Ferguson Rifle in the ARW

WI Patrick Ferguson had before the war immigrated to the colonies and become a leading rebel leader would his rifle stand a better chance of being adopted by the Americans. If so what effects could this have had on the course of the war?
 
Wasn't the Ferguson expensive as hell and hard to maintain? It'd end up being a rifle used by a few colonial troops but may end up being phased out simply because of the hardships involved in finding or fabricating new parts.
 
From what I've read the Ferguson rifle had teething problems that probably would have been ironed out in subsequent batches. Certainly complexity has never been an issue if a weapon is effective and takes a hold.
 
The problem with the Ferguson Rifle is that, sure it's great for 4 or 5 or 8 shots, but after that, the breech mechanism begins to foul and it needs to be stripped and cleaned etc. The Ferguson Rifle is a developmental dead end, it's simply too expensive to build/maintain.
 
Not as a general issue weapon, but there may be more than a few volunteer riflemen and rangers who field the weapon.
 
The problem with the Ferguson Rifle is that, sure it's great for 4 or 5 or 8 shots, but after that, the breech mechanism begins to foul and it needs to be stripped and cleaned etc. The Ferguson Rifle is a developmental dead end, it's simply too expensive to build/maintain.

Not actually true. The information you have cited is based on experiments with modern reproductions which were made with improperly constructed breech screws. Newer tests made with a reproduction which included the properly constructed breech screw according to Patrick Ferguson's specifications actually can fire more than 60 shots before they need to be cleaned.

The problems with the Ferguson were 1) expensive to produce; 2) weak stock where the hole for the screw was bored which tended to crack and need repair. Both of these problems could have been ironed out with time.
 
WI Patrick Ferguson had before the war immigrated to the colonies and become a leading rebel leader would his rifle stand a better chance of being adopted by the Americans.

I'd say yes. The reason being that Ferguson, instead of dealing with one Ordnance Department for the British Army, would be dealing with 13 State Governments. With a bit of luck, he might persuade one of them to adopt his rife for it's troops.

He actually came up with the design in 1770 (although he didn't patent it until 1776). Let's assume he emigrates to America in 1771, taking the design with him. He sets up shop producing the rifles in Philadelphia, selling them to frontiersmen, who find the greater rate of fire and ability to easily load the weapon while prone to be highly useful in encounters with Indians in the wilderness. By 1775 he has an established business producing the rifles, and has made some powerful political allies, such as Ben Franklin, who, being an inventor himself, admires the design and promotes it in the Pennsylvania legislature and in Congress.

Pennsylvania adopts the rifle for its infantry, and many other gunsmiths are brought in to produce it for the Pennsylvania State Line.
 
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So it seems an ideal weapon for elite skirmishers and light infantry. What's its performance compared with the Baker Rifle or the American Kentucky Rifles? It might be too expensive for general distribution and too finicky for line infantry, but for elite troops, the necessity of careful cleaning and maintainance should be easy to meet while the increased firepower and ability to be fired while prone can be used to maximum effect.
 
I'd say yes. The reason being that Ferguson, instead of dealing with one Ordnance Department for the British Army, would be dealing with 13 State Governments. With a bit of luck, he might persuade one of them to adopt his rife for it's troops.

He actually came up with the design in 1770 (although he didn't patent it until 1776). Let's assume he emigrates to America in 1771, taking the design with him. He sets up shop producing the rifles in Philadelphia, selling them to frontiersmen, who find the greater rate of fire useful in encounters with Indians in the wilderness. By 1775 he has an established business producing the rifles, and has made some powerful political allies, such as Ben Franklin, who admires the design and promotes it in the Pennsylvania legislature and in Congress.

Pennsylvania adopts the rifle for its infantry, and many other gunsmiths are brought in to produce it for the Pennsylvania State Line.

dude, Ferguson could well have been a Tory even if he migrated to America- just as many of the Scottish Highlanders were who'd gone to the Mid-Atlantic states & upper south- esp NC. So he could well have ended up STILL designing his weapon in British service regardless...
 
dude, Ferguson could well have been a Tory even if he migrated to America- just as many of the Scottish Highlanders were who'd gone to the Mid-Atlantic states & upper south- esp NC. So he could well have ended up STILL designing his weapon in British service regardless...

That's true, and I would never deny that. But since the stated POD in the OP is that he becomes a rebel and not a Tory, it is irrelevant to this discussion.
 
It might be too expensive for general distribution and too finicky for line infantry,
Given that some later firearms were rejected on the grounds that the drill would be more complicated this is a fair comment.

but for elite troops, the necessity of careful cleaning and maintainance should be easy to meet while the increased firepower and ability to be fired while prone can be used to maximum effect.
This would favour the regulars of the Crown over the militias of the rebellious colonies and their French allies.

In fact on H Beam Piper's Crossroads of Destiny timeline it was adopted and used to smash Napoleon's armies. No more details are given, but the hands of troops command by the maestro the Duke of Wellington, it is very likely that he would be at the gates of Paris before Napoleon could invade Russia.
 
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