Antique Firearms - a Great Way to Improve Your Gun Collection
If you are a gun collector but have become bored with your collection, perhaps it is time for you to take a look at some antique firearms. These guns offer you a chance to get a real piece of history, and some can even still be used, although be careful because antique firearms can be very expensive.
Examples of Antique Firearms
A good example of a highly collectable and completely authentic early firearm is the Baker Rifle. This gun from the Victorian Era was the primary firearm of the British Army in the early 1800s. It is a flint lock single shot rifle that was used during the Napoleonic Wars. These antique firearms served the British soldiers well and were an inspiration for generations of rifles since. The musket was a .625 caliber with a 30 inch barrel that was fitted for a sword bayonet. It also had a 6 inch long lock mechanism, a ring-neck cock, a folding-leaf rear sight with a scrolled brass trigger guard. In addition, it had a raised cheek rest on the left of the butt that aided when aiming.
One of the most ingenious and innovated features of this rifle was the compartment for the cleaning equipment, essential for antique firearms from this era. It was located in the butt of the rifle and was easily accessed at all times and never damaged unless the actual rifle was. Finding one of these rifles in pristine condition with the cleaning kit and bayonet is a truly rare find and something all collectors seek. This musket is a fine example of workmanship from this era and was incredibly accurate to distances of over one hundred yards.
This rifle was so accurate that it was used as one of the first sniper rifles known to man. Whereas normal muskets required teams of 60 to 80 gunners, these antique firearms operated in two man teams. One of the greatest examples of the accuracy was when Rifleman Thomas Plunkett shot and killed French General Colbert at a reported distance of eight hundred yards. In addition he then shot one of the General aides, proving that the first shot was due to his skill and the effectiveness of the rifle, not just luck.
One of the main hindrances of the rifle was its slow reload time, but the increased accuracy more than made up for this. This is just one example among many antique firearms that can add to your current gun collection; there are many more out there. Good Luck!
