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First, my apologies for not getting images up here of the metal work I have going for this rifle. I'm currently taking six college courses and this weekend ended up having me at the desk, morning till past midnight.
I'm managing to fit mail calls in between study and course work, and this morning I got some more interesting fuel for this very entertaining research project.

Early on right after I received the rifle, I took off to the ranch to show off the new stick and discuss this chamber issue with our people out there. We poured through the cartridge collection and into the library to see if there was something obvious to discover. Although we didn't find any glaring neon arrows pointing in any particular direction, there was hope of outside help in the form of a comment in one of the books stating that it's author welcomed inquiry and data around cartridges not seen in his text. We happened to have his telephone number in the rolodex, so I took it and dialed away.

To my good fortune the call was taken with enthusiasm. The man I spoke with shared my excitement over the rifle and it's 'issue' but had no knowledge to share specific to these curious chambers. He did however mention a couple of other gentlemen who have similar depth of knowledge and whose libraries and areas of study would likely encompass this 'mid-transitional' period.

This morning while checking the mail I noticed a note from one of them, a retired British Armorer. We'd briefly discussed this and he'd made mention of a Robert Adams patent from 1860 that he felt might deserve a look. Today's mail contained a scan of the abbreviated patent including an image.

As this man noted, the date is right and Adams would have been familiar with Purdey.
Our Prince was a Naval Officer and closely followed the pace of development at the time. There are accounts in Unsworth's book of Purdey's knowledge of issues with paper cases separating heads when used in wet climates, dew or rain down the tubes or in through wicking at the firing pins could dampen the paper tube.
It would definitely make sense for this young Neptune-to-be to have knowledge of Adams' work and the sense to order this feature for his rifle.

Here from Greener's The Gun and it's Development accounts of other dabbling with metallic cases from the period, including note to work with metallic cartridge designs that Adams was doing prior to the 1860 patent.

So much for there being no evidence of thin metallic pinfire Bore Rifle cartridge cases in 1862.

Fun thoughts to ponder this Monday morning!

--Tinker

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--Self-Appointed Colonel, DRSS--

"It IS a dangerous game, and so named for a reason, and you can't play from the keyboard. " --Some Old Texan...

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