Henry & Spencer WIG Sponsored Bummer Buy

[thad gallagher]

Re: Henry & Spencer WIG Sponsored Bummer Buy

Wow, what a response. So, will blocks of wood, drilled out to hold rounds be our best/accurate bet. I would hate to have my brass treats fall out of my box.

[Matt Woodburn]

Re: Henry & Spencer WIG Sponsored Bummer Buy

Bob,

Once they are in, I'll order some ammo to test. I don't want jams at Bummers. Once I know the ammo works, I'll post info.

Thad,

There was a brass Kittredge box that was designed for Henrys. The rounds were lose in there. I will put my Henry rounds lose in a regular cartridge box. Spencers used a Blakeslee box with tubes.

[trippcor]

Re: Henry & Spencer WIG Sponsored Bummer Buy

To add to what Matt said about spencers and cartridge boxes. Several photos show soldiers using standard boxes as well.

[Mike Nickerson]

Re: Henry & Spencer WIG Sponsored Bummer Buy

.... Spencers used a Blakeslee box with tubes.

Matt,
That statement is not in agreement with all the research I've done and seen posted. Unless we are talking about late 1865 (in very limited numbers) and post war.

Do you have some research showing Blakeslee boxes deployed to the field, in number during the March to the sea? That would very valuable information!

I stay a mile away from Henrys for the CW, so I have no dog in that fight.

Mike Nickerson

[PetePaolillo]

Re: Henry & Spencer WIG Sponsored Bummer Buy

Last call! Order is going in.

Amazing that we have 32 Henrys and 24 Spencers being ordered. Rebs won't stand a chance. I also got 10,000 rounds of surplus blank ammo donated from a Hollywood friend. Ok, that's just for the morons who really don't have a clue. I'll also say that we have two Sherman tanks, 60 AK-47s, and a rabid Bengal tiger that we intend to turn loose on the Johnnies. Hah! Really none of this will matter when wind fed flames in the pines reach 80 feet tall and glowing embers are actually making it to air traffic lanes. You ever see what 3200 degrees will do to a rifle? Good thing we got a discount.

Next Bully Buy: Coffins

That is classic :D

[Matt Woodburn]

Re: Henry & Spencer WIG Sponsored Bummer Buy

Mike,

I do not have info on the Blakeslee box. If you have info on it, please post it as I'm sure it will help those who intend to carry a Spencer. I focused on the Henrys.

[PetePaolillo]

Re: Henry & Spencer WIG Sponsored Bummer Buy

Here is a couple links I found, not sure if they might help

http://www.civilwar.si.edu/weapons_blakeslee.html

Here are some repro boxes for sale, quite pricey but look nice

http://www.cooncreekoldwest.com/cboxes.htm


This is a picture of a ten tube box but the six tube box would conform to round requirements. I could not find specific use by Shermans men but the patent date shows December 1864

http://www.cavhooah.com/civil_war.htm
quoted from above link...By 1863 several models of breech-loading carbines were available in quantity for Federal cavalrymen, although opinions differed as to the qualities of the different models. With the new Blakeslee cartridge box known as the Quickloader, a trooper could fire a dozen aimed shots a minute. Yet there were many Southerners, such as Basil Duke of Morgan's cavalry, who were arguing until long after the war in favor of their old-fashioned Enfields and Springfields, which they claimed were more accurate and of longer range than the newer Spencer or Sharp's carbines.

[Coatsy]

Re: Henry & Spencer WIG Sponsored Bummer Buy

40 rounds for Federal participants at Bummers. No exceptions. Uncle Billy said so. Don't get Uncle Billy all mad... We all know what he likes to do when angry (besides have nervous breakdowns in Kentucky....)

And also, the picture of the 7th Illinois (around their colors) shows the gents with repeaters to be using standard cartridge boxes.

[PetePaolillo]

Re: Henry & Spencer WIG Sponsored Bummer Buy

http://www.hackman-adams.com/guns/spencermore.htm

A cartridge box was invented by Blakeslee to carry Spencer ammunition and hasten reloading. It held seven tubes of seven cartridges each to quickly slide one tube at a time into the gun.The Blakeslee box looks good in theory but was bulky. It bounced around and got in the way when in action, or on a galloping horse, or while running. They hadn’t then figured out how to hold such containers firmly to the soldier’s body. The soldiers could shoot out all the ammunition they could carry nearly as quickly when issued in bulk and carried unloaded as when preloading it into tubes without the hassle of preloading the tubes of the unwieldy Blakeslee cartridge box.

[Matt Woodburn]

Re: Henry & Spencer WIG Sponsored Bummer Buy

Pete,

Thanks for the info. With a Dec. 1864 patent date, that won't work. I am curious about the patent date of the earlier 6 tube box.

[PetePaolillo]

Re: Henry & Spencer WIG Sponsored Bummer Buy

Pete,

Thanks for the info. With a Dec. 1864 patent date, that won't work. I am curious about the patent date of the earlier 6 tube box.

Matt, That was the only patent date I could find (Dec 1864), and it mentioned all the sizes with that date assigned so I wonder. I am not sure which size was first patented but it looks like it was a very late war issue all around no matter size. As you said it probably won't work for the Bummers 09 impression...heck I am carrying an Enfield anyway :) but look forward to seeing all you guys.

[James the Haggard Ranger]

Re: Henry & Spencer WIG Sponsored Bummer Buy

Matt,

Check with members of the Critter Company. Coley Adair had correct Spencer cartridge boxes made for the 1863 to early 1865 period. The seven rounds were held in cardboard tubes that fit in the cartridge box. All you did was open the correct end of the cardboard box and drop the cartridges in the Spencer sleve.

The Blakesee shows up in 1865 and there is some doubt any were issued in the western theater.

I hope this helps,

James Wooten