Blake Bolt Action Rifle

The Blake was one of many rifle designs submitted to the US Army trials that would ultimately result in the adoption of the Krag-Jorgensen as the US Army's standard rifle. The main innovation of Blake's design was a unique ammunition "packet" system which held 7 cartridges. The rifle would be loaded from the bottom with pre-loaded packets, which would be carried like clips or magazines by troopers. However, the loading was not as quick or simple as with more typical clips, and the trials board felt the packets were both too fragile and too bulky. Blake went on to submit his rifle for Navy testing a few years later, where it lost out to the Lee Navy straight pull. His last effort was commercial production of the rifles, which got him a few sales, but not enough to sustain manufacture. This example is one of the commercial rifles.

[@smugly6793]

I’m legitimately surprised this didn’t sell incredibly well as a hunting/sporting rifle. I see the clip issues for the military, but for hunting and sport shooting? Loading speed isn’t that much of an issue and carrying extra clips isn’t a big deal when you have the luxury of a bag and/or reloading time. I can even see this design working today as an alternative to your average bolt action hunting rifle. Higher capacity without sacrificing caliber and just generally awesome looking

[@donitamartin802]

I agree

[@dphalanx7465]

I've read that certain models of pre-War Mannlicher sporting rifles used that magazine system.

[@smugly6793]

@@dphalanx7465 I would certainly love to find one

[@Luka-ft1vv]

You don't need that kind of capacity for hunting, 3-4 is normal for hunting carbines. It's a curio gun, but there's a reason why the classic mauser/mannlicher style bolt action is still the most popular action for hunting.

[@Immafraid]

⁠@@dphalanx7465That would be the Mannlicher-Schönauer.

[@0115Heather]

I love to see old rifles like this. Everything nowadays is just another AR. Pre 1900 and early 1900 firearms were not only unique well made machines, but also a lot of them were beautiful pieces of art. I know I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, thank you Ian for sharing this with us and educating us on this awesome piece of history.

[@ewelinanajgebauer8862]

Most guns nowadays are either an AR, or ugly. One thing that's cool about modern bolt actions is that the trigger is right above the bolt handle, so you could probably do a mad minute with them like you can with Lee-Enfields.

[@0115Heather]

@@ewelinanajgebauer8862 I love my SMLE. I have the “Jungle Carbine” variant. I love it for deer hunting in thick brush. 💪🏻🇺🇸👍🏻

[@jackarundajiralhasari1062]

That's actually a really cool idea. No magazine sticking out the bottom but still 7 round capacity.

[@junichiroyamashita]

Putting several of these in a magazine would have given pretty serious firepower for the time

[@guppiapfeljustleopardthing8756]

I once had a Revolver, that bassicly was a musket with 6 rounds. I had to put Vaseline on the front of between the revolver drumm and the barrel. Otherwise shooting it, could have ignited the rest of the shots thus making the gun Go kaboom in my hand.

[@-oiiio-3993]

Steyr did it better with the Mannlicher Schoenauer. Introduced in 1900, the MS had a five round internal rotary magazine that was fed by convenient 'stripper clips' which were then discarded while the magazine remained in place. An additional round could be chambered for a total of six. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYa4c3ynlMiYbac Greece contracted for the MS Model Y1903 and variants that were used in both world wars. The commercial versions of M1903, M1905, M1908, M1910, M1924 are considered by many to be among the finest sporting rifles ever produced.

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@guppiapfeljustleopardthing8756 That's called a 'chain fire', and is common with black powder revolvers. I've never used petroleum jelly (Vaseline), but Crisco makes a dandy sealant for the cylinders. After charging a cylinder with powder and seating a ball, sealant is used to fill the remaining cylinder volume. This prevents chain fire and, with Crisco, eases cleaning of cylinder and barrel afterward.

[@saolucarrasco3418]

Si ese wey es el Jesucristo de las armas ✝️🔫🔫

[@totallynotacarrot4369]

"Do you want a bolt action, revolver, or magazine fed rifle?" "Yes"

[@evaphan2720]

"I want all"

[@hoppinggnomethe4154]

"clip-fed"

[@ugv92]

id describe it as a bolt action rifle with a internal rotary magazine

[@-oiiio-3993]

That would be this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYa4c3ynlMiYbac

[@colinmasterson666]

Ah yes, the Clockwork Rifle. Shame it never took off, even if it kept striking 12 O’clock seven times a day before reloading.

[@dphalanx7465]

The term I've heard for that device is an "ammo cassette." I believe certain models of pre-WW2 Mannlicher sporting rifles used it.

[@Skyrunner_84]

I feel like the Army missed a good opportunity here. This looks like a very good design. Sometimes it puzzles me as to why the military will sometimes tell manufacturers we want you to further develop/fix an issue but sometimes, like this, they completely reject an otherwise decent system that could use a bit of refinement. I really like this design.

[@fleebogazeezig6642]

If I had to speculate, I think a big reason why this wasn’t adopted was it’s packet system, it seems far more complicated than a simple stripper clip, plus more awkward for storage and for troops to carry.

[@LUCIAN8016]

Military is often like a peaky spoiled brat.

[@revueltas28jr]

in a few words, a revolver bolt action rifle,interesting

[@MrBioniclefan1]

I know right

[@MrMiguella]

revueltas28jr not quite a revolver, a revolver has combustion chambers in the cylinder. this is a bolt action with rotary magazine.

[@imanowlexterminator]

MrMiguella that's why the guy said "in a few words"

[@matsgranqvist9928]

@@imanowlexterminator a few wrong words though

[@screaminlordbyron7767]

Revueltas 28jr nah man not a revolver. Bolt action rifle with rotating clip. In a few more accurate words..

[@bilboproudfoot]

It's also known as a rotating clipazine.

[@counterstrifekid]

30 caliber rotating clipazine

[@matsgranqvist9928]

William Huston would this assaultclip fit my glockteen eleven?

[@MosoKaiser]

Mats Granqvist not without a shoulder thing that goes up.

[@ctgslayer]

William Huston the bullets can shoot down airplanes and blow up railroad tracks as well.

[@PedroThePanda64]

rotating clipackizine*

[@fastmongrel]

Some rails to guide the Packet into the right place and that could have been a fast loading rifle

[@ChamplainValleyRailSnapshots]

Fascinating. Love those late 19th century early 20th century designs.

[@Krigarhund]

I would totally hunt and go to the range regularly with one of these!

[@-oiiio-3993]

Get a Mannlicher Schoenauer: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYa4c3ynlMiYbac

[@andyroberts4387]

🙄💤

[@SamuraiPie8111]

this rifle lets you disable the hand? don't you need a drill instructor with a throwing knife for that?

[@PhilM175]

MEDIC!!

[@rickregina5053]

Where's the button?

[@ctgslayer]

Agent Bill Wilson Starship Troopers?

[@vincentfalcone8802]

The enemy cannot push a button if you disable his hand

[@vincentfalcone8802]

@Richard Joyce the movie is still fun without all the philosophical meandering. Don't take that the wrong way Heiney is my favorite classic sci-fi author

[@UlookinMe]

This would have made a great sniper rifle because you can quickly load it with a scope on unlike most WW2 era rifles where the scope blocked the feeding of stripper clips. However, flipping the rifle over to reload would have been awkward when hiding in brush.

[@giveemdasauc3531]

Man, I never realized how crisp his audio is now versus so long ago.

[@jessenicoletta4160]

Looking back now, if he had just made the rotary hinges in the flip out bottom, had the rotation hand out of the way & only comes out when you open the bolt, and make the gun cock on close, the gun might have faired better in the trial.

[@stephan4022]

He did, you can see these on the Video, I believe you just had to drop it in the hingen cover and close it when the Bolt is open...

[@ShawarmaFarmer]

Interesting. Old firearms have a certain allure to them.

[@TheRogueWolf]

This is a really intriguing design, and I think with some more development (maybe a swing-out or drop-down holder for the packet?) it could have been very effective. I wonder how much military adherence to tradition hurt this weapon's chances.

[@dariusnoname12]

I am not fan of guns but looking at them I can't help but be fascinated at ingenuity of people in the past.

[@seanmatthews2082]

I just purchased a Blake from RIA and it functions great, I've put 3 boxes of 30 Army thru her so far w/o a hiccup. The rotary magazine works well. For someone who knows, what sling should I get for it? A Krag or a Remington Lee? Or is there another option? I appreciate you..

[@atthebrink74]

lucky man... if you don't mind me asking, what did you give for it? As far as the sling goes, either of those would be appropriate I think...

[@seanmatthews2082]

It was around 3 grand, thanks for the sling comment. Really neat rifle to play with

[@Graphictruth]

This would be a great excuse to buy a 3D printer. Spare clipsasines. If you were into that sort of thing it might even be a good design to revisit commercially. Some slight changes to the magazine and a sporterized stock and that is a lovely rifle.

[@123456789yeti]

How is the casing ejected or removed from the barrel? I cant quite tell from this photo and thats the one and only question I have left, been batting around some revolver rifle ideas and this rotating clip and bolt action design removes alot of complications inherent in having the cylinder hold the casing.

[@zakaltan-euskaldunen_enjoyer]

Hey man quick question, would you be able to post a video on your channel firing and reloading the rifle? I've been trying to look everywhere online for a video of it but so far I've gotten nothing.

[@drmaudio]

So close, and in many ways, ahead of it's time. It doesn't seem that it would have taken much to get it there. Perhaps opening the loading gate could retract the hand, for instance.

[@drmaudio]

Shane K I think so.

[@Skyliner04s]

Gun Sense (drmaudio) Here´s how you do it: Put it on single shot, the hand retracts, put in the packet, put it in rapid, rack the bolt, ready to fire. Does not seem to hard, although admittedly, your solution would be easier.

[@DEP717]

Gun Sense (drmaudio) What I like is, compared to stripper clips of the time, you could do a pretty quick reload compared to internal magazine bolt rifles.

[@1stPCFerret]

+David Powell It almost looks as if Blake was a hairs-breadth away from having a box magazine-fed bolt-action rifle.

[@twj6808]

David Powell

[@jeffreydonaldson576]

the army wants new and better just don't do something different

[@Mythricia1988]

... They adopted the Krag. Possibly one of the weirdest bolt actions of the era. Seems to contradict your statement. What they want, is something functional and reliable - new and different doesn't always mean functional and reliable. The Krag managed to combine those things, hence it was selected.

[@soundslave]

different works, so long as it's not fragile/difficult to train people to use properly.

[@Clone003]

yeah cus a rifle with a container for a magazine you just chuck bullets into isn’t weird.

[@davidmbeckmann]

A beautiful and unique weapon!

[@exploatores]

when I Think I have seen all ways to make a gun work, You find somthing strange and intresting.

[@gadsdenguy4880]

Innovative, if nothing else.

[@Bulsh1tMan]

If they start making these, I will buy one in a heartbeat.

[@lappieslabuschagne2428]

Very good and practical idea. Love it. Now a days , someone comes up with a design and everyone copies or follow the trend. No initiative. Those men actually did think of something. They even put together a revolver , a magazine and a rifle and it all worked together , smoothly ! Not even talking about a rotating magazine ! Thanks for showing all these interesting weapons, of real thinking inventors/ engineers I think the original loading idea could have been to place the loaded "drum" into the "base plate" and the closed it .... Every thing will automatically line up ....?

[@Dunkleosteusenjoyer]

What an interesting design. I feel like this weapon could have found success overseas. I can imagine Blake looking at the rejection from the Navy and then looking a map of England and saying "hell no" before taking it commercial.

[@cybrpypr]

In watching you demonstrate installing the ammo packet it seems more logical to me to pull the bolt all the way to the rear, then drop in the ammo packet, then close the door. When you run the bolt into battery then the hand is no longer a problem for aligning with the packet and upon cycling the bolt again it would load the cartridge easy to the chamber. I think that's how it was intended to be loaded.

[@A2nthop]

+T.C. McQueen Or alternatively, just load it while it is in "single" mode and then switch it to rapid".

[@vincentfalcone8802]

Or don't run the bolt all the way back, load in the clip, load a cartridge into the chamber by hand, return the bolt to battery and you're fully loaded up

[@inkandesk]

I love this design, the old experimental idea that’s a bit convoluted but also does everything they want to do with it. I like that it’s complex but easy to clear too

[@m4rt3rz]

Simple things have always been the most amazing.

[@Hukkavei]

Imagine looking at a flatspring magazine and being like "Nah mate, mine's gonna have a revolver cylider for a magazine"

[@WendiGonerLH]

All in favor of this being a DLC gun in BF1, say "Aye"

[@ADogNamedStay]

aye

[@perfidiouspomegranate1599]

NOOOOOO!!!!

[@happyhaunter_5546]

y not tho

[@DrPepe-ph8vf]

FUCK DLC THAT ADDS LITTLE ACTUAL CONTENT

[@DrSmack2002]

aye bc blake is my name and that would be cool

[@nodresiak]

Ian, you never fail to bring us unique firearms that few of us have ever seen in the flesh. This seems like it would have made for a serviceable military rifle if not for the fact that one would have to turn this gun upside down and slowly guide in the packet. If it had a side loading gate for the packet and you could just roll it in and close and fire that would have made it more appealing. Also, as a soldier could you imagine having to go prone fast because bullets are whizzing over your head and having one of these packets dig into your chest. Even if you designed some type of chest rig with metal cylinders to hold these packets I can't imagine it would feel good landing on those either. I guess you could have some sort of half belt through the waist that went from the sides across the back. Might not have been good for guys riding in vehicles though.

[@GetTheFO]

"Too weird and bulky and awkward to carry." I wonder what they would think nowadays? Hah.

[@TheJubbert]

GetTheFO All the magazines that militaries use nowadays are just box magazines that are simple as shit to carry and can take a beating, what're you on about?

[@GetTheFO]

TheJubbert I was just talking about that fact that there are magazines at all. And be careful when you're saying that all the magazines that militaries use are reliable/ etc....

[@ridanann]

@@GetTheFO why mags exist easy its capacity i mean u seem to suggesting a revolver would be bettter , an i could see the appeal but mags just more shots

[@GetTheFO]

@@ridanann I dunno why I'm bothering to respond to a response to a 3 year old comment, but... My comment was referring to them saying that the magazine was "bulky" which I find to be ridiculous, and how they would respond to the size of the magazines that exist for rifles in today's world As a soldier I'm fully aware of the purpose of mags, by the way...

[@ridanann]

@@GetTheFO lol just making at ease solder lol so a stoner would realy piss them huh lol. idk why tgey thought that i guess new is scary our military had that problem but now we got bulpups sorta of a non bulky.

[@PuncherUvFish]

This is one of the strangest bolt actions I’ve ever seen *i need it*

[@Xion431]

ww1 era seems to have all the coolest guns

[@feenix2794]

That loading system is so slept on, if you look at it, it looks to have the potential to be loaded by simply laying the cartridge in the door side and closing it the arm should or could be redesigned to index the cartridge for the first load without it needing to be placed in a specific way, the bolt may need to be open for it to work with a loaded cartridge but that would make that a very easy and quick reload with very little practice.

[@danocinci]

I think that if the rifle was designed so that the hand would push down rather than lift up, having the hand resting in an upward position, rather than downward, it would have been much simpler to load the packet.

[@zacharybunting3637]

En bloc full moon clip? Interesting, along with it's adaptability for rimmed and non-rimmed chamberings. Thanks again Ian and crew.

[@AstolfoGayming]

Damn, I wish this had been adopted. That's an awesome gun design.

[@Yukon12gauge00buck]

Thanks yet again for showing off cool guns.

[@vector6977]

Seems pretty good for a prototype. With practice and some mechanical refinement it would have been faster than the straight clips being loaded from the top. This rifle in .30-30 would have been perfect for hunting!

[@MrJustonemorevoice]

That is some beautiful machinery.

[@dfailsthemost]

Your correction of the direction of the packet rotation is why you're cool, Ian.

[@mabs9503]

Every time I see a rifle like this I hope that a company like Uberti begins to create replicas so that I may own one.

[@feddyvonwigglestein3481]

So many rifles like this one that would be perfectly suitable for hunting or range days today, that only a select few will be able to ever own or shoot because they didn't get military contracts and didn't have many made. A damned shame, especially when they have unique quirks like this rotating clip feed system.

[@BalkanOutdoorsman]

Beautifull gun and system.

[@GhettoCabbage]

Loving all the uploads Ian!

[@satanshollowd]

A really interesting snap shot of different ideas at the time

[@benjimenfranklin7650]

That's a pretty cool rifle it's amazing that Winchester or Marlin or Remington didn't pick it up to make them. Seems all a really interesting rifles they only make one or two of them

[@nowthisis2stupid]

A flush indexing hand, similar to that of a swing out revolver would have been a perfect fix to the finicky clip. I think this rifle is fascinating, and honestly had it not been for that bit with the clip, would have presented a few advantages over the Krag.

[@squiffels2494]

Ever since I’ve seen this video I’ve started searching for one, still looking and I am willing to spend the money they bring now a days

[@tokirak]

2 MOA is nuts for a rifle of this era

[@olstar18]

This looks like it would be a fun rifle design to target shoot with.

[@mog398]

Hunt: Showdown really needs this.

[@sadiqali4850]

❤the top bolt action rifle

[@constantine2197]

This is so cool. What a totally steampunk gun too.

[@RabbitusMaximus]

...half a century later, Bill Ruger would find an old Blake rifle in an old attic coincidentally on the same weekend he was designing the 10/22. The rest is history

[@kenhelmers2603]

Pretty darn cool! Thanks Ian

[@ColorblindBullpup]

Id love to see them make a modern version of this and the Krag for recreational purposes.

[@omarstephenson7000]

This should have been made for the civil market back in the day. This looks like an awesome rifle.

[@jasoncrow7681]

Imagine trying to load that packet under fire.

[@henningbrown5687]

Something like this is in borderlands... that's pretty neat!

[@marvindebot3264]

That's in lovely condition.

[@bad74maverick1]

I had a chance to buy one that was a trials rifle. It was missing it's drum and the fore end was cut down. Because of the price and parts to restore it we passed and bought a 4 digit 1892 Krag. Wish I would have bought it too.

[@Rose_Butterfly98]

I guess another advantage is that it's easier to load bullets into the packet. Heck you could probably load a few bullets in at once , that way, you don't have to bring all your bullets loaded in packets, you could reuse packets by loading them while waiting in hiding.

[@The10mmcure]

Another design that would have been really useful if it had only been developed enough. Would have probably been fine as is for sporting purposes or to have on a farm or something though.

[@VegasCyclingFreak]

Interesting design concept

[@Shadow_Hawk_Streaming]

If only the government had actually seen this and rather than picking a rifle at the end to put into production has said "this idea could be big with some improvements, here's some money to go do it", if they'd made this insert and eject out the top this could have been big, especially if the cylinders were simplified

[@77gravity]

I assume it would be easier to insert the packet if the bolt is open. Fire last round, open bolt, replace packet, close bolt and fire. Possibly a little slower than replacing the packet and THEN cycling the bolt, but only if you were able to insert the packet smoothly with the hand in the way.

[@calvingreene90]

I like leaving it fully loaded without fatiguing the magazine spring.

[@Seabourne_Actual]

I might be related to John Blake, and I'm a gunsmith. This rifle is really neat to me for many reasons.

[@SirAroace]

ultimate survival rifle

[@ChristianMcAngus]

Imagine trying to fit the spindles on that rotary package onto its slots in battle. Especially when it has some grit or sand or mud in it, which it would have had in ww1 conditions.

[@XxBENTxX]

I have one of the civilian models, very cool rifle

[@zakaltan-euskaldunen_enjoyer]

Hey man question, since you have a model would you be able to post a video of you shooting and reloading it? I've been searching online for a video of one operating but so far I've found nothing.

[@XxBENTxX]

I checked into shooting it a few years back and my local gun collectors club talked me out of it

[@Jonte89]

Would be great if someone decided to build this rifle again. I for one would look into buying it!

[@ttsupra87]

That thing is slick! I love your chanel so much! Thanks for sharing and doing what you do

[@may-kq8tj]

This design is really interesting, its its unfortunate that the design never picked up.

[@blakegable3411]

I don’t know what it is, but I really like this rifle

[@EricMadWolf]

That's a really neat idea for a bolt-action, however, I agree with the military about how clumsy reloading would be especially under fire.

[@kushkiller7108]

I think this would be a fun gun to shoot. I love the idea of a rifle revolver

[@djdrack4681]

Funny back then the army said it was too weird, bulky, etc for soldiers to carry. Fast forward to 20th century and soldiers are carrying 50-100lbs of gear: including MANPADS, grenades, food, radios, etc. In an alternate timeline history could be very interesting if anything like this would have been accepted for service

[@enysuntra1347]

A bolt-action repeater with a fire selector. Everytime I think I've seen everything, at least in theory...

[@anzaca1]

1:24 You could call it a rotary enbloc clip.

[@-oiiio-3993]

Pretty much. That's more accurate than either 'clip' or 'magazine' for this one.

[@TheLegitAlpha]

In-bloc rotary clip? That’s my best guess for terminology since it’s unusual.

[@iclimbeverything2990]

The first thing I would've done is made the magazine accessible from the top instead of the bottom, and then I would make it be able to reload with clips. Gets rid of the necessity for multiple "packets", and makes a packet reload easier. That alone would be like 8 times better. With it on the top, even if it's still difficult, you have the gun pointed the right way up so if you do get good at it, you don't have to flip the gun back over. Also clips because well clips exist and are great

[@crobulari2328]

Looks a pretty good piece to me for the year of manufacture. Mr. Blake needed to drop a bung in the right place!.

[@AlejandroGarcia-dc3rp]

Beatiful Rifle....

[@randywatson8347]

This is a good design.

[@davidking5636]

That might work very well in a modern scour rifle design.

[@jbocajs2999]

Whenever I hear the name Blake, I immediately think of angry cops...

[@charlierich9840]

Perhaps Arthur Savage took some influence from that design as well.. Great job Ian. Happy New Year.!

[@fatihmehmetcevik7299]

I would call that a radial clip

[@SnowMexicann]

this guy is like LPL but with guns instead of lockpicks

[@McGruder25]

Is it strange I would love to see a reproduction of this in modern 30-06?

[@randythompson2681]

Any idea what this rifle sold for at auction? What caliber was this example? Very interesting idea, especially for the time.

[@XxBENTxX]

This is 30-40 he offered it in other calibers for the civilian market

[@ryotaryuu]

This is the coolest thing.

[@ralphrutherford2583]

Patriot, Historian, All American- Gun Jesus Rules!

[@Medmann48]

Why in the world did we pick the Krag-Jorgensen rifle when the Mauser was available? As far as this "packet" goes how do you beat a 5-round stripper clip? Much easier & quicker. We ended up copying the Mauser rifle in the end anyway which became our 1903 Springfield rifle.

[@haytxa911]

Great video. Happy 4/20 guys.