Historical Breechloading Smallarms Association

The HBSA was founded in 1973 by a group of academics, students of arms and collectors concerned with the threat to the preservation of privately owned historical firearms, which represent an irreplaceable part of our social, industrial, military and sporting heritage. We are a national organisation with branches and membership groups that provide a regional presence. The HBSA is the primary body for collecting, researching, preserving, shooting, and all aspects of historical breechloading smallarms within the United Kingdom.

The fundamental aims of the HBSA are to encourage the preservation of breechloading firearms and ammunition and to foster the study of all aspects of the subject, from the aesthetics of sporting guns and the engraver s art to the functional aspects of firearms used by the soldier, target shooter and the sporting shooter. The HBSA considers that the private collection and use of historical arms and ammunition is essential to facilitate historical research, and to achieve preservation of these heritage artefacts for future generations.

As well as advising on care and conservation, and acting as a forum for the exchange of information, the HBSA pursues the study of historical smallarms through a combination of lectures, research reports and shooting activity. Monthly lectures are held in London and other venues. We have close relationships with the Imperial War Museum in London and the Royal Armouries in Leeds where we are acknowledged as a specialist group.

We maintain close links with other European collecting organisations through the Federation of European Societies of Arms Collectors (FESAC).

Research papers, extracts from historical documents and articles written by HBSA members and others are published in our annual Journal. The proceedings of our meetings and other activities are published in a quarterly Report and to the members website.