the second remained in the breech to prevent propellant gasses from escaping past the bolt, thus sealing the chamber and breech.
When the rifle was re-loaded, the former rear bullet was pushed forward into the bore, followed by another powder charge and a new "gas seal" bullet.
The process would be continually repeated.
Thus, each bullet saw dual use - both as a breech gas seal, and as the projectile of the subsequent shot.
Pretty cool, IMHO.
.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QOQu0OBwvUE/UB61FdSdGAI/AAAAAAAAA3A/idDgM0zpSdI/s640/Greene+left+full+view.JPG
The rifles were an underhammer design and had an unusual oval-shaped bore, & was the brainchild of U.S. Army Lt. Col. J. Durrell Greene.
Greene purchased the machinery for producing his oval-bored barrels from Charles Lancaster of London, England - Production begining in 1859 and on through the early 1860s.
Greene’s rifles were manufactured by A. H. Waters of Millbury, Massachusetts with approximately 1,500 Greene Rifles being produced for sale in the United States. An additional 3,000 were made for the Russian government.
Although the Greene was the first U.S. military bolt-action rifle, only 900 were actually purchased by the U.S. Army - But purchased they were, and having had actual use in the war that gives the Greene the distinction of being the very first U.S. military bolt action rifle, according to the NRA Firearms Museum, www.NRAmuseum.com.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9mTtm8BPUUs/UB61iZ0LqOI/AAAAAAAAA3Y/stjmivhAeTY/s640/Greene+top+view+bolt+open.JPG
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PI9CtmLioqs/UB61qMmDoWI/AAAAAAAAA3g/Ek7xdc55QRA/s640/Greene+Hammer-Nipple.JPG
The Greene system required loading two bullets per shot.
One of the bullets served as a projectile and one served as a gas seal.
In the initial loading sequence, a bullet was inserted into the chamber, followed by a powder charge, then a second bullet was inserted behind the powder charge.
The powder charge was most likely contained in a combustible nitrated-paper cartridge.
The first bullet left the muzzle when the rifle was discharged, while the second remained in the breech to prevent propellant gasses from escaping past the bolt, thus sealing the chamber and breech.
When the rifle was re-loaded, the former rear bullet was pushed forward into the bore, followed by another powder charge and a new "gas seal" bullet.
The process would be continually repeated.
Thus, each bullet saw dual use - both as a breech gas seal, and as the projectile of the subsequent shot.
Pretty cool, IMHO.
.