In the crucible of 19th-century warfare, one innovation changed everything—not a new kind of cannon, nor a radical new rifle, but a deceptively simple piece of lead with a hollow base. The Minié ball, named for French Army Captain Claude-Étienne Minié, turned the rifled musket from a specialist’s tool into the dominant infantry weapon of...
Category: Black Powder
The Morse Carbine: America’s First Metallic Cartridge Military Arm
The Morse Carbine stands as one of the most remarkable yet overlooked innovations of the American Civil War. Developed in the crucible of national conflict, this unique breechloading firearm marked a bold leap forward in military arms—embracing the concept of metallic cartridges years before it became standard. While it never reached widespread deployment, the Morse...
Uncovering the CC & Minié-Cordier Percussion Rifle: History of a Forgotten Training Gun
The Minié-Cordier percussion rifle is a rare and distinctive firearm from the mid-19th century, believed to have been designed for training purposes. Attributed to Claude-Étienne Minié and manufactured by Cordier & Cie of Paris, this rifle showcases innovative features aimed at enhancing safety and efficiency in military instruction. Born on February 13, 1804, in Paris,...
The M1867 Werndl-Holub Rifle: A Rifle Ahead of Its Time
The Werndl-Holub M1867 Rifle: Austria-Hungary’s Bold Leap into the Breech-Loading Era When the smoke of the mid-19th century battlefield began to clear, and the echoes of percussion-capped volleys faded into history, military minds across Europe faced a new imperative: modernization. The age of muzzle-loading muskets was over. In its place emerged the metallic cartridge, the...