how to identify civil war rifles

The gun is 50" long and 36" from the . Calibre .52 and Gwyn and Campbell carbine, Prussian Muskets (hand-written onto form), Austrian Muskets (hand-written onto form), This page was last edited on 25 April 2023, at 17:08. You have entered an incorrect email address! Polly Pocket: History & Value of Barbies Biggest 90s Rival. The Civil War witnessed a technological revolution in weaponry. For this reason, many Civil War guns are still quite popular among firearm enthusiasts. There are no markings on the shotgun whatsoever aside from some very faint decorative etchings and a couple of tally marks carved into the side of the wood. The guns effective range was listed at 200 yards which was fairly impressive for a long gun of the era. The US adopted the breechloading 1866 Springfield "Trapdoor" infantry rifle built from surplus rifle-musket parts after the war. After experimenting with the failed Maynard primer system on the Model 1855 musket, the Model 1861 reverted to the more reliable percussion lock. You might also find these guns with long metal ramrods that were used to insert the ammunition into the barrel. There were many Southern editions, and at least one Northern edition that omitted Hardee's name from the title page. But there were relatively few that did. These numbers can be printed on the stock, butt, and gun's barrel, depending on the manufacturer and model. In the decades leading up to the Civil War, several advances helped make the rifle a more practical weapon for the average soldier. The rifle was completely original and still retains almost all its blue coloring on the barrel. The Whitworth rifle featured a unique hexagonal shaped bullet (with a matching hexagonal barrel) that gave it superior accuracy. When not at his press or the range he can be found chasing mule deer around the Rocky Mountains. United States:University Press of Kansas. [1] Stockpiles of rifles and handguns carried by individual soldiers were limited. [2] see Some southern cavalry and guerrillas used shotguns but their barrels were cut off short. Mounted charges gave way to dismounted combat where men would tie up their horses and fight on foot. The Brunswick was a muzzle loader rifle that was manufactured for the British Army in the early 19th century. Description: IDENTIFIED Civil War CONFEDERATE P1853 Musket. This was highlighted by a changeover in shoulder-fired weapons from smoothbore firearms that had to be loaded through the muzzle each time a shot was fired to rifled-barrel firearms, some of which loaded at the breech. With an effective range of 600 paces, troops could fire three rounds per minute with an accuracy of up to 500 yards. The lever action gun could fire off 20 rounds a minute on average making it ten times faster than the traditional muzzleloaders of the time. The rifled musket was the dominant military long-gun design of the day and, as its name suggests, was a stepping stone between the musket and rifle. Later Fremont would testify that the primers were not included; they had exploded in shipment. It was a advertisement at a market. Since the South lacked sufficient manufacturing capability, most of the Springfields in Southern hands were captured on the battlefields during the war.[2]. [7][8][9][10], Training could help overcome some of these difficulties but target practice was virtually unknown on either side of the Civil War. And the .44 round was relatively weaker compared to the dominant repeater of the time, the Spencer. United States:Dover Publications. To combat the arms shortage, the Union and Confederacy both imported large quantities of rifles from Europe, with each side buying whatever they could get. One of the most fascinating markings on the gun is carved initials in the stock of the gun. The rifling also improved precision over traditional musket. Nevertheless, the rifles were heavily imported with an estimated 350,000 making their way into the hands of both Union and Confederate soldiers. There's a barrel key in the forearm. Rifles were more accurate than smooth bore muskets, and could have been made using shorter barrels. On this Day in the Life, I describe some of the observations necessary to identify Civil War bullets. This had to be one of the finest Spencer rifles still surviving today. The seven-shot Spencer was produced in rifle and carbine versions, although the latter was more common. The carbine was the third most used amongst forces during the war only trailing behind the Spencer and Sharps. Nonetheless, Hardee's book was produced in a huge variety of editions during the war, often for different types of infantry. They were expensive to manufacture and only 11,000 were produced, most of which were unissued or went to sharpshooters. For years, one of the standard manuals used in the US Army had been an 1835 translation by General Winfield Scott of a French work. The gunpowder would sometimes leak from the cartridges in the field and settle into the cylinder. As a result, cavalry came to be used mainly for raiding and scouting, and seldom participated in major battles. Even on the low estimates, the number of American dead from this single conflict was massive, and was not equaled in combined death toll of all other American wars until Vietnam. The range and accuracy were big selling points, as well as its .44 caliber which provided excellent stopping power. Rifled muskets quickly became the standard weapon of modern armies of the period, including the United States, while some smoothbore muskets were converted into rifles. These rifles were also equipped with a bayonet, and have the stereotypical silhouette associated with Civil War reenactments and big-budget Hollywood productions. Burnsides company went under and he sold his patent to Charles Jackson. Back in May of 2017, we sold a Spencer 1865 carbine for $9,775. The Burnside rifle was a carbine developed by General Ambrose Burnside in 1856. We auctioned off the beauty for $21,850. [8] A lack of training resulted not only in poor accuracy but in mishandling which could render the rifle useless. Most suggestions that I have received is the Whitney/Plymouth Naval rifle. I could clearly see the add of "eggs-10 cents a dozen.". In the decades leading up to the Civil War, numerous advances had been made in weapons. As the war escalated, those arms stockpiles were quickly diminished. With a B.S. But the 24-inch, 9-pound brainchild of Benjamin Henry did have its weak points. It is close, but not quite right. The Springfield may not have been the top of the line or most advanced gun available on the market, but it was definitely the most widely available to Northern troops and got the job done in battle. Like the Henry, the Spencer wasn't used very much by the Confederacy because, although they could capture the weapon, they were unable to get a consistent supply of ammunition necessary. During the American Civil War, an assortment of small arms found their way onto the battlefield. Due to this, it's statistically more likely for a family with a Union ancestor to have an Enfield in their collection than a Confederate family is to. Used in the Civil War? I don't know anything about your "rifle" except to tell you that it is NOT a rifle, it is a double barreled shotgun. Rifles in the American Civil War | Military Wiki | Fandom Rifles made this type of fighting obsolete because of their much greater range. By entering this site you declare [17], An alternative type of rifle ammunition which saw use during the Civil War was the exploding bullet. The Lorenz rifle was originally .54 caliber. The 7 Most Sought-After Civil War Guns - Rock Island Auction Company Come join the discussion about optics, hunting, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! The action was excellent which is more than one can ask for in a gun that is over 150 years old. Considered by many to be the premier Mini-style rifled musket of the day, the Pattern 1853 Enfield could readily outperform its counterparts on the battlefield. Calibre .577, Cosmopolitan, rifled. Civil War Rifles & Civil War Muskets for Sale | Collectors Firearms We authenticate and appraise Antique Civil War Guns. Click here for more information. Very few Burnside rifles can be found still in this excellent of condition. Another new characteristic of this war, for all the enduring need for artillery, is the primacy of precision weapons over the major military platforms that have dominated the battlefield for more . The first mass-produced American rifled musket, the 1861 was the most utilized long arm of the Civil War. Visit the Civil War Arms Index. During the American Civil War, an assortment of small arms found their way onto the battlefield.Though the muzzleloader percussion cap rifle was the most numerous weapon, being standard issue for the Union and Confederate armies, many other firearms, ranging from the single-shot breech-loading Sharps and Burnside rifles to the Spencer and the Henry rifles - two of the world's first repeating . Due to a lack of munitions manufacturers in the South, the Confederates depended on the British government to procure these weapons. One of the most iconic and memorable of all Civil war guns used by the Union during is the Springfield Model 1861 musket. Since most of the Confederate soldiers were shooting muzzle loaders that had a rate of two to three rounds per minute, using a Spencer gave the person firing the weapon a distinct tactical advantage. Although they're overshadowed by flashier historic firearms, Old Winchester Rifles to Add to Your Gun Collection, When people think of firearms, there are a few names that immediately come to mind, and Winchester is one of the first. The rear sight on this one is very creative, since Leman removed the Austrian rear sight when he converted the weapons. The majority of Le Mats that actually saw use in battle were produced in France and shipped via the United Kingdom to the Confederacy. The telescopic sights were more accurate, but had a reputation for bruising the user's eye due to the rifle's recoil. Model 1855 rifles were fairly common. The Confederates made attempts to acquire these weapons, but they lacked the technological ability to reproduce them or their ammunition. The .52-calibers self-contained cartridges could be easily loaded on horseback, giving a mounted soldier a weapon that had an effective rate of fire of 8 to 10 shots a minute. Other rifles used during the Civil War were the British P-1841-Bored Brunswick Rifle (not common), Burnside carbine (used only by cavalry), Henry rifle (privately purchased by soldiers only), and the Spencer rifle (used almost exclusively by cavalry). The inventor of the gun was able to mass produce a cartridge that had a powerful powder charge. [18] To combat the arms shortage, the Union and Confederacy both imported large quantities of rifles from Europe, with each side buying whatever it could get. I need help in identifying the attached photo, Need help identifying uniforms and building, Looking for help identifying a Civil War era sword -, I need help identifying a possible Civil War Uniform. From a young age, Americans are exposed to so much from the major 19th century con, You don't have to be a historic re-enactor or a grizzled outdoorsman to have an appreciation for historic firearms. A handsome, durable and accurate rifle . 8. Near the breech on the octagonal barrel is 78192, Length of the barrel please and I should be able to give you an answer. A type of long-range ammunition, this is what people commonly think of as a "cannon ball". For other collectable antique military firearms, take a look at our inventory of antique U.S. martial pistols and Civil War revolvers, foreign military surplus antique handguns, and foreign military antique long guns. Thus, the short-lived Burnside rifle didn't become a major winner with soldiers during the war. [11] The 14th Illinois once attempted target practice with a barrel set up 180 yards from the firing line, but of 160 shots fired only four actually hit it. It looks like the wood has been sanded and refinished. In our 2019 May Premier Auction, we sold an excellent conditioned, beautifully casehardened and original blue preserved Spencer Model 1860 rifle for an astounding $48,875. Conically-shaped with a hollow base, the Mini ball could be easily loaded but expanded upon firing to fit the rifling grooves. Can you identify this Civil War Bayonet?? - U.S. Militaria Forum The curved trajectory of the bullet also meant there was a gap over which the bullet flew: a rifle musket sighted to a range of 500 yards would send the bullet clear over the head of a mounted cavalryman standing at a distance of 250 yards. Chambered in the powerful .45-70 Government, the rifle was the choice of many commercial buffalo hunters on the American frontier. The key may be pinned and not come all the way out. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. The Civil War gun was in exceptional condition maintaining almost all its blue on the barrel and having little wear marks. 8 Long Guns You Have to Know from the American Civil War [20], The second-most widely used rifle of the Civil War, and the weapon most widely used by the Confederates, was the British Pattern 1853 Enfield. Its external tubular magazine could get fouled or damaged, which was trouble for a weapon thats advantage was rate of fire. It was also a time of great technological change. A common practice was to load them and leave precussion cap off. More interestingly, there is evidence that at least 7 Confederate brigades possessed Burnside carbines and used them in battle. But it took some doing to get the rifle variation into the hands of the 1st and 2nd Regiments of U.S. Sharpshooters. The Lorenz Rifle (again a rifled musket of the Mini variety) had highly mixed reviews in the Civil War. My gut feeling is that when new it was at least a middle grade gun. [7][20][21], The Springfield Model 1855 was the first standard-issue rifle for the US Army to fire the Mini ball, with 60,000 having been built from 1856 to 1860 at both the Springfield and Harpers Ferry Armory. These rifles, while more accurate than smoothbore muskets, had been designed for hunting, and fired less deadly smaller caliber ammunition. Civil War Guns: Union Long Arms - Rock Island Auction Company It had a rifled barrel, and fired the .58 caliber Mini ball. [18], The third-most widely used rifle of the Civil War, and the most prolific of "second-class" weapons, was the Lorenz Rifle. Many guns like this have " twist steel " barrels. Can anyone identify this firearm? Its no wonder that even as Colt developed new revolver models during the war, like the 1861 Navy, that the Unions first choice was still the Model 1860. Now trying to prove this gun saw use is a whole different story and most likely can not be done. The Civil War, an era in America history that changed the countrys future. The British-made arm, the primary long gun of the Empire at the time, proved effective out to 900 yards, 400 yards farther than almost any other rifled musket in the Civil War. Rock Island Auction Company has a wide variety of Civil War guns in our Premier and Regional Auctions. The tubular magazine in the buttstock was quick on the reload too, particularly with the aid of a Blakeslee cartridge tube, which made its appearance later in the war. The American Civil War still remains the deadliest conflict in our nations history. Again, the high level of condition shown is rare to come by with Civil War guns considering the predicted heavy use and age of the firearms. They were to be shipped with the special brass priming tubes. In order for rifling to impart a spin upon a projectile it has to have a tight fit, and with weapons of the time being muzzleloaders this made it much slower to load and fire a rifle compared to a musket. Battle Tactics of the Civil War. A higher conditioned Colt Model 1851 can sell for quite a bit more such as the one we sold for $20,700 in September of 2017. The relatively poor South only bought 50,000 by August 1862, while the North bought 726,000. Slight improvements were made on the rifle in 1863 and new production Springfield rifles were called the Model 1863. (2017). "Civil War Firearms: Their Historical Background and Tactical Use" By Joseph G. Bilby, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, United States armory at Springfield, Massachusetts, 1866 Springfield "Trapdoor" infantry rifle, http://www.nps.gov/archive/gett/soldierlife/webguns.htm, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, It has been suggested that this article be merged into. England became one of the Rebels' main arms dealers, with a number of small private gunmakers from around London and Birmingham supplying up to 350,000 Pattern 1853s. The military tried to work around this in various ways, but the Colt Revolving rifle was discontinued. (2008). The American Civil War still remains the deadliest conflict in our nation's history. Some Confederates got a hold of Henry rifles too, but faced the same problem they did when they captured a Sharps or a Spencer ammunition. 1863. During the Civil War, Robert E. Lee was equipped with an 1851 Navy and the revolver model was the most prominently used by Confederate forces. We specialize in arms made by Colt, Remington, Sharps, Spencer, Union . It is said Gen. Hiram Berdan had to circumvent his superiors and essentially appeal to President Lincoln himself to get the Sharps in play. The gun was very popular with the army because of its large caliber .42 caliber and up to 100 yard firing range and 9 shot capability. Military leaders therefore preferred the faster loading smooth bore weapons over the more accurate rifles. Rifle Musket. Turkish evacuation plane shot at as latest cease-fire struggles in Sudan. At least two major battles in the Civil War, Gaines Mill and Gettysburg, saw such attempts, both with predictable results. This rare Spencer Model 1860 carbine is identified as a War Department pattern gun and the top of the breech end of the barrel is bearing a flaming bomb stamp above "W.D" (War Department) surrounded by an oval and "1864" in three lines. Spencer Repeating Rifle/Carbine. The Enfield had a stepped flip up sight, which was adjustable from 100900 yards (91823m) (1,200 yards (1,100m) in later models) in 100 yard increments. Similar to the Pattern 1853, this was another British import the Confederates relied upon, mainly their sharpshooters. The 9-pound, 40-inch-barreled Model 1861 was also a more reliable weapon than preceding military arms through the use of percussion caps. These were usually clones of existing designs and tended to be poor quality due to shortages of raw material and skilled labor. A forum community dedicated to all firearm owners and enthusiasts. This was one of the best examples of a Model 1851 revolver to pass through RIAC. The percussion musket used .58 caliber Minie balls for ammunition which provided additional range and accuracy for soldiers using the gun. The men's main complaint about these rifles was that the unusually shaped cartridge often got stuck in the barrel after firing. You can find these rifles in antique auctions around the country for a few thousand dollars, such as with this 1861 Sharps rifle that's listed for $3,499. Countless firearm experts have lent their own perspective to the subject, and a few contemporary books to check out are: Rifles from the Civil War are important pieces of history, and as such, they can command top prices from avid collectors, military enthusiasts, and Civil War fanatics. If needed all that had to be done was put the caps on nipples and it was ready to shoot.. The Confederacy had at least seven units that were armed with Burnside rifles that had been captured from the Union armies. JavaScript is disabled. a U.S. Colt Model 1851 Navy percussion revolver. 6. The Brunswick rifle was a high tech rifle during the 1830s when it was originally manufactured, but by the 1860s, it was an obsolete firearm. Bridesburg Model . Like other Springfield rifles it was first produced at the Springfield Armory, but to meet war demands twenty arms manufacturers were contracted to increase production. Besides the Henry, no other long gun could provide a shooter with 7 rounds before having to reload. The differences between the Model 1860 Army and the Model 1851 Navy were the Army has bigger grips and a rounder look, and a more powerful caliber as compared to .36 caliber and smaller boxier design of the Navy. "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools" The Apostle Paul in Romans 1:22. The Springfield Armory produced the most popular rifle of the Civil War, the Springfield model 1861 musket rifle. But even with those drawbacks, its hard to argue that a soldier with a Henry in his hands didn't have a great advantage over nearly any enemy he met. Though the muzzleloader percussion cap rifle was the most numerous weapon, being standard issue for the Union and Confederate armies, many other firearms, ranging from the single-shot breech-loading Sharps and Burnside rifles to the Spencer and the Henry rifles - two of the world's first repeating rifles - were issued by the hundreds of thousands, mostly by the Union. [18][20], Some soldiers considered the Enfield to be superior to the Springfield in terms of quality and accuracy. We buy, sell, identify, authenticate and appraise Antique Civil War and Confederate Firearms of all types, manufactured prior to 1866. In order to hit a target at distances beyond 100 yards, the firer had to carefully adjust their sights and accurately estimate the range, which could be difficult in the havoc of battle. p. 26-27, Guelzo,A.C.(2012). But there were plenty of examples of poorly crafted Lorenzs, as historian Joseph Bilby has noted: The 125th Illinois was issued Austrian rifle-muskets in .58 caliber of which not over one-half were perfectmany will not explode a cap. The 125ths regimental historian complained that some of the Austrian guns nipples were not entirely drilled out, and some could not mount a bayonet without hammering it on. Civil War Rifles & Carbines - Military Factory Please use the print button in the share bar at the top of the page. One of the most popular items to collect from the annals of American history is Civil War rifles. These tactics developed because smoothbore muskets were only accurate at short ranges. [5], Historian Allen C. Guelzo argues that one technical reason such short ranges persisted was the continued use of black powder. [6] Another reason is that the rifling also slowed the speed of the bullet, which meant a lower muzzle velocity than smoothbore muskets and a curved trajectory. Desirable Civil War era Parisian First Model LeMat grape shot revolver. Most rifles of this era were muzzle loaded rifled muskets. This outstanding "finest known" U.S. Army Colt Model 1851 Navy revolver is rated in excellent plus, as issued condition, about as near to mint as possible for a military contract revolver from more than a century and a half ago. Beauregard, a Confederate Civil War general, the Le Mat was created in 1856 before the outbreak of the war. Musket Ball and Small Shot Identification: A Guide Given the Souths smaller manufacturing base compared to the North, it was imperative it import arms. United Kingdom:Yale University Press. Sharps were the most highly desirable Civil War rifles and carbines for sharpshooters. Most of the time it was chopped up pieces of steel and newspaper wadding. The hammers look homemade and while it's probably old enough to have been used in the war it is very highly unlikely. The new repeater rifles would see fairly limited use in the Civil War. A large variety of weapons were used during the Civil War, with rifles being the primary firearm soldiers employed during fighting. 60th North Carolina Infantry Inscribed Rifle. By the end of the war, approximately 1.5 million Springfield rifle muskets had been produced by the Springfield Armory and 20 subcontractors. Originally produced at the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield, England, approximately 900,000 of these muskets were imported during 18611865, seeing use in every major battle from Shiloh onward. Yes Sir, I unloaded one just the other day. The Spencer carbine and rifle were first presented to the government in 1860, but were rejected by the United States because they were 7 shooters and fired too fast for accuracy. After attending a demonstration firing, President Lincoln was impressed enough to give it his approval. Many British Enfield rifles but they were horrible on the troops hands and were regularly replaced with the Springfield rifles of fallen solders. Some types of rifles were regionally specific, while others were used across all arenas of the war. Shooting 475-grain bullets, thats a lot of lead down range. With over 1 million being produced during the war by Springfield Armory and about two dozen other firearm producers, the dependable rifle gained fame during the early years of the war with many being produced in 1862. Round balls did not fit so tightly into the barrel, and therefore did not suffer from the slow loading problem common to rifles. This is a pretty accurate depiction on what owning the Civil War gun Springfield Model 1861 would run you in the current day prices. [11], Breechloading and repeating rifles promised significant improvements over muzzleloading rifles, particularly repeaters as they allowed a far greater rate of fire than was possible with single-shot rifles.

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