The Galleries
- Robert E. Petersen Collection
- Ancient Firearms
- The Road to American Liberty
- Seeds of Greatness
- The Prospering New Republic
- A Nation Asunder
- The American West
- Innovation, Oddities and Competition
- Theodore Roosevelt, Elegant Arms
- World War I and Firearms Innovation
- WWII, Korea, Vietnam and Beyond
- For the Fun of It
- Firearms Traditions for Today
- William B. Ruger Special Exhibits
- Freedom's Doorway
Joseph Manton Percussion Fowler
A sister piece to this gun is part of the arms collection of the Tower of London in England. This Manton fowler, which was manufactured in 1820, employs a rare tube lock-type ignition system. The tube lock employs a primer-filled cylinder that is open at one end; when struck by the hammer, a spark is produced. This system is a forerunner to the percussion "cap" primer that was used extensively during the Mexican War and the Civil War. SN 8646