Griffith,P.(2001). Some southern cavalry and guerrillas used shotguns but their barrels were cut off short. [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. Allen & Wheelock Drop Breech. Small shipments of this high caliber percussion rifle were delivered to the United States Armies during the Civil War. The rifle itself was in well used condition showing age on the steel and patina in areas, but the significant story behind the model made it sell well. The Union purchased 226,924 Lorenz rifles, and the Confederacy bought as many as 100,000.[3]. Despite these improvements, the Springfields rate of fire was similar to a muskets, around three aimed shots per minute. Some guns made in Belgium were proofed and sold as English as they would bring better money. Perhaps the most intriguing feature of the Civil War gun is its .60 caliber, 18 gauge under shotgun barrel located right underneath its .42 barrel giving the user an addition shot. CAT. Length of barrel is 42 inches. This. [4] More recently, historians including Paddy Griffith, Mark Grimsley and Brent Nosworthy have challenged this interpretation. in Public History, Megan is fascinated by vintage & antique items. However, it established the single-shot metallic cartridge breechloader as a standard infantry weapon, which eventually all modern armies adopted in one form or another. [1] Stockpiles of rifles and handguns carried by individual soldiers were limited. At the Battle of Gettysburg, the Union Army salvaged 24,000 rifles which were still loaded and found 18,000 of them had been loaded twice or more without being fired. The Ask the Pros & What's It Worth? Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. 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. The Lorenz Rifle (again a rifled musket of the Mini variety) had highly mixed reviews in the Civil War. [7] At 500 yards a trained shooter could hit a man-sized target about half the time. [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. We buy, sell, identify, authenticate and appraise Antique Civil War and Confederate Firearms of all types, manufactured prior to 1866. Model 1861 Springfield rifle-muskets became one of the favorite longarms for the Union. There are 5 main types of Civil War ordnance: Solid-shot. Like the Springfield, this was a three-band, single-shot, muzzle-loading rifle musket. So there you have it, the top 7 most desirable Civil War guns for collectors and Civil War enthusiasts alike. Many soldiers were forced to use their own personal hunting rifles, which were typically Kentucky or Pennsylvania type rifles. Its no wonder both sides wanted a handful of Burnsides in their soldiers hands. Unknown No More: Identifying A Civil War Soldier : NPR More interestingly, there is evidence that at least 7 Confederate brigades possessed Burnside carbines and used them in battle. Both sides fielded what ever guns could be . The new repeater rifles would see fairly limited use in the Civil War. The guns effective range was listed at 200 yards which was fairly impressive for a long gun of the era. [20][25] Later in the war, even factory-direct Lorenz rifles tended to be of poor craftsmanship. These rifles were also equipped with a bayonet, and have the stereotypical silhouette associated with Civil War reenactments and big-budget Hollywood productions. 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. Italy:Oxford University Press, USA. Hi. The Colt repeating rifle was one of the first repeating rifles, alongside with the Henry. I was working on a double barreled shotgun. Some shotguns were used in the very beginning, mostly by southern troops but were discarded after the first battle or two when better weapons were acquired from the dead. In a conflict dominated by muzzleloaders and single-shot rifles, the Spencer Repeating Rifle had to have seemed like a godsend. She is dedicated to preserving history and shares her knowledge through LoveToKnow's antiques channel. In September of 2018, RIAC sold a Paris marked First Model Le Mat revolver for $17,250. We auctioned off the beauty for $21,850. The accuracy of the Whitworth was often exaggerated, but it was capable of hitting a man sized target beyond 1,000 yards. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The last one I did had printing on it . Due to a lack of munitions manufacturers in the South, the Confederates depended on the British government to procure these weapons. 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. Its external tubular magazine could get fouled or damaged, which was trouble for a weapon thats advantage was rate of fire. Theres little wonder that, Hugh Lowther, the fifth Earl of Lonsdale, squandered a massive fortune through his generosity and out-sized reputation as a womanizer, horseman, Sooner or later, everything old is new again, author Stephen King wrote in his 2005 crime thriller, The Colorado Kid. This sentiment certainly. The Sharps Carbine, on the other hand, had no such problems. When it became obvious that the southern states wouldn't win the war, the British government refused to sell any more rifles to the Confederacy, and they were forced to turn to gun runners and private sources for their stores. Granville Stuart's Sharps Model 1874 Creedmoor No. His goal was to build a replacement for the Pattern 1853. Crisis averted, but the . They acquired more through battlefield pickups and would use them throughout the war (although the 1855 rifle was eventually replaced in the Union ranks by 1861 Springfields). Please use the print button in the share bar at the top of the page. 2. The benefit of this Civil War rifle was that it could be fired in rapid succession without pausing to reload after each shot. Historically, the smoothbore musket had been the primary weapon of the infantry while the rifle was reserved for specialist units. A Day in the Life # 68 How to Identify Your Civil War Bullets. The Burnside rifle was a carbine developed by General Ambrose Burnside in 1856. [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. 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). Rock Island Auction Company's December 2021 Premier Firearms Auction. Besides the Henry, no other long gun could provide a shooter with 7 rounds before having to reload. 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. 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. 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). 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. 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. Behind the Sharps, it was the most used cavalry carbine of the war. William Brooke Johns, Hidden in Plain Sight: Compiled Service Records as Sources for Confederate Arms and Equipment, Firearms Genealogy: The Impossible Takes Longer. [2] see It looks like the wood has been sanded and refinished. 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. The Civil War, an era in America history that changed the countrys future. Appraiser, Seller and Dealer of Civil War Guns to include Revolvers, Pistols, Rifles, Muskets, Carbines and Cannons, Union and Confederate. Designed by the famous Civil War General Ambrose Burnside in 1853 before the war, the Burnside carbine was originally produced, delivered, and trialed to the United States government in 1858. It appears be a percussion muzzle loading shotgun, not a rifle. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. It is a nice looking shotgun as far as I can see. 1. .44 (takes metallic cartridge), English Sapper rifled, "Enfield" pattern. 10,000 of the muskets were sent to Hall, Carrol and Co and Greenwood and Co, both of Cincinnati, Ohio. The rare Confederate Le Mat revolver is another highly desirable Civil War gun. I can't tell from the pictures if the barrels are Damascus or not. 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. you read and agreed to the, American Civil War Artifacts & Collectibles. The rifle potentially had another downside however. Barn find. Admittedly, I know almost nothing about guns (a fact thats obvious to you). The purchase was agreed to by none other than General John Fremont (who is infamous for another shady firearms deal). 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. This one was . Civil War Rifles & Carbines - Military Factory With 16+1 rounds of .44 Henry rimfire ammunition on tap, the rifle would have been money well spent. The Spencer carbine, on the other hand, was widely utilized, with around 90,000 being produced for the war effort. Rifled muskets not only blunted the frontal assault by enemy infantry but also neutralized the offensive capabilities of cavalry and field artillery and thereby led to the increased usage of trench warfare. Again, thanks for taking time to provide us your feedback, it is much appreciated! The Civil War gun was a breech loading falling block in .52 caliber and proved to have excellent accuracy and rapid-fire ability. April 28, 2023 at 6:36 a.m. EDT. (2001). The markings identify the regiment, battalion or company, and the weapon within that unit. There was an article in a very recent edition of Man at Arms Collector magazine on shotgun use in the Civil War. army weapons were often marked with unit markings on the barrels, butt plates, or side plates. 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. The percussion musket used .58 caliber Minie balls for ammunition which provided additional range and accuracy for soldiers using the gun. Armies South, Armies North. 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. The Perpetually Frozen North. associated with the Revolutionary War but are found on sites ranging from the first Spanish expeditions to the American Civil War. The Springfield was such a widely used rifle that most Civil War re-enactors own one for use in their battles. Most of these new rifle-muskets still had to be loaded between . However, these old and obsolete weapons were replaced by newer weapons as they became available. Polly Pocket: History & Value of Barbies Biggest 90s Rival. The Napoleonic cavalry charge was thus made both obsolete and suicidal by rifles. 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. 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. (2017). 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. The Lorenz was a bit like playing craps, if craps entailed being killed if the dice were faulty. 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. They may be raw castings that were never finished. It is a nice family heirloom, Congratulations! To get a better handle on exactly why this seminal war was as bloody as it was, here are the 8 Long Guns You Have to Know from the American Civil War. While mainly a Union firearm, a few did fall into the hands of the Confederates. p. 109-110, Historical Dictionary of the U.S. Army. Civil War Artillery: Ammunition - No Vice & No Virtue This allowed the projectile to expand upon firing and take hold of the rifling, and in turn stabilize and be truly accurate. Box 160 Llano, Texas 78643 If you have a specific identification question, please see our Identification Request Page. [17], An alternative type of rifle ammunition which saw use during the Civil War was the exploding bullet. Nonetheless, Henry and Spencer rifles were used at the December 1864 Battle of Nashville to quite devastating effect. 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. The Confederacy also produced a variety of weapons itself, standardizing on .58 caliber in 1862. Explore this article. Some types of rifles were regionally specific, while others were used across all arenas of the war. 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. Jason, welcome to The Firearms Forum. [20] Despite their extensive use by both sides in the war, soldiers' opinions on the rifle were decidedly negative. If . 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. The Civil War was a time of great social and political upheaval. What kind of French muskets? But there were relatively few that did. ammunition used by both Union and Confederate armies. Very few Burnside rifles can be found still in this excellent of condition. The seven-shot Spencer was produced in rifle and carbine versions, although the latter was more common. Many unique Civil War revolvers and rifles can be found at Rock Island Auction Company. Civil War U.S. Springfield Model 1861 Percussion Rifle-Musket Dated 1862 with Bayonet. Most rifles of this era were muzzle loaded rifled muskets. Another had identified it as Austrian: Muster 1842 k.k. The enterprising Confederates adapted these rifles to better suit their needs. The rifle was completely original and still retains almost all its blue coloring on the barrel. The flintlock, which had been in use for almost two hundred years, had been replaced by the caplock in the 1840s. 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. [10] However many officers preferred the machine-made Springfield musket over the handcrafted Enfield thanks to the interchangeability of their parts. Shooting 475-grain bullets, thats a lot of lead down range. With more than 650 types of bullets used during the War. Click here for more information. Some were considered to be of the finest quality, and were sometimes praised as being superior to the Enfield. Our most recent sale of a Civil War 4th Model presentation grade Burnside rifle was in our May 2019 auction. We specialize in arms made by Colt, Remington, Sharps, Spencer, Union . Firearms. 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. Civil War Firearms Home - HistoricalArms.com The South didnt have the manufacturing ability to produce the guns they needed, so they contracted 5,000 to be produced overseas. The rifling also improved precision over traditional musket. 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. I HAVE I HEAVY BARREL TARGET RIFLE FROM THE CIVIL WAR. The Civil War rifle became so popular that the Confederate forces copied the design and started producing their own versions of Sharps carbines. 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. These old and obsolete weapons were replaced by newer weapons as they became available. 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. Due to complaints that they damaged the barrel of the rifle, the US Army discontinued their use in September 1864. Sir Richard Barrons on how the characteristics of war are changing The American Civil War still remains the deadliest conflict in our nations history. 3. 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. Civil War Bullet Types - Pistol and Rifle - Civil War Timeline Many British Enfield rifles but they were horrible on the troops hands and were regularly replaced with the Springfield rifles of fallen solders. They are found, though, in many forms. 2.6K views, 382 likes, 124 loves, 77 comments, 48 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from NET25: Mata ng Agila International | April 20, 2023 These numbers can be printed on the stock, butt, and gun's barrel, depending on the manufacturer and model. Identifying A Firearm | American Civil War Forum The US adopted the breechloading 1866 Springfield "Trapdoor" infantry rifle built from surplus rifle-musket parts after the war. The Sharps continued to make history after the war. The lowest selling went for $3,163 and was a civilian model. 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. PLEASE READ BEFORE COMMENTING! Fact #5: Like previous wars, Civil War artillery could fire multiple types of ammunition. A spectacular Civil War U.S. Burnside Fifth Model breech loading saddle ring carbine. Some such weapons included clones of the Sharps carbine, the Richmond/Fayetteville rifles (a Springfield clone) and imitations of Enfield rifles and musketoons. 2023 LoveToKnow Media. In the decades leading up to the Civil War, several advances helped make the rifle a more practical weapon for the average soldier. 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. These differences made it easy to operate from horseback with accuracy, and this accuracy is what inspired the English term, "sharpshooter." You might also find these guns with long metal ramrods that were used to insert the ammunition into the barrel. Many soldiers saved their salaries to buy their own Henry rifle as their government issued weapons couldn't hold up to the rifle's speed and lethality. Civil War Handgun professionals specializing in appraisals of antique revolvers and pistols used by Union and Confederate forces during and before the Civil War. The first mass-produced American rifled musket, the 1861 was the most utilized long arm of the Civil War. 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. 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. We would take the wadding apart and lay it flat and turn it into something like a jigsaw puzzle. Small Arms of the Civil War | American Battlefield Trust This is a pretty accurate depiction on what owning the Civil War gun Springfield Model 1861 would run you in the current day prices. Cal. Thus, there's a small chance that non-standard weapons could've been used in combat or were at least manufactured during the 1860s. Back in May of 2017, we sold a Spencer 1865 carbine for $9,775. Though, its strange conical-shaped cartridge could occasionally get stuck in the breech after firing. Suspected it was loaded. Later Fremont would testify that the primers were not included; they had exploded in shipment. Pulled wads, shot and powder. Reference materials are a must-have for any person interested in Civil War firearms or antique firearm collecting in general. 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 revolver was in in good condition retaining gray and brown patina and had character with a few dents and scratches. Yes Sir, I unloaded one just the other day. There were many Southern editions, and at least one Northern edition that omitted Hardee's name from the title page. United Kingdom:Greenwood Press. army weapons were often marked with unit markings on the barrels, butt plates, or side plates. JavaScript is disabled. The standard weapon of the British Army between 1853 and 1867, like the Springfield the Enfield was a single-shot, muzzleloading rifle musket. 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. The key may be pinned and not come all the way out. [19], The Springfield Model 1861 was considered the standard rifle musket of the Civil War. Any identification marks are most likely on the bottom of the barrels, under the wood. Captain James H. Burton improved the American Mini ball fired by the Springfield by hollowing the base of the soft-lead bullet. And it can still be found harvesting game today. Civil War Guns, Revolvers, Pistols, Union and Confederate Appraiser At least two major battles in the Civil War, Gaines Mill and Gettysburg, saw such attempts, both with predictable results. The rear sight on this one is very creative, since Leman removed the Austrian rear sight when he converted the weapons. [18], The third-most widely used rifle of the Civil War, and the most prolific of "second-class" weapons, was the Lorenz Rifle. After experimenting with the failed Maynard primer system on the Model 1855 musket, the Model 1861 reverted to the more reliable percussion lock. p. 249-250, Hess,E.J. This Enfield model 1853 was commonly used by both Union and Confederate infantry troops during the Civil War. The most widely accepted figure estimates 620,000 men lost their lives in the four years of war. 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. Check to see if it is still loaded. The Le Mat saw wear-and-tear but still showed good plum and brown patina. Most rifles of this era were muzzle loaded rifled muskets. The caplock replaced the flintlock, improving performance in wet weather and allowing for a slightly higher rate of fire, and the use of rifling with mechanically fitted bullets was tested by several inventors. [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.