Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Ferguson rifle
References
Britannica AI Icon

Ferguson rifle

firearms
Written by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last updated

Quick Summary

The Ferguson rifle was an early, practical breech-loading firearm invented by Patrick Ferguson, a British soldier and marksman. Patented in 1776, it was considered the best military firearm used in the American Revolution. Its breechlock was grooved to prevent jamming, allowing it to be fired six times per minute, a significant improvement in firepower for its era. However, due to official conservatism, fewer than 200 were used in the war. Ferguson led a unit armed with his rifle during the 1777 Pennsylvania campaign and was killed in 1780 at the Battle of Kings Mountain.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
3 Britannica Sources
  1. Patrick Ferguson
  2. small arm - The bolt action
  3. Harry George Ferguson

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.