A falling-block action (also known as a sliding-block or dropping-block action) is a

single-shot In firearm designs, the term single-shot refers to guns that can hold only a single round of ammunition inside and thus must be reloaded manually after every shot. Compared to multi-shot repeating firearms ("repeaters"), single-shot designs have ...

firearm action In firearms terminology, an action is the functional mechanism of a breechloading firearm that handles (loads, locks, fires, extracts, and ejects) the ammunition cartridges, or the method by which that mechanism works. Actions are technically ...

in which a solid metal

breechblock A breechblock (or breech block) is the part of the firearm action that closes the breech of a breech loading weapon (whether small arms or artillery) before or at the moment of firing. It seals the breech and contains the pressure generated by ...

slides vertically in grooves cut into the breech of the weapon and is actuated by a

lever A lever is a simple machine consisting of a beam (structure), beam or rigid rod pivoted at a fixed hinge, or '':wikt:fulcrum, fulcrum''. A lever is a rigid body capable of rotating on a point on itself. On the basis of the locations of fulcrum, l ...

Description

When the

is in the closed (top) position, it seals the chamber from the high pressures created when the cartridge fires and safely transfers the recoil to the action and stock. When the breechblock is in the opened (bottom) position, the rear (breech) end of the chamber is exposed to allow ejection or extraction of the fired case and reloading of an unfired cartridge. It is a very strong action; when the breech is closed, the receiver essentially becomes a single piece of steel (as opposed to other actions that rely on lugs to lock the breech). This type of action is used on artillery pieces, as well as

small arm A firearm is any type of gun that uses an explosive charge and is designed to be readily carried and operated by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see legal definitions). The first firearms originated ...

s. An additional advantage is the unobstructed loading path, which imposes no limit on the overall length of a cartridge; this was very significant in the mid to late 19th century period with the use of very long "buffalo" and "express" big-game cartridges. Rifles using this action include the M1870 Belgian Comblain, M1872 Mylonas,

Sharps rifle Sharps rifles are a series of large-bore, single-shot, falling-block, breech-loading rifles, beginning with a design by Christian Sharps in 1848 and ceasing production in 1881. They were renowned for long-range accuracy. By 1874, the rifle ...

, Farquharson rifle, 1890 Stevens, Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878,

Winchester Model 1885 The Winchester Model 1885 is a single-shot rifle with a falling-block action. It was principally designed by John Browning. Two models were produced, the Low Wall and the High Wall. History In 1878, the 23-year-old Browning designed a falling-b ...

, Browning model 1885, Browning M78, the Ruger No. 1, and the

Ruger No. 3 The Ruger #3 is a single-shot rifle produced by Sturm, Ruger & Co Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc., better known by the shortened name Ruger, is an American firearm manufacturing company based in Southport, Connecticut, with production facili ...

. Falling-block action military rifles were common in the 19th century. They were replaced for military use by the faster

bolt-action Bolt action is a type of manual Action (firearms), firearm action that is operated by ''directly'' manipulating the bolt (firearms), turn-bolt via a cocking handle, bolt handle, most commonly placed on the right-hand side of the firearm (a ...

rifles, which were typically reloaded from a

magazine A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...

holding several cartridges. A falling-block breech-loading rifle was patented in Belgium by J. F. Jobard in 1835 using a unique self-contained cartridge. A falling block pistol was also produced in 1847 by the French gunsmith Gastinne Renette who would file another patent in 1853 in France and through the patent agent Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford in Britain for the same system only using self-contained metallic centerfire cartridges. As well as being used for

artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...

, falling-block action rifles are still manufactured and used for

hunting Hunting is the Human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, and killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to obtain the animal's body for meat and useful animal products (fur/hide (sk ...

and

target shooting Shooting sports is a group of competitive and recreational sporting activities involving proficiency tests of accuracy, precision and speed in shooting — the art of using ranged weapons, mainly small arms (firearms and airguns, in forms such ...

. This also includes 8 gauge industrial shotguns for shooting clinkers or slag built up inside industrial

boilers A boiler is a closed vessel in which fluid (generally water) is heated. The fluid does not necessarily boil. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications, including water heating, central ...

furnaces Furnace may refer to: Appliances Buildings * Furnace (central heating): a furnace, or a heater or boiler, used to generate heat for buildings * Boiler, used to heat water; also called a furnace in American English when used for heating and hot wat ...

. The falling-block action is closely related to that of the

Martini–Henry The Martini–Henry is a breech-loading single-shot rifle with a lever action that was used by the British Army. It first entered service in 1871, eventually replacing the Snider–Enfield, a muzzle-loader converted to the cartridge system. Mar ...

rifle, the

Peabody action The Peabody action was an early form of breechloading firearm action, where the heavy breechblock tilted downwards across a bolt mounted in the rear of the breechblock, operated by a lever under the rifle. The Peabody action most often used an e ...

(similar to, but not identical with, that of the Martini–Henry), the Ballard action, and the Madsen–Rasmussen (uniquely, a repeater), which use a pivoting rather than a sliding block.

References

External links

The Falling Block ActionYost Single Shot Schuetzen Action
{{DEFAULTSORT:Falling Block Action Firearm actions Firearm components

Description

See also

References

External links