Edward Maynard (1813-1891), US inventor. Maynard initially entered the US Army, but ill-health forced him to take up a career as a dentist. He invented many dental methods and instruments, but is most famous for the guns he designed. The most successful was his 1851 breechloading rifle. At that time, guns were primed externally by adding a percussion cap containing gunpowder. In 1857, Maynard founded the Massachusetts Arms Company. His gun was used towards the end of the US Civil War (1861-1865), and was in production until 1890. Oil painting by George Willoughby Maynard dating 1881.