Book on the Whitworth Rifle
- Thread starter orpington
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Only seen articles, never seen a book. Most of the historic books out there show variants of models. Whitworths are so rare, a writer would have to be very wealthy to collect more than one of them to figure out variations of the things.
It would be interesting to learn more about Whitworth's experiments which lead to his rifle and the manufacturing technology used in making them. As I understand, Whitworth came up with his rifle after running standardization experiments in gunmaking. He found that no one had conducted controlled tests for bore twist and probably bore diameters. Whitworth built his own range and ran experiments, but I don't know the details of what he did, and what did not work. Failures can be more useful in understanding than success. A bud of mine claims that no one knows how the bullets were made.
Jim Watson
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There were two or three articles in Gun Digest about the late British muzzleloaders, the Volunteer Rifles and the "smallbores" by Whitworth and competitors. I'll see if I can dig them up.
Got 'em.
The Whitworth Rifle, a Great Milestone in Rifle History. Gun Digest 1971
Also
British Volunteer Rifles 1850-1870, Gun Digest 1972. (These were nice .577s, Italian repro merchandising notwithstanding.).
British Small Bore Rifles Part One, the .451 Muzzleloaders. (Didn't make it to Part two.)
All by DeWitt Bailey II.
Got 'em.
The Whitworth Rifle, a Great Milestone in Rifle History. Gun Digest 1971
Also
British Volunteer Rifles 1850-1870, Gun Digest 1972. (These were nice .577s, Italian repro merchandising notwithstanding.).
British Small Bore Rifles Part One, the .451 Muzzleloaders. (Didn't make it to Part two.)
All by DeWitt Bailey II.
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Much thanks! I would like to acquire one someday but a little pricy for me right now. One came up at a local auction a few months ago and I found the workmanship to be exceptional. The firearm was all original from what I could tell, and had condition. A dealer ended up with it and he had deeper pockets than I by a lot!
For lack of anything better, how is this book?
https://www.amazon.com/Sharpshootin...s=gateway&sprefix=whitworth+ri,aps,169&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.com/Sharpshootin...s=gateway&sprefix=whitworth+ri,aps,169&sr=8-1
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Best book on the Whitworth and its accoutrements is The Confederate Whitworth Sharpshooter by John Anderson Morrow. He is a member here on this board but I don't think he has any copies left.
The only Whitworth with known Confederate provenance is in Oklahoma City. Go to the 45th Infantry Division Museum (Thunderbird). Free Admission.
The only Whitworth with known Confederate provenance is in Oklahoma City. Go to the 45th Infantry Division Museum (Thunderbird). Free Admission.
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