Guncovered: The Ferguson & Collumbell Rifles 

Always great content, anyway we can support?

I never knew these existed. What a great Guns. Ferguson rifle is "something" special!

Oh awesome! Good morning everyone!

My mom was born and raised near where Ferguson died. Was not aware of this part of the story ...but it tracks. The fellow was given a choice ,and made it.

Have never seen anything like that Collumbell rifle, that’s amazing.

I really like that you include an estimated selling price range. Really interesting.

From what I understand there are techniques for reloading a muzzleloader while prone but it is very awkward and slower than normal. Breech loaders provide a significant advantage in this regard.

One of my direct ancestors helped leave Ferguson on top of kings mountain.

Great video Austin. Love going back and seeing these muzzleloaders!

Watched it twice this is a really great video!!!

Great video very informative!!!!!

Calling Kentucky rifle "one of the earliest sharpshooter rifles" looks like a stretch. Massive usage of rifle-armed light infantry that fought in loose formations and practiced aimed shooting, indeed, dates to the last decades of the 18th century (musket-armed line infantry only had to aim "roughly in that direction" back then, and in many armies the muskets had actually lost any sights whatsoever), but rifles were first used in field action considerably earlier, roughly around the begiining of the 18th century. Basically they had to be used as a marksman weapon of sorts from the start, as accuracy was their only real advantage (combined with atrociously slow reloading). More typically those were a bit shorter rifles of larger calibers that were more convenient to reload (known as Stutzen in German). In particular, as early as in 1712 Peter the Great ordered the oboists of his army to be armed with such rifles (overall Peter the Great attempted to introduce many extremely innovative elements, though the ultimate result was limited because of the inferior Russian economy of the time; anyway, at least he managed to create a huge modern European army).

Where's the detail on the Ferguson? How does it actually load? Shoulda stuck with Ian.

Chinese developed some kind of breechloading matchlock gun as early as they invented the gun, just a few decades after, needless to say it must have had issues considering it was not mass adopted, either that or high cost, the Indians and Chinese were masters of iron and steel in their day so its no doubt in my mind they would have built the system well but I guess the cost factor was more important when you need to field so many of them, thats the same case for Ferguson, its an interesting rifle but when it comes to price its too much.

6 shots in a minute was like a machine gun. A bit hyperbolic. Something like a belton flintlock or chambers flintlock would be like machine guns. This is just very fast.

The Ferguson wasn't _that_ much faster than the muzzleloaders of the day. It's main draw was that it gave the user a tactical advantage by being a breechloader and being able to load it from any position.

“They only knew how to fight proper” An exaggeration at best. Revisionist history at worst. Light infantry tactics were a common part of British military teaching.

What would be considered a long range for these pesky backwoodsmen shooting British gentlemen?