WI: Earlier Adoption of Whitworth's Innovations

Discussion in 'History Before 1900' started by Delta Force, Mar 9, 2017.

  1. Delta Force

    Delta Force Administrator
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    Joseph Whitworth was a British inventor who made his fortune by developing techniques for producing high precision surfaces. He also developed hexagonal barrels and ammunition used in a rifle, 12 pounder breechloading rifle and 70 pounder breechloading rifle, but they were not adopted by the British military because Whitworth rifles cost four times as much as the standard issue Pattern 1853 Enfield rifle and Armstrong was favored for artillery. The rifle barrels were also more likely to foul than with Enfield designs. However, Whitworth's rifles and artillery had significantly greater accuracy and range than their contemporaries, on par with weapons used decades later, and they did see limited use in the American Civil War. What if Whitworth's technology had seen more widespread service in the American Civil War or with the British military?
     

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