Antique Percussion Rifles

An improvement on flintlock and matchlock rifles, percussion rifles were faster to reload and required fewer moving parts. While laymen often did not appreciate these improvements, the military did.

Percussion rifles were much more durable than their predecessors due to their simplicity and the lower likelihood of parts failure. The percussion rifle was also more reliable when faced with harsh weather and could be counted on to fire in the rain.

The United States military adopted the percussion rifle in 1841. It was known as the 1841 Mississippi rifle. Most Western European nations adopted percussion rifles, resulting in a multitude of different rifles. Their weapons were made from quality materials and can still be found in good condition nearly two centuries later. Many antique percussion rifles are of military origin and often remained in armories well past their usefulness. Antique percussion rifles offer history enthusiasts the chance to hold a piece of history.

Quick Facts

• Some M1841 Mississippi rifles are fitted with long-range sights and converted to .58 caliber for long-range shooting
• The exact origin of the nickname of one of the most famed percussion rifles, the Brown Bess, is unknown to this day
• Many older muskets were easily converted into percussion rifles