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Brass Frame Revolvers: Realties and Myths, Part 1.
When it comes to reproduction revolvers reenactors and living historians are presented with a range of mostly Italian reproductions that within their limitations can contribute to a quality impression or portrayal or just as quickly ruin one.
One of the biggest reasons lies with ‘brass frame” revolvers. This is due to the fact there were a small number of Confederate made revolvers with brass (yellow bronze) but there are also a number of modern reproductions of Civil War era revolvers that use brass frames where the originals of what they are supposed to represent did not.
How to separate the Period truth from the modern fiction?
Why “brass?” All in all, the South was hurting when it came to iron production. It did possess some industry, and some economic and military might. But certainly nothing to compare to the potential as well as existing power of the North.
But that did not stop some men of patriotism if not greed and an eye for profit like say Samuel Griswold who converted a cotton gin factory into a revolver plant from trying to serve their country if not just their wallets.
While iron certainly was the preferred standard for firearms, ‘brass” was also around, and in a pinch church bells and candle sticks could always be melted down. But brass also was easier to cast and work with limited machinery and limited time or skilled workers, so it was called up too.
Q: What do you get when you cross a locomotive builder with a commission merchant with a high ranking Confederate Ordnance officer?
A: A Get Rich Scheme, er, Serving Your Country.
Spiller, Burr, & Burton Revolvers, aka Spiller & Burr, sometimes aka the Confederate Whitney.
Edward Spiller, David Burr, and Superintendent of Armories Lieutenant Colonel James Burton came together in Richmond in 1816 with a desire to produce revolvers but no factory, no workers, and no money to do so. This would be a similar problem for a number of Confederates would-be gun makers.
Burton was to secure a contract for 15,000 “Colt” clone Navy (.36) revolvers to be sold to the CSA at $40 for the 5,000, $27 for the next 5,000, and $23 for the last 5,000. He would supervise the plans, machinery and tools for a factory. And Spiller, Burr, and Burton would deliver 15,000 pistols by the end of two and a half years.
Burton was no fool, and part of the arrangements he would get $2,500 when the contract was given (through his help and contacts) On November 30, 1861, plus another $2,500 when the first 100 pistols were finished. He would then be paid one third of the profits each year. And he was clever. As part of the contract, he secured a cash advance of $20,000 upon its signing followed by $20,000 more at the end of three months, and $20,000 more at the end of six months all to build a factory and hire workers. But he got bargained down to $30 for the first 5,000, $27 for the next 5,000, and $25 for the final $5,000. On their part, the three promised to make 7,000 revolvers a year with 4,000 being delivered by December 1862, 7,000 by December 1863, and 4,000 by June of 1864. Iron for cylinders and barrels were okay, and so were brass frames if “properly electroplated with silver.”
Scrounging for a factory, Spiller & Burr ended up getting the failed Whitney revolver facilities of the Robinson Revolver Factory owned by Samuel Robinson who had switched over to a contract for converting and modernizing Virginia Armory muskets, rifles, and pistols.
Meanwhile things went badly for Burton. Folks in the Confederate Congress took notice of the ‘conflict of interest’ with a public office holder and securing contracts and money in association with a private company. Supported by Colonel Josiah Gorgas, Chief of Ordnance, Burton was defended, and the charges eventually dropped but not before he had resigned but had his letter of resignation rejected by Secretary of War Randolph. But in the end it was felt that Richmond might have been too hot. (Originals are stamped just “Spiller & Burr.” CS made Spiller & Burr usually carry the "CS' stamp upside down or right side up.)
In May of 1862, Burton was relieved of the command of the Richmond Armory and sent “South” to establish an armory at or near Atlanta, Georgia. Burton had be told of the coming change, and went to Atlanta to scout for land. But things were slow to develop. Spiller found a suitable plot of land occupied by a flour mill, and started to have it refitted to serve as their revolver factory.
At the end of November Spiller wrote to Burton that they did not have the 4,000 revolvers due. In fact, they had none. With Burton’s help in fixing their rifling machine they were just starting, and Burton wrote to Gorgas two weeks later that sample arms were forthcoming. One was submitted by the end of the month. Spiller then took his samples to the Richmond Armory, and returned to Macon New Year’s Day, 1863.
By mutual consent, a new contract was proposed in January 1863. The Richmond Arsenal had made suggestions here and there, such as using twisted iron for the cylinder instead of steel, and the elimination of the silver plating which was thin and too prone to wearing off unevenly. Spiller, Burr, and Burton were contracted to produce 600 revolvers for February 1863, and 1,000 a month thereafter until the 15,000 were delivered. Payment was at $43 for the first 5,000. $37 for the next 5,000, and $35 for the last 5,000.
In March of 1863 the contract was given, even though it still called for 600 pistols to be delivered in February.
In April of 1863 Gorgas wrote to Burton informing him that General Bragg was fussing for revolvers. Burton wrote to the Chief of Ordnance for the Army of Tennessee that he had 100 pistols he was going to inspect and ship if he could be sent skilled workmen to make them. (A common problem for CS gunmakers as the army kept taking away their skilled mechanics and armorers.)
In May Burton received 40 revolvers from his partners. 33 failed inspection, many as useless, and the seven that passed were by “no means as perfect as they should be.” In fact many did not make it to inspection as they were really bad with such defects as the cylinder chambers not lining up with the barrel. He kept the seven and returned the rest. In May of 1863, the first Spiller & Burr (& Burton) revolvers went into service. Seven.
Burton got “distracted’ when In the summer of 1863 Gorgas sent him to England to purchase longarm machinery, with an eye to set up “Enfield” production in the South as well as modernize firearm and black powder operations based on a visit to the Royal Small Arms factory at Enfield as well as a visit to the Birmingham makers idled by the end of U.S. purchases.
In January of 1864 the Confederate government had had enough, and much to the relief of Spiller and Burr, and probably Burton as well, bought the whole operation for $190,804 (roughly $2.9 million today).
Burton sent his chief mechanic to oversee a move, and by the end of the month the pistol machinery had been relocated to the Macon Armory (built to produce Enfield longarms). By the middle of February it was up and running at a snail’s pace. Plus the Army of Tennessee was still looking for 924 revolvers.
Production rose, but was plagued by major problems with iron cylinders bursting or cracking, and iron, steel, brass, copper, and lead shortages:
February……0
March……….100
April………….150
May…………..100
June…………..162
July…………….80
August……….0
September…0
October……..50
November….35
December…..12
A total of 689 made by the Confederate government to add to the 762 made by Spiller & Burr in Atlanta (plus one, a presentation piece for General Raines) for a maximum of 1,451 finished revolvers plus a number or pieces parts made into 1865. Because of the lack of skilled workers to assemble them, often times S & B made more parts such as a batch of over 2,000 barrels than what they used.
Basically the CS government assumed production. NUG, the differences are in the more angled grip frame, and the additional “CS” inspector’s stamp found on most of the government made revolvers. And on a fine point the “Spiller & Burr” barrel stamp was later damaged and not replaced so the last “r’ on “Burr” is flawed.
With Sherman’s forces running around in July of 1864 and with the fall of Atlanta the beginning of September, Burton made plans to remove machinery idled by lack of raw materials to protect it from raids or loss. Pistol and stock machinery were boxed for shipment.
In September, Gorgas changed his mind and had some machinery shipped to Columbia and Savannah, but decided to unpack and reset up the revolver works for as long as possible. In October production resumed. 50 S & B’s were made, and 460 Austrian rifles cleaned and repaired. It would go downhill from there.
It would be short-lived thanks to fears of what Sherman would do. In December things were shut down, and the contents of the Armory, Arsenal, and Laboratory were packed and shipped as previously intended.
Roughly two out of three Spiller & Burr revolvers went to the Army of Tennessee.
Reproductions of the 762 made Spiller & Burr revolvers have been around since the 1960’s or 1970’s made by a number of Italian firms as well as offered in kit form. They are the S & B era revolvers with the straighter grip frame.
As is true of all Italian imports, they suffer from the usual issues of incorrect metal finishes and modern stampings. Kit made ones tend to be worse due to the lack of factory bluing. All or made with modern steel barrels and cylinders although some lads simulate the “twisted iron” look. The brass is yellow brass, and a bit too yellow versus the more yellow bronze of the originals that due to “brass’ sources often was higher in copper giving it a reddish tint. However, age and use has mellowed some of the Italian brass over time (or lads using modern chemicals) to appear more Period.
References:
Albaugh, William, A. III, The Confederate Brass-Framed Colt & Whitney. Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC. 1955
Albaugh, William, A. III, Benet, Hugh. Jr, Simmons, Edward. Confederate Handguns. George Shumway, Publisher, York, PA. 1963
Curt
When it comes to reproduction revolvers reenactors and living historians are presented with a range of mostly Italian reproductions that within their limitations can contribute to a quality impression or portrayal or just as quickly ruin one.
One of the biggest reasons lies with ‘brass frame” revolvers. This is due to the fact there were a small number of Confederate made revolvers with brass (yellow bronze) but there are also a number of modern reproductions of Civil War era revolvers that use brass frames where the originals of what they are supposed to represent did not.
How to separate the Period truth from the modern fiction?
Why “brass?” All in all, the South was hurting when it came to iron production. It did possess some industry, and some economic and military might. But certainly nothing to compare to the potential as well as existing power of the North.
But that did not stop some men of patriotism if not greed and an eye for profit like say Samuel Griswold who converted a cotton gin factory into a revolver plant from trying to serve their country if not just their wallets.
While iron certainly was the preferred standard for firearms, ‘brass” was also around, and in a pinch church bells and candle sticks could always be melted down. But brass also was easier to cast and work with limited machinery and limited time or skilled workers, so it was called up too.
Q: What do you get when you cross a locomotive builder with a commission merchant with a high ranking Confederate Ordnance officer?
A: A Get Rich Scheme, er, Serving Your Country.
Spiller, Burr, & Burton Revolvers, aka Spiller & Burr, sometimes aka the Confederate Whitney.
Edward Spiller, David Burr, and Superintendent of Armories Lieutenant Colonel James Burton came together in Richmond in 1816 with a desire to produce revolvers but no factory, no workers, and no money to do so. This would be a similar problem for a number of Confederates would-be gun makers.
Burton was to secure a contract for 15,000 “Colt” clone Navy (.36) revolvers to be sold to the CSA at $40 for the 5,000, $27 for the next 5,000, and $23 for the last 5,000. He would supervise the plans, machinery and tools for a factory. And Spiller, Burr, and Burton would deliver 15,000 pistols by the end of two and a half years.
Burton was no fool, and part of the arrangements he would get $2,500 when the contract was given (through his help and contacts) On November 30, 1861, plus another $2,500 when the first 100 pistols were finished. He would then be paid one third of the profits each year. And he was clever. As part of the contract, he secured a cash advance of $20,000 upon its signing followed by $20,000 more at the end of three months, and $20,000 more at the end of six months all to build a factory and hire workers. But he got bargained down to $30 for the first 5,000, $27 for the next 5,000, and $25 for the final $5,000. On their part, the three promised to make 7,000 revolvers a year with 4,000 being delivered by December 1862, 7,000 by December 1863, and 4,000 by June of 1864. Iron for cylinders and barrels were okay, and so were brass frames if “properly electroplated with silver.”
Scrounging for a factory, Spiller & Burr ended up getting the failed Whitney revolver facilities of the Robinson Revolver Factory owned by Samuel Robinson who had switched over to a contract for converting and modernizing Virginia Armory muskets, rifles, and pistols.
Meanwhile things went badly for Burton. Folks in the Confederate Congress took notice of the ‘conflict of interest’ with a public office holder and securing contracts and money in association with a private company. Supported by Colonel Josiah Gorgas, Chief of Ordnance, Burton was defended, and the charges eventually dropped but not before he had resigned but had his letter of resignation rejected by Secretary of War Randolph. But in the end it was felt that Richmond might have been too hot. (Originals are stamped just “Spiller & Burr.” CS made Spiller & Burr usually carry the "CS' stamp upside down or right side up.)
In May of 1862, Burton was relieved of the command of the Richmond Armory and sent “South” to establish an armory at or near Atlanta, Georgia. Burton had be told of the coming change, and went to Atlanta to scout for land. But things were slow to develop. Spiller found a suitable plot of land occupied by a flour mill, and started to have it refitted to serve as their revolver factory.
At the end of November Spiller wrote to Burton that they did not have the 4,000 revolvers due. In fact, they had none. With Burton’s help in fixing their rifling machine they were just starting, and Burton wrote to Gorgas two weeks later that sample arms were forthcoming. One was submitted by the end of the month. Spiller then took his samples to the Richmond Armory, and returned to Macon New Year’s Day, 1863.
By mutual consent, a new contract was proposed in January 1863. The Richmond Arsenal had made suggestions here and there, such as using twisted iron for the cylinder instead of steel, and the elimination of the silver plating which was thin and too prone to wearing off unevenly. Spiller, Burr, and Burton were contracted to produce 600 revolvers for February 1863, and 1,000 a month thereafter until the 15,000 were delivered. Payment was at $43 for the first 5,000. $37 for the next 5,000, and $35 for the last 5,000.
In March of 1863 the contract was given, even though it still called for 600 pistols to be delivered in February.
In April of 1863 Gorgas wrote to Burton informing him that General Bragg was fussing for revolvers. Burton wrote to the Chief of Ordnance for the Army of Tennessee that he had 100 pistols he was going to inspect and ship if he could be sent skilled workmen to make them. (A common problem for CS gunmakers as the army kept taking away their skilled mechanics and armorers.)
In May Burton received 40 revolvers from his partners. 33 failed inspection, many as useless, and the seven that passed were by “no means as perfect as they should be.” In fact many did not make it to inspection as they were really bad with such defects as the cylinder chambers not lining up with the barrel. He kept the seven and returned the rest. In May of 1863, the first Spiller & Burr (& Burton) revolvers went into service. Seven.
Burton got “distracted’ when In the summer of 1863 Gorgas sent him to England to purchase longarm machinery, with an eye to set up “Enfield” production in the South as well as modernize firearm and black powder operations based on a visit to the Royal Small Arms factory at Enfield as well as a visit to the Birmingham makers idled by the end of U.S. purchases.
In January of 1864 the Confederate government had had enough, and much to the relief of Spiller and Burr, and probably Burton as well, bought the whole operation for $190,804 (roughly $2.9 million today).
Burton sent his chief mechanic to oversee a move, and by the end of the month the pistol machinery had been relocated to the Macon Armory (built to produce Enfield longarms). By the middle of February it was up and running at a snail’s pace. Plus the Army of Tennessee was still looking for 924 revolvers.
Production rose, but was plagued by major problems with iron cylinders bursting or cracking, and iron, steel, brass, copper, and lead shortages:
February……0
March……….100
April………….150
May…………..100
June…………..162
July…………….80
August……….0
September…0
October……..50
November….35
December…..12
A total of 689 made by the Confederate government to add to the 762 made by Spiller & Burr in Atlanta (plus one, a presentation piece for General Raines) for a maximum of 1,451 finished revolvers plus a number or pieces parts made into 1865. Because of the lack of skilled workers to assemble them, often times S & B made more parts such as a batch of over 2,000 barrels than what they used.
Basically the CS government assumed production. NUG, the differences are in the more angled grip frame, and the additional “CS” inspector’s stamp found on most of the government made revolvers. And on a fine point the “Spiller & Burr” barrel stamp was later damaged and not replaced so the last “r’ on “Burr” is flawed.
With Sherman’s forces running around in July of 1864 and with the fall of Atlanta the beginning of September, Burton made plans to remove machinery idled by lack of raw materials to protect it from raids or loss. Pistol and stock machinery were boxed for shipment.
In September, Gorgas changed his mind and had some machinery shipped to Columbia and Savannah, but decided to unpack and reset up the revolver works for as long as possible. In October production resumed. 50 S & B’s were made, and 460 Austrian rifles cleaned and repaired. It would go downhill from there.
It would be short-lived thanks to fears of what Sherman would do. In December things were shut down, and the contents of the Armory, Arsenal, and Laboratory were packed and shipped as previously intended.
Roughly two out of three Spiller & Burr revolvers went to the Army of Tennessee.
Reproductions of the 762 made Spiller & Burr revolvers have been around since the 1960’s or 1970’s made by a number of Italian firms as well as offered in kit form. They are the S & B era revolvers with the straighter grip frame.
As is true of all Italian imports, they suffer from the usual issues of incorrect metal finishes and modern stampings. Kit made ones tend to be worse due to the lack of factory bluing. All or made with modern steel barrels and cylinders although some lads simulate the “twisted iron” look. The brass is yellow brass, and a bit too yellow versus the more yellow bronze of the originals that due to “brass’ sources often was higher in copper giving it a reddish tint. However, age and use has mellowed some of the Italian brass over time (or lads using modern chemicals) to appear more Period.
References:
Albaugh, William, A. III, The Confederate Brass-Framed Colt & Whitney. Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC. 1955
Albaugh, William, A. III, Benet, Hugh. Jr, Simmons, Edward. Confederate Handguns. George Shumway, Publisher, York, PA. 1963
Curt
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