Interesting CS Rifle Description

[adamandnicole]

I am currently reading "Blood and Sacrifice The Civil War Journal of a Confederate Soldier". In his journal from April 13, 1862, Pvt. William Pitt Chambers says "The 36th Regt. (Mississippi) was armed this afternoon with old Western rifles made larger in the bore."
As the model 1841 rifle has been of great interest to me of late, I wondered if this is the type of rifle he is describing. It sure seems it could fit the description. Opinions?

Adam Dickerson

[Nathan Dodds]

Re: Interesting CS Rifle Description

Just noticed this quite a long time after it was posted and wondered why nobody ever tried to give a shot to answering this? It was a very interesting question. And I want to know the answer:)

[brown]

Re: Interesting CS Rifle Description

The 1841 theory is one valid theory. I have also seen references to boring out civilian weapons to a martial/standardish size. The Stay Collection at the Atlanta History Center has one or more such rifles.

Anybody seen ordnance records on these men?

[Mississippian]

Re: Interesting CS Rifle Description

I'm 99% sure he is talking about civilian rifles that have been rifled to a uniform size and then issued to the troops. The 36th was in the mass of 15-20 infantry regiments that Mississippi raised in the spring and early summer of 1862. By then they were really scraping the bottom of the barrel for usable firearms. You see a good many civilian rifles and flinklocks being issued until better arms could be got.

I don't have my notes in front of me, but I want to say the factory that converted the civilian arms was around Aberdeen, Mississippi. It was owned by the state.

Will MacDonald

[Daniel]

Re: Interesting CS Rifle Description

On page 385 of "Confederate Rifles & Muskets" by Murphy and Madaus there is a chapter on the Holly Springs Armory in Mississippi where they altered flintlock muskets and sporting rifles. On person talked about "In altering the country rifles by cutting off & reboring I would suggest the cal.54 - being easy to get ammunition for that size." I think most country rifles were from cal 32 to 45. Hope this helps.

Dan Stewart