There is a First for Everything.
- Thread starter Usertag
- Start date
sigcurious
New member
Well I guess that depends on if you mean the projectile or the powder/casing/projectile as a whole. Projectile, I think many would consider the Minie Ball, the first in the sense of projectile, which makes all the firearms of that time the "first". As far as modern all in one, not sure, maybe a henry repeater? Hopefully someone else knows 
Ideal Tool
Moderator
Hello, Usertag. Are you refering to a complete cartridge..powder..primer..bullet..all enclosed in a metallic case? The Flobert was developed in France in the 1840's..kind of like a fat percussion cap with a ball seated in one end..no powder. Used for indoor shooting. In the U.S. the very first complete ctg. was/is the .22 short..patented by Smith & Wesson in 1857.
sigcurious
New member
Using that information, I dug a little further. I think the S&W model 1 revolver may be the "first". As it was designed in combination with the .22 short. There seems to be something called rocketball ammo also, which was similar to the Flobert, but I couldn't find examples of guns for those.
Edit: Found the Volcanic Rifle, used the rocketball. But it seems to not fit for a modern cartridge as the primer cap was seated in the rear of the bullet not the bullet seated in the case.
Edit: Found the Volcanic Rifle, used the rocketball. But it seems to not fit for a modern cartridge as the primer cap was seated in the rear of the bullet not the bullet seated in the case.
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That .22 Short rimfire answer applies to the USA. But did you mean the first ever? Anywhere?
There were rimfires and pinfires in Europe before the the .22 rimfire was "invented' in the US. I cannot say how much design crossed the water to be used in patenting the rimfire in the US. I also can't say how much design crossed the water to be used by Mr White in patenting the bored-through cylinder in the US.
Pinfire ammo was made in the US since both sides of the American Civil War used the guns from Europe. I have not heard of anybody in the US trying to patent the pinfire.
The metallic cartridge has a metal case, a primer, powder, and a bullet. We all assumed you meant the first metallic cartridge. There were various cartridges that had 2 of those 4, or 3 of those 4, prior to the .22 Short rimfire.
Bart Noir
There were rimfires and pinfires in Europe before the the .22 rimfire was "invented' in the US. I cannot say how much design crossed the water to be used in patenting the rimfire in the US. I also can't say how much design crossed the water to be used by Mr White in patenting the bored-through cylinder in the US.
Pinfire ammo was made in the US since both sides of the American Civil War used the guns from Europe. I have not heard of anybody in the US trying to patent the pinfire.
The metallic cartridge has a metal case, a primer, powder, and a bullet. We all assumed you meant the first metallic cartridge. There were various cartridges that had 2 of those 4, or 3 of those 4, prior to the .22 Short rimfire.
Bart Noir
six to one, half a dozen to the others.
Pin fire brass cartridge:
Invented by Frenchman Casimir Lefaucheux in 1828 but not patented until 1835, it was one of the earliest practical designs of a metallic cartridge. Its history is closely associated with the development of the breechloader which replaced muzzle-loading weapons.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinfire
22 rimfires:
The first rimfire cartridges were .22s, but after the type became established many larger caliber rimfire cartridges were developed in the mid to late 19th Century. Some of these had a good run of popularity until they were superceded by the development of higher pressure centerfire ammunition.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/history_rimfire_ammo.htm
But the engineering apparently goes to the rim, then pin, although I might be wrong.
Pin fire brass cartridge:
Invented by Frenchman Casimir Lefaucheux in 1828 but not patented until 1835, it was one of the earliest practical designs of a metallic cartridge. Its history is closely associated with the development of the breechloader which replaced muzzle-loading weapons.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinfire
22 rimfires:
The first rimfire cartridges were .22s, but after the type became established many larger caliber rimfire cartridges were developed in the mid to late 19th Century. Some of these had a good run of popularity until they were superceded by the development of higher pressure centerfire ammunition.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/history_rimfire_ammo.htm
But the engineering apparently goes to the rim, then pin, although I might be wrong.