Single Shot Exchange Magazine

11/08/2025

11/08/2025

Exactly 171 years ago today, 5 November 1854, British troops with Pattern 1851 Minié rifle struck down columns of Russian troops at such distances that they seemed to be knocked over by “the hand of the Destroying Angel” at the Battle of Inkerman, during the Crimean War.

The Pattern 1851 rifle is the first that was intended to be generally issued, which is to say, the plan was for every British infantryman to get one. Previously, rifles were only intended for elite, specialized troops.

With longer range and more accuracy than the preceding smoothbore muskets, the arrival of “rifle-muskets” like the Pattern 1851 with the revolutionary Minié style bullet created a paradigm shift in modern war.

All that said… “the Destroying Angel” would make a great name for a book…

11/08/2025

10/07/2025

10/07/2025

Much to my surprise, last year I was commissioned to translate the new book “1866: Am Ende war Königgrätz” from German to English. I finally finished it, after many months of brain-crushing work!

This book by Gábor Orbán is an excellent and comprehensive study of the 1866 Austro-Prussian War, that has been very well received in the German version. The English version should be ready in time for the 160th anniversary of the war next year.

If you’re a Civil War buff like me, but you’ve gotten a little overwhelmed or over saturated with Civil War books and content, the Austro-Prussian War is also a mid-1860s conflict with the same black powder weapons and similar tactics, but it’s a new frontier of unexplored historic territory for most of us. There are fascinating similarities to the Civil War, and many stark contrasts.

Unfortunately there are very few good books on the Austro-Prussian War available in English, and many of them are outdated, or just plain boring. “1866: Am Ende war Königgrätz” is beautifully illustrated with maps and photographs and diagrams, and represents the fullest analysis of the war from a tactical and strategic point of view.

Once I have more info about publication dates for the English version, I’ll let you know!

10/07/2025

05/06/2025

05/06/2025

One Cooper M52 magazine lid complete. I sure like how it turned out.

05/06/2025