I have a Sharps New Model 1859 rifle barrel. These Gardiner rounds were similar to the Mini ball but filled with fulminate and a time fuse set to detonate one to three seconds after firing. Model 1855 rifles were fairly common. [15] Making the ammunition was also expensive, as each metallic cartridge could cost $2. This rifle was manufactured for the Union army. And why not? The Sharps Carbine, on the other hand, had no such problems. Typical appearing 1840's to 1860's/early 1870's double barrel muzzleloading shotgun. Many older Springfield rifle muskets, such as the Model 1855 and 1842, were brought out of storage and used due to arms shortages. Small-caliber projectiles are among the most frequently-found artifacts at military sites. While the Henry was carried and used by men in the Civil War it was not widely accepted or popular by the military. This rifle was mostly used by Confederate snipers. Because of this, soldiers were frequently outfitted with firearms that were made decades before the fight even started. Many guns like this have " twist steel " barrels. Yes Sir, I unloaded one just the other day. Some soldiers tried to get around this dangerous problem by loading only one chamber, however this defeated the purpose of having a repeater rifle. For this reason, many Civil . Military leaders therefore preferred the faster loading smooth bore weapons over the more accurate rifles. The speed and reliability of the Spencer is what made it stand above many of the other guns produced at the time. Many officers, however, preferred the Springfield muskets over the Enfield musketslargely due to the interchangeability of parts that the machine-made Springfields offered. A type of long-range ammunition, this is what people commonly think of as a "cannon ball". Explore this article. [1] Stockpiles of rifles and handguns carried by individual soldiers were limited. And it might be one of the most unique long-gun designs of the war, and perhaps overall firearms history. Please help in identifying this firearm. Civil War rifles like the Springfield Model 1861 musket and Sharps were key elements to battle and are sought-after guns by Civil War memorabilia collectors today, while those who fancy handguns seek out Colt Model 1860 Army or Model 1851 Navy revolvers. Through the American Civil War, there was difficulty with arms manufacturing and keeping soldiers on both sides equipped with the most advanced weaponry of the time. In comparison to the Springfield's three rounds per minute, the Henry rifle could fire 28 rounds per minute. 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. The Civil War gun was in exceptional condition maintaining almost all its blue on the barrel and having little wear marks. Unfortunately for the lucky Confederate troops who happened to capture these rifles from Union soldiers, there wasn't an easy way to access the special ammunition that the guns required. Besides being known for his poor generalship, stylish facial hair and being the first president of the NRA, Ambrose Burnside was also a firearms innovator. 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. Its no wonder both sides wanted a handful of Burnsides in their soldiers hands. His goal was to build a replacement for the Pattern 1853. It was issued to disabled soldiers of the Veteran Reserve Corps very late in the war (April, 1865) and likely was never used in action. The rare Confederate Le Mat revolver is another highly desirable Civil War gun. This page is not available in other languages. 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. One of the few standard-issue exploding bullets was designed by Samuel Gardiner Jr. for the Union Army. The six shooter, single action black powder gun could do some damage to an opponent up to about 100 yards away. E. Remington & Sons on June 13, 1862, entered into two Army contracts. Remove the ramrod, put the hammers on half cock, remove the key and lift the barrels up. Historically, the smoothbore musket had been the primary weapon of the infantry while the rifle was reserved for specialist units. The rifle was completely original and still retains almost all its blue coloring on the barrel. As the war escalated those arms stockpiles were quickly diminished. After experimenting with the failed Maynard primer system on the Model 1855 musket, the Model 1861 reverted to the more reliable percussion lock. Bayonet fighting was also important at this time, which also made militaries reluctant to shorten the barrels. The Civil War witnessed a technological revolution in weaponry. Round balls did not fit so tightly into the barrel, and therefore did not suffer from the slow loading problem common to rifles. Army smoothbore infantry musket. The Sharps continued to make history after the war. The unfortunate experience the army had had with these led to a stigma against repeating rifles, combined with the old fear that they (and single-shot breech loaders) would encourage men to waste ammunition. These rifles were also equipped with a bayonet, and have the stereotypical silhouette associated with Civil War reenactments and big-budget Hollywood productions. The Le Mat saw wear-and-tear but still showed good plum and brown patina. Rifle Musket. The rifle was produced under military contract with S.C. Robinson Arms Manufactory and was made in the breech loading style of the Sharps rifle. Each of Rock Island Auction Company's Premier and Sporting & Collector Firearms auctions include collectible U.S. martial arms from 18 th, 19 th, and 20 th centuries, but no era has the variety of interesting American firearms . (2001). Like with all historical firearms, the prices can vary throughout the years on certain models and type of arms with condition and provenance playing a role on cost. The balance is believed to have been altered by Henry Leman, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania using a patent breech like the ones used on his alterations of US M1816 muskets and M1803, M1814, and M1817 common rifles. Advances in firearms technology were quickly progressing in the mid-1800s making for some seriously well designed and powerful arms development during the Civil War. Old Winchester rifles are synonymous with the America during the 19th century, Civil War Political Cartoons: Behind the History, Cartoons haven't always been used to bring humor to the Sunday newspapers; rather, throughout history, they've been used to illustrate the pulse of contemporary society. The most widely accepted figure estimates 620,000 men lost their lives in the four years of war. 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. The old gal looks rode hard and put away wet. 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. The U.S. is . How to classify and identify Civil War rifles like the Henry Repeater. The Ask the Pros & What's It Worth? These tactics developed because smoothbore muskets were only accurate at short ranges. Despite these improvements, the Springfields rate of fire was similar to a muskets, around three aimed shots per minute. 8. Like the musket, the projectile was smaller than the bore, allowing for fast loading, even when the arm was fouled with black-powder residue. There are numerous accounts of Union soldiers connecting shots from just shy of 1,000 yards with the revolutionary Sharps. Understanding these is critical to interpreting official reports from the battles, and getting a sense for what soldiers in the Civil War faced when they were in combat. [19], The Springfield Model 1861 was considered the standard rifle musket of the Civil War. 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. Christian Sharps falling-block still stirs the hearts of marksmen today. But there were relatively few that did. Many unique Civil War revolvers and rifles can be found at Rock Island Auction Company. I don't know anything about your "rifle" except to tell you that it is NOT a rifle, it is a double barreled shotgun. And it can still be found harvesting game today. The Napoleonic cavalry charge was thus made both obsolete and suicidal by rifles. A family tintype of an ancestor holding the weapon in their uniform can give you some context as to whether the firearm was active during the 1860s, or is just a family heirloom. While most shoulder fired rifles during the time fired a bullet between 350 and 500 grains propelled by 40 to 60 grains of powder the Henry rifle shot a small .44 bullet of only 200 grains and 26 to 28 grains of black powder, giving it a quite short range. These rifles, while more accurate than smoothbore muskets, had been designed for hunting, and fired less deadly smaller caliber ammunition. This is one of the most unique Civil War guns a collector can get their hands on considering its provenance and rarity. In September of 2018, RIAC sold a confederate copy of a Sharps rifle for a whopping $28,750. Fateful Lightning: A New History of the Civil War and Reconstruction. We have an old rifle that has been passed on through my wife's family from, we believe, the Ciivil War. A spectacular Civil War U.S. Burnside Fifth Model breech loading saddle ring carbine. [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. Many smooth bore muskets dating all the way back to the Springfield Model 1812 were brought out of storage for similar reasons. List of Civil War Rifles and Their Unique Features, Civil War Weapons: A Closer Look at History, Winchester Firearms Values of Antique Models, Civil War Weapons: An Illustrated Guide to the Wide Range of Weaponry Used on the Battlefield, Civil War Firearms: Their Historical Background and Tactical Use. Are there any stamping on the barrels or locks? Whitworth rifles were equipped with either Enfield style sights or telescopic sights. He certainly built a gun that outperformed it, at one trial striking targets at 2,000 yards, 600 yards better than the Enfield. Mike, a NPS Ranger at Fort Pulaski in GA, demonstrates how to fire a Civil War style rifle, demonstrating the commands for e. Thus, there's a small chance that non-standard weapons could've been used in combat or were at least manufactured during the 1860s. army weapons were often marked with unit markings on the barrels, butt plates, or side plates. All rights reserved. While perhaps not as fast between shots as other repeaters that made their appearance in the Civil War it had to be manually cocked the Spencer was perhaps the most reliable. William Brooke Johns, Hidden in Plain Sight: Compiled Service Records as Sources for Confederate Arms and Equipment, Firearms Genealogy: The Impossible Takes Longer. In fact, something as simple as the Civil War hats that you c, Antique Flintlock Rifles: History, Identification & Values, Antique flintlock rifles, with their rifled barrels and simplistic construction, harken back to a time where accuracy wasn't a guarantee. [23][24], Many older Springfield muskets, such as the Springfield Model 1842, which had been converted into rifles were also brought out of storage due to the arms shortage. A popular revolver with both Northern and Southern forces, the Colt Model 1851 Navy was a longstanding Civil War gun that famously is also a hand gun of classic outlaws, Texas rangers, and famed figures of the west like Wild Bill Hickok. 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. [17] Accordingly, during the first two years of the war soldiers from both sides used a wide variety of rifles, including many that were over 50 years old and were considered obsolete. 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. 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. Given that these rifles were infrequently used in the war, it's unlikely to find these rifles at auction. A sketch details the 14th Brooklyn regiment's uniform jacket, vest and kepi. 1860. Many soldiers were forced to use their own personal hunting rifles, which were typically Kentucky or Pennsylvania type rifles. With a B.S. The bored out versions were not consistent in caliber, ranging from .57 to .59. It was basically a Joslyn Carbine action fitted to a 1863 Springfield barrel and stock (though heavily modified). It was the standard weapon for the British Army between 18531867. The markings identify the regiment, battalion or company, and the weapon within that unit. One of the most fascinating markings on the gun is carved initials in the stock of the gun. The Confederacy, having a very limited ability to produce weapons, bought over 2,000 Brunswick rifles for delivery to their troops. It was also a time of great technological change. The men's main complaint about these rifles was that the unusually shaped cartridge often got stuck in the barrel after firing. Slight improvements were made on the rifle in 1863 and new production Springfield rifles were called the Model 1863. If needed all that had to be done was put the caps on nipples and it was ready to shoot.. My gut feeling is that when new it was at least a middle grade gun. The first contract called for 5,000 Model 1861 caliber .36 revolvers at a cost of $12 each. 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. There was also the Model 1859 Sharps rifle, a single-shot breechloader. Designed by Jean Alexandre Le Mat with his manufacturing backed by P.G.T. Many British Enfield rifles but they were horrible on the troops hands and were regularly replaced with the Springfield rifles of fallen solders. The Confederacy had at least seven units that were armed with Burnside rifles that had been captured from the Union armies. The second contract at the same . Conically-shaped with a hollow base, the Mini ball could be easily loaded but expanded upon firing to fit the rifling grooves. When the gun was fired, it would ignite all of the powder at once, sending a volley of metal into the left hand of the person firing. In our 2018 December Premier Auction, RIAC sold a U.S. Colt Model 1851 Navy percussion revolver for $4,600. The American Civil War still remains the deadliest conflict in our nations history. 1 rifle sold in 2020 for $51,750 at Rock Island Auction Company. [1] Accordingly, during the first two years of the war soldiers from both sides used a wide variety of rifles, including many that were over 50 years old and were considered obsolete. The last one I did had printing on it . This was not Britains first go-around with a rifle bound to shoot Mini-style projectiles. United Kingdom:Greenwood Press. The invention of the Mini ball solved the slow loading problem, allowing smoothbore muskets to be replaced by rifles in the decades just before the civil war. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. In the early 1850s, Burnside resigned his military commission to work exclusively on his breech-loading carbine design. 2.6K views, 382 likes, 124 loves, 77 comments, 48 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from NET25: Mata ng Agila International | April 20, 2023 In Civil War battles, infantry typically fought in a widely-spread out line, with the men using trees, rocks, buildings, etc. As a result, cavalry came to be used mainly for raiding and scouting, and seldom participated in major battles. Both sides accused the other of using poisoned bullets, and while neither government authorized their use and manufacture, it is possible that individuals modified their bullets in this way. He is a gun owner and avid reloader from Colorado. Most rifles of this era were muzzle loaded rifled muskets. According to US Army records, up to 200,000 fragmentation bullets were ordered from Ira W. Shaler, although there is no evidence they were actually issued to troops. Heralded by military historians, American history aficionados, and gun enthusiasts alike, these iconic firearms have transcended their place in history (thanks to the myth making machine of Hollywood cinema) and have become a beloved family heirloom and collection centerpiece today. But weaponry advancements also played a large role. [20] Despite their extensive use by both sides in the war, soldiers' opinions on the rifle were decidedly negative. In our 2019 May Premier Auction, we had four Colt Model 1860 Army revolver sell at auction. However the 1861 Special Model is correct as the real difference are in the shape of bolster on the barrel, the shallow notch for the bolster in the lock plate, and the hammer which is unique to the 1861 Special Model. 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. If they are twist steel the gun may be an earlier example. The Civil War brought many advances in firearms technology, most notably the widespread use of rifled barrels. Rock Island Auction Company's December 2021 Premier Firearms Auction. When Confederate forces seized the manufacturing equipment from Harpers Ferry, they used it to continue production of the Model 1855 during the war. 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. This weapon gave the Union an advantage over the Confederate troops. It is a nice looking shotgun as far as I can see. On this Day in the Life, I describe some of the observations necessary to identify Civil War bullets. Check to see if it is still loaded. The Model 1841 Mississippi Rifle, the progenitor of the Model 1855 and 1861 Springfield, was still used in the Civil War to a fair degree, especially by Confederate non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and sharpshooters. I need help identifying a civil war uniform, Identifying Real/Replica Civil War Sword-Palmetto Armory, Need Help Identifying a Civil War Dress Sword. That is, if you consider a gun designed to fire hexagonal bullets a bit odd. At Gettysburg, Colonel Joshua Chamberlain ordered any man who still carried an Enfield to replace it with a Springfield salvaged from the battlefield. Despite the limited quantities that were made during the war, the gun went on to be a massive success in the post-war period, becoming the Winchester model 1866 and launching the Winchester name. Some southern cavalry and guerrillas used shotguns but their barrels were cut off short. Listing of all rifles, carbines, and related long guns of the American Civil War. 2002-2023 LoveToKnow Media. I say that because of the blow out plugs which one normally doesn't see on lower grade guns. During 1863, Sharps was the carbine prominently used by Union soldiers. Rifles had been in use for many years, but prior to the civil war had been rare in military use. 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). In the decades leading up to the Civil War, several advances helped make the rifle a more practical weapon for the average soldier. Only about 2,500 made it to the Confederacy by means of their gun runners. And the .44 round was relatively weaker compared to the dominant repeater of the time, the Spencer. Some good pictures to go along with the article. American soldiers liked it because its .577 cal. Smooth-bore muskets were cast aside for updated rifled muskets (which still had the same components as a traditional musket but featured boring in the barrels that aided in keeping ammunition going in a straighter, more consistent, line upon exit). The Union purchased 226,924 Lorenz rifles, and the Confederacy bought as many as 100,000.[3]. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Five different models were manufactured and approximately 43 Union cavalry regiments used the Burnside exclusively. This may not be a true Sharps, but the historically relevant and rare nature of a Confederate-made copy made this a popular item. The first mass-produced American rifled musket, the 1861 was the most utilized long arm of the Civil War. There is a tiny 28 on the brass handle. I have a sword it has a straight blade a bent brass hilt, total length 38 1 Smoothbore vs Rifled Musket, a Tactical Reality Check. The Burnside rifle was a carbine developed by General Ambrose Burnside in 1856. Near the breech on the octagonal barrel is 78192, Length of the barrel please and I should be able to give you an answer. The range and accuracy were big selling points, as well as its .44 caliber which provided excellent stopping power. Cannonballs were solid, round objects that would ricochet off the ground and often used to target fortifications and enemy artillery. Advances in firearms technology were quickly progressing in the mid-1800s making for some seriously well designed and powerful arms development during the Civil War. The Lorenz was a bit like playing craps, if craps entailed being killed if the dice were faulty. The hammers look homemade and while it's probably old enough to have been used in the war it is very highly unlikely. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. The Henry rifle had a copper or brass cartridge that effectively sealed the breech of the gun so that the hot propellant gases would be held inside of the gun. If well made, it was well regarded. The third most widely used weapon of the Civil War was the Lorenz Rifle. Another had identified it as Austrian: Muster 1842 k.k. Such bullets were included in each packet of regular ammunition and designed to clear any residue out of the barrel when fired. Were really interested to find out what it is and maybe gleen some additional history that might be associated with her family. At the root of the wide chasm in opinion on the Austrian Empires service arm appears to be manufacturing standards of the fairly complex weapon. If . The quality of Lorenz rifles during the Civil War was not consistent.
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