History of the Enfield Model in 1853
The Enfield Pattern 1853 (or .577 Enfield) rifled rifle was the standard rifle of the British Empire in 1853 (hence the name). The model served in several notable conflicts of the period, including the Crimean War (1853-1856), the American Civil War (1861-1865) and the New Zealand Land War (1845-1872). It is valued at a distance for its accuracy, with approximately 1,500,000 pieces in circulation, produced by the Royal Small Arms Factory from 1853 to 1867.
The Model 1853 was in service from 1853 to 1871, before the technology replaced the defunct front-loading pistol.
The Enfield Pattern 1853 was specifically designed to provide the British infantry with a new modern pistol capable of using a British improved version of the French Miniature buckshot developed by Captain Claude Miniature. The result was a fairly light and reliable long gun in the Model 1853 Rifled Rifle, which served the British Empire for decades.
Mode 1853 uses the standard 500 granularity. 577 Burton-Minie or Pritchett Ball and Paper "cartridge", the former also originating from American manufacture. 58 Springfield Rifled Rifle (used by Confederate and Union troops, respectively, during the American Civil War). Even at a distance, the ball can pierce through wood up to 4 inches thick, providing good stopping power. The weapon features a typical "long gun" design with a three-band wooden frame (with the straps designed to secure the barrel to the stock), an integrated shoulder rest and pistol grip, a percussion lock and a bayonet mount.
The gun was a "muzzle-loading" long gun, typified by the era, where the propellant (powder) and projectile (ball) were loaded from the end of the barrel and rammed down. A trained user can fire 1 to 3 rounds at a given target area up to 2,000 yards, although sources say the accuracy is (thus) more effective at around 600 yards.
The Model 1853 has an adjustable rear sight and a fixed front post. The mirrors are adjustable with a rear friction rail/bracket blade arrangement. The curb weight is a whopping 9.5 pounds, while the gun has a 55-inch barrel length.
The
Model 1853 was already a proven weapon of the British Army, and it also became a popular long gun used by the American Confederates during the American Civil War, as it proved to be a suitable antidote for highly effective alliances. 58 Series Springfield Model 1861. As warfare increasingly requires a large number of weapons, various armies struggle to find the necessary weapons to deploy suitable infantry regiments. As a result, both the Union and the Confederate forces attempted to import foreign designs to meet their needsmost of which were committed by interested European powers.
For the Confederates, the Pattern 1853 had the option of using the Combined Springfield rifle ammunition and its own ammunition. 577 caliber type, allowing its soldiers to use captured Union ammunition as well as their own issued stocks.
Since there was hardly any heavy industry in the south, this feature proved to be a decisive logistical advantage.
The original Enfield Type 1853 was retained as a muzzle-loading musket, although the advent of a new one-piece cartridge led to the development of a breech-loading mechanism that now allows the long gun to be loaded by a receiver close to the trigger - greatly reducing reload time . This breech-loader made all front-loading guns obsolete. As a result, various arsenals provided conversions for many muzzle-loading guns that were then used to become breech-loading guns, just as early flintlocks formerly became shock-based guns). For the British, this "movement" came in the form of the ".577 Snider-Enfield" - interestingly, developed by the American Jacob Snider - which converted the prized Pattern 1853 Enfields from 1866 to the later Bore loader.
These Enfields fought throughout the British Empire, which was deployed in Crimea, India, Africa and the New World until about 1901. A shorter lance in the form of a carbine was also produced, designed to create a more compact lance that was particularly useful when firing from horseback.
Other notable carriers are Brazil and Japan.
Beginning in 1871, the Snyder-Enfield rifle was officially replaced by the new Martini-Henry rifle.
The Enfield Pattern 1856 is nothing more than a shortened (six inches) version of the full-length Pattern 1853 gun. Two straps are used along its length (as opposed to the three in Pattern 1853).
Specification
Roles
- Frontline infantry/gunner
Dimensions
1,422 mm (55.98 in)
863 mm (33.98 in)
4.31 kg
Adjustable back; fixed front
Performance
Knock Lock;Single Shot
850 feet per second (259 meters per second)
3 rounds per minute
3,000 ft (914 m; 1,000 yd)
Changes
Model 1853 - Base production model; three-belt design.
Pattern 1856 - Length reduced by 6 inches for improved portability and usability; noted for its double waistband design.

