Chapter VIII. 1860 – 1867: 58. 1863-1873: Pin-Fire vs Center Fire
The chapter has been edited to include observations on two styles of center-break, Central Fire rifles and shotguns being offered in the 1865-1869 time period,
-- Thin fence, noseless hammer guns which copied pin-fire type actions, which was widely used 1865-1870
-- Broader and deeper fences with a back splash guard and normal hammer, which became ubiquitous from 1870 - 1930
. . . . . .based on the following line:
https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=645601#Post645601I will add that this attempt at understanding the relationship between "Central Fire" guns from 1865 and their pin-fire precedents began with this misunderstanding. I looked at the Dickson and immediately said, "converted pin-fire." The Dickson records say otherwise. It stuck in the mind and this germinated into the above understanding:
https://doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=635255This gun, 14983 owned by 12boreman, is the first gun with 2 rue Scribe on the rib (February-March 1868). It is clearly a converted pin-fire, which has raised some questions about the dating chart. The first four or five extant Reilly guns with rue scribe on the ribs are all converted pin-fires. Would Reilly have re-engraved the ribs when he converted them? Reviewing the continuity of the script engraving and the cost involved, probably unlikely but something to be kept in mind: