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E. G. B. Reynolds - Enfield Arms. The Early Breech-Loaders
Profile Publications Ltd | 1973 | ISBN: N/A | 22 pages | PDF | 2.97 MB
Small Arms Profile 18
The decision to adopt a breech-loading rifle for the British armed forces was undoubtedly hastened by developments on the Continent where the Prussians had been the first to appreciate its advantages over the muzzle-loader. Like all innovations in the early history of British military arms there was opposition from high authority to such a radical change. The breech-loading principle was denounced as - to quote a freely expressed criticism - 'Improper in the firearms of infantry. The soldier, being enabled to fire more rapidly, would squander away his ammunition and find himself bereft of it when most needed.' Twenty years later, similar arguments were raised against the adoption of a magazine-loading arm. Fortunately, wiser counsels eventually prevailed.
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