Dear Mr Cornwell. May I first start, if I may, by wishing you a happy new year and hope you had a Merry Christmas. It might sound odd, but the thing that attracted me to your Sharpe books was the firearms. That’s sort of my thing. My passion though are black powder firearms. My question, if I may trouble you is: In Sharpe’s Sword. Where Sgt. Harper is looking through the warehouse on page 202 for a sword to replace Sharpe’s broken P1796, he finds a new rifle. Your book states that the rifle was new and made in carbine bore. Harper didn’t want the new rifle because it would be hard to get a decent supply of ammunition. I may be wrong about this so please forgive me. I referred to my copy of ‘British Military Flintlock Rifles 1740-1840’ by De Witt Bailey. In this book it stats that the Pattern 1800 Baker rifles were made in carbine bore, so was the P1805. The only rifle made in musket bore were the P1810 Baker rifle. The P1810 Baker was only made in limited numbers though. Wouldn’t the Baker rifles issued to Sharpe’s lads already be in carbine bore? Please don’t take this as criticism, I don’t mean to offend. It was just something I was hoping you could clear up for my simple mind. :-) P.S. Sorry to go on but out of interest. For research, have you ever sent a couple of rounds down range with a Baker rifle or India Pattern musket? Maybe just to get a feel for it. I’m sure you’ve had a go with the Nock Volley Gun :-) Many Thanks for reading. Best wishes. Your fan always, Andrew.