and other percussion revolvers. Some navies also adopted them, "sea service" examples often being made out of brass which is largely unaffected by the corrosion caused by salt. Pinfire became obsolete once reliable rimfire and centerfire cartridges became available because without a pin which needed aligning in the slot in the chamber wall they were quicker to load. They were also safer because they had no protruding pin which could cause the ammunition to accidentally detonate during rough handling, particularly of loose ammunition. American manufacturers Ethan Allen & Co. of Worcester, Massachusetts Allen & Wheelock of Worcester, Massachusetts C.D. Leet & Co. of Springfield, Massachusetts C. Sharps & Co. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Union Metallic Cartridge Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut William Tibbals of South Coventry, Connecticut British manufacturers Eley Brothers of London Kynoch & Co. of Birmingham Current status Although pinfire revolver, rifle, and shotgun cartridges are technically obsolete, as pinfire guns have not been made in any large numbers for nearly a hundred years, enthusiasts of vintage weaponry often make pinfire cartridges from modern materials and shoot their old guns. Some modern novelty miniature pinfire pistols are manufactured in calibers as small as 2 to 3 millimeters (.0787 to .118 inches) in diameter. Although not practical weapons, they use pinfire ammunition because the caliber is too small for centerfire or rimfire. Antique pinfire firearms and cartridges are available on the collector market and modern reloading kits exist which contain specialized cartridges which can be hand loaded, though the process is far more complex than for centerfire cartridges. See also List of handgun cartridges Notes Ammunition