Category Archives: Antique Guns

1st Model Maynard Carbine, Confederate Purchase Range

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Edward Maynard, (April 26, 1813 – May 4, 1891) invented many dental methods and instruments, but is most famous for his firearm inventions, specifically his breechloading mechanical system and patented tape primer device.

Edward Maynard, Inventor
Edward Maynard, Inventor

Approximately 5000, 1st Model Maynard Carbine/Rifles were manufactured in .35 & .50 caliber from 1858-1859. Carbines had 20” barrels while rifles had 26” barrels. Through October 1860 Maynard & Company sold about 1400 of the 5000 carbines to the civilian market, unfortunately for Maynard his patented weapon didn’t share the same reputation as the Sharps Carbine. 

1st Model Maynard Carbine
1st Model Maynard Carbine

With the election of Abraham Lincoln in November 1860 and political hostilities growing, Southern states purchased 90% of Maynard’s existing inventory. Confederate purchase orders were as follows. Georgia – 650, Florida – 1000, Mississippi – 800 and smaller orders to volunteer companies in Louisiana and South Carolina. 

In John D. McAulay book “Carbines of the Civil War” he states that in October 1859 the U.S. Navy conducted test firing on the Maynard carbine at the Washington Naval Yard. The test was under the direction of Commander John Dahlgren. Dr. Maynard personally fired a .50 caliber Maynard at a 3’ X 6’ target placed 200 yards away, Maynard fired 237 rounds without any misses. The rate was at 12 rounds a minute, another Maynard Carbine was fired 562 times before cleaning, with little black powder build up. Two of the brass cartridges were reloaded and fired 200 times and found still to be serviceable.

Maynard .50 Caliber Brass Cartridge
Maynard .50 Caliber Brass Cartridge

The newest acquisition to the Civil War Arsenal is this stunning example of a Confederate purchase range carbine. Serial number 2306 places it in the range of a Georgia purchased Carbine. The carbine is completely intact, has tight action and all of the Maynard primer mechanics work well. The adjustable rear sight is in place and it has the sling ring on the belly of the stock confirming its one the 676 “military” .50 caliber carbines Maynard had in stock after Lincoln’s election. 

First model Maynard’s are extremely lightweight and small in nature leaving many of its critics to question its ability to withstand the rigors of war. The new Maynard is an excellent example of not just a surviving carbine but a war trophy as well. Carved into the shoulder stock forward of the patch box is “Perryville Ky. Oct. 8th 1862”. My guess is that it was displayed in a G.A.R. Hall after the war.

Perryville Kentucky October 8th, 1862
Perryville Kentucky October 8th, 1862

Colonel Joseph Wheeler “Fighting Joe” lead the 2nd Cavalry Brigade during the battle Perryville. Many of his cavalry troops were from Georgia…….2nd Georgia Cavalry (5 companies) lead by Major Caleb A. Whaley and Smith’s Cavalry Battalion (Georgia) lead by Colonel John R. Hart. It’s my belief that this carbine belonged to one of those horsemen.

If you have any questions about this weapon or any of the other items in the Civil War Arsenal Museum contact me at  civilwararsenal@yahoo.com attn: Gene West.

Harper’s Ferry Model 1855 U.S. Percussion Rifle Type II, Dated 1860

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Between 1857-1861 the Harper’s Ferry Armory manufactured approximately 7300 percussion rifles, with early production rifles (Type I) fitted with brass mounted hardware and later production rifles (Type II) fitted with iron mounted hardware.

For the sake of convenience I will only discuss the later all iron, Type II model. Sometime in mid 1859 the Armory changed over to all iron mountings manufacturing about 3800 of these rifles. They were .58 caliber, single shot muzzleloader, 33”barrels with lug on right side of muzzle for a saber bayonet.

All metal parts were finished bright, tulip type ramrod with swell at point of engagement of nose cap, walnut stocks and patch box on right side. All were fitted with Maynard tape primer compartments and M1858 pattern rear sight.

The 1855 Percussion Rifle was to be issued to Sappers and Miners (Engineer’s) in replacement for the dated smoothbore M1847 Sappers & Miners carbine that wasn’t well liked.

1860 Harper’s Ferry Rifle & Saber Bayonet
1860 Harper’s Ferry Rifle & Saber Bayonet

This 1860 Harper’s Ferry Rifle is a fine example of a Type II Model 1855 Percussion Rifle. The stock is in almost perfect condition, it may have been lightly sanded a long time ago however it still has crisp corners on the contours around the lock plate. The metal looks as if it could’ve been made yesterday with barely a blemish on any of its surfaces.

Tucked away in the patch box is an extra nipple as well as a minie ball puller attachment. The breech of the barrel is stamped with rack number 64 and dated 1861, leading me to believe this was manufactured early 1861 since the lockplate is dated 1860.

Harper’s Ferry Saber Bayonet & Scabbard
Harper’s Ferry Saber Bayonet & Scabbard

Also included with my newest relic is a Harper’s Ferry saber bayonet and scabbard which is nearly as clean as the rifle itself. So there you have it another addition to the Civil War Arsenals growing Museum. If you have any questions about this weapon or any of the other relics in my collection please contact me at civilwararsenal@yahoo.com attn: Gene West

Colt Model 1861 Special Rifle Musket, New Jersey Markings

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Colt Model 1861 Special Musket was Manufactured between 1861-1865 with production estimated between 75,000 & 100,000. Originally made for the Federal Government to support the war effort, however many failed the stringent government inspections yet were definitely serviceable. Classified by Colt as “Second Class U.S. Rifle Muskets” many were sold to Northern states to support local Militias. New York outfitters and arms dealer Schuyler, Hartley & Graham sold 2,500 of these muskets to the state of Connecticut in July of 1863. But it seems most were sold to the state of New Jersey based on surviving examples.

Quick identification of the Colt Second Class musket is the “N.J.” on the left side of the barrel and left stock flat opposite the lock plate however the usual Ordnance Department proof (cartouche) or final inspection markings are absent.

58 caliber single shot muzzle loader made with 40” barrels and three barrel bands. Oil stained walnut stock with most metal parts finished “in the white” but bluing was standard on rear sight, nipples, and various screws. The Colt musket has no serial number.

My new Colt rifle musket is dated 1862 on the lock plate and 1863 on the barrel flat. It’s in extremely good condition however at sometime someone has sanded the stock and polished the barrel, fortunately by hand and not an electric buffer.

Included with the musket is a Collins & Co. socket bayonet which would be correct for a Colt musket rifle. All in all this is a pretty nice example of a surviving Union made Rifle Musket.

Thanks for stopping by and looking at my virtual museum. I have many new items that I will be adding shortly, in the meantime if you have any questions about this post feel free to contact me at civilwararsenal@yahoo.com attn: Gene West.

Confederate D-Guard Knife

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Crude but eliminatory this D-Handle Knife would have been carried by a Southern soldier. It would have been the perfect utilitarian tool around camp as well a fine fighting blade. Due to its size and weight the Knife would have been used to cut there way through corn fields, clear small branches off trees and the perfect tool for eating and protecting yourself if necessary.

D-Guard Knife
D-Guard Knife

Measuring an overall length of 18.5” this D-Guard knife would have been an easy blade to handle and carry on those long marches not weighing down the user. It’s documented in many letters, diaries and dispatches that Southerners would toss there knives to the side of the road due to them being bulky in size and heavy in weight.

This unmarked clip point D-Guard was probably made by a blacksmith who used a rasp as the blade. There are still impressions of the rasp/file on portions of the center ridge spine of the blade. The handle is 5.5” and the blade is 13” long, it has a ferrule at the base of the grip and a finely shaped quillon.

Unlike most D-Guards that have a large rounded knucklebow or guard this knives guard is very close to the wood grip handle barely allowing room for your fingers. The D-Guard knife is extremely well balanced which is a credit to the makers skill. It does have a false edge and it’s sharpened on both top and bottom. It was designed to kill.

There are remnants of gold paint around the deep crevasses near the ferrule, ricasso, and tang suggesting that this may have been a war trophy brought North after the war and displayed at a GAR Hall, which is not uncommon for Confederate weapons.

Hope you’ve enjoy viewing my knife as much as I do owning it. If you have any questions about this D-Guard knife or any of the other items in my arsenal feel free to contact me at civilwararsenal@yahoo.com attn: Gene West.
I’m always looking to grow my Civil War collection if you have any Southern weapons and are looking to sell them give me a shout maybe we can make a deal.

1864 Richmond Carbine

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A while back I acquired this 1864 Richmond Carbine to compliment my growing collection of Southern Weapons. I already had in my collection a 64 Richmond Carbine however it had some issues so I traded it and a 63 Richmond Carbine for a killer Thomas, Griswold & Co Artillery Saber, which I’ve recently written about.

My new 64 Richmond is about as good as it gets, the stock is in great shape with a couple of scratches and dings but nothing out of the ordinary for a 155 year old weapon. The barrel, lock plate, barrel bands and trigger guard all have a pleasing brown hue to them and the brass butt plate and the nose cap are a sweet mustard color we would expect from Southern made Brass.

Still fitted with its original rear sight (which is often missing on most Richmond weapons) with both its barrel bands having an offset U, confirming that these were hand stamped and original to the Carbine. The original ram rod is no longer present however it does have a blacksmith made ram rod which in my opinion has been with the Carbine for a long time based on its color.

All of its sling mounts have been removed, my best guess is the the sling rings were more of a hindrance then not so they were cut off……. the top barrel band, trigger guard as well as the sling swivel that gets screwed into the base of the stock are all MIA. An interesting observation is that there’s no indentation mark on the stock or on the trigger guard (where the sling mounts make contact) suggesting that the sling mounts must have been removed when the weapon was first issued.

Another interesting observation is there is only a partial proof mark on the barrel, the V for viewed is clearly present and there’s a very slight impression of the P for proof but there’s no Eagle present. I don’t believe this to be a confiscated condemned Harper’s Ferry barrel…….it has way to many imperfections on the barrel made by the barrel roller machine, these imperfections would not be acceptable by Harper’s Ferry standards, however they would be by Richmond’s Armory standards.

There you have it another Southern Carbine brought to you by the Civil War Arsenal. If you have any questions about this weapon or any of the other weapons in my arsenal feel free to contact me at civilwararsenal@yahoo.com attn: Gene West.

1861 Richmond Rifle Musket

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September of 1861 saw the birth of the Richmond Rifle Musket, the Richmond Armory (Old State Armoury) located at the foot of 7th Street along the banks of the James River in Richmond Virginia. The river would supply the Armory the water it needed to turn the machinery to manufacture small arms.

Approximately 2200, 61 Richmond High Humps were manufactured during the last 3 months of the year, all of these weapons lockplates were without the C.S. markings. Most all the parts used to assemble the 61 Richmond’s were ones confiscated from Harper’s Ferry during the raid by Captain Turner Ashby and his men on the 18th of April 1861.

Recently I had the opportunity to acquire a great condition 1861 Richmond Rifle Musket, it had been on my wish list for sometime. I didn’t want a representative model, I wanted the real deal with as many authentic characteristics I could find.

The stock of my new Richmond has the Maynard Primer Feed Cut and a faint but clear cartouche – SA – Salmon Adams (the Master Armoror) at Harper’s Ferry as well as the Richmond Armory, butt plate has no U.S. stamp on it, brass nose cap is screwed on and has a red hue with casting flaws, barrel has clear VP and eagle (viewed & proof) as well as the cut for the steady pin for the rear sight, the forward and middle barrel bands have no U stamped on them however the bottom band is stamped with an offset U.

With the exception of the barrel, lockplate and hammer all of the metal parts seem as though they were never polished to the standard you would expect, my best guess is the polishing machines were not set up yet, which wouldn’t prevent the weapon from functioning…..so out the door it went.

Still on my wish list is an 1864 Richmond Rifle Musket in good condition, I recently committed to another 64 Richmond Carbine which I haven’t received yet………. but should before long.

I would like to thank Paul J. Davies for his book “C.S. Armory Richmond”, his book (especially when I first started collecting Richmond’s) has helped me to be a better collector. The much sought after and often misunderstood Richmond made weapons aren’t the easiest CW weapons to collect due to all the forgeries………these days I see more fakes then authentic……..I find myself thumbing thru the pages day after day hoping to discover what I missed the day before.

Thanks for stopping by and if you have any questions about this 1861 Richmond Rifle Musket or any of the other weapons in the Civil War Arsenal feel free to contact me at www.civilwararsenal@yahoo.com attn: Gene West

Confederate Wooden Drum Canteen

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Wartime necessity revived an old school design of using carved wood, (generally cherrywood or cedar wood) for carrying water. Secured by two riveted metal bands and three tin strap loops to hold the canteens sling in place. Using the barrel and wheel making technology had changed little from the days of the 1700’s and the South would use any means necessary to supply there troops with the necessities they needed to survive.

Most surviving drum canteens are missing there original slings, which were made of both coarse woven linen or leather and my example is no different. Originally made of leather there is still a small portion of the original sling in place however most is gone. I believe the canteen to be made of cherrywood but that’s just an educated guess on my part.

No longer able to hold water due to shrinkage of the wooden slats around the face plates, however it still has its original mouth piece which is generally lost on most existing examples.

What I love most about my new drum canteen is the script carving on the face which reads “J. J. Marshall, 33 rd”. Checking the Historical Data Base leads me to believe that this Drum Canteen was carried by Jesse J. Marshall.

Jesse enlisted 7-1-1861 in Forsyth County, North Carolina as a Corporal. He mustered into Co. I, NC 33rd Infantry. He was promoted to Sergeant 2-1-1862 and then 1st Sergeant 4-1-1863. He was wounded twice, the first was 5-5-1864 at the battle of the Wilderness and the second was 11-15-1864 it doesn’t give the place of the wounding but I’m guessing it was at the siege of Petersburg.

Well, that’s all for now……thanks for stopping by and if you have any questions about the canteen or any of the others items in my arsenal contact me at civilwararsenal@yahoo.com attn: Gene West.

Merrill Carbine, Old Model

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James H. Merrill of Baltimore Maryland manufactured guns as early as 1840 with minimal success. At the outbreak of the war the Federal Government was desperate to arm there growing army with the weapons needed to defeat the Rebel forces.

In the fall of 1861 after correcting some quality issues the Ordnance Department trail board found with the plunger,

Merrill Carbine, First Type Breech Plunger

Merrill Carbine, First Type Breech Plunger

which was made of iron and was used to push the paper cartridge into the barrel chamber acting to prevent gas from escaping from the breech. Mr Merrill secured his first Government contract for 600 Carbines, but also an equal number or cartridge boxes, cap boxes, slings and also 60,000 cartridges and 80,000 percussion caps.

The first 600 Carbines were issued to General Stoneman’s calvary consisting of the 11th Pennsylvania and the 1st New York Mounted Rifles. December 24th 1861 the Ordnance Department placed an order for an additional 5,000 Merrill Carbines at $30.00 each.

The Old Model Merrill’s were .54 caliber percussion Carbines and measured 37 3/8”overall length, weighed 6 pounds 8 ounces, the bullet weighed 400 grains with 40 grains of powder, serial numbers were stamped vertically behind the hammer and on the lever latch, the barrel band, trigger guard, butt plate and patch box were all made of brass.

The New Models differ from the previous in that the Lock Plate is stamped to the rear of the hammer the date 63,64 plus it has a small eagle forward of the hammer, no patch box and the lever latch was changed to the round button type latch.

A total of 14,255 carbines and 770 rifles along with 5,502,000 cartridges at a cost of $105,779. Calvary Regiments that were issued Merrill’s were the 27th Kentucky, 1st, 5th, and 18th New York, 1st New Jersey, 7th Indiana 1st and 3rd Wisconsin, 11th, 17th and 18th Pennsylvania and the 1st Delaware.

During the 1863-1864 Ordnance Department survey of officers using the various breech loading Carbines in field use 91 officers responded on the Merrill. The results were Best – 5, Good – 14, Fair – 13, Poor – 16, Worthless – 43.

With little business in post war the Merrill Company closed it doors in 1869.

The Merrill carbine featured is an Old Model with the New Model round button type lever latch.

Merrill Carbine, Button Type Latch

Merrill Carbine, Button Type Latch

I’m guessing it was one of those that failed in the field and was sent back for repair. Serial number 11468 puts it in the issuance range of late 1863.

This was not a arsenal stored weapon, it’s clear this carbine saw hard use and was fired many of times, oh if only it could talk.

Thanks for stopping by and if you have any questions about this weapon or any of the other weapons in my arsenal feel free to contact me at civilwararsenal@yahoo.com attn: Gene West.

Kerr Revolver Serial # 9900

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Manufactured by the London Armoury Company from 1859 through 1866 with a total production of about 11,500 pieces. With its 54 bore (44 caliber) and single action this 5 shot revolver was a favorite weapon of Confederate officers and calvary men.

Over 9000 revolvers were purchased by the Confederate States in three variations. Most of the wood grips have the JS/anchor viewers mark below the trigger guard. The three variations are serial numbered as follows: 1st 1 – 1050, 2nd 1051 – 2700, 3rd 2701 – 11,500. The highest known serial number confirmed to date bearing the JS/Anchor mark is 9975.

The Kerr (pronounced Carr) was preferred in the field with its ease of maintanence and repair. Having a Lock Plate (similar to a Rifled Musket) built into the wood grip handle allowed for easy repair of its internal hardware with the removal of two screws. It wasn’t as prone to fouling as other revolvers, such as the Colt and Remington and its early pattern arbor pin retaining catch which allowed the user to change cylinders quickly without tools.

Some of the Kerr Revolvers have unquestionable provenance, serial # 1041 was presented by President Jefferson Davis to Captain Given Campbell as well as serial # 8977 which was presented to Colonel Josiah Gorgas, Confederate Chief of Ordnance by the London Armoury Company.

Well known pages from the pocket notebook (ledger) of Lieutenant G. Julian Pratt, Company H, 18th Virginia Calvary. In his ledger (Squad Roll) he documents the names of troops, revolver types, and serial numbers. Among the serial numbers mentioned in his ledger are Kerr Revolvers 9240, 9740, 9927, 9949, 9955, 9961 and 9974. He makes mention of other revolvers Adams, Tranter and Webley but we’ll save that for another time.

My new Civil War Arsenal weapon is a 3rd variation Kerr Revolver, serial number 9900. It’s in good condition for its age, however the cylinder plunger may have been replaced at one time. The wood handle is in good condition with no cracks but on the left side someone has used a small wood screw to hold the handle tight against the frame of the revolver. It’s not uncommon for the wood to separate a bit here which could lead to the grip cracking.

This revolver does not have the JS/Anchor found on so many of the Confederate imported Kerr’s. Revolver # 9974, which is in a private collection from the Pratt ledger (squad roll) doesn’t have JS/Anchor viewers mark either. It’s fair to say that this revolver #9900 which is only 74 serial numbers away from that revolver and only 27 serial numbers away the lowest revolver #9927 in the Pratt ledger (Squad Roll) is a surviving Confederate Import.

Thanks for stopping by the Civil War Arsenal, if you have any questions about this weapon or any of the other weapons in my Arsenal feel free to contact me at civilwararsenal@yahoo.com attn: Gene West and if you have any Confederate weapons you’re looking to part with let me know maybe we can strike a deal.

C.S. Armory Fayetteville, Type III Rifle & Linen Sling

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Fayetteville Armory Rifles are some of the most sought after Confederate weapons made. Most Southern weapons made during the war didn’t have much quality control, with most showing obvious flaws in the stock, barrel and hardware. Most collectors including myself find the flaws unique to the weapon and love the story behind the flaws, however the Fayetteville Rifles were above the the quality standard for all Confederate weapons.

Union weapons went through a vigorous inspection process, if the viewing officer found flaws in the quality of the weapon he would reject it sending it back to the maker. The maker then would not get paid for the weapon potentially losing future contracts.

In the South it was a very different story, most armories and manufactures of weapons didn’t have much of a quality system. At the Richmond Armory, the Souths largest weapons factory there was a viewing process but most of the weapons that were viewed and proofed would not pass Northern standards.

However it was a much different story at the Fayetteville Armory. Phillip Burkhart, the former Harper’s Ferry mechanic and John Hall protégé served as master armourer for the Fayetteville Armory. He along with many of the mechanics, craftsman and laborers that worked at the Harper’s Ferry Armory were responsible for making the different versions of Fayetteville Rifles throughout the war.

Some of the equipment that was confiscated by Stonewall Jackson at Harper’s Ferry in May of 1861 was sent by rails to Richmond Virginia the rest was sent to the Fayetteville Armory in North Carolina along with many of the expert mechanics. This would give the Fayetteville Armory the quality equipment and expert craftsman they needed to make such a quality weapon that would even pass the strict quality inspections in the North.

The newest addition to the Civil War Arsenal is an 1863 Fayetteville Rifle Type III. Except for the S style hammer the rifle is a close copy to the U.S. Model 1861 rifle-musket. Clean straight lines and brass hardware make the Fayetteville a hard weapon not to like. The type III is different from the type II with its 1863 dated Lock Plate made entirely at Fayetteville. The Type II Lock Plates were made at the Richmond Armory and were very similar to the Richmond Lock Plates with the low profile hump, only difference is the markings on the plate.

Similar to the U.S. Model 1855 rifle the Fayetteville was designed with a stud on the right side of the muzzle for affixing a saber bayonet. Thousands of these fish scale bayonets were fabricated at the armory in 1862-1863. The saber bayonet was replaced with a socket bayonet by late 1863 on the Type IV Fayetteville’s for the remaining portion of the war.

I am looking for a fish scale Saber Bayonet, if anyone knows of one please please contact me at civilwararsenal@yahoo.com attn: Gene West. Thanks for stopping by, and if you have any questions about this rifle or any of the other weapons in my Arsenal feel free to ask…..oh and I’m always on the hunt for new weapons to add to my collection, especially Confederate. If you have any and are interested in selling them give me a shout maybe we can make a deal.