What is a needle gun?
J.D. Dillon
Via the Internet
A needle gun is an European creation that got a lot of publicity during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 when the guns were widely used. The name comes from the firing pin, which is very long and slender, like a needle. The pin pierced clear through the paper-encased cartridge to strike the primer, placed inside at the base of the bullet. The .51 caliber gun was the father of all modern bolt-action rifles. A few needle guns were also made by Americans, but they were soon replaced by rifles that fired metallic cartridges.
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