Whitworth Rifle
Whitworth Rifle Company · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1857
Also known as: Whitworth Sharpshooter Rifle, Whitworth Sniper Rifle
Overview
The Whitworth rifle was a British percussion-cap muzzleloader designed by the engineer Sir Joseph Whitworth and produced from 1857 to 1865. Its defining feature was a hexagonal bore of .451 caliber with a fast one-turn-in-20-inch twist, firing a mechanically-fitted six-sided projectile that gave it unprecedented long-range accuracy. Built on a steel barrel and walnut stock, and often fitted with a telescopic sight, it is widely regarded as the world's first true sniper rifle.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4600 g (162.3 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1245 mm (49.02") |
| Barrel Length | 838 mm (32.99") |
| Action Type | Muzzleloader |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Muzzle Velocity | 366 m/s (1201 fps) |
| Effective Range | 820 m (897 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 910 m (995 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 3 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Hexagonal |
| Rifling Twist | 508 mm (20.00") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
Calibers
- .451 Whitworth · primary — also known as .451 caliber, 11.45mm Whitworth
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot Muzzleloader
- Features: Muzzle Loading, Percussion Lock, Hexagonal Bore, Telescopic Sight Capable
Service history
Operators
- Confederate States Army · adopted 1862
- British Army (trials) · adopted 1857
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 13,400 · Production years: 1857-1865
Approximately 13,400 rifles produced by the Whitworth Rifle Company in Manchester.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: Joseph Whitworth
Discontinued: 1865
Notes
Effective in skilled hands at 800 to 1,000 yards, far beyond the Pattern 1853 Enfield it was tested against. Confederate sharpshooters prized the Whitworth during the American Civil War, where its rarity made it a coveted specialist arm; many surviving examples are marked '2nd QUALITY' with simpler Enfield-pattern locks and sights.
Background
Confederate sharpshooters armed with the Whitworth could pick off targets at distances thought impossible at the time; one such marksman is credited with killing Union General John Sedgwick at Spotsylvania in 1864, moments after he reportedly scoffed that the enemy 'couldn't hit an elephant at this distance.'