Hall Model 1819 Rifle
Harpers Ferry Armory · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1819
Also known as: M1819 Hall Rifle, Hall Breech-Loading Rifle, U.S. Model 1819
Overview
The U.S. Hall Model 1819 was the first breech-loading rifle adopted in quantity by a national army and the first U.S. military arm manufactured with fully interchangeable parts. Designed by John Hancock Hall, it used a tilting breech block with an integral flintlock that pivoted up for loading, firing a .52-caliber rifled ball. It was manufactured at the Harpers Ferry Armory from 1819 into the 1840s, with later examples converted to percussion ignition.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4649 g (164.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1500 mm (59.06") |
| Barrel Length | 826 mm (32.52") |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Maximum Range | 1050 m (1148 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 9 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Browned |
Calibers
- .52 Ball · primary — also known as .525 caliber, .52 caliber round ball
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot Breech
- Features: Tilting Breech Block, Breech Loading, Flintlock Ignition, Interchangeable Parts, Removable Breech Block Usable As Pistol
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1819 · as Model 1819
Conflicts
- Texas Revolution (1835-1836)
- Seminole Wars (1817-1858)
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 23,500 · Production years: 1819-1840
Produced at the Harpers Ferry Armory; figure covers the flintlock rifle pattern, excluding later carbine and percussion variants made elsewhere
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: John Hancock Hall
Discontinued: 1840
Notes
The Smithsonian and militaryfactory list the bore as roughly .525 caliber; later percussion-converted and carbine versions used larger bores up to .69. The breech block could be removed and fired by hand as an improvised pistol. Production at Harpers Ferry is estimated at around 23,500 rifles.
Background
John Hall's Model 1819 pioneered the manufacture of firearms from fully interchangeable parts, a milestone of the 'American System' of mass production. A damaged breech block from one rifle could be swapped into any other, decades before such interchangeability became standard industrial practice.