.455_Hunter
Member
For fall semester in AP US History during my junior year in HS, I did my research paper on the vast technological variations in fielded carbine design, and how it really was no match for any other four year period in small arms history. Pretty much every different way you could make a controlled opening into a breech was developed and manufactured: lever operated, flipping covers, dropping blocks, rolling blocks- they are all represented, EXCEPT one...
The break-open style used for over 100 years of single-shot shotguns, and typified by my H&R .45 Colt Classic Carbine.
Maybe it's just the benefit of engineering hindsight, but it sure seems like somebody would figured out that style of system. It would have worked great chambered in a Civil War caliber- like .56-50 or .44 Henry, or in a paper cartridge variant with some gas seal features (at least not any worse with regards to gas seal than many other types).
Thoughts?
The break-open style used for over 100 years of single-shot shotguns, and typified by my H&R .45 Colt Classic Carbine.
Maybe it's just the benefit of engineering hindsight, but it sure seems like somebody would figured out that style of system. It would have worked great chambered in a Civil War caliber- like .56-50 or .44 Henry, or in a paper cartridge variant with some gas seal features (at least not any worse with regards to gas seal than many other types).
Thoughts?