PINFIRE Revolvers - Cartridges - & CHIMNEY Adaptors For Percussion Caps:

Obscure stuff this .. an open-top, antique banger PIN FIRE 1854 Model type -'Non-Atributed' - indeed NO visible maker proofmarks or other stamping/engraving - nor any front sight - possibly the barrel has been shortened. A complete 9mm 'Plain Jane Pinfire' .. missing lanyard ring, loading-gate, extractor rod and had a broken trigger return spring. - However the double action only hammer functions smoothly and the rifled bore is remarkably clean & shiny for 160 odd years neglect.

These old 'System Lefaucheux' revolvers come to market cheaply around the world - perhaps costing a mere tenth of an original Colt. - Are they so badly made and disfunctional that a Colt is worth ten times as much? - Perhaps unpopular because they are thought impossible to shoot .. their ammunition is unavailable - while powder & ball just "can't work" in these oddballs ? - It might not help that a lot of folk can't pronounce the word "Lefaucheux" ..

These 'pinfires' were advanced designs in their time, and were made all over the place in the Old World .. Belgium, France, Italy, Russia, Spain, Holland, UK. Identification is complicated by a large range of calibers 7mm, 9mm, 11mm, 12mm, 15mm - single action or double, - folding trigger models or fixed with trigger guards, - open top or closed, - round barrels , octagonal or even 'break-action'.

Pinfire Cartridges Use Percussion Caps and Black Powder INTERNALLY:

As well as progressive development over time  - the patented revolvers were made as distinctly separate versions for both civilian and military markets. Eugene Lefaucheux (the son) was commercially a very busy lad with an active mind and frequent new ideas. Plus there were many "copies" made.

I think the main advantage over muzzleloading for this gun, with it's self contained cartridge was it's convenience, - it was faster to load, and is nearly WATERPROOF. - Depending on proper care in assembly & usage .. these obsolete metalic cartridges would have proven reliable even in the wettest and most humid of conditions - given some attempt by the user to protect them from prolonged immersion.

These Were Perhaps THE FIRST Metallic Self-Contained Rounds:

Obsolete technology from two centuries ago certainly .. but even a Mesolithic age rock will still smash a skull after 10,000 years - remember that 620,000 Americans were killed in their Civil War .. fought with old fashioned gunpowder and sabers.

Historic Data For ELEY 9mm Pinfire Cartridge - (Dims. in inches).

- Here's a video of a youtube joker Rakum Projects making and firing 9mm Pinfire cartridges from 9x19mm NATO brass ..

_https://www.google.com/search?q=centerfire+cartridge+to+pinfire&rlz=1C1ONGRenNZ933NZ933&oq=centerfire+cartridge+to+pinfire&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigAdIBCjE4ODYwajBqMTWoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:4a14b075,vid:2cVc34vOtAs,st:0

10 grains of BP antique propellant seems to be the dose for a 9mm pinfire .. behind a lead bullet. - The PINFIRE CARTRIDGE really is something of a side alley in the progression from the beginings, to the modern self contained cartridge. - But, in it's era - it was invented at a time before brass cartridges were able to be industrially drawn from well formulated brass sheet .. and it worked. - The earliest rounds originally used paper/card cartridges with metal bases - For some 30-40 turbulant years, the European pinfires competed with the other developing ideas.

Now These Are Interesting (& obscure).

Iron (steel) Chamber 'CHIMNEY' ADAPTORS to Percussion ..

- not all that weird .."cheminee" is a french word used for a BP 'Nipple'.

Nice article about chamber adaptors .. to enable a pinfire revolver to function as muzzle loading cap'n'ball Percussion Revolver.

https://freemycollection.com/?page=articles/pinfireauxiliaryadapter

- Back in The Day you might have found these "Chimney Adaptors" for use when the proper pinfire cartridges were unobtainable - such as in Civil War times down south in America.

- Going-back to an older obsolete system can be an advanced idea when the circumstances prevent supply of the latest and newest advances .. some old time Frontiersmen usefully stayed with their FLINTLOCKS for decades into percussion and early cartridge times.

Marty K.

For anyone looking for rabbit-holes to view .. here a fantastic spread of odd cartridges that were attempted at least once ..

https://cartridge-corner.com/rimiden.htm