Kammerlader! Pillar Breech loading Norwegian weirdness! Warning! Photo Heavy.
Kammerlader,literally "Chamber Loader" is really the first sucessful pillar breech loading Rifle that used loose powder and an external ignition source (percussion cap).
Since the advent of Firearms people had been trying to increase the loading efficiency and thus the rate of fire.The fact that you had to tip all the ingredents down the same end of the gun that you wanted the shot to come out of,was a 100% inneficent and putting the powder and shot at the far end first time was a problem that many people tried to solve.In addition you had to use a projectile that was either smaller than the bore diameter or was designed to expand to the bore diameter when fired ,this didnt always work.
The problem being how to make a mechanisum gas tight and reliable?Loose enough that it will function with blackpowder fouling but tight enough in the right places that it dosnt leak hot gass?There were quite a few attempts but they really all suffered from fouling making them inopperable after a few shots or they leaked gas,making them uncomfortable to shoot or even unsafe.
In the 1830s the Norwegian "Geværkommisjonen" (Rifle Commision) began developing the Kammerlader than served for about 30 years,from its addoption in 1840 untill it was phased out by the Jarman and Remington Rolling Blocks.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
The first thing that hits you about these Rifles is the sheer size and weight,the long variant weighs 11 pounds and has a barrel nearly one meter long,thats not all bad as you need some damping when you touch off a 750 grain bullet over 110 grains of powder.The bullet diameter is 17.5mm ish or 69 Caliber.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
There is a 8X57 mauser cartridge placed on the Rifle to give an idea of scale.
The Breech or "Kammer" is pretty much a rectangular block of steel with a chamber bored in it that is larger than the bore,towards the rear there is a eccentric hole bored though which a shaft with two lobes passes.To close the breech one swivels the chamber downward untill it stops,then cranks the handle forward,the lobes pick up the elipse and the breech cams into the barrel forming a seal.
Underneath the Breech is a nipple that the percussion cap is placed on last.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
The underhammer arrangement uses a semicircular hammerspring that resembles a trigger guard,the hammer strikes through a hole in the stock that is lined with Brass.The gass and sparks that leak from the nipple errode the hammerspring,eventually weakening it.Some people wrap a leather bootlace around their spring to protect it from sparks.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
The saftey catch is called a "Klikklær" literally Click leather.This is inserted under the hammer and a wee pin protrudes into a hole to keep it there.This is important as as soon as you cap the breech you are staring at a loaded gun.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
The sights are pretty good for the era,there is a post front sight adjustable for windage and a fixed flip up rear sight that also doubles as a crude range finder.There is a brass screw head on the stock that if you alighn your eye with that and sight through the cut outs in the rear sight,the idea being a average man would fill the cut out at various ranges.These Rifles were rountinely shot out to 1000meters which is impressive even by todays standards.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
To load: One lifts the button at the front of the lever swinging the lever back towards you.Place the safety in the hole and pour in your desired charge.Put a cardboard wad ontop of that,then your paperwrapped bullet and finally some lubricant.I use Mayonaise,the very cheapest Mayonaise I can find.That means that some of it gets hydrauliced into the breech seal and the rest coats the Bullet as it trundles down the bore.I never get any leading and there is little fouling to speak of.Place your cap on the nipple,swing the block down and lever forward,cock hammer,remove safety and fire. The back stops at the local range are gravel,even near misses are spectacular.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
Charged,capped and Mayonaised!
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
Kammerlader Bullet to the left,then a Snider,5777/450 Martini Henry ,130 grain 6.5X55
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...370&fit=bounds
Pictured is a group that I fired first time out with my latest aquisition. 5.5 inch group at 100 meters off a bench.I see the potential with this Rifle so I will do some fine tuning of the load and paper patch.They shoot competitions with Kammerlader over here,something I hope to participate in one day.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
I find shooting these old Guns alot of fun,they and all guns produced before 1892 are exempt from registration here in Norway.You can have as many as you like,normally you can just have 6 long arms on a Hunting licence.
It is leagle to hunt with black powder arms for animals up to and including Roe Deer.
I hope you enjoyed my ramblings.
Mike Hill
