Lef....I have posted pictures of a half dozen Enflieds, a dozen Sniders made by Reilly. I've posted pictures of a dozen non SN'd Reilly's used by the Yoemanry. I've posted the history of the Green Brothers breech loaders which competed for the 1864 breech loader contract and finished second to which he had exclusive rights to manufacture, the Prince breech loader which he made and advocated, the Reilly-Comblain which also completed and to which he had UK manufacturing rights. I've posted Reilly made Martini-Henry's. But the Enflied factory at the time insisted on sending over parts to be assembled for the M-H's. He only SN'd one that I can find and that was very very early...Please read the above.

Boar war troops were using Martinis and the magazine fed new Long Lee-Enfields. (Some also still equipped with Sniders). There's one SMLE Enfield pictured with Reilly's name on it....but by that time the firm was very much in decline.

As for the Great War...come-on LeF....you know darned well Reilly went bankrupt in 1912.... when you write something like that...well...it sort of makes it look like you are desperate to disprove the thesis.

And he tried repeatedly to win a government contract. Please read the line. And how do you know they didn't receive a contract for something or other? The made cartridges for instance. There just are no records left.

As for milling machines...l discussed this above. Milling machines were used by factories building 1000 guns a week..part of the "American system." And Birmingham didn't start using them until the 1870's and 80's...see above. He was making what...2-3 a day and probably did not have a milling machine. I speculated that his workshops worked on the old system of templates... Birmingham could produce 100,000 guns a year using this system. but who knows?

And I don't care about this...I'm not "desperate." But the evidence is there. You can lead a horse to water. smile Let's see what develops. If I'm wrong, I'll admit it.

Edit for the record: Not only were those silly 19th century Englishmen fooled - what did they know - but Americans too!!..Even the used gun dealers were bamboozled.
"Forest and Stream" - December 30, 1880:

Last edited by Argo44; 08/23/19 08:55 PM.
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