Carbines and rifles

Here is a collection of transient era rifles and carbines – a farewell to muzzleloaders. This relatively short time of maximum 50 years was full of invention in pursuit for better performance of blackpowder rifle, ease of handling even for horsesoldier, better reliability and rate of fire.

The era overlaps with flintlock times from one side and rimfire and blackpowder central percussion from the other. For some time it coexisted with needlerifle (Dreyse and Chassepot) and rimfire.

One detail is common for constructions presented here – they are not muzzleloaders and they all use percussion cup for ignition.