<P> The first bolt - action rifle was produced in 1824 by Johann Nikolaus von Dreyse , following work on breechloading rifles that dated to the 18th century . Von Dreyse would perfect his Nadelgewehr ( Needle Rifle ) by 1836 , and it was adopted by the Prussian Army in 1841 . However , it was not the first bolt - action weapon to see combat , for it was not fielded until 1864 . The United States purchased 900 Greene rifles ( an under - hammer , percussion - capped , single - shot bolt action that utilized paper cartridges and an ogivial - bore rifling system ) in 1857 , which saw service at the Battle of Antietam in 1862 , during the American Civil War ; however , this weapon was ultimately considered too complicated for issue to soldiers , and was supplanted by the Springfield Model 1861 , a conventional muzzle - loading rifle . During the American Civil War , the bolt - action Palmer carbine was patented in 1863 , and by 1865 , 1000 were purchased for use as cavalry weapons . The French Army adopted its first bolt - action rifle , the Chassepot rifle , in 1866 and followed with the metallic - cartridge bolt - action Gras rifle in 1874 . </P>
<P> The first bolt - action rifle was produced in 1824 by Johann Nikolaus von Dreyse , following work on breechloading rifles that dated to the 18th century . Von Dreyse would perfect his Nadelgewehr ( Needle Rifle ) by 1836 , and it was adopted by the Prussian Army in 1841 . However , it was not the first bolt - action weapon to see combat , for it was not fielded until 1864 . The United States purchased 900 Greene rifles ( an under - hammer , percussion - capped , single - shot bolt action that utilized paper cartridges and an ogivial - bore rifling system ) in 1857 , which saw service at the Battle of Antietam in 1862 , during the American Civil War ; however , this weapon was ultimately considered too complicated for issue to soldiers , and was supplanted by the Springfield Model 1861 , a conventional muzzle - loading rifle . During the American Civil War , the bolt - action Palmer carbine was patented in 1863 , and by 1865 , 1000 were purchased for use as cavalry weapons . The French Army adopted its first bolt - action rifle , the Chassepot rifle , in 1866 and followed with the metallic - cartridge bolt - action Gras rifle in 1874 . </P>
when was the first bolt action rifle invented
when was the first bolt action rifle invented
1824
1824