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Craig Barry has an article entitled, "The Birmingham System of Gun Manufacture" has been published in The Military Collector and Historian, the official publication of The Company of Military Historians.
During the Civil War era, the Birminghman gun makers successsfully resisted the London gun makers' attempt to have guns marked with the maker's name and address. Thus it was not uncommon for Birmingham's Enfields to be marked "Tower" whether they were gauged by the government inspectors at the Tower or not.
Unlike the Royal Arms Manufactory and London Armoury Co. practices of using the American Plan (machine production for consistency and interchangeable parts), Birmingham firms used their own system and kept alive the specialized trades to produce their guns. Thus there were barrel makers (borers, welders, grinders, barrel settlers, breechers, filers, rib makers and stampers), lock makers (including spring makers, case hardeners), stockmakers (one maker had a sawmill set up in Turin, Italy. Walnut was imported from the Piedmont region of Italy and other parts of Europe), assemblers (special firms were set up to fit lock, barrel, stock, bands, etc. together to make a rifle).
The article is a very good read and anyone interested in the English imported Enfield should read it. You can contact The Company at their website or their editor, Dave Sullivan at dsulli7875@aol.com.
BTW, the 2013 Annual Meeting will be on April 18-20 at Gettysburg. There will be behind the scene tours most guests never get to see. Join the Company today!
During the Civil War era, the Birminghman gun makers successsfully resisted the London gun makers' attempt to have guns marked with the maker's name and address. Thus it was not uncommon for Birmingham's Enfields to be marked "Tower" whether they were gauged by the government inspectors at the Tower or not.
Unlike the Royal Arms Manufactory and London Armoury Co. practices of using the American Plan (machine production for consistency and interchangeable parts), Birmingham firms used their own system and kept alive the specialized trades to produce their guns. Thus there were barrel makers (borers, welders, grinders, barrel settlers, breechers, filers, rib makers and stampers), lock makers (including spring makers, case hardeners), stockmakers (one maker had a sawmill set up in Turin, Italy. Walnut was imported from the Piedmont region of Italy and other parts of Europe), assemblers (special firms were set up to fit lock, barrel, stock, bands, etc. together to make a rifle).
The article is a very good read and anyone interested in the English imported Enfield should read it. You can contact The Company at their website or their editor, Dave Sullivan at dsulli7875@aol.com.
BTW, the 2013 Annual Meeting will be on April 18-20 at Gettysburg. There will be behind the scene tours most guests never get to see. Join the Company today!