The Baker Rifle
The Baker rifle (officially known as the Infantry Rifle) was a flintlock rifle used by the Rifle regiments of the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. It was the first standard-issue, British-made rifle accepted by the British armed forces.
The Baker Rifle was first produced in 1800 by Ezekiel Baker, a master gunsmith from Whitechapel. The British Army was still issuing the Infantry Rifle in the 1830s.
History and design
Previously, rifles had been issued on a limited basis and consisted of parts made to no precise pattern, often brought in from Germany. The war against Revolutionary France had resulted in the employment of new tactics, and the British Army responded, albeit with some delay. Prior to the formation of an Experimental Rifle Corps in 1800, a trial was held at Woolwich by the British Board of Ordnance on 22th. February 1800 in order to select a standard rifle pattern; the rifle designed by Ezekiel Baker was chosen. This is remarkable because he is not known to have produced military rifles before, being involved only in the repair and production of muskets. Indeed, it is not known how much of the rifle now commonly named after him was actually the result of his own work. Numerous parts used in the pattern existed before the rifle was submitted for trial.
Colonel Coote Manningham, responsible for establishing the Rifle Corps influenced the initial designs of the Baker. 800 rifles were to be produced. The first model resembled the British Infantry Musket, and was rejected for being too heavy. Baker was provided with a German Jager rifle to pattern his rifle after. The second model he made was a .75 calibre barrel, the same calibre as the Infantry Musket, it had a 32 inch barrel with 8 rectangular rifling grooves; this model ended up being accepted to be the Infantry Rifle pattern, but more design changes were made until it was finally placed into production. The third and final model had the barrel shortened from 32 to 30 inches and the calibre reduced to .653, which allowed the rifle to fire a .625 calibre carbine bullet with a greased patch to grip the reduced 7 rectangular grooves in the barrel. The rifle had a simple folding backsight with the standard large lock mechanism (marked 'Tower' and 'G.R.' under a Crown, although later ones had 'Enfield' but these only saw service after Waterloo) having a swan-neck cock as fitted to the 'Brown Bess'. Like the German Jager rifles, it had a scrolled brass trigger guard to help ensure a firm grip and a raised cheek piece on the left-hand side of the butt.Like many rifles, it had a 'butt-trap' or patchbox where greased linen patches and tools could be stored. The lid of the patchbox was brass and hinged at the rear so it could be flipped up. The stocks were made of walnut and held the barrel with three flat, captive wedges. The rifle also had a metal locking bar to accommodate a 24in sword bayonet, similar to that of the Jager rifle. The Baker was 45-inches from muzzle to butt, 12 inches shorter than the Infantry Musket, and weighed almost nine pounds. Black powder fouling in the grooves made the weapon much slower to load and affected its accuracy, so a cleaning kit was stored in the patch box of the Baker; the Infantry Muskets were not issued with cleaning kits.
After the Baker entered the war, more modifications were made to the rifle and several different variations were produced. A lighter and shorter carbine version for the cavalry was introduced, and a number of volunteer associations procured their own models, including the Duke of Cumberland's Corps of Sharpshooters who ordered models with a 33in barrel in August 1803. A second pattern of Baker Rifle was fitted with a 'Newland' lock that had a flat-faced ring neck cock. In 1806, a third pattern was produced that included a 'pistol grip' style trigger guard and a smaller patchbox with a plain, rounded front. The lock plate was smaller, flat and had a steeped-down tail, raised semi-waterproof pan, a flat ring neck cock and even had a sliding safety bolt. With the introduction of a new pattern Short Land Pattern Flintlock Musket ('Brown Bess') in 1810 with a flat lock and ring necked cock, the Baker's lock followed suit with what became the fourth pattern. It also featured a 'slit stock' - the stock had a slot cut in the underpart of the stock just over a quarter of an inch wide. This was done after Ezekiel Baker had seen reports of the ramrod jamming in the stock after the build-up of residue in the ramrod channel or when the wood warped after getting wet.
The rifle is referred to almost exclusively as the "Baker Rifle", but it was produced by a variety of manufacturers and sub-contractors from 1800 to 1837. Most of the rifles produced between 1800 and 1815 were not made by Ezekiel Baker, but under the Tower of London system, and he sub-contracted the manufacture of parts of the rifle to over twenty British gunsmiths. It was reported that many rifles that sent to the British Army inspectors were not complete, to the extent of even having no barrel, since the rifle was sent on to another contractor for finishing. Baker's production during the period 1805-1815 was a mere 712 rifles, not even enough to be in the "top ten".
The Board of Ordnance, both of its own volition and at the behest of Infantry Staff Officers, ordered production modifications during the rifle's service life. Variations included a carbine with a safety catch and swivel-mounted ramrod, the 1801 pattern West India Rifle (a simplified version lacking a patchbox), the 1809 pattern, which was .75 (musket) calibre, and the 1800/15, which was modified from existing stocks to use a socket bayonet. The most common field modification was the bent stock. Riflemen in the field found that the stock was not bent sufficiently at the wrist to accommodate accurate shooting, so stocks were bent by steaming. As this technique produces temporary results (lasting approximately five years), no examples found today exhibit this bend.
Use
During the Napoleonic Wars the Baker was reported to be effective at long range due to its accuracy and dependability under battlefield conditions. In spite of its advantages, the rifle did not replace the standard British musket of the day, the Brown Bess, but was instead issued officially only to rifle regiments. In practice, however, many regiments, such as the 23rd Regiment of Foot (Royal Welch Fusiliers), and others, acquired rifles for use by some in their light companies during the time of the Peninsular War. These units were employed as an addition to the common practice of fielding skirmishers in advance of the main column, who were used to weaken and disrupt the waiting enemy lines (the British also had a light company in each battalion that was trained and employed as skirmishers but these were only issued with muskets). With the advantage of the greater range and accuracy provided by the Baker rifle, British skirmishers were able to defeat their French counterparts routinely and in turn disrupt the main French force by sniping at non-commissioned and commissioned officers.
The rifle was used by what were considered elite units, such as the 5th battalion, and rifle companies of the 6th and 7th Battalions, of the 60th Regiment of Foot, that were deployed around the world, the three battalions of the 95th Regiment of Foot that served under the Duke of Wellington between 1808 and 1814 in the Peninsular War, the War of 1812 (3rd Batt./95th (Rifles), at Battle of New Orleans), and again in 1815 at the Battle of Waterloo, and the light infantry of the King's German Legion. The rifle was also supplied or privately purchased by numerous volunteer and militia units; these examples often differ from the regular issue pattern. Some variants were even used by cavalry, including the 10th Hussars. It is recorded that the British Army still issued Baker rifles in 1841, three years after its production had ceased.
The rifle was used in a variety of countries during the first half of the nineteenth century; indeed, Mexican forces at the Battle of the Alamo are known to have been carrying Baker rifles, as well as Brown Bess muskets. They were also supplied to the government of Nepal; some of these rifles were released from the stores of the Royal Nepalese Army in 2004. Unfortunately many had deteriorated beyond recovery
Performance
The musket was fairly accurate at medium distances, but not at long range. To increase the odds of a hit, massed ranks of 60-80 muskets were fired in a volley which increased the chances of some musket balls hitting the intended targets, whereas the accurate Baker rifle was used by skirmishers facing their opponents in pairs, sniping at the enemy from positions either in front of the main lines, or from hidden positions in heights overlooking battlefields.
The accuracy of the rifle in capable hands is most famously demonstrated by the action of Rifleman Thomas Plunkett (or Plunket) of the 1st Battalion, 95th Rifles, who shot French General Colbert at an unknown but long range (as much as 800 yards according to some sources) during the retreat to Corunna during the Peninsular War. He then shot one of the General's aides, proving that the success of the first shot was not due to luck.
The rifle as originally manufactured was not expected to be accurate much beyond 200 yards; that Rifleman Plunkett and others were able to regularly hit targets at ranges considered to be beyond the rifle's effective range speaks for both their marksmanship and the capabilities of the rifle.
The Baker rifle could not usually be reloaded as fast as a musket, as the slightly undersized lead balls had to be wrapped in patches of greased leather, or more commonly greased linen, so that they would more closely fit the lands of the rifling. The average time to reload is dependent on the level of training and experience of the user; twenty to thirty seconds is often given as normal for a proficient rifleman. Using a hand-measured powder charge for accurate long range shots could increase the load time to as much as a minute. In the course of the Napoleonic Wars, riflemen used paper patched and even bare rifle balls when shooting in a hurry in battle, with an increase in speed of loading, but with diminishing accuracy.
Development & Description of the Baker Rifle
The Baker rifle was a major improvement on the smoothbore Brown Bess. The Brown Bess had been the standard military flintlock musket for over a hundred years. During this period, gunsmiths and soldiers knew that accuracy could be greatly improved by rifling guns but cost and reliability deterred widespread use of rifles by soldiers of any nation. Nevertheless, a number of small militia units had used rifles in various actions with devastating results, and the British Board of Ordnance took notice.
The Ferguson rifle, designed in 1774, was the first English breech-loading rifle made for military use. Colonel Patrick Ferguson submitted an order for the manufacture of 100 of these rifles used to arm a detachment in the American war. The rifles were used with great effect, but unfortunately Ferguson was seriously wounded in 1777, and was later killed. On his death General Howe had the Ferguson rifles placed in store. Following the cessation of hostilities, further trials with rifles were largely abandoned.
A decade or so later, the early battles of the French Revolution saw prominent use of skirmishers and, as often happened at the start of a new war, the British Army looked to expand its units able to fight in dispersed order. The Army realised that at least a portion of these troops should be armed with a rifle, and the British Board of Ordnance sought to procure the best rifle possible to arm a specially trained rifle corps as well as existing rifle units like the 5/60th.
A former apprentice to Henry Nock, gunsmith Ezekiel Baker of 24 Whitechapel Road, London, delivered a rifle finally chosen by the Board from the many submissions trialed. Baker had been established in his shop for some twenty-five years. He already held Government contracts for smoothbore muskets and pistols, and was also supplying the Honourable East India Company.
"In the year 1800, the principal gun makers in England were directed by the Honorable Board of Ordnance to produce a specimen, in order to procure the best rifle possible, for the use of a rifle corps (the 95th Regiment) raised by Government. Among those who were selected on this occasion, I was desired to attend: and a committee of field officers was appointed for the purpose of examining, and reporting according to their judgement. There were also many rifles from America and various parts of the Continent produced at the same time. These were all tried at Woolwich; when my barrel, having only one quarter of a turn in the rifle, was approved by the committee."
"It was also remarked, that the barrel was less liable to foul from frequent firing, than the whole, three-quarters, or half-turns in angles of the rifle, which was considered of great advantage to the corps, particularly when engaged, as they would not require so often sponging out as the greater angles would, and yet possess every advantage of the other rifle in point of accuracy and strength of shooting at three hundred yards distance. For all these reasons the committee gave mine a preference, and recommended to the Honorable Board of Ordnance to have their rifles made upon a similar construction." Ezekiel Baker
The above quotation holds what, perhaps, may be the essence of that which we call a Baker rifle. That is the rifling twist rate "having only one quarter of a turn in the rifle". Baker's barrel was only 30 inches. In modern terminology, that equates to one turn in 120 inches - an extremely slow twist. Today, muzzleloading rifles are generally one in 60, or one in 72 inches, for patched round ball, and only one in 48 inches for rifles designed for slug projectiles.
Indeed it was only this rifling system that Baker claimed as his own. Outwardly his rifle had many similarities to numerous continental rifles that had been in various services for up to twenty years. Mostly, these arms had seven groove rifling in barrels approximately 30 inches, and a calibre of .60 inches ranging upwards to .70 inches. The difference being their rifling twist rates, all around one turn in 30 inches. This would impart more rapid spin to the round ball, theoretically providing better accuracy. The drawback being considerable fouling residue with each firing, requiring frequent cleaning.
Baker's first rifle was of musket size and bore, and was rejected as too cumbersome. The first of many improvements to the Baker, was to reduce the barrel length and overall size, and to reduce the bore to .625 (a "standard" rifle bore for the age - remembering that standards were often very loosely applied).
"When the 95th Regiment was first raised, I made some rifles of equal dimensions of the muskets, in order that they might be supplied with ammunition, if necessity required, from any infantry regiment that might be near them. They were, however, strongly objected to by the Commanding Officer, Colonel Manningham, as well as all the officers of the regiment, as requiring too much exertion, and harassing the men from their excessive weight. They were consequently immediately relinquished, and twenty to the pound substituted." Ezekiel Baker
Compared to the regular army's 57 inch long Brown Bess of the era, the special issue Baker was a relatively short and handy weapon. Its inherent accuracy quickly won respect among true marksmen in the military. Baker rifles were manufactured under government contract by numerous gunsmith shops in both London and Birmingham. Consequently, a number of subtle variances may be noted between individual arms, mainly due to hand-finishing in the different shops. The initial order for Baker's rifles was made up by nine London gunsmiths, viz. Baker, Barnett, Brander, Egg, Harrison and Thompson, Nock, Pritchett, Wilkes and Wright.
The rifle was also subject to a number of modifications throughout its service life, including the manufacture of several carbine variants for cavalry units. These variances and modifications make it difficult to offer any concise description of the Baker. They do provide for a fascinating, perhaps sometimes frustrating, investigation for the lucky owner of an original, or for the re-enactor wishing to create a reproduction of a particular year model.
Generally then, the Baker can be described as a flintlock rifle with overall length of just 45.5 inches. Nominal calibre was .625 inch; barrel 30 inches with seven groove rectangular rifling, making a quarter turn in the length of the barrel. It had a robust sword (bayonet) bar extension at the right front of the nicely browned barrel. The colour has been described as a muddy reddish brown. Front sight was a thick iron blade on a thin rectangular base, finished to the barrel contour, and brazed to the barrel. Rear sight was a block dovetailed into the barrel, about seven inches forward of the breach, allowing windage adjustment. The block was cut with a V notch, sighted to 200 yards, ahead of which was a forward lying, hinged single leaf, also V notched, sighted for 300 yards.
The locks were marked "Tower" and "G.R." under a crown (later versions are marked "Enfield" as well but production there only commenced after Wateloo). The rifle was stocked to the muzzle with English walnut, and many were fitted with a brass patch box in the butt. The brass trigger guard was distinctively shaped like an elongated 'S', enabling a firm grip of the rifle for precise trigger let-off. The buttplate was brass as was the sideplate. The stocks were fashioned with a raised cheek piece on the left of the butt, and they were also stamped with government markings, and carried a brass escutcheon at the upper wrist. The break-off style barrel was held in the stock with three flat, captive wedges. The fore-end cap and ramrod pipes were brass and the 30 inch steel ramrod had a rounded tip. The ramrod was drilled for a small torque bar and tapped for a ball-drawer and wiping eye. A sling swivel was fitted immediately in front of the triggerguard, with a forward swivel about five inches behind the muzzle. Total weight about eight and one quarter pounds, not including the sword bayonet.
The sights remained of the same design until 1823, although many variations will be noted, due to the aforementioned hand-finishing. The 1823 pattern consisted of a plain V notched small block brazed to the barrel, a retrograde step. It was sighted for 200 yards. The stocks also had minor variations, particularly with the presence or otherwise of a patchbox, the size of the brass patchbox cover, and within the patchbox compartments. A major change to stocks, was the addition of a narrow slit, completely opening up the ramrod channel, to preclude blockage by fouling or dirt. The slit stock came into general production about 1812, although it does appear on a few earlier examples.
Considering all of the Baker rifle components, the lock saw the most variance, particularly during the Napoleonic years. There were four basic changes in design and a significant number of minor variations. Some were mechanical, but mostly they were minor decorative or hand finishing touches, such as border lines. Early models had the rounded lockplate and swan neck cock. It was a reduced-size India Pattern lock. The second type, an adaptation of the New Land Pattern lock, had a flat lockplate, and a flat ring-necked cock. Some of these had raised pans and roller steel springs, some had the small leaf sprig engraving at the point of the tail of the plate, although otherwise void of decoration, aside from the standard markings. Others had the double border lines engraved on the plate and body of the cock.
About 1806, a third type of lock appeared. This had both a raised pan and a safety bolt let into the tail of the lock plate, and was fitted with a flat ring-neck cock. The plate itself had a stepped down tail and the entire lock was somewhat smaller than the earlier patterns. The raised pan was rapidly dropped in favour of a cheaper and less complicated ordinary pan. The sliding safety bolt was also considered an unnecessary refinement for the elite 95th. The modified New Land Pattern became the standard, but all of these locks were used concurrently, making it difficult to classify or precisely date any rifle from the lock alone. In 1822 production reverted to the first type, having the rounded lockplate and rounded swan-neck cock.
The Baker rifle was generally superseded in 1837 by the Brunswick rifle. However some regiments serving in outposts of the empire continued to use Bakers for several more years. These included units of the 21st Regiment or Royal Scots Fusiliers garrisoned in New South Wales, Tasmania and Western Australia from 1833 until 1840.
Note: In compiling this page, it is not intended to provide a complete and thoroughly detailed account of all Baker rifle production. Indeed, lack of both military and manufacturer's records of the era precludes this. Rather, it is hoped the information herein (gleaned from collected writings of eminent authors) will suffice to whet the appetite of the scholar. Further personal study and research on this historic rifle, and the wonderfully exciting period of its service, will be found most rewarding. Several of the authors with well documented works, and recommended for further reading, are D.W.Bailey, I.V.Hogg, Col.H.C.B.Rogers, Ian D.Skennerton and F.Wilkinson.
