CW sharp shooter rifles

[7thNJcoA]

Other than the sharps what were some of the other rifles used by sharp shooters, and are thier any good repros of them for live fire, or living history display?

[NC5thcav]

Some of Berdan's were issued Colt revolving rifles first. Nobody makes an accurate repro(.56 cal and 5-shot) though. Confederates used Whitworth and Kerr pattent rifles, and both sides a variety of civilian weapons. This is a link to a site about some Confederate sharpshooters.

http://www.concretebattleship.org/civilwar/PDF%20Files/KENTUCKY%20SHARPSHOOTERS.pdf#search='geoffrey%20wa lden%20AND%20Enfield'

[Jim Mayo]

US or CS Sharpshooter?

It makes a difference.

Do a search for "Lee's Shock Troops" and buy the book or get a library to obtain it. It is primary a discussion of CS Sharpshooter battalions and how they were fought but also covers the use of US soldiers as sharpshooters and their rifle.

[Rob Weaver]

There were a fair number of civilian arms that were carried by Federal sharpshooters. Often they were target rifles having some or all of the following characteristics: octagonal barrel often topped with a false muzzle for ease in loading, set triggers, globe or telescopic sights, target trigger guards, etc. There's a picture of one in the last volume of Lord's encylcopedia that's pretty good.
No one makes a completely accurate 19th century target rifle anymore. I would recommend you contact one of the good folks in Brady's Sharpshooters for some guidance on what they allow and recommend. I used to own a good reproductionthat I have pictures of. Contact me email and I'll send them along, as the files are too big to attach.

[jerryeberg]

Birge's western Sharpshooters (66th Illinois) originally used Demmick Rifles, then were issued Henry Rifles. (Henry rifles are SWEET! Really good for living histories, since I think it's really difficult to make them able too shoot blanks)
http://nortvoods.net/66illinois.html

[rick35ovi]

Birge's western Sharpshooters (66th Illinois) originally used Demmick Rifles, then were issued Henry Rifles. (Henry rifles are SWEET! Really good for living histories, since I think it's really difficult to make them able too shoot blanks)
http://nortvoods.net/66illinois.html
Check out the link to the dimmick rifle for sale at cabelas right now!
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/content/community/gun_inventory/inventory/boise/antique/555259_dimick_boi.jsp
No offense to my fellow 66th Illinios sharpshooter but actually Birges sharpshooters were not issued Henry's they bought them with their own money, Mostly using their reenlistment bounty to buy them. A Henry back then could cost you between 35 and 70 dollars! Thats a big chunk of change for that time so you know they knew the value of that weapon to spend that much of their own money! If your thinking of buying a Henry to shoot blanks go with the 44-40 cal. it is easy to convert to shoot 44 mag. blanks and a whole lot cheaper!
The only Henry's ever actually issued to a particular unit was to the 1st Washington D.C. Calvary, TO PROTECT THE POLITITIONS!! IMAGINE THAT!!
I love using the Henry for living histories, We will stand a regular infantryman next to us and have him try to load his Springfield in the amount time it takes us to fire fifteen round downrange!! that really gets the point across to the spectators!!

[jerryeberg]

Wow, I didn't know there was actually a Birge's sharpshooters reenactors! That's cool!

[RJSamp]

Please Thank your local college football team for kicking the snot out of "Go Blue". It's very much appreciated.

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Other than the sharps what were some of the other rifles used by sharp shooters, and are thier any good repros of them for live fire, or living history display?


What kind of sharpshooter? Special sharpshooter units, or the everyday sharpshooter who made life miserable for the other side? If the latter, often it was "the same gun everyone else used."

[Rob Weaver]

Check out the link to the dimmick rifle for sale at cabelas right now!
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/content/community/gun_inventory/inventory/boise/antique/555259_dimick_boi.jsp

That is an absolutely beautiful rifle. At $7400 it better be! I think I'd look at something a little less pricey for taking to the field. (That is a great picture of exactly the rifle I was imagining as I posted above.)

[rick35ovi]

That is an absolutely beautiful rifle. At $7400 it better be! I think I'd look at something a little less pricey for taking to the field. (That is a great picture of exactly the rifle I was imagining as I posted above.)
Beautiful Indeed!! Its one of those (if only i had the money moments!!) Being part of Birges Sharpshooters we are all DROOLING over it, but as you said before, a little too nice for the field, And wayy out of our price range! You should see the collection of originals we use for our living history displays, We almost need a Brinks armoured vehicle for those puppies!

[GaWildcat]

If your looking CS, not much difference then regular Infantry. "Our Connection With Savannah: A History of The 1st Battalion, Georgia Sharpshooters" by Russel K. Brown relates that when the four battalions of Georgia Sharpshooters were formed up, around 1862, from existing organizations, other units were relieved of thier long range rifles and rifle muskets in order to arm the Sharpshooter battalions. Tenative ( and sketchy) research has us figuring, but not believing entirely untill further research confirms that our unit, Co A, 2nd Batt. GA SS were armed with Enfield rifles.


Pg 26 Our Connection With Savannah: A History of the 1st Battalion Georgia Sharpshooters states:

Inspection report of Cpt William S. Basinger dated 31 October 1862

Kinds of Arms and accoutrements: Long Enfield rifles; Accoutrements to match


Condition: Excellant

No. of rounds of ammuntion: 21,587 cartridges


This may mean that this particular Sharpshooter battalion was armed with 1853 Enfield rifle-muskets, and either English accoutrements or American pattern .58 cal. Cartridge boxes. (this is only interperatation, and is subject to being wrong)

[GaWildcat]

A careful examination of images in the above mentioned work reveal that of the two images of privates, both are wearing English snake buckles, which could indicate that indeed this unit was issued Imported accoutrements

[Mule Gil]

"...a false muzzle for ease in loading."

Not so.

The false muzzle is there to insure proper loading of the bullet, which was often paper patched. Even after the war, when using breechloaders, many target shooters would muzzle load their bullets and then insert the primed and powder charged cartridge case before each shot.

[RJSamp]

OK I've read most of the Sharpshooter book......and many of your live fire experiences on the problems of firing lots of corrosive black powder rounds......

How did the Southern Sharpshooter battalions end up shooting dozens of rounds an hour for hours on end in a mobile environment? One guy cleaned the rifle every X rounds and two or three others fired them....then they passed the guns around to be recleaned? Haversacks of rounds? Extra Cartridge boxes? Knapsacks of rounds? Blanket rolls of rounds? How did they bring those 110 pound crates out to the boys?

The book talks of sustained firing rates of 3 rounds per minute for Enfields. Torrents, sheets, roar of musketry stopping line infantry in it's track's.

These were the crack marksmen/rifle handlers, the elite of the best. Unlike line infantry they had Days of rifle practice....hundreds of practice firings.....and had improved their offhand shooting/range estimation/loading times.

I'd love to see one of authentic units try to become a sharpshooter battalion for just one event (heck, I'd go gray just to be one of their 3 or 4 buglers per battalion!).......

Hallo! Herr Schmidt?!

[GaWildcat]

OK I've read most of the Sharpshooter book......

Which Sharpshooter book?? there's a few out there...:D

[RJSamp]

Which Sharpshooter book?? there's a few out there...:D

Sorry. "Shock Troops of the Confederacy" Fred L. Ray.

When a small battalion fires off 26,000 rounds in a few hours....that's a lot of cartridges.

How'd they do dat?

[GaWildcat]

RJ,

Aint read that one yet! LOL

If memory serves, the average soldier was supposed to be trained to a standard of three aimed shots a minute. (thats non sharpshooter)

Not having read Shock Troops of the Confederacy, I cant vouch for the information it contains. I can say that the four battalions of Georgia sharpshooters were'nt formed by finding the best shots, but by taking companies from other units to form the battalions. Also of note is that though used as scouts, pickets, skirmishers and flankers, when rallied, the Sharpshooter battalions would become the left of the brigade line. Of course right now I can only speak for the Georgia Sharpshooter battalions, but the Third Battalion served in the ANV, and information seems to bear out they served the same way.

I would also recommed Our Connection With Savannah: The History of the 1st Battalion, Georgia Sharpshooters by Russel K. Brown

[Rob Weaver]

"...a false muzzle for ease in loading."

Not so.

The false muzzle is there to insure proper loading of the bullet, which was often paper patched. Even after the war, when using breechloaders, many target shooters would muzzle load their bullets and then insert the primed and powder charged cartridge case before each shot.

Well. the point is that the false muzzle is still intended as an aid in loading. I'm a bit confused though. I can't load my Sharps the way you just described. I see little to be gained in terms of either time or accuracy in loading a patched ball from one end, then the powder from the other. First of all, ramming home a round ball inevitably affects the accuracy as the bullet is misshapen in the process. Second, I can't quite visualize breaking open the gun to load the powder charge. I can't see how that would improve the accuracy of the powder measure, delivering a better shot. The field of big-bore breechloading rifles was dominated by Remington and Sharps after the war. The rolling block was introduced in 1867 and the metalic cartridge Sharps in 1874 (already an attempt by the company to keep up in a market it was losing). Obviously neither of those postwar rifles was loaded at both ends. This isn't a real serious area of study for me, but this is the first time I've ever heard of a gun loaded like the alligator in "The Battle of New Orleans:" "We filled his head with cannonballs and powdered his behind/ And when we touched the powder off the 'gator lost his mind." :D

[hendrickms24]

I would add that the false muzzle main job was to keep the accuracy of the weapon intact. You would not want to nick up the muzzle of your very accurate target rifle that was hand made by a gunsmith and was a very expensive personal investment. Even today the army M-16 manual states not to clean your barrel from muzzle to breach because it will destroy the accuracy of the weapon.