8 shots a minute

[Akblackdawg]

Frontier is the name of a mini series in Netflix I’ve been watching. Setting is Hudson Bay during late 1700’s. They discussed a rifle that had capability of firing off 8 shots per minute. Any weapon shown was flintlock. Was there any thing capable of 8 shots per minute in that time

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

Frontier is the name of a mini series in Netflix I’ve been watching. Setting is Hudson Bay during late 1700’s. They discussed a rifle that had capability of firing off 8 shots per minute. Any weapon shown was flintlock. Was there any thing capable of 8 shots per minute in that time

I had heard that a soldier was trained to shoot 15 shots in 3.75 minutes. That is 4 per min, and never heard of 8. My knowledge is very limited, see what other tell ya. Don't try speed shooting, it is not safe! Soldiers did it because it was war.
Larry

 

[APG]

I believe they were talking about a type of breach loader

 

[APG]

Ferguson breach loader.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

This is the rifle.
Depending on the storyline, it's unlikely that the folks in the TV series would've known about the rifle. BUT the series sucked, when it had great potential.
Ferguson Rifle

LD

 

[ord sgt]

I saw this rifle at the Museum of the West in Cody, Wyoming. Eight shots from a flintlock was possible. Look closely at the rifle in the centre of the picture.

 

[dave951]

I think a trained person with a Ferguson might be able to. In the Civil War, 3 shots per minute was the standard. I can crack 4 sometimes and that's without careful aiming.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

View attachment 104002
I saw this rifle at the Museum of the West in Cody, Wyoming. Eight shots from a flintlock was possible. Look closely at the rifle in the centre of the picture.

AH but I think that design is post 1800, as is the Hall breechloading flintlock, and so was not yet invented for the characters in the TV show...

LD

 

[Grenadier1758]

Not only is that flintlock with the multiple pans an interesting theoretical device, the gas blow back probably gave rise to the term chain fire in practice.

 

[smo]

This Guy can fire 14 shots in under a minute…

 

[OhioHawkeye]

Our qualification test is 6 in a paper plate.
But I'm fairly certain they are talking about a Ferguson like others mentioned.
A friend has a Ferg. I can keep up the rate of fire using unpatched ball and powder . He would be faster but for the many screw turns to open n close the breech

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
I am sure it was a Ferguson. There were quite a few civilian versions made including for the East India and Hudson's Bay companies. Eight shots is a stretch but Patrick Ferguson demonstrated 6-7 aimed shots before King George in 1776. The Ferguson has a fatal flaw in that the stock was very weak at the breech where so much wood was removed for the screw breech and lock. Quite a few surviving examples are broken at the breech. It was no "wonder weapon" . I built and shoot one quite often.

There were other breech loading mechanisms tried at the time including "tip up" styles so it could be another mechanism but I suspect they were describing a Ferguson breech loader.

dave

 

[BS]

https://rjrenner.blogspot.com/p/tapered-paper-cartridges.html
Should be able to do the same with a flintlock.

 

[toot]

Hi,
I am sure it was a Ferguson. There were quite a few civilian versions made including for the East India and Hudson's Bay companies. Eight shots is a stretch but Patrick Ferguson demonstrated 6-7 aimed shots before King George in 1776. The Ferguson has a fatal flaw in that the stock was very weak at the breech where so much wood was removed for the screw breech and lock. Quite a few surviving examples are broken at the breech. It was no "wonder weapon" . I built and shoot one quite often.

There were other breech loading mechanisms tried at the time including "tip up" styles so it could be another mechanism but I suspect they were describing a Ferguson breech loader.

dave

I don;t think that you could un screw and screw it up at 8 shots per minute? jmho.

 

[Nameless Hunter]

Roughly 7 seconds per shot, total time. If it takes 1 second to raise, aim, and fire after loading, that's 6 seconds per shot. 6 seconds to rotate the Ferguson handle, load a ball, add powder behind the ball (add more time if you use a measure), and then rotate the handle back up to close the breech. I hazard that 8 shots per minute is pure Hollywood.

 

[Col. Batguano]

A Lorenzoni lever action flint lock could do it.

 

[Rawhide67]

I loved that series. Too bad something didn't work out with Jason Momoa. Would like to see another season.

 

[springfield art]

I had heard that a soldier was trained to shoot 15 shots in 3.75 minutes. That is 4 per min, and never heard of 8. My knowledge is very limited, see what other tell ya. Don't try speed shooting, it is not safe! Soldiers did it because it was war.
Larry

Know what, most of those "speed" loadings are exceptions rather that reality. One's arms tire, the musket gets hot and dirty, etc. I see on you tube some guy gets off 4 shots with a Bess in one minute, but it's blanks, he's are pre-set up, and it's not under battle conditions. I'm just not believing it. Sure, there's always some guy who can train to pull a wagon with his teeth, but it's a side-show rarity. Even if you could do these super-human 'tricks', it would be impossible to keep it up for more that one minute. You're right about the safety issue!

 

[Robin Henderson]

That would likely rub blisters on your ram rod...

 

[springfield art]

Hi,
I am sure it was a Ferguson. There were quite a few civilian versions made including for the East India and Hudson's Bay companies. Eight shots is a stretch but Patrick Ferguson demonstrated 6-7 aimed shots before King George in 1776. The Ferguson has a fatal flaw in that the stock was very weak at the breech where so much wood was removed for the screw breech and lock. Quite a few surviving examples are broken at the breech. It was no "wonder weapon" . I built and shoot one quite often.

There were other breech loading mechanisms tried at the time including "tip up" styles so it could be another mechanism but I suspect they were describing a Ferguson breech loader.

dave

The reason these were not successful was because almost from the 1st shot, the threads gum up with burnt powder gunk. Clever idea, but not practical in the real world. Guy was thinkin', though!