.36 Pedersoli le Page on chrono

[tacfoley]

Might be some difference between US and UK patents here. Henry Nock took out a UK patent on a breech design which (in various different ways) incorporated a small "pre-ignition" chamber either in the nipple pocket or at the base of the breech, for UK guns this is known as the "patent breech". The essential feature is that a part of the charge is constrained in the pre-ignition chamber and when ignited will project high pressure gasses into the main charge. Claims to increase Mv.

This does not seem to be the same configuration as described by DesG (or have I not understood it properly).

o.

tac

[Turnup]

Tac, A little research suggests to me that there is a US patent breech whereby the nipple and flash hole is drilled through the breech plug. While this might have a similar effect, I don't think that the respective innovations are equivalent. Interesting stuff tho'

[tacfoley]

My Parker-Hale Whitworth rifle has what Parker-Hale described at the time as a 'Patent or High pressure' breech. The .451cal hexagonally-rifles bore terminated at the breech end into a reduced volume chamber about two inches long, this effectively raising the internal pressure on ignition over that of the larger, full-calibre 'hole'.

tac

[Turnup]

My Parker-Hale Whitworth rifle has what Parker-Hale described at the time as a 'Patent or High pressure' breech. The .451cal hexagonally-rifles bore terminated at the breech end into a reduced volume chamber about two inches long, this effectively raising the internal pressure on ignition over that of the larger, full-calibre 'hole'.

tac

That does sound a lot like I imagined the LePage breech as earlier described. Clearly there are more than one breech designs and patents to go with them. Ever the search for improvement.