Treasures from Our West: Pinfire revolving rifle

Originally featured in Points West magazine in Summer 2014

In 1835, French gunsmith Casimir LeFaucheux patented the pinfire cartridge to provide a faster and safer method of inserting cartridges into breech-loading rifles. It was one of the earliest self-contained metallic cartridges, with a pin protruding radially from its base. LeFaucheux’s breech-loaders accommodated this cartridge with cut-out grooves for the pins at the base of the cylinder. A hammer strikes the exposed pin, igniting the priming compound.

French inventor Benjamin Houllier improved this patent in 1846. Later variations were adopted by several European armies, and pinfire revolvers made an appearance in the American Civil War. By the 1860s, reliable rimfire and centerfire guns rendered pinfires obsolete.

Due to their scarcity and unique appearance, pinfires have become highly collectible. Pictured here is a 16 mm early pinfire revolving rifle, built by Johann Peterlongo of Innsbruck, Austria, between 1830 and 1850. It is aesthetically striking, with embellishments of floral wood carvings and gold inlay engravings.

Peterlongo Pinfire Revolving Rifle. Gift of Neal P. McKinstry. 2002.23.1

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