Sir, – Lt Jim Robson [111/1 p. 77] is unkind in suggesting the Army was late in adopting the rifle for line regiments. The Brunswick and earlier rifles had been difficult to use hence they were restricted to specialist units. The 1853 pattern .577 Enfield was an entirely different beast. It fired the Minie bullet which was slightly smaller in diameter than the bore which made it easier to load especially when the barrel was fouled from earlier shots – always a major problem with gunpowder. Equally importantly the bullet had a concave base which expanded and gripped the rifling when the rifle w…
