These numbers can be printed on the stock, butt, and gun's barrel, depending on the manufacturer and model. Civil War Bullet Types - Pistol and Rifle - Civil War Timeline I HAVE I HEAVY BARREL TARGET RIFLE FROM THE CIVIL WAR. These rifles were used by both the United States of America ("Union") and the Confederate States of America. Once they shot what they had on hand, there was no way to replenish their supplies, given the ammo manufacturers were based in the North. However, some soldiers personally bought the Civil War gun before the government approved a contract. 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). The rifles differed from each other mainly in the different "actions" they had. It was a hollow shell filled with scraps . 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. For this reason, many Civil War guns are still quite popular among firearm enthusiasts. 3. 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. 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). 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. 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. LIFE ; TECH ; How to Identify Revolutionary War Musket Balls. Get the latest news and reviews from Gundigest.com. 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. In the decades leading up to the Civil War, numerous advances had been made in weapons. Learn how your comment data is processed. It is assumed from official records that somewhere around 230,000 Spencer rifles were used in the second half of the war. These old and obsolete weapons were replaced by newer weapons as they became available. During the American Civil War, there was a real transitory period happening within the firearms industry. From a young age, Americans are exposed to so much from the major 19th century con, You don't have to be a historic re-enactor or a grizzled outdoorsman to have an appreciation for historic firearms. The most widely accepted figure estimates 620,000 men lost their lives in the four years of war. 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. 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. 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. It is estimated that the Union armed 43 cavalry units with the gun. a U.S. Colt Model 1851 Navy percussion revolver. The relatively poor South only bought 50,000 by August 1862, while the North bought 726,000. The inventor of the gun was able to mass produce a cartridge that had a powerful powder charge. Turkish evacuation plane shot at as latest cease-fire struggles in Sudan. [19], One ammunition type which could be mistaken for an exploding bullet was the Williams cleaner bullet. Many British Enfield rifles but they were horrible on the troops hands and were regularly replaced with the Springfield rifles of fallen solders. List of Civil War Rifles and Their Unique Features | LoveToKnow Since the South lacked sufficient manufacturing capability, most of the Springfields in Southern hands were captured on the battlefields during the war.[2]. One of the most iconic and memorable of all Civil war guns used by the Union during is the Springfield Model 1861 musket. Fateful Lightning: A New History of the Civil War and Reconstruction. 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. This is most definitely a sporting arm and not a military arm. Since the 17th century, infantry normally fought in a tight shoulder-to-shoulder line and fired volleys at each other. Jackson had little luck with sales of the carbine until the Civil War broke out. Suspected it was loaded. The standard weapon of the British Army between 1853 and 1867, like the Springfield the Enfield was a single-shot, muzzleloading rifle musket. Nevertheless, the rifles were heavily imported with an estimated 350,000 making their way into the hands of both Union and Confederate soldiers. Another had identified it as Austrian: Muster 1842 k.k. The differences between the Model 1860 Army and the Model 1851 Navy were the Army has bigger grips and a rounder look, and a more powerful caliber as compared to .36 caliber and smaller boxier design of the Navy. When Confederate forces seized the manufacturing equipment from Harpers Ferry, they used it to continue production of the Model 1855 during the war. 1861. 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. In the early 1850s, Burnside resigned his military commission to work exclusively on his breech-loading carbine design. Please use the print button in the share bar at the top of the page. The Civil War rifle became so popular that the Confederate forces copied the design and started producing their own versions of Sharps carbines. 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. Civil War Rifle Identification | The Firearms Forum I would guess the gun originated in Belgium. 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. Sold for $3,163 in September 2018. The revolver was in in good condition retaining gray and brown patina and had character with a few dents and scratches. 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 US adopted the breechloading 1866 Springfield "Trapdoor" infantry rifle built from surplus rifle-musket parts after the war. for cover. Check to see if it is still loaded. For this reason, many Civil . Here we present an antique Enfield Pattern 1853 Rifle-Musket, made in 1862 in England. The Lorenz Rifle (again a rifled musket of the Mini variety) had highly mixed reviews in the Civil War. "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools" The Apostle Paul in Romans 1:22. 60th North Carolina Infantry Inscribed Rifle. The highest selling Colt Model 1860 revolver in May was a Confederate shipped fluted cylinder model and sold for $12,650. Listing of all rifles, carbines, and related long guns of the American Civil War. By Katharine Houreld. The first Model 1861 Springfields were delivered late in that year and during 1862 gradually became the most common weapon carried by Union infantry in the eastern theater. From the start of the war, the Colt Model 1860 Army took over as the hand gun primarily used by Union forces. The Le Mat saw wear-and-tear but still showed good plum and brown patina. These home goods ranged from coats to shoes to even weapons. This had to be one of the finest Spencer rifles still surviving today. 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. Allen & Wheelock Drop Breech. The Civil War rifle was the model that John Brown used in his raid of Harpers Ferry. The gun is 50 long and 36 from the business end to trigger. As a result, cavalry came to be used mainly for raiding and scouting, and seldom participated in major battles. 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. Almost all rifles were made with iron barrels, while only some, like the Burnside, used steel, which then was expensive. 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. [18][20], Some soldiers considered the Enfield to be superior to the Springfield in terms of quality and accuracy. Typical appearing 1840's to 1860's/early 1870's double barrel muzzleloading shotgun. The third most widely used weapon of the Civil War was the Lorenz Rifle. The first contract called for 5,000 Model 1861 caliber .36 revolvers at a cost of $12 each. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The seven-shot Spencer was produced in rifle and carbine versions, although the latter was more common. It may have English proofs. 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). Hi. The Spencer had an excellent reputation in combat, with a sustainable rate of fire of 20 rounds per minute. 2002-2023 LoveToKnow Media. In addition, most existing military doctrine was based around the smoothbore musket. Firearms. There was also the Model 1859 Sharps rifle, a single-shot breechloader. Jason, welcome to The Firearms Forum. 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. army service. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. Army smoothbore infantry musket. Traditionally, mounted soldiers carried a lance, sword, or pistol and could sweep enemy infantry weakened by artillery or musket fire. I must admit I have never seen a pair of hammers like those before. During the American Civil War, an assortment of small arms found their way onto the battlefield.Though the muzzleloader percussion cap rifle was the most numerous weapon, being standard issue for the Union and Confederate armies, many other firearms, ranging from the single-shot breech-loading Sharps and Burnside rifles to the Spencer and the Henry rifles - two of the world's first repeating . 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. Any identification marks are most likely on the bottom of the barrels, under the wood. Case shot was an anti-personnel projectile, meaning it was used against soldiers. The American Revolution was foughtand wonwith guns, and the weapons have become ingrained in U.S. culture, but the invention of firearms started long before colonists ever settled . 1863. 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. Nonetheless, Henry and Spencer rifles were used at the December 1864 Battle of Nashville to quite devastating effect. These are a few of the more unique rifles that have documented use during the 19th century conflict. Others, especially those in later purchases, were described as horrible in both design and condition. After experimenting with the failed Maynard primer system on the Model 1855 musket, the Model 1861 reverted to the more reliable percussion lock. The percussion musket used .58 caliber Minie balls for ammunition which provided additional range and accuracy for soldiers using the gun. This is a pretty accurate depiction on what owning the Civil War gun Springfield Model 1861 would run you in the current day prices. They are found, though, in many forms. The speed and reliability of the Spencer is what made it stand above many of the other guns produced at the time. The American Civil War of 1861-1865 relied on many different kinds of firearms during the years-long progression of the conflict. Sir Richard Barrons on how the characteristics of war are changing [18], The third-most widely used rifle of the Civil War, and the most prolific of "second-class" weapons, was the Lorenz Rifle. During the American Civil War, the rifle was the most common weapon found on the battlefield. Even with this flaw, the Burnside went on to become the third most used carbine of the war, behind the Sharps and Spencer, seeing action in nearly every battle in the conflict. At Gettysburg, Colonel Joshua Chamberlain ordered any man who still carried an Enfield to replace it with a Springfield salvaged from the battlefield. However, the Sharps carbine was very common, with over 90,000 produced. [13][14] Cost was also an issue: in an era where a soldier earned $10-13 a month and a rifled musket might cost $10-20 to manufacture, a repeating rifle might cost $37-65 to manufacture. Napoleon normally always tried to rout opposing armies from the field after softening their line with massed artillery barrages. If you can find serial numbers on your antique rifle, you can use digital collections like the Civil War Weapons Search to see if your gun's serial number correlates to a known date. Available in Rock Island Auction Companys December Premier Auction is a 2nd Model Burnside Civil War carbine presented by Abraham Lincoln to Kentucky statesman John J. Crittenden. The benefit of this Civil War rifle was that it could be fired in rapid succession without pausing to reload after each shot. The bayonet is unmarked except for the date of 1861. This allowed the projectile to expand upon firing and take hold of the rifling, and in turn stabilize and be truly accurate. The rifle potentially had another downside however. 1. The Perpetually Frozen North. DANIEL SIVILICH 21 JUL 2017 . April 28, 2023 at 6:36 a.m. EDT. Most suggestions that I have received is the Whitney/Plymouth Naval rifle. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 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. His goal was to build a replacement for the Pattern 1853. Many soldiers were forced to use their own personal hunting rifles, which were typically Kentucky or Pennsylvania type rifles. Our most recent sale of a Civil War 4th Model presentation grade Burnside rifle was in our May 2019 auction. 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. Most of these new rifle-muskets still had to be loaded between . p. 109-110, Historical Dictionary of the U.S. Army. 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. Rifles in the American Civil War - Wikipedia You might also find these guns with long metal ramrods that were used to insert the ammunition into the barrel. The Napoleonic cavalry charge was thus made both obsolete and suicidal by rifles. The Civil War brought many advances in firearms technology, most notably the widespread use of rifled barrels. 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. In a conflict dominated by muzzleloaders and single-shot rifles, the Spencer Repeating Rifle had to have seemed like a godsend. We did not manufacture guns of this nature in the US. Where a domestically produced rifle would cost around $25, a cased Whitworth with 1,000 rounds of ammunition would cost a stunning $1,000. Such bullets were included in each packet of regular ammunition and designed to clear any residue out of the barrel when fired. 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. During the American Civil War, the rifle was the most common weapon found on the battlefield. Mata ng Agila International | April 20, 2023 | Mata ng Agila - Facebook [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. [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. This may not be a true Sharps, but the historically relevant and rare nature of a Confederate-made copy made this a popular item. Old rifle identification help | Small Arms & Ammunition Those familiar with twentieth-century records often assume that official records of some kind will enable the possessor of a particular Colt percussion Army Model 1860 revolver (for . 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. 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. In addition to the expected spherical shape of ball ammunition, there are impacted balls (those that were fired and hit something) and spent balls (those that were fired and eventually ran out of energy without hitting something). When it comes to fierce battles, rich history, and a wealth of innovative weapons, its hard to match the Civil War era. The second most widely used weapon of the Civil War, and the most widely used weapon by the Confederates, was the British Pattern 1853 Enfield. The Springfield Model 1861 was a common Union infantry rifle during the Battle of Antietam. Reference materials are a must-have for any person interested in Civil War firearms or antique firearm collecting in general. Visit the Civil War Arms Index. Countless firearm experts have lent their own perspective to the subject, and a few contemporary books to check out are: Rifles from the Civil War are important pieces of history, and as such, they can command top prices from avid collectors, military enthusiasts, and Civil War fanatics. With more than 650 types of bullets used during the War. The Springfield Armory produced the most popular rifle of the Civil War, the Springfield model 1861 musket rifle. Thus, the short-lived Burnside rifle didn't become a major winner with soldiers during the war. 1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272, The Struggles of a Soldier-Inventor: Capt. Some guns made in Belgium were proofed and sold as English as they would bring better money.