French influence on U.S. Armories

[butlersrangers]

There are a lot of screws in the breech-mechanism of a Hall rifle. It appears steps were taken to improve the quality and the interchangeability of the machine-made screws during the course of the Hall rifle production, (1819 to 1840).

John Hall resided at Harper's Ferry during that period, refining his flintlock breech-loader and setting up the machine-process for mass production.

It is pretty amazing that Hall and Simeon North, (at his New England factory, 400 miles away), were able to manufacture arms that had parts that were interchangeable with each other.

IMHO - The Hall Rifle is of major significance. It would be educational to compare the screw-threads of an early Hall with one of late production. It would be significant to compare the screw-threads with those of other armory produced arms, made both before and after the period the Hall Rifle was manufactured.

Regrettably, few people would have access to this array of historic arms and the inclination to note such trivia.

[FredC]

I helped set up a fellow to make flint lock screws. I will ask if he has any original samples or knows of the early manufacturing history. One amazing thing about reproduction flint locks each of the 9 or so screws are different. I am sure I could design one to use the same screw in several different places.
Things were changing so fast back then and every one was copying every one else. You are probably right at some point there was French influence, as well German and British. As ideas were developed here they got borrowed by all the others.

[Culpeper]

You can thank the French for the M1 Garand and the M14.