 The decision to retain muzzle @-@ loaders until the 1880s has been criticised by historians . However , at least until the late 1870s , the British muzzle @-@ loaders had superior performance in terms of both range and rate of fire than the French and Prussian breech @-@ loaders , which suffered from the same problems as had the first Armstrong guns . 
 The decision to retain muzzle @-@ loaders until the 1880s <a href='been_done' title='1'><mark>has</mark></a> been criticised by historians . However , at least until the late 1870s , the British muzzle @-@ loaders had superior performance in terms of both range and rate of fire than the French and Prussian breech @-@ loaders , which suffered from the same problems as had the first Armstrong guns . 
The decision to retain muzzle @-@ loaders until the 1880s done been criticised by historians . However , at least untill da late 1870s , the British muzzle @-@ loaders had superior performance in terms of both range and rate of fire den tdaFrench and Prussian breech @-@ loaders , which suffered from the same problems as had the first Armstrong guns .