The Colt repeating rifle was one of the first repeating rifles, alongside with the Henry. Available May 2022. Along with a revised 1863 model, it was the last muzzle-loading weapon ever adopted by the US Army. Spencer rifles and carbines are highly desirable Civil War guns to military memorabilia collectors. The Civil War rifle became so popular that the Confederate forces copied the design and started producing their own versions of Sharps carbines. I am confused, do you have one or two weapons? The Henry repeating rifle can be considered the Rolls Royce of guns manufactured during the Civil War. Most of the rifles during that time were loaded with a small lead musket ball or with a minnie ball (or Mini ball) and black powder. Some such weapons included clones of the Sharps carbine, the Richmond/Fayetteville rifles (a Springfield clone) and imitations of Enfield rifles and musketoons. 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. 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 Civil War gun was in exceptional condition maintaining almost all its blue on the barrel and having little wear marks. Barn find. When in flight however the cleaning components gave the impression of being exploding bullets. Guns with a story and background are extremely interesting and exciting to collect with the Civil War era being a time that has many tales to tell. However, there're a few ways that you can investigate your own family's old rifles to see if you might have one that could've been used in combat during the American 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. Crisis averted, but the . The lowest selling went for $3,163 and was a civilian model. 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. The firearm was the most used carbine of the war and the most commonly carried by Union cavalry, with some 90,000 produced. The Confederates made attempts to acquire these weapons, but they lacked the technological ability to reproduce them or their ammunition. 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. [7] At 500 yards a trained shooter could hit a man-sized target about half the time. The 9-pound, 40-inch-barreled Model 1861 was also a more reliable weapon than preceding military arms through the use of percussion caps. rimfire) made by the Federal Government (at Springfield Armory) and actually designed for issue to infantrymen was the Model 1865 Springfield Joslyn Rifle, of which only 3,007 were made. The Civil War was a time of great social and political upheaval. 8 Long Guns You Have to Know from the American Civil War, Classic Guns: The Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum Revolver, Tips For Reloading the .30-06 Springfield, 5 Affordable Over/Under Shotguns Worth A Shot (2023), Ruger-Made Marlin Model 336 Classic Lever-Action Rifle Now Available. 1863. Black powder also quickly obscured the battlefield, which led military leaders of the time to conclude that the greater range of rifles was of little value on the battlefield. At the same time, Northern rifle and gun manufacturers such as Sharps, Colt, Remington, and the United States armory at Springfield, Massachusetts quickly increased their production of rifles;[2] Springfield alone increased its annual output from 20,000 to 200,000. 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. Listing of all rifles, carbines, and related long guns of the American Civil War. This rifle was manufactured for the Union army. I learned this the hard way. 2. It MIGHT have been fired during the War - but was NOT a war weapon - it was used to hunt birds, rabbits and squirrels. Starting in 1850 and throughout the Civil War, roughly 100,000 Sharps carbines were produced for military use. Again, thanks for taking time to provide us your feedback, it is much appreciated! JavaScript is disabled. 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. Most of these new rifle-muskets still had to be loaded between . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. American soldiers liked it because its .577 cal. The American Civil War still remains the deadliest conflict in our nation's history. Rock Island Auction Company has a wide variety of Civil War guns in our Premier and Regional Auctions. Only 13,000 Spencer rifles were purchased by the Union. A large variety of weapons were used during the Civil War, with rifles being the primary firearm soldiers employed during fighting. These differences made it easy to operate from horseback with accuracy, and this accuracy is what inspired the English term, "sharpshooter." Only about 2,500 made it to the Confederacy by means of their gun runners. 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. Jackson had little luck with sales of the carbine until the Civil War broke out. The American Civil War of 1861-1865 relied on many different kinds of firearms during the years-long progression of the conflict. The first contract called for 5,000 Model 1861 caliber .36 revolvers at a cost of $12 each. The first rifled muskets had used a larger .69 caliber Mini ball, since they had simply taken .69 caliber smooth bore muskets and rifled their barrels. This is a pretty accurate depiction on what owning the Civil War gun Springfield Model 1861 would run you in the current day prices. 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. "J.B.L." is visible along with a date "Apr 29 1865" right below the initials. 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 .54-caliber turned out to be a boon for the Union cavalry, giving them a quick-to-reload firearm, built to withstand the trials of battle. It is close, but not quite right. Items connected to a man of Lincolns historic stature are largely kept in museums, while his autographs, letters, and other historic documents are among the most collected in the world. 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. [15] Making the ammunition was also expensive, as each metallic cartridge could cost $2. 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. So, if you've caught the eye of an old looking rifle in your grandfather's shed in the backyard, take a minute to look it over and see what hidden treasures your family might've been hiding. We specialize in arms made by Colt, Remington, Sharps, Spencer, Union . It used a percussion lock, was similar in length, and had three barrel bands, like the Springfield and Enfield. Many unique Civil War revolvers and rifles can be found at Rock Island Auction Company. Model 1855 rifles were fairly common. 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. There were many Southern editions, and at least one Northern edition that omitted Hardee's name from the title page. 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. Like the musket, the projectile was smaller than the bore, allowing for fast loading, even when the arm was fouled with black-powder residue. 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. If needed all that had to be done was put the caps on nipples and it was ready to shoot.. Interestingly enough, Colt Manufacturing sent around 2,200 Model 1860 Colts to the South on contract early in the war. Model 1861 Springfield rifle-muskets became one of the favorite longarms for the Union. 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. [8] A lack of training resulted not only in poor accuracy but in mishandling which could render the rifle useless. It is a nice looking shotgun as far as I can see. But it took some doing to get the rifle variation into the hands of the 1st and 2nd Regiments of U.S. Sharpshooters. Case shot was an anti-personnel projectile, meaning it was used against soldiers. The last one I did had printing on it . Flag images indicative of country of origin and not necessarily primary operator. "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools" The Apostle Paul in Romans 1:22. The power of a Henry Rifle was comparable in power to military pistols, but that was not enough to be used as a shoulder fired rifle for the military. Officially, less than 2,000 of the revolutionary, lever-action repeating rifles were procured by the Union. The most widely accepted figure estimates 620,000 men lost their lives in the four years of war. The hammers look homemade and while it's probably old enough to have been used in the war it is very highly unlikely. These rifles, while more accurate than smoothbore muskets, had been designed for hunting, and fired less deadly smaller caliber ammunition. RIAC believes that this website is accessible to the widest possible audience pursuant to the guidelines of the Americans with Disability Act. The inventor of the gun was able to mass produce a cartridge that had a powerful powder charge. The key may be pinned and not come all the way out. Nonetheless, Hardee's book was produced in a huge variety of editions during the war, often for different types of infantry. From the start of the war, the Colt Model 1860 Army took over as the hand gun primarily used by Union forces. It was a advertisement at a market. Given that these rifles were infrequently used in the war, it's unlikely to find these rifles at auction. Sharps rifles of the Civil War era tend to be unique and more sought after Civil War rifle finds. In fact, antique gun collectors come in all shapes and sizes. Nevertheless, the Federal government did eventually purchase thousands of these weapons, and thousands more were purchased by Union soldiers using their own money. In our 2019 May Premier Auction, we had four Colt Model 1860 Army revolver sell at auction. The Springfield Armory produced the most popular rifle of the Civil War, the Springfield model 1861 musket rifle. The rare Confederate Le Mat revolver is another highly desirable Civil War gun. [16], 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. One of the most fascinating markings on the gun is carved initials in the stock of the gun. ammunition used by both Union and Confederate armies. Save my name and email to use for future comments. One of the most iconic and memorable of all Civil war guns used by the Union during is the Springfield Model 1861 musket. army weapons were often marked with unit markings on the barrels, butt plates, or side plates. A handsome, durable and accurate rifle . Most of the rifles during that time were loaded with a small lead musket ball or with a minnie ball (or Mini ball) and black powder. $1,398.00. Both Union and Confederate armies used this accuracy to devastating effect, flinging the .58-caliber, 500-grain Mini balls at each other from up to 500 yards out. This rifle had first seen action in the Second Italian War of Independence. During the American Civil War, the rifle was the most common weapon found on the battlefield. The flintlock, which had been in use for almost two hundred years, had been replaced by the caplock in the 1840s. One particular area that tends to see a boost during wars is artillery development and the 1860s assuredly had its fair share of firearm improvements. 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. 2.6K views, 382 likes, 124 loves, 77 comments, 48 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from NET25: Mata ng Agila International | April 20, 2023 [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. At the same time, Northern rifle and gun manufacturers such as Sharps, Colt, Remington, and the Springfield Armory quickly increased their production of rifles;[18] Springfield alone increased its annual output from 20,000 to 200,000. Extraordinary Civil War Era Sharps New Model 1863 percussion Saddle Ring carbine. [18], This collection contain smoothbore flintlocks converted into percussion muskets, some with their barrels rifled, Contract carbines as they were known at that time: Cosmopolitan, Sharps, Gallager, Smith and Burnside, Joslyn, Starr, Lindner, Warner, Maynard and Merrill carbines, Model 1816, Model 1842 and Model 1855 muskets, Confederate Richmond musket (top) along with U.S. Model 1861, British Pattern 1853 Enfield, U.S. Model 1861 muskets and Sharps rifle, Here is a number of Springfield Model 1861 contract rifles produced elsewhere except Springfield. 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. Five different models were manufactured and approximately 43 Union cavalry regiments used the Burnside exclusively. Please help in identifying this firearm. Where a domestically produced rifle would cost around $25, a cased Whitworth with 1,000 rounds of ammunition would cost a stunning $1,000. 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. 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. The Ask the Pros & What's It Worth? Spencer rifles were the first successful repeater used in the United States. A spectacular Civil War U.S. Burnside Fifth Model breech loading saddle ring carbine. 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 Confederates attempted to claim the moral high ground by arguing they never stooped to using exploding bullets, however the Richmond Arsenal manufactured at least 100,000 exploding bullets and examples of Confederates using exploding bullets can be found during the Battle of Glendale and the Siege of Vicksburg. 2002-2023 LoveToKnow Media. Nonetheless, Henry and Spencer rifles were used at the December 1864 Battle of Nashville to quite devastating effect. The purchase was agreed to by none other than General John Fremont (who is infamous for another shady firearms deal). Their primary use was anti-materiel such as setting fire to vehicles and ammunition, since their fragmentary properties were deemed at best to cause unnecessarily cruel wounds. We have an old rifle that has been passed on through my wife's family from, we believe, the Ciivil War. For non-historic arms experts, it can feel impossible to distinguish one old gun from a centuries-older gun thanks to their general appearances and similar mechanisms. United States:University Press of Kansas. We auctioned off the beauty for $21,850. At Gettysburg, Colonel Joshua Chamberlain ordered any man who still carried an Enfield to replace it with a Springfield salvaged from the battlefield. Sold for $3,163 in September 2018. 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. The rifle showed gray patina and mild wear from use which is pretty astounding considering the age. However, there are no greater rifles to collect than these popular models. "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. While both the Union and Confederate armies had their own standard weapons that they issued to the enlisted, soldiers would frequently bring their own supplies from home with them to the front lines. Outstanding Civil War U.S. Springfield Model 1861 percussion rifle-musket dated 1862 with bayonet. 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. Yes Sir, I unloaded one just the other day. Outstanding Civil War U.S. Spencer Model 1860 Army repeating rifle with sling and bayonet. Because of this, soldiers were frequently outfitted with firearms that were made decades before the fight even started. During the American Civil War, the rifle was the most common weapon found on the battlefield. Back in our 2018 December Premiere Auction, RIAC sold a standard, good conditioned Springfield Model 1861 for $3,163. Armies South, Armies North. It appears be a percussion muzzle loading shotgun, not a rifle. A sketch details the 14th Brooklyn regiment's uniform jacket, vest and kepi. 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 Civil War gun was a breech loading falling block in .52 caliber and proved to have excellent accuracy and rapid-fire ability. Known for its quality, accuracy, and reliability, the Enfield is one of the most sought after Civil War rifles today. It had design similarities to the Colt revolver, with a rotating cylinder that held several rounds of ammunition (a unique feature on a rifle). 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. army weapons were often marked with unit markings on the barrels, butt plates, or side plates. Come join the discussion about optics, hunting, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! But the 24-inch, 9-pound brainchild of Benjamin Henry did have its weak points. 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. [1][2], One significant advantage the rifled musket had over the smoothbore was its effective range. Gun - Musket - 1861 Springfield. Traditionally, mounted soldiers carried a lance, sword, or pistol and could sweep enemy infantry weakened by artillery or musket fire. 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. Explore this article. Musket balls are one of the earliest forms of projectiles that were fired from muskets and rifles. Civilian models did see war time uses if a soldier privately purchased the firearm, but it is hard to tell if the Civil War gun was for battle or just purchased by someone for general protection. In Civil War battles, infantry typically fought in a widely-spread out line, with the men using trees, rocks, buildings, etc. It was also a time of great technological change. Take a walk down the brick-lined memory lane with these vintage Lego sets. The standard weapon of the British Army between 1853 and 1867, like the Springfield the Enfield was a single-shot, muzzleloading rifle musket. Most of the time it was chopped up pieces of steel and newspaper wadding. The rifle that you could load on Sunday and shoot all week long was a boon to the soldier who could get his hands on one. A rugged design that was simple to construct, the Model 1861 and its derivatives (including the Springfield Model 1863) were the most common rifles in the war, with Northern arsenals producing over a million examples. . There is a tiny 28 on the brass handle. These numbers can be printed on the stock, butt, and gun's barrel, depending on the manufacturer and model. In April of 2018, a desirable Sharps Model 1853 slant breech percussion carbine sold for $12,650 at auction. The 38-inch-long rifled barrel made it a very accurate weapon, and it was possible to hit a man sized target with a Mini ball as far away as 500 yards (460m). With an effective range of 600 paces, troops could fire three rounds per minute with an accuracy of up to 500 yards. Many officers, however, preferred the Springfield muskets over the Enfield musketslargely due to the interchangeability of parts that the machine-made Springfields offered. (2008). 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. In September of 2018, RIAC sold a confederate copy of a Sharps rifle for a whopping $28,750. And the .44 round was relatively weaker compared to the dominant repeater of the time, the Spencer. Reference materials are a must-have for any person interested in Civil War firearms or antique firearm collecting in general. Due to their history and extreme rarity, surviving Confederate revolvers are some of the most sought-after treasures in arms collecting today. In our 2018 December Premier Auction, RIAC sold a U.S. Colt Model 1851 Navy percussion revolver for $4,600. Whereas a smoothbore musket like the Brown Bess could be expected to accurately hit a target at a distance of several dozen yards, rifled muskets were reasonably accurate at a distance of 500 yards. The Springfield Model 1861 therefore used a three-band barrel, making it just as long as the smoothbore muskets that it had replaced. [10] However many officers preferred the machine-made Springfield musket over the handcrafted Enfield thanks to the interchangeability of their parts. Typically, these rifles are sold for $1,000-$3,000 depending on their condition. p. 73-74, Coggins,J. The war itself not only shaped the country politically, but also spiked a rush of innovation in manufacturing. Springfield, Sharp, Henry, Spencer and the Austrian Lorentz. However, new research pegs it higher at 750,000, even 850,000. In this image provided by the British Ministry of Defense, on . [1][3] Previously, historians of the war such as James M. McPherson have argued that the increased range of the rifled musket rendered the Napoleonic tactics with which Civil War commanders continued to fight obsolete and bloody. Civil War Bullet Types - Pistol and Rifle Such a far-reaching war required a large collection of firearms which, in turn, relied on a vast collection of ammunition types. But there were relatively few that did. Rifles had been in use for many years, but prior to the civil war had been rare in military use. I don't know anything about your "rifle" except to tell you that it is NOT a rifle, it is a double barreled shotgun. As with the Spencer, it provided overwhelming firepower in a conflict dominated by muzzleloaders. The gunpowder would sometimes leak from the cartridges in the field and settle into the cylinder. It is a great option for a collector on a budget. 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. At least two major battles in the Civil War, Gaines Mill and Gettysburg, saw such attempts, both with predictable results. Historically, the smoothbore musket had been the primary weapon of the infantry while the rifle was reserved for specialist units. A type of long-range ammunition, this is what people commonly think of as a "cannon ball". In the decades leading up to the Civil War, numerous advances had been made in weapons. United States:Dover Publications. Were really interested to find out what it is and maybe gleen some additional history that might be associated with her family. Fateful Lightning: A New History of the Civil War and Reconstruction. With all due respect, the rear sight is the same as on the 1863 Springfield. Produced in tremendous numbers by the Union and captured by the Confederacy, this is the arm that most soldiers on both sides carried. In this situation, anecdotal evidence and photographs or written documentation placing a specific rifle in the period can be very helpful. 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. Prohibitive cost, however, stymied wider adoption. One of the most popular items to collect from the annals of American history is Civil War rifles. [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. Rifles were more accurate than smooth bore muskets, and could have been made using shorter barrels. Some were considered to be of the finest quality, and were sometimes praised as being superior to the Enfield.
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