peashooter85:The Calisher and Terry breechloading bolt action carbine,Produced between 1860 and 1870
peashooter85:The Calisher and Terry breechloading bolt action carbine,Produced between 1860 and 1870, the Calisher and Terry carbine was an invention of Henry Calisher and William Terry from Birmingham, England. Invented in 1856, the Calisher and Terry carbine was unique from most firearms of the day in the fact that it was a bolt action carbine. At a time when bolt actions were in their infancy, the Calisher and Terry used a unique action in which the bolt handle folded up to protect the breech and chamber from dust and debris. The ready the bolt handle, one pulled back on a small nub located behind the hammer. Rotating and pulling back on the bolt exposed the breech for loading. Invented long before the box magazine, the Calisher and Terry was single shot only and fired .58 caliber paper cartridges. It was a percussion firearm, meaning the user had to cock the hammer and place a percussion cap on the nipple. When the trigger was pulled, the hammer struck the cap which forced a spark into the chamber, thus igniting the cartridge. The cartridge was made from special highly combustible material which would easily ignite with a spark, and also prevented pieces of paper being left behind in the chamber after firing. The British Army adopted the Calisher and Terry in 1860. Being a short carbine which was easy to load from horseback compared to period muzzleloader, the Calisher and Terry was an ideal weapon for cavalry forces. Originally it was exclusively used to arm the 18th Royal Hussars. Later, they were shipped to military and police forces in South Africa, Australia, and were especially known for being used by British forces in combat against the Maori in New Zealand. A number of others were sold to the Confederacy during the American Civil War. One noted user of the carbine was Confederate Gen. JEB Stuart. Confederate President Jefferson Davis was likewise a proud owner of a Calisher and Terry.Production of the Calisher and Terry ended in 1870 when most militaries chose to adopt breechloading rifles which used metallic cartridges. Designed for paper cartridges, the Calisher and Terry could not be adapter to use metallic ammunition. Thus production ended in 1870, with 10,000 carbine being produced. Today they are a rare firearm which is highly sought by collectors. -- source link