A James Duane writing in the Rifle, December 1885, indicates that famed shooter Milton Farrow introduced breechseating. Duane describes the breechseating procedures and goes on to coment; "What do we do next? Repeat this rather cumbersome operation? By no means. A grand house-cleaning must first be inaugurated. 

Scubbing brushes, mops, and an assortment of utensils more varied than a char-woman ever dreamt of must be called into recognition". ( Duane "hot button" is that the knowledge to make barrels that would shoot dirty was commonly available.)

Duane comments that a Major Merrill states that the breechloader breechseater is but a  servile imitator of the muzzleloader.

Continuing the theme that clean-shooting barrels could be made he states, "That so many barrels are not so cut simply proves a wide-spread existence of a very depraved taste"!

A muzzleloader that would shoot clean would sure simplify offhand shooting. No cases, no primers, just flush her out at the end of the day.

Dick

Following up on this ability to "shoot dirty", I note that Wm. Hays shot a muzzleloading rifle by Schalk. Hays said he did not clean between shots. I've heard that the BP of that era was superior to what is on the market today.

Dick

Colonel Peel, the adjutant to the British team to Creedmoor in 1877, had this to say about the American powders and cleaning out:

"The Americans state that with the breech-loader they can use a heavier charge of gunpowder than can be done with the muzzle-loader.

"They also lay great stress upon their powder burning slower than ours.

"They claim by these means they obtain a lower trajectory , and that in other respects, their bullets are less effected by external conditions.

"The heavy charge necessitates "cleaning out" after every round, but they claim that the weapon they use, being in itself a practical one, and suitable for military or sporting, they may consider themselves entitled, for match purposes, to get the best shooting or if they can."

I don't believe the M/L's had to shoot dirty; it wasn't banned in match rifle events in GB. Indeed in 1878 cleaning was specifically permitted "provided that the competitor by ready to fire when called upon in his turn."

Cleaning between shots at any single distance was not prohibited by the NRA(GB) for match rifle competitions until 1883; ie. after the series of match rifle international events had finished at Creedmoor.

David

With the formation of the Volunteers (akin to the US National Guard) in Great Britain in 1859 and subsequent founding of the NRA there was great interest in rifle shooting. The NRA, as you observe were keen to promote development of small arms. In the earliest years they held competitive trials to determine the rifle to be issued to finalists to use in the Queen's Prize. Breech loading comps were also promoted from the first NRA match of 1860.

There were essentialy two classes of shooting that developed, one for Volunteers shooting their arm of issue, and another open to all shooting 'any-rifle,' commonly the small-bore (.451) match rifles. Another class, the military breech loader developed later.

Match rifle shooting evolved into a highly specialised discipline and the finess of the riflemen with all their equipment and carefully weighed charges was often the focus of humour in the likes of 'Punch' magazine. It was these riflemen that competed in the International matches. 

Originating in the ingenuity of the Americans in the international matches, the practice of wiping out between shots became general practice in match rifle competitions in Great Britain. It was not prohibited until 1883. This post-dates the series of international match rifle events. 

In 1882 and 1883 there were matches between the British Volunteers and American National Guard using military rifles. Cleaning was prohibited in these and in both matches the British team won.

David