Another twelve years slipped by. Then in 1848 the Prussians made their Dreyse 'needle gun' a general issue to all troops. A bolt-action breech-loading rifle sighted to 600 metres, it proved vastly superior to any other service small arm.

In the same year Captain Claude-Etienne Minié of the French Army produced a bullet virtually the same as Greener's (some say he copied it) - and the Board of Ordnance accepted it! Needless to say Greener was not amused; he took legal action , and the Board was obliged to pay him £1000 ($2000) compensation.

Britain soon commenced the manufacture of the Minié rifle, issue of which began in 1851. Calibre was 0.702-inch - so it could fire the old musket balls in an emergency. It was sighted to 1000 yards but could kill at 1400.

Those in the field of artillery found themselves outranged. No more would there be tales of gallant troop commanders galloping into action '... to within half-musket shot...' of the enemy, dropping their trails and opening up with case! In Britain the Board of Ordnance at last woke up and let it be known they were prepared to evaluate any pieces of rifled ordnance inventors might offer.