However, there are no greater rifles to collect than these popular models. Rifles in the American Civil War - Wikipedia The markings identify the regiment . 25,000 tube-lock Austrian M1842 muskets were imported via the firm of Kruse, Drexel, and Schmidt, out of a total of 68,505 Austrian muskets imported by the North during the war. Only about 2,500 made it to the Confederacy by means of their gun runners. 10 Facts: Civil War Artillery | American Battlefield Trust Some guns made in Belgium were proofed and sold as English as they would bring better money. Most Colt Revolving Rifles were eventually sold off by the War Department for 55 cents just to get rid of them. 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. [10] However many officers preferred the machine-made Springfield musket over the handcrafted Enfield thanks to the interchangeability of their parts. If needed all that had to be done was put the caps on nipples and it was ready to shoot.. [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. Yes Sir, I unloaded one just the other day. Small Arms of the Civil War | American Battlefield Trust During the American Civil War, there was a real transitory period happening within the firearms industry. To reflect this longer range, the Springfield was fitted with two flip up sights, one set for 300 yards (270m) and the other for 500. The carbine was the first ever produced to use metallic cartridges (not to be confused with the first self-contained metallic cartridge) and was very popular with its shooters. The range and accuracy were big selling points, as well as its .44 caliber which provided excellent stopping power. This was not Britains first go-around with a rifle bound to shoot Mini-style projectiles. 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. The Civil War was a time of great social and political upheaval. In the decades leading up to the Civil War, numerous advances had been made in weapons. Due to their history and extreme rarity, surviving Confederate revolvers are some of the most sought-after treasures in arms collecting today. Military leaders therefore preferred the faster loading smooth bore weapons over the more accurate rifles. CAT. The firearm was the most used carbine of the war and the most commonly carried by Union cavalry, with some 90,000 produced. 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. In the decades leading up to the Civil War, several advances helped make the rifle a more practical weapon for the average soldier. The Henry repeating rifle can be considered the Rolls Royce of guns manufactured during the Civil War. 4 | "War in an Age of Wonders" By Michael P. Musick The information most sought after in ordnance records is data on the issuance of arms by serial number. Outstanding Civil War U.S. Spencer Model 1860 Army repeating rifle with sling and bayonet. Visit the Civil War Arms Index. We have an old rifle that has been passed on through my wifes family from, we believe, the Ciivil War. The ignition source was a folded rim on the inside of the gun. [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. Chambered in the powerful .45-70 Government, the rifle was the choice of many commercial buffalo hunters on the American frontier. Most of these new rifle-muskets still had to be loaded between . A few fell into Confederate hands, but proved largely unusable due to a lack of ammunition (the Confederacy had insufficient supplies of copper to manufacture the Spencer's rimfire cartridges). Produced in tremendous numbers by the Union and captured by the Confederacy, this is the arm that most soldiers on both sides carried. army service. It is suggested by some that the Burnside Carbine was what vaulted Burnside the man to the upper ranks of the Union Army and on to debacles in the Battle of Fredericksburg and the Battle of the Crater. One of the few standard-issue exploding bullets was designed by Samuel Gardiner Jr. for the Union Army. The Ask the Pros & What's It Worth? Christian Sharps falling-block still stirs the hearts of marksmen today. 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. But weaponry advancements also played a large role. Allen & Wheelock Drop Breech. Spencer Repeating Rifle/Carbine. The rifled musket had a 39-inch barrel attached to a walnut stock by three barrel bands, leading it to be called an Enfield three band by some. Whether the Civil War gun youre in the market for is a rifle, carbine, or revolver, you hopefully now know a little more about which ones to purchase for your taste and budget. The highest selling Colt Model 1860 revolver in May was a Confederate shipped fluted cylinder model and sold for $12,650. By entering this site you declare These rifles, while more accurate than smoothbore muskets, had been designed for hunting, and fired less deadly smaller caliber ammunition. The Napoleonic cavalry charge was thus made both obsolete and suicidal by rifles. Prohibitive cost, however, stymied wider adoption. I learned this the hard way. This was converted from tubelock to percussion by Henry Leman of Lancaster, PA, in converted from tubelock to percussion by Henry Leman of Lancaster, PA, in late 1862 or early 1863. This had to be one of the finest Spencer rifles still surviving today. Back in May of 2017, we sold a Spencer 1865 carbine for $9,775. 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. Mounted charges gave way to dismounted combat where men would tie up their horses and fight on foot. Despite the rifles impressive capabilities the British military did not adopt the .451-caliber Whitworth. The first mass-produced American rifled musket, the 1861 was the most utilized long arm of the Civil War. These rifled muskets have an iconic look that makes them pretty easy to identify based on their silhouette. Sir Joseph Whitworth was the man behind the machine, inspired by cannon design in conceiving his polygonal rifled long gun. We have an old rifle that has been passed on through my wife's family from, we believe, the Ciivil War. 8 Long Guns You Have to Know from the American Civil War [18][20], Some soldiers considered the Enfield to be superior to the Springfield in terms of quality and accuracy. One has been a longtime priority of the committee's chairman, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.): accelerating the delivery of about $19 billion in weapons Taiwan has already purchased. Italy:Oxford University Press, USA. Near the breech on the octagonal barrel is 78192, Length of the barrel please and I should be able to give you an answer. [4] More recently, historians including Paddy Griffith, Mark Grimsley and Brent Nosworthy have challenged this interpretation. With more than 650 types of bullets used during the War. This is a good price for a scarce and desirable gun. For questions or more information about our firearms or policies, call us at (877) 214-9327 or email info@collectorsfirearms.com . Army smoothbore infantry musket. After experimenting with the failed Maynard primer system on the Model 1855 musket, the Model 1861 reverted to the more reliable percussion lock. Engagements, however, generally happened at much closer range, making the 1861 all the more deadly. As the war escalated those arms stockpiles were quickly diminished. We did not manufacture guns of this nature in the US. Spencer rifles were the first successful repeater used in the United States. Many older Springfield rifle muskets, such as the Model 1855 and 1842, were brought out of storage and used due to arms shortages. The American Civil War still remains the deadliest conflict in our nations history. 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. Small-caliber projectiles are among the most frequently-found artifacts at military sites. The enterprising Confederates adapted these rifles to better suit their needs. Identifying A Firearm | American Civil War Forum The rifle showed gray patina and mild wear from use which is pretty astounding considering the age. Rifles in the American Civil War | Military Wiki | Fandom 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. Only 13,000 Spencer rifles were purchased by the Union. The Brunswick was a muzzle loader rifle that was manufactured for the British Army in the early 19th century. 1860. If a soldier needed a firearm that had versatility and good repeating capability, it doesnt get much handier than this grapeshot revolver combo. Charles Pate found records while researching his book "The Colt Model 1860 Army Revolver" that indicated this revolver was shipped to Colt's New York sales office, a common destination for many of the fluted cylinder Army revolvers. 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. Small shipments of this high caliber percussion rifle were delivered to the United States Armies during the Civil War. But unlike previous iterations of the musket, the bore was rifled, which allowed the Model 1861 and its ilk to take full advantage of a deadly new technology the Mini ball. [19], One ammunition type which could be mistaken for an exploding bullet was the Williams cleaner bullet. 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. USA.gov, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Sold for $3,163 in September 2018. Rock Island Auction Company has a wide variety of Civil War guns in our Premier and Regional Auctions. The Civil War, an era in America history that changed the countrys future. Burnside Carbine. I don't know anything about your "rifle" except to tell you that it is NOT a rifle, it is a double barreled shotgun. That is, if you consider a gun designed to fire hexagonal bullets a bit odd. Civil War Rifles & Carbines - Military Factory The Confederacy had at least seven units that were armed with Burnside rifles that had been captured from the Union armies. The Civil War brought many advances in firearms technology, most notably the widespread use of rifled barrels. 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. We authenticate and appraise Antique Civil War Guns. The rounds fired by the Lorenz were considered inferior to the .58 caliber Mini ball, and while the rifle could be rebored to accept a larger bullet the process could affect barrel quality. For instance, one was produced specially for African-American troops, and another for Zouave units. As such, officers typically failed to realize the power of rifles and continued to launch massed attacks against fortified enemies, which invariably resulted in heavy losses. Explore this article. Thus, there's a small chance that non-standard weapons could've been used in combat or were at least manufactured during the 1860s. Christopher Spencers design limited the chance of dirt and other obstructions from rendering the carbine non-functional, an important feature for a rifle bound for battle. We would take the wadding apart and lay it flat and turn it into something like a jigsaw puzzle. Bayonet fighting was also important at this time, which also made militaries reluctant to shorten the barrels. Civil War Hats: Different Types and Where to Find Them, From reenactments to museums, you can find beautifully preserved artifacts detailing the daily lives of Americans during the Civil War. Along with a revised 1863 model, it was the last muzzle-loading weapon ever adopted by the US Army. 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. Shooting 475-grain bullets, thats a lot of lead down range. Surveying a number of battles, they found that Civil War combat still largely took place at ranges similar to or slightly better than smoothbore muskets, suggesting no revolution had taken place in the way war was conducted. These rifles were used by both the United States of America ("Union") and the Confederate States of America . 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. Listing of all rifles, carbines, and related long guns of the American Civil War. 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. PLEASE READ BEFORE COMMENTING! If you don't know anything about them, I would not recommend trying to take it apart to show them. Shortly before the Civil War, William J. Hardee (later to become a Confederate lieutenant general) updated it to include information on rifles, but he still assumed the use of linear formations in the book. Musket Ball and Small Shot Identification: A Guide United Kingdom:Yale University Press. Remington Revolvers In The Civil War | An Official Journal Of The NRA As the war escalated, those arms stockpiles were quickly diminished. During 1863, Sharps was the carbine prominently used by Union soldiers. 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. I can't tell from the pictures if the barrels are Damascus or not. The most widely accepted figure estimates 620,000 men lost their lives in the four years of war. Burnside's design eliminated the expulsion of hot gas from the weapon when it was fired by sealing the area between the barrel and the breech. 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. It is a nice family heirloom, Congratulations! Her ancestors fought for both sides, however, the gun in question arrived to us through her late father who grew up in rural Mississippi (born 1940s) and moved to North Carolina in the 1970s. Although the Colt was excellent in combat, it had a major design flaw. The carbine was the third most used amongst forces during the war only trailing behind the Spencer and Sharps. I have a Sharps New Model 1859 rifle barrel. army weapons were often marked with unit markings on the barrels, butt plates, or side plates. [12] A South Carolina officer estimated that only one in every 400 shots fired resulted in a hit. barrel allowed the use of .58 cal. [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. More accurate firearms, able to be fired at a higher rate, combined with outdated military tactics to pulverize vast swaths of men in the blue and the gray. When the American Civil War broke out in April 1861, neither the North (about 360,000 small arms) nor the South (about 240,000) had enough weapons to fight a major war. Sharps rifles of the Civil War era tend to be unique and more sought after Civil War rifle finds. 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. The Union purchased 226,924 Lorenz rifles, and the Confederacy bought as many as 100,000.[3]. 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. There were nevertheless drawbacks to these weapons, as early breechloaders leaked gas at the breech and repeaters were technically complex and required metallic cartridges which could be unreliable. Therefore, you can't always rely on age to be an indicator as to whether a weapon saw action during the Civil War. The rifle was used as early as the Battle of Shiloh in 1862 and was a staple long gun through to the final battles of the war. Civil War political cartoon, Civil War Memorabilia: Everything You Need to Know, American history buffs' gateway into antique collecting often comes first through acquiring Civil War memorabilia. The gun is 50" long and 36" from the . Civil War U.S. Springfield Model 1861 Percussion Rifle-Musket Dated 1862 with Bayonet. While the Henry was carried and used by men in the Civil War it was not widely accepted or popular by the military. There is a tiny 28 on the brass handle. [2] Soldiers were often forced to use older smooth bore and flintlock muskets, which had been considered to be obsolete, simply because the newer rifles were not available in sufficient quantities. However, some soldiers personally bought the Civil War gun before the government approved a contract. The American Civil War still remains the deadliest conflict in our nation's history. Inventors and military men devised new types of weapons, such . "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools" The Apostle Paul in Romans 1:22. p. 73-74, Coggins,J. The Sharps Carbine, on the other hand, had no such problems. The Whitworth rifle featured a unique hexagonal shaped bullet (with a matching hexagonal barrel) that gave it superior accuracy.