Changing Weaponry - Small Arms Flashcards
What was the Brown Bess?
The Brown Bess was used as the standard issue British rifle throughout the Napoleonic Wars. It was a breach loading musket and was wholly inaccurate. An experienced soldiers could only fire around 3 rounds per minute.
What effect did the Brown Bess have?
Wellington had to reply on large numbers of soldiers firing at once as most shots would ultimately miss. Furthermore the only defence against a cavalry charge was forming square.
What was the Baker Rifle?
It was slowly being introduced near the end of the Napoleonic wars and was an early rifled musket in turn making it more accurate. It was used extensively by the 94th Light Infantry regiment in the peninsular wars. It was more accurate at longer range but could only fire 2 rounds per minute.
What was the Minie Rifle?
It was an originally a French design before being copied by the British, it became standard issue for all British Army regiments. It was a rifled musket and was used extensively in the Crimean War in which it gave a slight edge over the Russians who did not have rifled muskets. It may have been used at the Thin Red Line.
What was the Pattern Enfield?
It was introduced in 1853 and saw some use in the Crimean War, it remained in service until 1867 when it was replaced by the Snider Enfield Breach Loading rifle. It was also given to the British India Army which ultimately led to the Indian Mutiny.
What was the Lee - Metford rifle?
The army had first started test breach loading rifles in 1864, the first introduced one was the Synder Enfield Percussion rifle which was quickly replaced by the Martini - Henry Rifle which was again replaced in 1888 by the Lee Metford Rifle. It was a bolt action rifle and was designed by Lee and Metford, it was also produced in The Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield. They were used in the Second Boer war and a Long Lee Enfield variant was also used. It fired 15 shots per minute.
What was the SMLE?
It remained in service within the British Army for 50 years, it was the standard issue rifle of the First World War and around 3 million were produced. It was very similar to the Lee Metford but it was shorter and therefore, more suited for trench combat.
