Breechloading and Revolving Rifles

Medium: Steel engraving

Artist: C. J. Muckersie

Engraver: J. Rapkin

Dated: 1863

Image Dimensions: 8" x 12" (22.1cm x 30.48cm)

Price: £75.00

This mid-19th-century technical engraving documents a transformative period in military and sporting firearms technology. The detailed plate originates from The Book of Field Sports, edited by Henry Downes Miles and published in London around 1860-1863. Drawn by artist C. J. Mackersie and meticulously executed by master engraver J. Rapkin, this work captures the engineering transition from traditional muzzle-loaders to advanced repeating and breech-loading mechanics.

The composition highlights several mid-Victorian technological innovations. It displays clear operational diagrams of Needham’s patent breech-loading needle gun and service rifle in both open and closed positions. Centered prominently is the Colt’s Revolving Rifle, a groundbreaking design by Samuel Colt, alongside a Colt revolver configured with a detachable carbine stock. The page also documents competing European innovations, featuring the Deane Harding Revolver, Hanson’s Rifle, and Terry & Calisher’s breech-loading rifle—the latter famously used by cavalry forces during the era.

The engraving stands as an exceptional artifact for military historians and collectors of antique engineering prints. The complex internal cross-sections, intricate components, and mechanisms are displayed with precise technical accuracy, framed by an elegant classical border. Its rich mechanical detail and strong narrative make it a compelling piece for custom framing and exhibition.