Early cartridge drillings

[osekerschan]

The earliest breech loading drillings I know of were made by W.H. Baker in Lisle NY in 1875. By 1880 Baker had joined with L.C. Smith and they were producing "three barreled guns" in Syracuse NY. The question is when and where and by whom were the first European drillings made?

[ellenbr]

Chase Anton Vincenz Lebeda

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

[osekerschan]

Thanks Raimey, but I did not find any direct reference to him building a drilling. The question I am asking is really was the cartridge drilling an innovation by our American inventors that was perfected by Teutonic craftsmen?

[ellenbr]

No, the cartridge originated with the French & either the Bohemians or the Germans brought it forward by coupling it with their percussion multi-tube sporting weapons. My guess is the Bohemian mechanics & I'd say Jozsef Kirner or Anton Vincenz Lebeda who at the very least crafted percussion vierling sporting weapons for his affluent clientele'


Anton Vincenz Lebeda - Percussion Vierling.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

[ellenbr]

The American mechanics were either Bohemian or German immigrants that either brought the technology with them or imported it.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

[ellenbr]

Like I said, chase Anton Vincenz Lebeda or his contemporaries.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

[ellenbr]

The following link, even though only a lowly double, you see Anton Vincenz Lebeda begin to incorporate the innovations of Casimir Lefaucheux:

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/19794/lot/192/

I can lift the images if need be. Now there were some neat offerings in Herzburg, etc. but the Bohemians were turning out wares that rivaled anything the mechanics on the Little British Isles could turn out.

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

[ellenbr]

A little more on his clients:

"Anton Vincent Lebeda was among the leading gunmakers of his day and was appointed Hofbüchsenmacher in 1852. He is recorded as having made twelve guns, six double rifles and three single rifles for the Emperor Franz Josef I and is the maker of the exceptional cased pair of royal percussion target pistols (probably his masterpiece) sold at Christie's London, Antique Arms And Armour, 29 October 1986, lot 157"

"Anton Vincent Lebeda (1797-1857) is active for a short period of time in Germany and in Wien by Contriner, then, in 1821, he takes over the Matthias Branejs' company and becomes a Master only one year later; in 1828 he is granted a patent for his famous box-lock system; around the middle of the century, he's appointed «court armorer» by Emperor Francis Joseph I"

And he did source components from the German mechanics: "GEBOHRTES ROHR VON GUSS - STAHL"

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse