Although other breech loading rifles were introduced in later years, the Cookson-type long arms were unique in their ability to fire multiple shots without reloading. While most of these guns used gravity to feed the balls into the drum, one specimen, from the Paris museum, used a spring to force them in. After firing the rifle, the process could be repeated until the two magazines, with their seven-shot capacities, were empty.
At the same time, the hammer was cocked, the pan was primed, and the frizzen was lowered. When the lever was returned to its original position, the ball dropped into the chamber, and the powder charge lined up behind it. 55 caliber lead ball and a 60-grain powder charge to fall into their respective chambers. This caused the chambers to line up with two magazines contained within the buttstock and allowed one. Loading was accomplished by lowering a lever which was mounted on the left side of the rifle. The Cookson rifle dates from 1750 and features a two-chamber horizontally mounted rotating drum. Long arms utilizing this system were produced in other European nations and in the United States until about 1849. The mechanism at the heart of the Cookson repeater dates from 1650 and was originally known in Europe as the Lorenzoni System, named for Italian gunsmith Michele Lorenzoni of Florence. It is probable that he was related to the John Cookson who worked in London. In 1756 he advertised repeating firearms firing nine shots in the local paper, the Boston Gazette. Another John Cookson, who was also a gunmaker, is known to have worked in America. He signed one 'Fecit Londini', which suggests he was a London maker. According to the museum, John Cookson made several repeating guns based on this system. The Victoria & Albert Museum in London has a Cookson Gun, dating to 1690.
The Cookson flintlock rifle, a lever-action breech-loading repeater, also known as the Cookson gun, is one of many similar designs to make an appearance on the world stage beginning in the 17th century. Two-chamber horizontally mounted rotating drum
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