Belton Repeating Flintlock: A Semiautomatic Rifle in 1785

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3 күн бұрын

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In 1785, Joseph Belton (an American inventor) and William Jover (an English gunmaker) sold 560 repeating flintlock rifles to the British East India Company. The guns were a very remarkable design which used a detachable magazine tube of 7 rounds stacked in series with a seven sequential touch holes. When the first round was fired, the flintlock ignited a piece of "portfire" slow match that would burn for about one minute. Pulling the trigger would move the portfire rearward one touch hole at a time, firing each in sequence as long as it remained burning. In this way, Belton advertised the gun as being able to fire 21 rounds in a single minute (using three preloaded magazine tubes). If the portfire burned out, it could be replaced and the flintlock reprimed and recocked. This was a truly impressive technological feat in 1785!
Belton had been working on firearms designs since 1758, and he actually got an order for 100 roman-candle-type repeaters from the American Continental Congress in 1777 - but there were pricing disputes and the order was never fulfilled. The British military examined the guns, but declined to purchase any. The 560 guns made for the East India Company (200 muskets, 160 carbines, and 100 pairs of pistols) were shipped from England in 1786, half to Madras and half to Bengal. Unfortunately, no further record of their performance has been found and we don't know how well they worked in practice. This example is one of the muskets, with a .665" bore and a 39 inch barrel.
Many thanks to the Royal Armouries for allowing me to film and disassemble this amazing early repeater! The NFC collection there - perhaps the best military small arms collection in Western Europe - is available by appointment to researchers:
royalarmouries.org/research/n...
You can browse the various Armouries collections online here:
royalarmouries.org/collection/
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Пікірлер: 1 100

@hoilst265 2 күн бұрын

You had me at "semiautomatic flintlock".

@BYLRPhil 2 күн бұрын

* fully semi-automatic flintlock *

@mikehipperson 2 күн бұрын

You had me at "semi......."

@michaelpineiro533 2 күн бұрын

it sounds like a hannah barbera joke.

@markchapman2585 2 күн бұрын

Me too

@jimb9063 2 күн бұрын

Clickbait of legitimate interest. Highbrow clickbait for the discerning.

@stumpyduby 2 күн бұрын

He was living in 2077... My guy leapfrogged cartridges and went straight to case-less ammo.

@Dieselkraftwerk Күн бұрын

Dude you're right! 😲

@perryborn2777 Күн бұрын

The ammo was all caseless back then dude

@stumpyduby Күн бұрын

@@perryborn2777 🤯

@arbiter54322 2 күн бұрын

The different solutions for "shoot fast" from back in the day are always interesting to watch

@jalpat2272 2 күн бұрын

oh because in 16th century (1500s) a german or swedish commander said ideal rate of fire from musketeers is 30 shots per HOUR.

@cagneybillingsley2165 2 күн бұрын

"muh 2a only protected muskets" the musket in question...

@no1DdC 2 күн бұрын

@@jalpat2272 Sounds lame now, but imagine just 100 soldiers armed with muskets (back then, most soldiers were still using pikes). That's 3000 shots per hour or 50 per minute. You can do a lot of damage that way - not to mention the psychological effect on the enemy. Armies were also able to train and get these musketeers battle-ready in just a few days, whereas it took at least several months to get halfway competent archers, which was the most significant and often overlooked advantage of early firearms in military use.

@aidy6000 2 күн бұрын

Considering 3 rounds per minute for single shot flintlocks at this time was considered rapid. This is positively lightning speed.

@RileyCargo42 2 күн бұрын

@@no1DdC I can only imagine the common soldier whose only ever used bows making the switch to firearms reaction.

@Pilvenuga 2 күн бұрын

"What makes a good soldier?" "Ability to fire off 3 rounds a minute in any weather, sir!" Belton getting an idea:

@Kumimono 2 күн бұрын

And of course, Sharpe cheated when demonstrating the speed he could fire a rifled longarm... What a scamp.

@bobskool 2 күн бұрын

8 not so good soldiers sit around eating beans, farting and scratching whilst one good soldier aims the Belton

@craigdavidson4378 2 күн бұрын

@@bobskool”Blazing Muskets”

@ElmoUnk1953 2 күн бұрын

“That’s soldiering.” 😁

@mbr5742 2 күн бұрын

But you need one huge Irishman to carry all the ammo

@ericswain70 2 күн бұрын

Ian has been doing these for 11 million years now and still brings us new stuff. The guy is awesome.

@claptrap4084 2 күн бұрын

I found out about these Belton guns a few years back due to a short "impromptu" video that I believe Johnathan Ferguson did. But other than that video and a few pictures I couldn't find hardly ANY info on it. Well several months back Johnathan went and made a more in-depth video on them that I absolutely loved, and now we have Gun Jesus covering it as well!

@AshleyPomeroy 2 күн бұрын

Human beings have been trying to kill each other with gunpowder for almost as long as gunpowder has existed. One day he's going to find a tiny gunpowder cannon made out of Elk jawbones.

@Pilvenuga 2 күн бұрын

@@AshleyPomeroy more likely there's going to be some obscure european royal family ladies pistol adorned with the foreskin of a deers member as the handle material.

@BleedingUranium 2 күн бұрын

@@AshleyPomeroy I'm now imagining a live elk running around firing bullets out if its mouth

@Rollin_L 2 күн бұрын

Well, new info about old stuff, in this case.

@chrisferatu1793 2 күн бұрын

High-capacity flintlock 👍

@kaboom4679 2 күн бұрын

STANDARD capacity ...

@thesandsofflowingtime 2 күн бұрын

@@kaboom4679 idk man, I think by flintlock standards, this does count as high capacity since the majority of flintlocks had a capacity of, well, one

@user-mi4wr2lw3n 2 күн бұрын

fully-manual repeating high-capacity assault flintlock

@BlackHawkBallistic 2 күн бұрын

It even has a shoulder thing that goes up on it!

@Nikolai1939 2 күн бұрын

Fully semi automatic too

@Zora_Ark 2 күн бұрын

Oh yeah, the founding fathers *definitely* could have predicted semi automatic rifles

@no1DdC 2 күн бұрын

You do know that this kind of argument is a disingenuous smokescreen intended to poison the gun debate, right?

@SockieTheSockPuppet Күн бұрын

Yup.

@BurmaJ Күн бұрын

It would be amazing to see this presented to Congress.

@thomaswhipplesmaker3682 Күн бұрын

@BurmaJ Congress did initially approve for the purchase of about 100 of roman candle style beltons but backed out after hearing the cost, so yes, Congress did actually see repeating firearms

@thomaswhipplesmaker3682 Күн бұрын

Timestamp 14:34 is when he mentions it

@YesManVegasBaybay 2 күн бұрын

Ah, the infamous “Assault Flintlock” I’ve heard so much about.

@joelnotsure2871 2 күн бұрын

This is great. A genuine forgotten weapon that must have seemed half magic at the time.

@vladcrow4225 Күн бұрын

Well, I bet he'll find Hellriegel somewhere eventually...

@user-tv4lz5ie5u 2 күн бұрын

"Say hello to my little chum, you scoundrels!“

@dragontear1638 2 күн бұрын

I understood that reference. But also; 'I say, you rapscallians are awfully bothersome this lovely day, tally ho!'

@GRIZZLYSGEAR 2 күн бұрын

If you don't know what they're referencing, go talk to Al Pacino...

@blarfroer8066 Күн бұрын

Tally-ho, tally-ho, chaps.

@pyrosish Күн бұрын

Brilliant!

@PenumbranWolf 2 күн бұрын

This is probably the single coolest, most ingeniously designed piece of firearms history you have brought us. Just wow.

@no1DdC 2 күн бұрын

Right up there with the Guycot chain gun from a little under a century later. 40 shot pistols and 80 shot rifles are still impressive today, even if they are a bit weak.

@williamgrace6966 2 күн бұрын

I was just about to comment almost the exact same thing. This thing is remarkable.

@thatfriggingbathroom2656 2 күн бұрын

Seriously!

@BleedingUranium 2 күн бұрын

It really is. It's complex, but only as complex as it needs to be, and in concept there doesn't seem to be any obvious flaw/etc with the design. Heck, it even has those blowout screws; not required, but as such certainly helps show he knew what he was doing.

@hunters36forgingwoodworkin73 2 күн бұрын

It would be fun to see a modern commercial reproduction of these guns.

@HalcyonAcorn 2 күн бұрын

Yes!! I’d love to see this working! Such a wonderful and unique design

@shredgordon3240 2 күн бұрын

It would be cool, but they would likely be to dangerous for a company to make. I imagine a chain fire would not feel great.

@TheArklyte 2 күн бұрын

And they would be priced exactly in 3-30k £ range😅

@earlahmer5528 2 күн бұрын

It would likely be a jam-o-matic due to dirt n sand. It would probably work great on a controlled range but iffy in the wild.

@TheArklyte 2 күн бұрын

@@earlahmer5528 not every battlefield is trenches of WWI. In fact muskets wouldn't even exist if such conditions were involved in all black powder era wars as firearms in general would be seen as unreliable. As well as bows and crossbows due to wood and strings rotting away in all the dampness and mud. It'll be a war of shivs and shovels:D Not really much more complex then early revolvers, but only really useful for cavalry, who can't really reload reliably on the move.

@macheesmo3 2 күн бұрын

"Doth this gun chainfire often, good sir?" "Aye, it'll blow your wig back!"

@no1DdC 2 күн бұрын

After some modifications: "And now it'll only blow your socks off."

@RyTrapp0 2 күн бұрын

I'm just waiting for the aftermarket multi-touch ignitor that will touch off every [round? literally?] front to back a split second apart

@no1DdC 2 күн бұрын

@@RyTrapp0 Bold plan with slow-burning black powder.

@Nukle0n Күн бұрын

@@no1DdCpressure will be a mite high

@JamesThomas-gg6il 2 күн бұрын

Lets see Jerry Miculik set a speed record with this.

@7hart2 2 күн бұрын

Anin: "Was that the "Roman Candle" selector?" Jerry: "There's was a feature like that? All I heard was a "beep.""

@STB-jh7od 2 күн бұрын

😄😄😆

@SMAXZO 2 күн бұрын

"The founding fathers never thought of the existence of a repeating firearms" Belton in 1777: *slaps gun* This baby right here can fire 8 shots in rapid succession and I'm working on a burst fire version.

@dreamingflurry2729 2 күн бұрын

Hell, even if they had not! The gun-amendment was ment to give civilians access to military grade firearms because the US at the time wanted to easily form militias for defense and frankly the only thing that changed since then is that the US is now the dominant military power on the planet - but the law itself didn't change! No, the guys in charge are simply violating it by prohibiting true access (meaning full auto guns!) to military arms!

@RavenAdventwings 2 күн бұрын

Also somehow overlooked: When the Founding Fathers wrote the 2nd Amendment, the OG Gatling gun exists.

@thealmightyaku-4153 2 күн бұрын

@@dreamingflurry2729They did that because they also didn't want the USA to have a standing army... but the US has the largest standing army in the world, making the 2nd amendment entirely redundant as to its original purpose. I doubt they also wanted 10s of thousands of citizens murdered or killing themselves every year.

@TJtod 2 күн бұрын

@@RavenAdventwings Gatling gun was 1860s, your timing is off by about 4 score.

@asideofjake 2 күн бұрын

no bod, that was first made in 1862@@RavenAdventwings

@goredine 2 күн бұрын

Nuln armory at it again, praise Sigmar!

@buncer 2 күн бұрын

“Summon the Elector Counts!”

@WozWozEre 2 күн бұрын

Faith, Gunpowder and Steel!

@NCRVeteranRanger 2 күн бұрын

Ah, I see you are a fellow Sigmar Male as well. 🗿

@goredine 2 күн бұрын

@@NCRVeteranRanger yes-yes fellow man-thing 🐀

@7hart2 2 күн бұрын

Is that warpstone dust, mixed with sewage, I smell? @@goredine

@kaboom4679 2 күн бұрын

The cost of state of the art weaponry has ALWAYS been exorbitant .

@tenofprime 2 күн бұрын

There are 2 reasons to not buy the newest thing: 1. High cost 2. Still working the bugs out.

@RyTrapp0 2 күн бұрын

@@tenofprime Always respek society's beta testers. They may have more money than you, but they're also eating the high costs and problems of the new tech for you also lol.

@PaganPilot 2 күн бұрын

@@tenofprime 3. Retooling and logistics etc

@scottmccrea1873 22 сағат бұрын

And their makers usually get fabulously wealthy.

@scottmccrea1873 22 сағат бұрын

@@tenofprimewhich is why the Union Army stuck to muzzle loaders instead of rearming with repeaters.

@elroma7712 2 күн бұрын

This is the most warhammer fantasy shit I've ever seen

@coltpiecemaker 2 күн бұрын

Now I want an Empire unit in Total War: Warhammer called "Belton's Handgunners" which fire off 7 rounds quick before reloading, but are super expensive.

@spindabear 2 күн бұрын

I was thinking the same thing. This is by far the most absolutely wild and out of the box firearm that has ever been on this channel.

@LordVader1094 Күн бұрын

There's DEFINITELY an Empire Master Engineer running around with one of these things 😂

@Xiao_PP 2 күн бұрын

Now this is what im talking about when I click forgotten weapons

@tanner_spring 2 күн бұрын

imagine showing up to a muzzle loading competition with one of these bad boys

@mistaBorg 2 күн бұрын

he already made a hot-swap chamber preloaded with powder and ball, that would already be considered a miracle, but then he made it into this monster

@DoitForTheLolz1 Күн бұрын

kinda does seem like a facepalm moment to not use the removable chamber as a quick reloading cartridge.

@ajpj4057 Күн бұрын

@@DoitForTheLolz1 eventually some guns did use these; Wall guns. Ian did a video on them, they're basically the .50 bmg of the 1900s (1862 in the example im referring) it was the Belgian .75 Caliber Percussion Wall Gun video.

@wolffang-vz2ty 15 сағат бұрын

@@DoitForTheLolz1 It adds more complexity and need to be precise in manufacture. Heck you might have to even get new replacement chambers custom made to the gun depending on how good they were with tolerances (variability of the dimensions of the parts). All this adds more to the price of the gun and this is still the era of "throw more bodies(people) at the problem, they are cheaper than the equipment". Depending on prices you might just be able to field more people with the simple muskets and get similar or more firepower for the same or less money as something more complicated. The East India Company was probably the best shot at a customer since they were limited on the number of people they could throw at the problem and needed to keep the natives in line while severely out numbered.

@notrandombeard9365 2 күн бұрын

"The founders could never imagine weapons that fire multiple rounds"

@davidfrench3657 2 күн бұрын

Show them this 😂

@JohnSmith-NZ Күн бұрын

Yeah, it's not like one of them was a famous inventor.

@davidvincent5701 2 күн бұрын

Someone should take up the challenge to reproduce a functional modern replica.

@TheWirksworthGunroom 2 күн бұрын

If you wish to put the money up to cover the research et cetera, we would be delighted. You will find that all the social media funding platforms won't allow it so telephone your buddies or write them a letter.

@PatrickKniesler 11 сағат бұрын

@@TheWirksworthGunroom Now that Congressman Herrera has answered the question "When AK-50?" maybe you should see if he wants one of these for his wall.

@larry648 2 күн бұрын

All that custom hand work without machine tools. Just amazing.

@samparkerSAM 2 күн бұрын

A lot of hand tools were used , however at the time most arms producers had belt driven " power tools " available. In fact their was a breed of puppy 🐶 used exclusively for powering wheel driven implements , think 🤔 gerbil wheels 🛞 like those cat wheels 🛞 with a dog 🐕 😅

@larry648 2 күн бұрын

@@samparkerSAM oh I know how the did production, but this is before Eli Whitney and the Industrial Revolution. It just amazes me all the small hand work that had to go into that action.

@atenachos6282 2 күн бұрын

@@larry648 Is this your homework Larry?

@larry648 2 күн бұрын

@@atenachos6282 homework, he’ll, I’m 60 and retired.

@samparkerSAM 2 күн бұрын

@larry648 Fair, I restored several different types of Muskets both pre- and post Industrial revolution. The ingenuity always make me surprised. In fact a hand file is my #1 implement because it interfaces with the original workmanship...

@RaiderCat12 2 күн бұрын

Heck yeah! I absolutely love old, semi-unknown black powder guns! You'd think that back then they were less creative, but in reality they were just limited by inadequate technology.

@recoilrob324 2 күн бұрын

Good minds have always been with us coming up with ideas that sometimes worked well...or failed due to lack of adequate materials. Looking through engine patents it's amazing that almost everything we consider 'modern' today had been thought of and patented before the end of the 19th century. They just didn't have steel strong enough to make 4 valve pent roof overhead cams, fuel injection ect work at the time.

@buckinthetree1233 2 күн бұрын

A lack of technology and scientific knowledge. Almost everything we have today has been built off of the concept of "making a better mousetrap." The mobile phone is all based off of improvements made to the telegraph. Television is based off of improvements to the radio.

@KR-hg8be 2 күн бұрын

If this show has taught us one thing, it's that people have had the idea for what we consider "modern weapons" far earlier than they had the technology to make it realisticly useful.

@Supercohboy 2 күн бұрын

@@KR-hg8be Tbh even the basic concept of a laser has been around since the beginning of recorded history. A ray of death shot out by Old-Testament God, a demon, Ra, whatever, it's all still a death ray/laser. People have always been limited by their technology, resources, and sometimes over-Conservatism regarding new ideas, but never their imagination/ingenuity.

@Oldtanktapper 2 күн бұрын

Technology advances, in part, by people making small alterations of existing ideas. As Newton put it, “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants”

@Microwavingmetal 2 күн бұрын

missed opportunity to have a Jörg Sprave moment "let me show you it's features"

@sceligator 2 күн бұрын

Now that's the colab we need!

@janusmarais7580 2 күн бұрын

Read this in his voice lol

@harripursiainen5420 2 күн бұрын

Don't forgot the heartfelt german laughter.

@operatoralex5926 2 күн бұрын

This is what Jörg sprave would fo if he was born in america

@johanmetreus1268 2 күн бұрын

@@harripursiainen5420 note that Sprave never laughs in his German-speaking videos...

@AllAboutSurvival 2 күн бұрын

It's intriguing to think how innovative minds like Joseph Belton were pushing the boundaries of firearms technology centuries ago.

@KarlDRG 2 күн бұрын

I was thinking that they would still be muzzleloaders, but they have REMOVEABLE MAGAZINES! Such fascinating firearms!

@frosty2651 2 күн бұрын

So the only real advancement we've made is we now move the bullet to the striker instead of striker to bullet

@magnemoe1 2 күн бұрын

Well tolerances and accuracy has increased a bit :)

@AnonymousAnarchist2 2 күн бұрын

@@magnemoe1Im not so sure about tolerences. Im not sure the modern concept of tolerence or precision even applies to anything older than Ford Motor company (Who sponsered Carl Johansson who invented the tools to allow for the modern concepts; where as prior eveeything was lapped to suit and lapping is still how we make jo-blocks and the tightest tolerenced parts) But accuracy for certain, allowing exchangable components. Really we where an understanding of light and interfearance bands, as well as metal sciences away from decent mechanical modernity for a good few thousand years its very bizzare to think about but honestly true, and makes sense when you think about the question of "why would anyone care?" Without modern chemistry why would anyone care?

@orbitalvagabond 2 күн бұрын

Gun cartridges are actually even older than this, although examples are rare.

@BigSkySix 2 күн бұрын

A modern working version could be a new project for a certain AK Guy.

@xSergisX 2 күн бұрын

Belton-50 ?!

@7hart2 2 күн бұрын

@@xSergisXIronically, .50cal balls are probably a downgrade in size.

@kentuckyace1068 2 күн бұрын

@@7hart2it'd definitely be much safer with lower powder loads

@Neptune0404 2 күн бұрын

I can't seem to find it, but I can so vividly remember a video of a flintlock with an automatically refilling flash pan, and I can't stop thinking about how such a mechanism added onto this might have been the final bit of tech that turned it from a expensive piece of showmanship into an effective force multiplier. I don't know if it would actually work, but the thought of it excites me (edit: Found it! I was thinking of the Collier Flintlock Revolvers' system of automatically priming system)

@TeamZcan 2 күн бұрын

There were a number of these from various makers.

@xskyhawkx7821 2 күн бұрын

The two that immediately come to mind are the Lorenzoni system and the khaltoff repeater

@Neptune0404 2 күн бұрын

@@xskyhawkx7821 I think those systems would be more of an alternative to the one in use on these rifles, (after some more looking I found what I was thinking of) I was thinking more of something like the Collier Flintlock Revolvers. This way the primer would automatically reset and you could fire all the shots only having to move the lock when firing, and then reload the primer on the lock at the same time as reloading the bullets. (Link to Ian's video on the Collier Flintlocks kzfaq.info/get/bejne/n597oJh8xsuzZ30.html)

@Supercohboy 2 күн бұрын

I get the general vibe that "the semi-automatic musket" was a very doable concept at the time, but the end-result was difficult for the layman to use and very dangerous in the event of any serious malfunctions. Such designs were expensive as well, and depending on the system they can be quite difficult to repair, especially when compared to a conventional flintlock. It's still surprising that we didn't see more of these oddities being fielded by the super-rich militaries of the era, these types of weapons seem like they would be especially good shock troops on a rank-and-file battlefield or commendable fortress/trench-fired weapons. Imagine being flanked by a platoon of 5-7-shot muskets, they would destroy most firing lines within the time it takes them to fire and reload once. Proper usage of such a weapon could've dominated the battlefield if artillery doesn't wipe them out first, which could've changed conventional tactics of the era entirely. They'd have to retire more quickly from the battlefield in order to keep their rifles well-maintained, but then again they'd have to do that anyways to reload by the time their rifles have fouled-up, since these weapons would be firing so much more rapidly. It would be a worthwhile trade-off if the mechanisms weren't prone to breakages. But then again, each of these flintlocks would be firing their rounds with less powder behind each shot versus a single-shot rifle right? So they would have inferior range in theory and that would have to be planned around by the commanding officers of a given battle. It's definitely an interesting thought though, if the world could've been changed by such a design or not.

@doogong 2 күн бұрын

I'm genuinely impressed that I've been watching this channel for so long and Ian keeps bringing out amazing forgotten gems

@yetanother9127 2 күн бұрын

Portfires are actually a pretty neat invention in their own right, consisting of a tube made of layers of stiff paper containing a slow-burning gunpowder mixture. You'd light it and it'd burn from one end like a road flare. They had holders which were basically a wooden handle with a split hollow end and a metal tensioning ring; you'd stick the portfire in the end and slide the ring up to hold it in place. Artillerymen often preferred them over slowmatch as an ignition source, since they'd stay burning even in a storm of rain; supposedly, even plunging one into a bucket of water wouldn't extinguish it.

@jamesdouglas8760 2 күн бұрын

That inventor had a itch, and scratched it hard. A real effort to get a result. Only on Forgotten Weapons do I get educated like this. Ian, if you could do a presentation on the first cap and ball rifle or pistol, development of the cap, and dropping the flint etc.would be another step closer to understanding the evolution of firearms. Thanks,.

@maxkennedy8075 2 күн бұрын

High capacity extended magazine assault flintlock At least its not a short barreled rifle.

@gilgamecha 2 күн бұрын

£5 at this time (1785) was probably the price of a small house. My ancestors bought a modest house in England for £100 in the early 1900s.

@alexanderhowarth6460 2 күн бұрын

No. You only started to see stupid levels of inflation in 1979 when the gold standard was ended

@gilgamecha 2 күн бұрын

@@alexanderhowarth6460 you forgot the hyperinflation of the Napoleonic wars.

@gilgamecha 2 күн бұрын

@@alexanderhowarth6460 house price inflation was huge LONG before 1979. You are talking from ideology not facts.

@alexanderhowarth6460 2 күн бұрын

@@gilgamecha no

@gilgamecha 2 күн бұрын

@@alexanderhowarth6460 and you seem to believe the UK went off the gold standard in 1979. Also incorrect. Sterling was delinked from silver (not gold) much earlier. Only the dollar was delinked in 1979. Pretty much all other currencies were delinked long before.

@antiochman8222 2 күн бұрын

This could have been scaled up as a crew served weapon and been a real game changer.

@ForgottenWeapons 2 күн бұрын

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qKmlibCpms6VqGQ.html

@Steve-ev6vx 2 күн бұрын

This thing seems like a chainfire explosion waiting to happen.

@zaper2904 2 күн бұрын

*Surprise machine gun

@jarinmartin2858 2 күн бұрын

Tbh I think I can understand why the founding fathers weren't concerned with restrictions on firearms. Ian is sitting there telling me how that rifle is supposed to of been a game changer if it wasn't expensive. Nah mate congress may of bought some but there is a very specific few reasons repeating firearms were never adopted. Even up to the Civil War the US Army still was mainly using simple one shot muskets because they are simple, reliable and easier to train soldiers on and that isn't even mentioning soldiers can carry more powder and ammo for a musket than any overly complicated repeating musket. Weapons like the Belton just never got far because again, they are two things any army hates. Complicated and fragile. A good service weapon should be simple, reliable and easy to remember how to use. I'm surprised Ian did not point that out.

@KR-hg8be 2 күн бұрын

@@jarinmartin2858one of the big reasons the us army stayed with single shots long after they were obsolete in the late 1800s had more to do with the desire to not have to spend money on ammunition. They were still hoping that somehow a solider could fight an entire battle with fewer than 20 rounds of ammo carried on the belt.

@AdamantLightLP 2 күн бұрын

@@jarinmartin2858 That's not really a good point to make when the same founding fathers were totally cool with people operating their own warships. The founding fathers put no restrictions on firearms very deliberately. They knew what they were doing.

@coh2conscript851 2 күн бұрын

@@KR-hg8be people always leave out the most important factor. Money.

@realartyomsneedov 2 күн бұрын

0:27 William Joever? its so joever

@alexdemoya2119 2 күн бұрын

You could even say it was Belton Fed

@graveperil2169 2 күн бұрын

I am guessing it worked well due to it being worn out and not broken

@ThisOldChris 2 күн бұрын

Could also be rust that was removed.

@dominicrichardson5546 2 күн бұрын

I'd love to see a recreation made and a firing demo

@proffingers 2 күн бұрын

I think we can surmise a clue as to how well they worked by the subsequent development of an explosive safety feature on later models.

@cpt_nordbart 2 күн бұрын

Ah the Royal Armouries. I have heard they house thousand of iconic weapons from throughout history.

@md_vandenberg 2 күн бұрын

"Now, let's hand it over to Johnathon..."

@russellwaterson3304 2 күн бұрын

Surely there would be examples floating around India and that region somewhere. They must of been useful because of the amount of wear and tear of these guns.

@no1DdC 2 күн бұрын

Either that or two and a half centuries of people showing the cool mechanism off to anyone interested, but rarely ever using it for fear of breaking the fragile thing.

@curtislowe4577 Күн бұрын

That the weapons disappeared without a trace upon reaching India certainly heightens the mystery. As there are no other traces of the weapons that leads me to suspect that a senior EIC armorer who wasn't progressive arranged for both shipments to become lost in transit. Perhaps dumped offshore in the middle of the night.

@Unanimous42069 2 күн бұрын

Great video Ian! Even if they worked as advertised, it was probably more militarily effective to have a few men with ordinary flintlocks than 1 man with a Belton gun which is why no subsequent order

@Grouuumpf 2 күн бұрын

Having just one or two guys sending rounds off while the firing line is reloading would probably have been devastating But that's a very expensive piece of equipment to give a simple soldier, and it's quite an ungentlemanly way to conduct warfare

@Dominic1962 2 күн бұрын

@@Grouuumpf I would guess (though I certainly don’t know as I’m not privy to any special info) that these were destined for fortifications. With how much they spent and how complicated and intricate these were (which they had to be well aware of) they knew basic infantrymen weren’t getting one.

@no1DdC 2 күн бұрын

@@Dominic1962 I was thinking deck-sweeping on ships, which is why I'm surprised the East India Company sent these to India and kept them there instead of using them on their ships.

@Dominic1962 2 күн бұрын

@@no1DdC That could be too, yes, but I’m guessing they figured it was too complex for use in the salt spray environment on ships. The EIC had its “Presidency Armies” based in Madras, Bombay and Bengal.

@arthurbrands6935 2 күн бұрын

@@Dominic1962 Thinking on that, what about monsoon season? Rather difficult to keep things that venture outside dry.

@pachuagfirearmsrestorations 2 күн бұрын

One of the best forgotten weapons episodes I've seen. Truly ahead of it's time.

@AlexLee-dc2vb 2 күн бұрын

The first video I've ever seen on this channel was the Puckle Gun - "wow, the Founding Fathers had machine guns (or at least repeaters)!" I've been a HUGE fan ever since and have watched religiously over the past 7 years. This is the sort of video that gets me extremely excited.

@nunyabeezwax1413 2 күн бұрын

Awesome rifles. Great video as usual.

@rhvette 2 күн бұрын

I imagine those blowout holes on the East Indian version were added after someone did the 1780s version of loading the M60 with the bolt forward. I guarantee someone at some point fired a tube, left the port fire to the rear, then swapped tubes and fired the last round first.

@marmite8959 2 күн бұрын

I had no idea how it could possibly work and when I saw the sliding match I was like "how could nobody have thought of this earlier?" Beautifully simple concept, I love it

@markchapman2585 2 күн бұрын

I always learn something new from Ian's channel. Keep up the awesome work.

@Fluffinator129 2 күн бұрын

A semi automatic, flintlock, matchlock, magazine fed, muzzle loader. Nice.

@tyvernoverlord5363 2 күн бұрын

The most gun to be gun

@TheArklyte 2 күн бұрын

Between this and the french cased ammo experiments of early 1800's(can't recall the name of the guy, Ian has episode on his break open twin barrels), Napoleonic Wars could have taken some very weird turn in some other reality.

@allangibson8494 2 күн бұрын

Jean Pauly.

@TheArklyte 2 күн бұрын

@@allangibson8494 yeah, him. Somewhere out there there is a reality where Belton repeaters met Pauly speedloaders in battle.

@allangibson8494 2 күн бұрын

@@TheArklyte Pauly rifles were double barrel weapons - the most glaring flaw to modern eyes is the lack of extractors for the cartridges when the breech is broken open (it is very similar to a double barrel shotgun).

@guestmatejek9029 2 күн бұрын

Thanks, Ian. I love your histories and all your videos are absolutely fantastic. This one was the coolest in a while. Thanks!

@alt5494 2 күн бұрын

This would have been utterly brilliant with the addition of a self advancing wheellock. With primed touch holes replacing the priming pan.

@johnfisk811 2 күн бұрын

I notice that Greener was complaining fifty odd years later that Lovell should not have dissuaded the Russians from ordering a Brunswick rifle copies being made in England (the Belgians obliged them) as they could not be made well for the Russian budget yet Greener was certain the British trade could have done the job for £5 a rifle and possibly even £3. So a 1785 £2,200 order for 100 would make the Belton a very expensive gun indeed.

@frenchroast1355 2 күн бұрын

This was one of most interesting episodes I've seen in awhile. Kind of a steampunk style weapon system. Very cool.

@draifang 2 күн бұрын

Okay, this might be one of my very favorite pieces I've seen on this channel.

@amitaimedan 2 күн бұрын

There is a new version of that system called Metal Storm.

@user-so4tx7zs5r 2 күн бұрын

If the locking teeth was worn does it mean this rifle was well-used?

@lyedavide 2 күн бұрын

The flintlock equivalent to the M1 Grand. Awesome!

@fetishartist137 2 күн бұрын

Without worrying about your thumb!! 😄

@mikedarr6968 2 күн бұрын

Me thinks this is the most fascinating video of yours. Thanks!

@Am3r1knu 2 күн бұрын

Slap a cover on the side of the broken one and it might as well be mistaken for something made in 1950... Truly a very creative designer!

@voiceofraisin3778 2 күн бұрын

Steampunk. Wonder how many rounds you can get down it before black powder fouling stops it working?

@geodkyt 2 күн бұрын

Honestly, with smoothbore guns, more rounds than you're likely to be carrying. 20 rounds in a single session from a flintlock musket is do-able- after all, there's a reason you see cartridge boxes holding 20, 24, even 30 rounds. (12-20 was more typical for the period, but that was as much the fact that you'd rarely fire more than that in an open field battle before going for the bayonet charge). With this gun, each magazine only holds 7, and you aren't having to load past fouling until all your magazines are exhausted (and that presumes you're still in combat and thus can't boil out the magazines before reloading). The pan and hammer ("frizzen" in modern terms - that thing most folks call a hammer is actually a called a "cock") will likely benefit from a quick swipe with a rag between each magazine, along with a stab with the touch wire to the flash hole, but that's like 5 seconds or so, if you've set your kit up smartly so you don't have to fish around in the bottom of your box (under the wooden cartridge block) for the wire. You'd probably be able to get at least 5 full magazine tubes out before fouling in the barrel would become a noticeable problem (recoil will progressively get stiffer), and you might be able to get more out before it becomes dangerously fouled. Each mag tube should be able to be loaded and fired *at least* 3 times before becoming so fouled they are difficult to charge, more likely 4 times. So, a typical soldier will end up running out of ammo before he runs afoul of fouling in a single battle. 😉

@LouCars 2 күн бұрын

More like sailpunk.

@NathanDudani 2 күн бұрын

@@geodkyt nice

@darchensol5112 2 күн бұрын

a heap i reckon. all the moving parts are on the outside, and you change your chamber when you change magazine. plus smoothbore. no rifling fouling, no touchhole fouling. only place that might is the cone where the magazine seats, but you can easily wipe that every seven shots. while it may have other reliability issues, i really dont see fouling troubling this gun.

@Nickname-hier-einfuegen Күн бұрын

Wrong century for steampunk.

@Taolan8472 2 күн бұрын

I've seen diagrams, but I never knew these were actually made. It seemed like a fever dream. I wouldn't call it 'semiautomatic' by any stretch, but I would definitely say that this is about as close as you can get with powder and ball in the absence of even a paper cartridge. I seem to recall the magazine tubes having a leather bandolier that kept them dry. Those are likely long deteriorated and gone.

@no1DdC 2 күн бұрын

Semiautomatic means that each trigger pull - without any other action - sets off a round. This gun qualifies. After you've loaded the gun, you do not have to do anything more than pull the triggers to fire seven shots in quick succession. There's no manual cocking, no refilling powder, nothing.

@Hyperlingualism Күн бұрын

@@no1DdC That definition would include double action revolvers, or even those weird harmonica pistols and the Guycot chain rifle/pistol, which are in a technical sense not semi-automatic, as it's meant to refer or recoil or gas cycling the mechanism. In layman's terms though, yeah it's functionally the same.

@sanderhenkes7591 2 күн бұрын

thank you, ian, for this superb video.

@causewaykayak 2 күн бұрын

A superbly crafted presentation.

@iobey 2 күн бұрын

Oh Gun Jesus, please tell us about the Kalthoff Repeater, the first repeater in the military service.❤

@ForgottenWeapons 2 күн бұрын

I have a video on the Kalthoff posting next month.

@gilgamecha 2 күн бұрын

@@ForgottenWeaponsawesome!!!! 🎉

@obsessivecorvid 2 күн бұрын

@@ForgottenWeapons no way, you finally found one?

@obsessivecorvid 2 күн бұрын

@@ForgottenWeapons Would a video on the 1908 Perino Machine Gun be possible? There's one in the "Museo Storico Italiano della Guerra" in Rovereto, Italy.

@earlyriser8998 2 күн бұрын

Manual of arms for this is much more complex than a musket. So only a few soldiers of the period would be 'qualified' to use these I expect. But great option for East India and a few trained soldiers.

@ronnierow5641 Күн бұрын

That was probably the most interesting video I've seen on your channel. Bravo!

@jerichocross7359 2 күн бұрын

Love this channel, I learn so much about unique and rare firearms throughout history. 👍

@FiveStringCommando 2 күн бұрын

I would love to see one of these roll through Mark Novak’s shop and subsequently get filmed for his channel.

@johnmccallum8512 2 күн бұрын

First you would have to find another one.

@TorquilBletchleySmythe 2 күн бұрын

So there were Assault Flintlocks available, eh? Interesting debate fodder.

@jonathansmith6050 2 күн бұрын

Ha, ha. Now (in addition to wanting to see a faithful modern reproduction) I also want to see the meme version reproduction of this assault flintlock. Stick on an anachronistic (but still wooden) pistol grip, picatinny rail, and have all the metal and wood stained/painted black :D

@youmukonpaku3168 Күн бұрын

yeah, it's certainly put a whole lot of skub in here of people arguing about what a buncha white dudes who died 200 years ago may or may not have thought about this really fucking cool gun right in front of us.

@dancing_odie 2 күн бұрын

These guns are by far the coolest you've had on the channel and I've seen damn near every episode. These were made by a genius

@warrenklaus-tm1oo 2 күн бұрын

Amazing is a modest way of putting it.

@user-xq5og9lt8p 2 күн бұрын

"No full auto on the battlefield, good sir"

@TheArklyte 2 күн бұрын

The only service branch I can see those actually paying off if they worked is in "Churchill case" ie overseas services of young british nobles in cavalry units. Winston Churchill wrote that his Mauser pistol was the reason why he survived unlike many of his comrades. So even EAC is a bit of a miss.

@johnfisk811 2 күн бұрын

The HEIC was a commercial army and short on nobles other than local ones and youngest sons. 100 arms would be for ordinary soldiers. I suspect that they disappeared into a garrison store as a species of quick firing wall gun and stayed there. On the other hand the RUSI example here has been used a lot to wear so much. Very much a high risk high gain career army that was very Indian in culture until steam ships brought in wives etc.

@gilgamecha 2 күн бұрын

Perfect for any relatively wealthy force liable to be heavily outnumbered.

@TheArklyte 2 күн бұрын

@@johnfisk811 the problem is that those guns won't be "justified" with local conscripts. To sell such a gun, the user should price their own life as 10 times its value AND have means to either procure it themselves OR have enough pressure on higher ups to demand to be supplied with them. RUSI didn't exist back then yet so I guess the window of opportunity was never there for these guns to have a place in history. P.S.: EIC, not EAC, sorry.

@johnfisk811 2 күн бұрын

@@TheArklyte In John Company’s army you got what the Directors chose unless you were with the Irregular cavalry when you bought your own arms and horses for yourself and the Sowars from the Colonel’s regimental funds. Often the Sowars brought their own arms, horses and followers. There were no conscripts. The Indian army, right up to the present day, has always been a volunteer army. The largest volunteer army ever in the world.

@B.C.wheeling 2 күн бұрын

I'm continually amazed by these videos of such unique and unknown to me firearms! Thanks Ian

@fjallaxd7355 2 күн бұрын

What an insanely cool gun. Good video.

@notamouse5630 Күн бұрын

I suppose the legal Implications of this and Bruen involve the prevention of challenges to firearms de-regulation on the basis of what was available back then.

@PaladinStem 2 күн бұрын

I have been told that something like this could have never existed before the year 1900 and the founders could never have comprehended it.

@hoibit 2 күн бұрын

yes. Ian literally handing out examples of legal precedent. and that's why he's awesome.

@foghornleg90 2 күн бұрын

Those are really cool. Well made, and perfectly explained video. THANK YOU!

@zedsdeadbaby Күн бұрын

One of the most fascinating videos you've done so far. A semi-automatic flintlock is wild.

@RiderOftheNorth1968 2 күн бұрын

I can´t see how you can classify that as "semiautomatic". It is a repeater, a clever repeater. It is as semiauto as a Colt Paterson!

@goofygoober1007 2 күн бұрын

Using the slow burning fuse it shoots every time the advancing trigger is pulled. One pull=one shot without cocking the hammer. So it’s semi automatic.

@RiderOftheNorth1968 2 күн бұрын

@@goofygoober1007 Not the other one. And the fuse contraption is in a "grey zone" when it comes to being a true semi auto since it need a fuse that burns about a minute. I would consider it a "manually controlled roman candle".

@twentyfifthdui4717 2 күн бұрын

The fact that it only functions in semi-auto for 1 minute doesn't mean it's not semi-auto. It just means it's not a very good semi-auto (at least not by modern standards).

@RiderOftheNorth1968 2 күн бұрын

@@twentyfifthdui4717 It relies on an external source of energy (in this case heat) to function as the proclaimed semi auto. That means it more like a double action revolver with its external energy in form of a long trigger pull. Or like a chain guns electric motor. The flint and the primer powder is an intergral part of a, for the time, conventional ignition system. To call this semi auto is like calling a volley gun a machine gun.

@goofygoober1007 2 күн бұрын

@@RiderOftheNorth1968one trigger pull=one fire. That’s semi auto. And it’s not cocking a hammer so it’s not a double action. But regardless if you want to argue double action or semi auto it results in the same one shot per trigger pull

@arthurthedented 2 күн бұрын

two notes: forget converting currency and just compare the cost to the per unit cost on Brown Bess contracts that year.. second thought is on why they disappeared after arrival. Millitreuse: no provision was made for instructors or instructions and/or these were considered an emergency secret super weapon.. so secret that the people who might have used them never got instruction or even knew they were there (?) Thanks again for a look into this TRULY forgotten weapon..those have got to be harder and harder to come by...but allof your works.. even on the major developments are fascinating studies in an evolutionary chain of ingeniuty.

@jamesdalton2014 Күн бұрын

I wanted to say the same thing. The reasons it "disappeared" were: 1. Cost - definitely better to compare it to what was already in use and how much that cost at the time. 2. Difficulty to use - this beast looks like it would take a lot of instruction to be able to operate it and a lot of practice to use it well (this also has to be factored into the cost). 3. Risk - we have no proof of its use so, we have no idea how often it would chain-fire or even explode. Weapons that go 'boom' in the wrong way tend to not be very popular with the people who have to use them. Your point about secrecy is also valid but, given the number purchased and where they were meant to be used, I'm inclined to believe secrecy wasn't a high priority for the British East India Company in this case. As you suggested, they may not have come with someone well trained in the use and maintenance of the weapon because of oversight/incompetence. This would have relegated the guns to a mere curiosity to be left in boxes somewhere, to be later sold as scrap metal.

@fustigate314159 2 күн бұрын

One of the more aesthetically interesting ever shown here!

@mattmorrisson9607 2 күн бұрын

I wouldn't say I'm much of a gun guy, as much as I'm a fan of cool engineering and design. I watch just about every video that Ian puts out, but I have to admit that I MUCH prefer these videos that highlight creative solutions to problems before the eventual solution was discovered. Super cool!

@CMSgtSanders 2 күн бұрын

You prove yet again that our fore fathers knee that there would someday be fast firing weapons like an ar 15. 😆

@hakon5873 2 күн бұрын

Old gun videos > new gun videos

@matthiasbreiter4177 2 күн бұрын

This is nearly unbelievable. Never heard of such a thing - genius.

@louisriverin2295 2 күн бұрын

Merci beaucoup Ian !

@gronthgronth2628 2 күн бұрын

so not only "semiautomatic", but with the small amount of adjustment, effectively magazine fed.

@danp9977 2 күн бұрын

Its joever

@billrowan1957 Күн бұрын

Why em i just learning about this? Very intriguing! Thanks for sharing. You're priceless, Ian!

@larquefausse3623 Күн бұрын

Wild stuff. Just the idea of having a replaceable magazine and burst fire in 18th Century is nuts.

@Mia_I_am_nice 2 күн бұрын

Between the Belton (especially the ones he literally contracted to build for the Continental Congress during the Revolution) and the Chambers (literally demonstrated to George Washington during his presidency, and eventually purchased in 1815 while manybof the Founding Father's were still around and involved in public affairs), it simply isn't credible to claim the Founders couldn't possibly have envisioned repeating arms nor rapid repeating arms might have been developed in the future. They literally had examined such guns

@no1DdC 2 күн бұрын

This argument is a genuine one. The only purpose behind it is to poison the gun debate through unnecessary pedantics. Please don't spread it.