the first had a Cock screw broken which was replaced by a duplicate which had been prepared for the Locks at Harpers, Ferry; the Second repared with a new Lock, the old one becoming unfit for use.(25). Bomford also shows rifles made in 1807 but from our research and collected data, not one rifle has been found with an 1807 dated lock date. It is agreed that they followed the same basic shop patterns used for their civilian market. Lewiss took 50 pounds of Best Rifle Powder from Harpers Ferry and purchased 176 pounds of English Cannister Powder from Beck & Harvey in Philadelphia, who made the best rifle powder in the world. SN 94, (2)14 and 359 are pre-Dec 1803 military production, both with December,1803 requested upgrades (front band and sight change) except for the upper ramrod pipe. Both armories also produced the Model 1842 percussion musket and Model 1855 percussion . The first contract was issued January 13,1792, requesting 44-1/2 barrels with 45 balls to the pound (.47 caliber bore). To find the maximum charge a rifle would hold, they would fire over a snowbank until unburned grains of powder begin to appear in the snow. In 1798 Perkin was appointed to set up the new government arsenal at Harpers Ferry. 1792-94 Contract Short Rifle O ther historians agree that Lewis would have taken fifteen of the contract rifles but believe that Lewis ordered modifications. Colter spent one winter (1806-1807) with Forest Hancock and Joseph Dickson, who, having followed Lewis west in 1804, were at the Mandan village when Lewis returned in 1806. Caliber was .54 . It required the building of firearms for testing purposes. After examining a prototype rifle, he gave approval on February 4th, 1792 for the first small arm designed specifically for the Army of the United States. We can learn a lot about our early riflemen from this manual. TYPE II Military rifles produced BEFORE Dearborns December,1803 changes, then altered for compliance. (4) Stuart E. Brown, The Guns of Harpers Ferry, 1968, (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1994, P10; National Archives Collection, papers of the War Department; Coxe and Irvine Papers, RG92. So if Getz was marking his guns as an inspector, Whelan probably adopted his initials IW in a cartouche to denote his work. The date of this passage and the use of the term short rifles is very important since it is still before any rifles were shortened by Shields. Surprisingly we found that this rifle had been known since 1996 but, due to its relic condition, had never been properly examined in detail. It was there that he became fast friends with his new commander during their short time together. under contract for the United States Army in 1792 and 1794. NOTE ALL 1803 dated rifles were final inspected by Joseph Perkins (IP in circle on wood opposite the lock). He was also aware of not only their influence that the fine-grained European rifle powder played in its design, but also the fact that Lewis and Clark documented the performance of this radically new short rifle in their journals. Lewis arrived in April 1803. It must also be remembered that riflemen of the period did not use slings and thus were never a part of their accouterments. You cannot put a .010 patch on a .530 calibre ball (meaning .54 caliber bore) and get it down the bore of any original rifle. Gasss woodcuts show the horns carried on a separate strap. Barrel profiles were round at the breech for all 1803 dated rifles. 98). After Confederate artillery took positions on Maryland and Bolivar Heights that overlooked the town, they unleashed a barrage that threatened Union . This tells us that they were sighting their rifles to 300 yards with a mid-range trajectory designed to strike the center at 125 to 150 yards. Dearborn wrote again to Perkin on December 2, 1803, stating The iron ribbed Rifle in my opinion is an excellent pattern, with the following very trifling alterations (viz.) The steel ramrod, even when greasy from use, is heavy enough to push the ball down the bore if the proper combination of patch and ball used. Dearborns May 1803 order for 2,000 rifles was in direct response to an Oct 16, 1802 act by Spain revoking the American right of deposit in New Orleans. If we take a closer look at riflemen of the period, knowing Lewiss secret gathering of supplies for a larger exploring party than first projected, the journals themselves and the structural aspect of the rifle, this theory can be dispelled. Standard rifle powder (FFFg) of that day simply cannot produce the pressure needed to burst an octagon barrel, especially at the muzzle where the energy has expended. Colter moved to Missouri, married and settled down near Daniel Boone at Dundee, Missouri, fathering one son. The unfortunate destruction of Harpers Ferry in April 19, 1861, to prevent its capture by Confederate forces, deprived historians of valuable arsenal records, correspondence and pattern rifles being stored there that would have shed valuable light on the early days of rifle development. As a footnote in history, it is interesting to note that on Zebulon Pikes second expedition of 1806-7, whom scholars agree carried the M1803 rifles, three rifles also burst, reinforcing the fact that Lewis and Clark carried a similar rifle with the same inherent weakness. (5) To begin to unravel the controversy surrounding the type of rifle carried on the Voyage of Discovery, we need to examine how the short rifles appeared on the scene. Listed in Mollers book is Israel Whelan, Purveyor of Public Stores (May,1800 Aug,1803). The only logical explanation is that it was put on by someone after the gun was made and stored at an arsenal. While this may be true, the and Lewis' former Army colleague William Clark, the Corps would In 1792 there was a need for rifles, and a contract was drawn up with Lancaster, Pennsylvania, gunsmiths to deliver rifles. 8,, Pg.302). Sometime in 1804 breech contour became octagon rather than round (and continued to end of all production) to possibly reinforce this area. (16) This confirms that by 1803 the need for a standard rifle was fully recognized by the Army. This 1803 Harpers Ferry rifle's serial number, 12, can still be made out after George Knapp restored the gun, which is thought to be one of 15 rifles brought on Lewis and Clark's. Louisiana Governor Claibornes return of arms for the years 1807, 1810 and 1811 show these arms in inventory at New Orleans. These arms enjoyed the longest production run in U.S. history, lasting until 1844, with nearly 700,000 muskets turned out during this period. The men Lewis recruited in 1803 were hardened frontiersmen and as such would not have even considered the use of a sling, but there is another very good reason why they could not have used slings the short rifle is structurally incapable of mounting one. Native American peoples. All subsequent rifles had brass blade front sights. Build Track's 1792 Contract flintlock longrifleparts set, with 15/16" octagon barrel in .50, or .54 caliber Total: $816.82 Barrel: 1 - [BBL-50-C-42] Barrel, .50 caliber, 15/16" octagon, 42", 1-66" twist, 6.2 lb, crowned, 3/4-16 thread for breech plug, made in the U.S.A. [$225.00] The third observation is that an entirely new lightweight lock was specified for the rifle, meaning that no lock of that style had been previously used on military weapons. Clark resigned his commission six months after Lewis arrived (1796).(10). Again, it is very important to recognize that Lewiss rifles had absolutely nothing to do with the upcoming 1803 military contract. Many, having survived the journey, died at the hands of the Indians in those endeavors. These tomahawks were highly valued. This is probably not a coincidence. The rear sight is a buckhorn long rifle style (see appendix I), favored for using Kentucky windage by frontiersmen for long range shooting, stamped with the assembly number on the underside to match with the assembly number stamped in the dovetailed slot on the barrel (no other assembly number appears on the barrel, which is unusual since government rifles are marked on the underside, indicating perhaps a special run of guns. Article by Edward R. Flanagan discussing the 1792 and 1807 contract rifles. Not much doubt that we copied a basic British gun design for our short rifles. (14) For many years the caliber(bore size) of the short rifle has been defined as .54, an error caused by measuring the rifle at the muzzle where it is swamped for easy insertion of the patched ball. cit., Pgs. (48). This will clarify why these rifles were totally unsuitable for Lewiss needs. The lock plate markings (lettering) are individually hand stamped, done before a full die stamp had been made for full production (see Appendix I). The .520 calibre pure lead cast balls used for test shooting the Model 1800 rifles weighed in at 208 grains (pure refined modern lead). We have learned a great deal about 1803 rifles. Also shown is probably the type of powder horn issued with the axe to his men. The lowest SN of an 1804 dated military rifle was 909 (confirmed) and the highest 1,520 (unconfirmed). All the journals kept on the expedition used the new proper term short rifle when talking about this weapon. This would allow the round to grip the barrel's rifling as the weapon was fired, and the rifling would impart a spin onto the round which would . January 4, 1792, the Secretary of War, Henry Knox wrote a letter to General Hand in Lancaster, Pennsylvania authorizing him to get with the area gunmakers and contract with them to make 500 to 1000 rifles as quickly as possible. According to the journals, Windsors rifle had burst on the morning of June 16,1806. of Gunpowder, , 52 Leaden Canisters for Gunpowder, and 1 All have heptagonal flat-bottomed rifling, buckhorn rear sight, no stock ferrule, straight upper ramrod pipe, round bottom profile and hollow pipe rib. We believe this was done to handle DuPonts new domestic rifle powder introduced in 1807 and called FFFg by 1808. Every Collectors Guide on U.S. military firearms has the calibre of these very important rifles wrong (as well as other flintlock government contract rifles to follow but that is another story) because no one took the time to properly gauge the bore. Without enough M1792 rifles in inventory to arm this new force, additional rifles were IMMEDIATELY needed. A letter from Secretary Dearborn, written on Lewiss behalf and addressed to Arsenal Superintendent Perkin, dated March 14, 1803 states You will be pleased to make such arms & iron work, as requested by the Bearer Captain Meriwether Lewis and to have them completed with the least possible delay.(8). Curly Maple 1/2 Stock Grd IV (85-100% Curl - $195) Curly Maple 1/2 StockGrd V ( Finest Curl - $260) Cherry ($135) Walnut ( $135) In 1794 George Rogers Clark went so far as offer to lead a military expedition on a state level to take these forts by force of arms. Our first Handbook for Riflemen, by William Duane, 1812. If the barrel of a .405 Winchester became plugged with mud or snow, the chances are it would suffer the same catastrophic fate as the 1800 rifles, despite the vast improvements in barrel material. The fact that the heptagonal rifling was dropped during the second production indicates that the added production time and expense was not justified. The expedition became an epic tale of hardship, perseverance and survival that still draws great interest after 200 years. The ramrod pipe begins to gain a very distinctive upper pipe flair toward the end of the contract. Since they had almost 4 months, it would have been an easy task even with interchangeable locks.(20). It is a great tribute to these early mountain men from which much of the information in this footnote is taken. This rifle, with its tremendous muzzle velocity, would have also impressed the Indians as it was the finest, most technologically advanced rifle of its day. This is explained in detail in the story. Overcharging was common practice in those days, especially by Indians who were unaware of the effects of such heavy charges. IP stock cartouche in oval is for Joseph Perkins, final inspector of ALL 1803 dated rifles and some early production 1804 dated guns. The remaining unclaimed land would be acquired by treaties, negotiations and conflicts lasting well over 100 years. This is the only picture I have to work with of the entire rifle. Tench Coxe was Commissioner of the Treasury Departments revenue office from April,1794 to December,1794. Whether Lewis had previous knowledge of the existence of the new rifle due to his close relationship with Dearborn, we shall never know, but he would have jumped at the chance to obtain the new short rifle for his expedition. The short rifle, in any form, could not mount a sling without an addition barrel lug for support, so we know for sure the 1800/03 series of rifles were never intended for use of a sling. The butt plate is of two-piece construction indicating hand fabrication before a mold was made to cast them for full military rifle production. ", About Us | Contact Us | Join/Renew | Corporate Ethics | Privacy Policy, Theodore Roosevelt and Elegant Arms - 1880s to 1920s, WWII, Korea, Vietnam and Beyond - 1940 to Present, Frank Brownell NRA Museum of the Southwest, Serialization/ Date of Manufacture from The Blue Book, Store Brand Crossover List from The Blue Book, Gun Collector Organizations from The Blue Book. The War Ministry secretary, Timothy Pickering, suggested the French musket to start production with, such to use some of the parts stocked in the Springfield's warehouses since 1794 assigned as deposits and gunsmithing for the guns repairs. 10 & Pg. too much to the right or left, so that he may correct his fire accordingly. Lewis had 18 of these tomahawks made in Harpers Ferry, no doubt upon the same established pattern, picking them up on May 18, 1803 along with 15 rifle pouches, 15 powder horns and 15 scalping knives to accompany the 15 short rifles. Model 1792 riflemans horn(our desination). Lewis quietly went about gathering his supplies for his small party of men so as not to expose the real size of the expedition about 30 men, all under Army authority and pay.(6). They received special privileges and exclusion of normal camp duties. As Purveyor of Public Stores during the Lewis and Clark expedition, Whelan played a major role in obtaining supplies for Lewis as noted throughout Lewiss documents. Although not clear in the photo, his rifles mounted a silver blade front sight commonly found on civilian long rifles of the period. In one incident, a rifleman left his tomahawk at a previous campsite and Lewis sent him back to retrieve it. (See Appendix II). We can be grateful for his diligence and time expended on this subject. (Brown, op. [1] He told Hand that the contract was for 500 rifles, but that he was willing to extend it to 1,000. Clarke added in his entry the additional comment that the guns were Complete in every respect. Original replacements are often not marked. to the records in Lancaster, these were .49 caliber weapons, with a John Potts, another expedition member, was killed in this encounter. This is also is true for the series of common rifles. Receiver is marked with the usual 4 line markings "J H Hall-H. Ferry-US 1831". Dearborn orders Perkin to begin manufacturing "a suitable number.". Only by studying the documents surrounding the origin of a weapon and original specimens themselves can a production timeframe be concluded. It is interesting to note that the ball was to be loaded with ease. It is held that they would be safe if they were 3 feet 2 inches; and if so much barrel, rod and stock were added, and 14 1/2. Lewis wrote to Jefferson on July 7, 1803: Yesterday I shot my guns and examined the several articles which had been manufactured for me at this place; they appear to be well executed. Expecting another conflict with England, it was a wise move to cut our dependence on British imported rifle powder. *SN 359 is a good place to end for Pre-December,1803 manufactured rifles. (41) De Witt Bailey, Ph. Congress appropriated the We have seen several rifles with the first number removed (leaving a wide space) to make them into a low serial numbered rifle. lock date matching serial number ranges listed especially if we have confirmed serial numbers with correct lock dates. It also helps to know what you are looking for, so you must know what an original gun looked like. One trick of a frontiersman used to find his maximum load was to shoot his rifle over a snowbank and then check for unburned grains of powder. All I had to do was prove that Harpers Ferry COULD have made his guns within the allotted timeframe and that a lot of period records being used as gospel by writers for many years were wrong. It gives a sense of the give and take of opinion as to what is fact. The remaining 460 rifles of the first contract remained in store in Schuylkill Arsenal in Philadelphia and eventually augmented by those from the second contract. This was slightly over a month after his initial visit and tells us that Perkin was in the process of making Lewiss rifles (along with the other items mentioned) a full month before receiving the military contract. It is also possible that contract rifles of 1794 were modified at the arsenal at Harper's Ferry, by shortening the barrels and reboring and rerifling them to .54 caliber. They were carved into the stock and then filled with pine resin which hardened to a glassy apperance. Dearborn undoubtedly had a new Model 1800 in his hands in order to make the above changes. In fact, Loss of a mold meant the loss of a rifles use. This all gets confusing when using British and French documents for research and reference. We were only looking at serial numbers vs. lock dates to establish a yearly production timeline. What may be significant is that he not only mentions the rifles within 3 months of starting his entries again in January,1806, but does so in 5 of the following 6 months. U.S. Model 1803 Flintlock Rifle. Above is a 10-shot group at 65 yards with Rifle SN 1, using 65 grains of SDS powder, 6 bulls-eye. The Harpers Ferry short rifle had long been linked by folklore and early historical writings to the epic Lewis and Clark Voyage of Discovery that threaded its way through the Northwest to the Pacific Ocean and back from 1804 to 1806. cit., Vol 1, pg. (44) A thorough inspection of this early Model 1800 rifle revealed that all assembly numbers matched, making it a very important gun for both the collector and the historian. In such situations, a small group of well-trained riflemen would cause considerable demoralization and casualties within any grouped enemy ranks. Most went directly to the troops for which they were intended but part of the last contract (1060) were sent directly from Lancaster, Pa. to Schuylkill Arsenal in the 1795-1797 period, just as the inspection process began in earnest in 1799 at Harpers Ferry and became a standard process for all firearms. It may have been removed to make brass jewelry of the day. My photos are crummy. Between March and May of 1803, based upon his convincing proof, Dearborn made the important decision that the newly designed Model 1800 short rifle being built for Lewiss expedition was also perfect for the U.S. Armys needs. Right -1819 dated rifle, 36 barrel with 7 groove round bottom rifling with curved lands. In order to be effective, the round in a rifle had to fit snugly into the barrel. The use of interchangeable parts, a prerequisite for modern manufacturing, was perfected at Hall's Rifle Works at Harpers Ferry. Initially 908 rifles went to Ft. Pitt and 100 to Virginia. The ball size (calibre) used in ALL of the short rifle series is .520. All 1814 and into about mid-production 1815 used left over barrels from the first production run. The late 1790s was still a dangerous and unsteady period in Americas growth and assured independence, with enemies and threats from many sides. One thing to note is that barrel thicknesses varied considerably on the military rifles of all production after the prototypes. A 65-grain charge of SDS (fine rifle) powder with a 215 grain .520 calibre ball produced a muzzle velocity of 1450 feet per second. Riflemen were given great latitude in the loading and firing of their assigned weapon. Again, every part examined and described herein displays matching assembly numbers, confirming that the rifle is an original arsenal assembly and unaltered since 1803. Bomford shows 146 rifles made in 1807, but with serial number 3912 bearing an 1806 dated lock, only 88 are unaccounted for that could possibly have a lock dated 1807. [2], Before their exploratory trip, the Lewis and Clark Expedition obtained rifles from the Harper's Ferry Arsenal. That was modified to a 42-inch long barrel in .49 caliber, with a well-seasoned maple stock and a flintlock. From our experience and with the list above, we know that 1803 production may be as high as 567 (unconfirmed). Unfortunately, serial numbers were not used on the 1814-1819 production, but rifle assembly numbers will still be present.
Peter Harrison Schroders Salary, Ben Davies Liverpool Weekly Salary, Is Jonathan Osteen Married, Advantages And Disadvantages Of Artillery Shells In Ww1, Articles OTHER