first 22
- Thread starter AC4142
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
glypnir
Member
Looks that way to me. I'll let the real experts ring in when the arise from their slumber.
Probably somebody on the forum owns the first one, who knows.
I want pictures.
I suggest you get the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson, 3rd Edition, also known as "the book"
It says that Dan (Wesson) developed the cartridge. Who's this Henry guy?
Probably somebody on the forum owns the first one, who knows.
I want pictures.
I suggest you get the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson, 3rd Edition, also known as "the book"
It says that Dan (Wesson) developed the cartridge. Who's this Henry guy?
glypnir
Member
Looking around on the web, like here:
http://www.aeragon.com/03/index.html
This says:
"B. Tyler Henry was granted a patent for a lever-action-repeating rifle on 16 October, 1860. The design was an improvement on the earlier volcanic rifle. "
The "volcanic" was actually invented by Smith and Wesson. They sold it to Mr. Winchester.
So Mr. Henry was building on their work.
Mr Smith went to Europe some time before this, and looked at European cartridges. The volcanic didn't sell or work very well, so they sold it. At about this time, the Colt revolver patent expired, and Smith and Wesson got the Rollin White patent on drilled through revolver cylinders.
Mr. Wesson developed the improved rimfire 22 cartridge. It looks like he put powder into the 22 BB cap cartridge, which had existed since 1845, but just had primer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rimfire
Speaking as an engineer, let me tell you that the path of development of technology is generally long and torturous, and there are lots of people involved. The technology improves by little bits until it finally becomes fairly usable. Then, sometimes, those folks get credit. The .22 rimfire is certainly one of those points.
The Henry, the Winchester, the volcanic, the lever action rifle, whatever the heck it is, didn't really hit its stride until centerfire cartridges were available. IMHO. Because rimfire cartridges had to have flexible rims, they could not (cannot) handle the chamber pressures that centerfire cartridges can.
http://www.aeragon.com/03/index.html
This says:
"B. Tyler Henry was granted a patent for a lever-action-repeating rifle on 16 October, 1860. The design was an improvement on the earlier volcanic rifle. "
The "volcanic" was actually invented by Smith and Wesson. They sold it to Mr. Winchester.
So Mr. Henry was building on their work.
Mr Smith went to Europe some time before this, and looked at European cartridges. The volcanic didn't sell or work very well, so they sold it. At about this time, the Colt revolver patent expired, and Smith and Wesson got the Rollin White patent on drilled through revolver cylinders.
Mr. Wesson developed the improved rimfire 22 cartridge. It looks like he put powder into the 22 BB cap cartridge, which had existed since 1845, but just had primer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rimfire
Speaking as an engineer, let me tell you that the path of development of technology is generally long and torturous, and there are lots of people involved. The technology improves by little bits until it finally becomes fairly usable. Then, sometimes, those folks get credit. The .22 rimfire is certainly one of those points.
The Henry, the Winchester, the volcanic, the lever action rifle, whatever the heck it is, didn't really hit its stride until centerfire cartridges were available. IMHO. Because rimfire cartridges had to have flexible rims, they could not (cannot) handle the chamber pressures that centerfire cartridges can.
opoefc
US Veteran
The .22 rimfire cartridge was invented and patented by Horace Smith & Daniel B. Wesson. Their first .22 was a single shot Flobert type pistol, which was a flop on the market. This was early to mid 1850s. Then they discovered a 7 shooter revolver design which would allow the use of the bored through cylinder chambered for a .22RF as patented by Rollin White. They bought the patent and the rest is history.
opoefc
US Veteran
I forgot to mention, Winchester said they put the "H" headstamp on their .22RF cartridges in honor of Tyler Henry, but not because Henry had anything to do with inventing the cartridge.
Similar threads
- Locked
Sold/Withdrawn
HKS 22-K Revolver Speed Loaders (3)
