Videos tagged with Master General of the Ordnance

This video explores a sealed pattern Hessian musket from the Royal Armouries collection, highlighting its connection to the American Revolutionary War. Firearms expert Jonathan Ferguson explains the purpose of sealed patterns, which were used by the British to standardize arms they didn't manufacture themselves, often for allies or to augment their own supply during conflicts. The musket's presence is linked to the Hessian mercenaries hired by the British during the Revolutionary War, though the exact reason for this specific sealed pattern remains partially unknown.

This video details a unique 'sealed pattern' Baker rifle, identified as an unfinished example from the early days of the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield. Firearms expert Jonathan Ferguson explains how this smoothbore, unsighted rifle, lacking a bayonet bar notch and front sling swivel, served as a control for manufacturing. It highlights the transition from the Tower of London's assembly system to Enfield's in-house production of complete firearms, suggesting this unfinished pattern was a cost-saving measure for contractors during wartime.