Aaron Newcomer -
  • Ammunition Articles
  • Gun Articles
  • Books and Documents Articles
  • Pinfire Ammo for Sale
  • Pinfire Guns for Sale
  • fr_FRFrançais
Items (0)
$0
Aaron Newcomer -
  • Ammunition Articles
  • Gun Articles
  • Books and Documents Articles
  • Pinfire Ammo for Sale
  • Pinfire Guns for Sale
Ammunition Articles
Gun Articles
Books and Documents Articles
Pinfire Ammo for Sale
Pinfire Guns for Sale

Articles about Ammunition

Explore a range of articles dedicated to historical and rare ammunition, delving into their fascinating backgrounds, development, and impact on firearm technology. Learn about various cartridge types, such as pinfire, cupfire, Robert, Perrin and other early ammunition systems that played pivotal roles in the evolution of modern firearms.

Ammunition

The Birth of British Pinfire: Eley’s Entry into Breechloading Cartridges

January 4, 2025 by Aaron Newcomer 3 Comments

Throughout the 1850s, a steadfast devotion to muzzleloading guns defined the British shooting world. Many sportsmen took pride in ramrods, paper wads, and the careful loading rituals they had practiced for generations, viewing the breechloader as a fleeting Continental curiosity. Lefaucheux’s pinfire system was especially scorned, with skeptics deriding it as “the French crutch gun.” Although some recognized the advantages of quicker reloading and the avoidance of stray powder spills, the idea of turning British sporting traditions upside down for a new invention provoked as much suspicion as enthusiasm.

Even so, a few forward-thinking gunmakers in Britain were quietly adopting breechloaders, banking on improved reliability and the promise of faster shooting. The real question became whether homegrown British ammunition could match or surpass the performance of the established French pinfire cartridges, which were already circulating among sportsmen who had traveled abroad. It was in this swirl of debate and apprehension that Eley Brothers stepped forward with their own venture into breechloading cartridges.

Continue reading
Reading time: 13 min
Ammunition

Eugène Pertuiset and His Revolutionary Explosive Ammunition: A Tale of Innovation in the Age of Black Powder

December 8, 2024 by Aaron Newcomer 1 Comment
15mm Pinfire Revolver with 15mm and 12mm Pertuiset explosive pinfire cartridges
15mm Pinfire Revolver with 15mm and 12mm Pertuiset explosive pinfire cartridges[24]

In the gunsmoke-filled world of 1860s Paris, as firearms technology was experiencing a revolution with the widespread adoption of breechloading weapons and self-contained cartridges, a determined inventor named Eugène Pertuiset was about to make his mark on history. The French capital was then the epicenter of firearms innovation – where revolutionary designs like the Lefaucheux pinfire system and the new Chassepot military rifle were transforming the possibilities of what guns could achieve. It was in this atmosphere of rapid technological change that Pertuiset would develop one of the most innovative – and controversial – ammunition advances of the 19th century.

Continue reading
Reading time: 20 min
Ammunition, Documents

The Curious Case of the Cartridge Machines: A 19th Century Patent Puzzle

April 24, 2024 by Aaron Newcomer 2 Comments

In the late 1800s, a legal battle erupted between two ammunition giants, the Union Metallic Cartridge Company and the United States Cartridge Company, over the technology used to manufacture cartridge shells. The case, which wound its way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, offers a revealing glimpse into the early American patent system and the fierce competition in the rapidly industrializing arms industry.

At the heart of the dispute was a patent granted to Ethan Allen in 1860 (reissued in 1865) for a machine that could form the hollow rim of a cartridge shell in a single stroke, a significant improvement over prior methods that required multiple spinning operations. The Union Metallic Cartridge Company, having acquired rights to Allen’s patent, sued the United States Cartridge Company for infringement.

These cartridges, with their distinctive recessed rims, were the key product Allen’s machine was designed to produce efficiently. Forming this critical feature in one step was a major breakthrough.

Continue reading
Reading time: 3 min
Ammunition, Guns, United States

Charles Edward Sneider and an American Pinfire Shotgun

February 24, 2024 by Aaron Newcomer 5 Comments

In the tapestry of American firearms history, few threads are as colorful and as intertwined with the fabric of innovation as the story of Charles Edward Sneider and his journey with the pinfire system. This article ventures into the heart of 19th-century America, a time of rapid technological advancement and societal change, to explore the pivotal role played by Sneider, a Baltimore-based gun maker of remarkable skill and vision. Through the lens of Sneider’s life and legacy, we delve into the symbiotic relationship between the burgeoning United States and the innovative pinfire system, uncovering the profound impact of his work on the course of firearms development.

Continue reading
Reading time: 11 min
Ammunition

Braun & Bloem: Trailblazers in the World of Ammunition Manufacturing

July 9, 2023 by Aaron Newcomer 5 Comments
Braun & Bloem Cartridge Boxes

The Beginnings of Gustav Bloem

Portrait of Gustav Bloem

In the heart of Rhenish Prussia in the city of Wesel, Gustav Bloem was born on March 18, 1821. From an early age, Gustav had a knack for industry and mass production, working at a button factory in Lüdenscheid. It was here where he first fell in love with the world of machinery and developed an interest in explosives.

By 1848, Bloem had taken a daring step into the world of ammunition. With the help of his chemist friend Friedrich Nebe, he opened a small primer factory in Derendorf. However, Bloem’s dreams seemed to shatter just nine months later when an explosion leveled his factory. Despite this, he was far from giving up.

Braun & Bloem Percussion Caps Box
Continue reading
Reading time: 2 min
Ammunition

From Paris to Buenos Aires: The Hardware Trading Company of François and Jean Dellazoppa

January 13, 2023 by Aaron Newcomer 4 Comments
Dellazoppa Delivery Vehicle

Dellazoppa Frères was a hardware trading company that was founded in Paris, France in 1871 by François and Jean Dellazoppa. The company operated in Paris, Buenos Aires, and Brussels during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and produced a range of hardware and related products including metallic ammunition such as pinfire cartridges.

Continue reading
Reading time: 3 min
Ammunition, Documents

The Gun Wad Bible: The Third Edition of Christopher Saur’s Hausbieble and its Role in the Revolutionary War

December 11, 2022 by Aaron Newcomer 3 Comments

The Hausbieble, also known as the “House Bible,” was a collection of three German-language Bibles printed in America by the Saur family in the 1740s-1770s. As the first European-language Bibles to be printed in America, the Hausbieble was important in helping German immigrants preserve their cultural heritage in the New World. Additionally, it played a role in the American Revolutionary War, as British soldiers used its pages to make paper cartridges.

Christopher Saur's Printshop Occupied by British Soldiers - Original AI-assisted Artwork by Aaron Newcomer
Christopher Saur’s Printshop Occupied by British Soldiers – Original AI-assisted Artwork by Aaron Newcomer
Continue reading
Reading time: 6 min
Ammunition, Guns

What Is the Pinfire System? A Look at Its Invention and Impact

December 2, 2022 by Aaron Newcomer 2 Comments

The pinfire system marked a turning point in firearms technology, enhancing safety and reliability. But what is the pinfire system, and why was it invented? Let’s explore its origins and historical significance.

Pinfire guns and Cartridges

What Is the Pinfire System?

The pinfire system, invented by French gunsmith Casimir Lefaucheux in the early 19th century, introduced a new type of cartridge and firing mechanism for firearms. Distinctively, this system used a small pin protruding from the side of the cartridge. When the firearm’s hammer struck the pin, it ignited the gunpowder, firing the bullet. This innovative approach was a marked improvement over previous firearms, which relied on loose gunpowder and separate ignition devices such as flintlocks or percussion caps.

Lefaucheux, a well-respected inventor in firearms technology, made several key contributions to the field, with the pinfire system being one of his most notable. After patenting the system in France in 1835, it quickly gained popularity and adoption by gun manufacturers globally.

Continue reading
Reading time: 4 min
Ammunition

Schleber’s Long-Range, Thread-Wound Shot Cartridge Cases

November 13, 2022 by Aaron Newcomer 2 Comments
Schleber's Long-Range, Thread-Wound Shot Cartridge Cases

H. H. Schleber & Co of Rochester, New York was a manufacturer of thread-wound shot concentrators that would allow hunters to shoot ducks, geese, turkeys, foxes and other animals that were difficult to get close to, from further away.

There were many shot concentrator patents around the world and they all aimed to keep the loose shot, fired from a shotgun, together longer before it started spreading out. Modern guns and even some guns during this time period, use a method called choke-boring that tapers down the muzzle-end of the barrel to achieve similar results.

Schleber’s patented, thread-wound shot cartridges were designed to hold lead shot inside two tin half cylinders that were held together by thread that would unwind in flight after it was fired. After the thread completely unwound it would release the shot. They were wrapped with varying length of thread that corresponded to how many yards away the target was that you wanted to shoot. Some early reviews of the system noted that the hunter would need to be good at judging the distance needed in order to correctly choose the right cartridge; especially since at closer distances it would be a large solid projectile until it fully unwound.

Scientific American - 5 April 1879
Scientific American – 5 April 1879
Continue reading
Reading time: 5 min
Ammunition

Henri Barthe & The Lark Mirror; with a Taste of Ortolan Bunting

October 30, 2022 by Aaron Newcomer 4 Comments
L’ALOUETTE CHASSÉE AU MIROIR
Manufacture française d’armes et cycles de Saint-Etienne 1905 Catalog

A lark mirror, known in French as le miroir à alouettes, was a tool to help hunters entice small songbirds to their location so they could be harvested.

Dictionnaire François by Pierre Richelet
Dictionnaire François by Pierre Richelet
Dictionnaire François by Pierre Richelet

In 1680, an early French dictionary referred to these mirrors for catching larks and ortolans. It defined them as:

A piece of wood carved into an arch where there are several notches which small mirrors are glued & which is supported by a peg in the middle of which there is a hole to put a string in order to make this mirror turn, that is driven into the ground between two sheets to catch ortolans & mainly larks.

Lark and Ortolan
Lark and Ortolan

Ortolan Bunting

These small songbirds were considered to be a delicacy and were cooked and eaten whole, in one large bite; head, bones and all. Ortolans were the most coveted and eating them has been represented in paintings and media over the centuries as a gluttonous, almost shameful act. Modern, French preparation of this delicacy would make the use of ortolans that were captured alive and blinded or kept in dark cages where they were force fed until they were twice their normal size. They were then drowned and roasted in Armagnac, a type of Brandy from the Armagnac region in southwest France.

Continue reading
Reading time: 5 min
Ammunition, Documents

A 19th Century Color Lithograph of a Hunting Scene Advertising Eley’s Sporting Ammunition

August 7, 2022 by Aaron Newcomer 2 Comments
A 19th Century Color Lithograph of a Hunting Scene Advertising Eley's Sporting Ammunition

I have not come across many advertising posters like this that mention pinfire cartridges so I jumped at the chance to buy this one when it came up for auction. This early color lithograph was printed between 1885 and 1889 and was likely provided to various gunmakers and ironmongers who sold Eley cartridges to the public.

It would have functioned as both an in-store advertisement as well as a quick reference guide to the various types of cartridges and accessories that Eley manufactured, as shown when turning it over.

Continue reading
Reading time: 2 min
Ammunition, Lefaucheux

Loading and Reloading Pinfire Shotshells; and an Original Patent Manuscript by Casimir Lefaucheux

July 30, 2022 by Aaron Newcomer 2 Comments
Casimir Lefaucheux Patent Manuscript

Here is a patent manuscript by Casimir Lefaucheux. It is French patent number 8955 from 1850. It describes a reusable pinfire shotshell that has a base that unscrews to allow easy reloading. It also pictures a tool to extract the shell from the gun and unscrew it.

By 1850, pinfire shotshells had been on the market for 15 years and people were familiar with these new breech-loading guns. But they were still more expensive than buying a percussion cap and powder used by a muzzle-loading, percussion gun. Shotshells that were able to be reloaded was one solution to this issue. And many manufacturers made metallic shotshells that could be reloaded many times.

Metallic Pinfire Shotshells
Metal Pinfire Shotshells from Author’s Collection
Continue reading
Reading time: 6 min
Ammunition

Pinfire Fireworks Cartridges

July 3, 2022 by Aaron Newcomer 1 Comment
Pinfire Fireworks Cartridges

Here is a selection of pinfire cartridges that were loaded with a fireworks charge. These pinfire fireworks cartridges allowed anyone with a pinfire shotgun, pistol, rifle or cane gun to shoot fireworks into the air.

SFM Catalog Showing Pinfire Fireworks Cartridges
Continue reading
Reading time: 1 min
Ammunition, United States

American-made, reloadable, patented, pinfire shotshell by William H. Smith of Charlestown, Massachusetts

April 20, 2022 by Aaron Newcomer 4 Comments

This is one of the very few American-made pinfire shotshells. It was patented on 8 February 1870 by William H. Smith of Charlestown, Massachusetts.

The main idea for his improvement was around the safety issues of loading a shotshell that was already primed. He designed the system to allow it to be loaded ahead of time and then primed later when one was ready to use it.

Continue reading
Reading time: 2 min
Ammunition, Documents

W. & C. Eley, Eley Bros, and Eley Brothers Limited Advertising Sheets

March 22, 2022 by Aaron Newcomer No Comments

W. & C. Eley

Born into a family of silversmiths and cartridge manufacturers, William Thomas Eley and Charles Eley took over their father’s business upon his death in 1841 and founded W. & C. Eley. They continued making percussion caps and their patented wire cartridges which the company had become well known for.

W. & C. Eley Advertising Sheet from the collection of Aaron Newcomer
Continue reading
Reading time: 4 min
Page 1 of 3123»

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Language

  • fr_FRFrançais
  • en_USEnglish

About me

Hello, my name is Aaron Newcomer. I am a collector and researcher of early 19th century breech-loading firearms systems, with a particular focus on the work of Jean Samuel Pauly and Casimir Lefaucheux. I collect cartridges and documents related to these types of firearms and conduct research on these topics, furthering my understanding and knowledge of these historical firearms and their place in the evolution of firearms technology. My collection and research reflect my dedication to preserving and understanding the history and technical innovations of these early firearms systems.

Read more about me and where my work has been published.

Site Sections

  • Ammunition Articles
  • Gun Articles
  • Books and Documents Articles
  • Pinfire Ammo for Sale
  • Pinfire Guns for Sale

Featured Articles

Italian Military Pinfire Cartridges and Revolvers

Italian Military Pinfire Cartridges and Revolvers

Hundreds of Gévelot pinfire cartridges excavated at Civil War site in Rolla, Missouri

Hundreds of Gévelot pinfire cartridges excavated at Civil War site in Rolla, Missouri

Casimir Lefaucheux’s first pistol and the death of Pauly’s Cartridge System

Casimir Lefaucheux’s first pistol and the death of Pauly’s Cartridge System

The Relationship Between the United States and Pinfire Cartridges

The Relationship Between the United States and Pinfire Cartridges

August G. Genez – A Practical Gunmaker

August G. Genez – A Practical Gunmaker

Search

Recent Posts

  • From Collector to Founder: How My Passion for Historical Documents Led to an AI Startup
  • The Birth of British Pinfire: Eley’s Entry into Breechloading Cartridges
  • Eugène Pertuiset and His Revolutionary Explosive Ammunition: A Tale of Innovation in the Age of Black Powder
  • John Krider: Philadelphia’s Renowned Gunsmith and Innovator
  • The Curious Case of the Cartridge Machines: A 19th Century Patent Puzzle

Information

  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Shipping & Delivery Policy
  • Refund and Returns Policy
  • Contact Us

Social

  • Mastodon
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • CasimirLefaucheux.com

Recent Posts

From Collector to Founder: How My Passion for Historical Documents Led to an AI Startup

From Collector to Founder: How My Passion for Historical Documents Led to an AI Startup

March 14, 2025
The Birth of British Pinfire: Eley’s Entry into Breechloading Cartridges

The Birth of British Pinfire: Eley’s Entry into Breechloading Cartridges

January 4, 2025

Categories

  • Ammunition
  • Documents
  • Editor's choice
  • Guns
  • Le Musée Lefaucheux
  • Lefaucheux
  • Technology
  • United States

© 2010 - 2022 All rights reserved. AaronNewcomer.com