Gun Dates
download chronology table here
| 1640 | Maker’s names first appear on guns |
| 1656 | English Civil War begins |
| 1689 | First order for muskets to Birmingham gunmakers – Sir Richard Newdigate |
| 1722 | French double gun barrels soldered together – previously separate |
| 1730 | False breech in use |
| 1750 | Change from full to half stock began |
| 1760 | Convex lock profile disappearing – later locks flat except military! |
| 1763 | Earliest silver mounted pistol by Twigg (probably some were earlier) |
| 1765 | Barrels soldered together – adopted in England by William Bailes |
| 1769 | Drop shot invented by William Watts |
| 1770 | Gold poinson and inlaid breech lines introduced |
| 1770 | Inlaid spider foresight ( Bass, Twigg etc in the 1770s) |
| 1770 | Interceptor Scear by Twigg (prevents discharge at half cock – shortlived ) |
| 1770 | Link between mainspring & tumbler introduced |
| 1770 | Mined black (Brandon) flints began to replace field flints |
| 1770 | Second pattern acorn finial |
| 1771 | Link on Frizzen until about 1775 (Twigg) |
| 1775 | Flat top chequering starts to appear |
| 1775 | Mahogany gun cases begin to replace oak |
| 1775 | Roller on frizzen, later on frizzen spring |
| 1775 | Patent No 1095 Enclosed lock pistol – H Nock, Jover & Green |
| 1775 | Shell carving on stock behind tang (Twigg and others). |
| 1775 | Sliding safety introduced – later dropped from fowling pieces |
| 1777 | Locks fitted with hook and single screw |
| 1778 | Half stocked single barrel guns replace full stock |
| 1779 | Naval gunpowder found wanting –Congreve Machine invented |
| 1780 | Barrel bolt escucheons appear |
| 1783 | Semi-rainproof pan in use. |
| 1784 | Pineapple finial introduced |
| 1787 | Patent breech invented by Henry Nock |
| 1790 | Many gunmakers introduced numbering around 1790, most don’t start from zero! |
| 1792 | Trigger spring – Joseph Manton’s first patent No. |
| 1792 | Joseph Manton Patent 1865 -Hammer & improved stepped breech |
| 1795 | Parsons – barrel straightness checked with string – 1798 by shadows |
| 1800 | Rainproof pan in use |
| 1801 | John Manton introduced labels in his cases – others followed |
| 1805 | John Manton introduced Platina (Platinum) for touch holes, bands etc. |
| 1806 | Joseph Manton Patent 2966- Raised rib on double guns – major improvement |
| 1807 | Percussion ignition Patent No. 3032 granted to Forsyth |
| 1812 | Durs Egg patent 3599 improvements to lock – spring gravity safety etc |
| 1812 | Joseph Manton Paternt 3558 – Gravitational stop – soon dropped for shotguns |
| 1815 | John Manton introduced ‘V’ shaped flintlock pan |
| 1816 | Joseph Manton Pellet lock patent 3086– shortlived – mostly converted to caplock |
| 1817 | John Manton patented ‘V’ shaped pan |
| 1817 | Joseph Manton Improved pan Patent 4116 – not a success! |
| 1818 | Joseph Manton’s Tubelock Patent 4285 – found to be in breach of Forsyth’s patent |
| 1818 | True Damascus introduced from Leige |
| 1821 | Forsyth’s patent on percussion expired |
| 1821 | John Manton patent No 4577 for vertical sear |
| 1820 | Copper percussion cap invented, inventor uncertain |