The Ferguson Rifle was an experimental breech-loading rifle used by the British Army from 1776 to around 1780.
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The Ferguson Rifle was one of the first breech-loading weapons of its time, used by the British Experimental Rifle Corps. The marine raiders saw firsthand the effectiveness of such a weapon, and troops were ordered to pick one up if found. The 1st Marine Raider Regiment captured them at battles such as Saratoga and Brandywine, and the 2nd Marine Raider Regiment captured them at Charleston and Kings Mountain. Anywhere between 10 to 15 Ferguson Rifles were fielded by the marine raiders during the war. Their largest engagement was at Yorktown, where at least five of the rifles were used in combat by the raiders. One of those (allegedly used at Yorktown) hangs in the office of the Colonel of the 1st Regiment.