Confederate Hall Receiver

[krolick]

Last August I picked up a Confederate altered Hall contract receiver by S. North. The date is gone. It was converted to percussion using musket caps. The conversion was done by removing the flint pan and its components. Then the upper jaw of the flint cock was cut away and a simple hammer forge welded onto it. The receiver is hand engraved DVII on the block and hammer. I had gotten this piece as a study item with no intent of ever using it; but, when I dropped it into the frame of my Hall flint rifle, it fit perfectly. I ended up shooting it, and did quite well at that. The pictures show the Confederate altered receiver on its own and in the flint rifle. In the close up of the hammer, one can see the hole that had been filled on the flint cock. The Hall rifle and its North-made contract saw more use in the civil war then any previous conflict almost exclusively by the south. I also included a picture of the two receivers so one can see how much has been removed to alter it to percussion. G.S.

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[necchi]

That's kinda cool, I've never seen or heard of that model.
It's always neat when you can find the parts to get an ole antique workin, :thumbsup:

 

[Bearkiller]

WOW :shocked2: never seen anything like that. Very cool :thumbsup:

 

[Alden]

Cool as CSA, if true. Buying "Confederate" is like buying sports memorabilia -- many items so labelled are spurious.

Most Halls that were flintlock were converted to cap (both types were factory-made) and we collectors appreciate finding original flintlocks.

Hall, not Ford, is actually the father of mass production. His gas-leaky Harper's Ferry arsenal breech-loader was of the first real mass production interchageable-parts guns -- the Holy Grail of the gun industry.

 

[robinghewitt]

Neat. The flint version tends to blow rather a lot of crud back into your face, but it has better show off potential than the percussion. Having two different mechanisms would seem to cover all the bases :thumbsup:

 

http://www.collegehillarsenal.com/shop/product.php?productid=335

 

[nwtradegun]

the hall was a duel usage firearm. removed from the stock you have a pistol.

 

[krolick]

Yes, I've seen some percussioned Hall receivers fit with crude wooden handles. They make a mean hog leg. This particular reb receiver came from the late Rex Peterson's collection. He was an avid Hall collector and a well re-guarded authority on them. He had one of the Ordinance Park 42 Hall carbines I made for him which has not come to light yet. Also, I must make a correction, a typo...the receiver is marked DIV not DVII. It mite mean number 4 from the Danville workshops, SC. Later this week I will post the Hall flint on the flint page. GS

 

[Alden]

I don't know about them ever adding handles but there are stories of CW soldiers removing the loaded breech and carrying it as a pocket pistol when they went into towns for R&R...

 

[Zonie]

That might have happened and it makes for a good story but somehow I have the feeling that the Army would frown on the men tearing apart the rifles to carry part of it into town. :hmm:

 

[Wes/Tex]

Never heard of this 'take you gun to town' thing in the Civil War but it's mentioned a couple times by Dragoons during the Mexican War due to a rather bitter feeling among the natives concerning Gringo soldiers! I can't imagine it was anything like accurate but at huggin' range, might just save your bacon!

 

[krolick]

Not far fetched at all, page 176 of Halls, "Breechloaders" by R.T. Huntington has photos of 2 Hall receivers made into pistols. One has a very crude wood handle, the other nicely made with a butt cap - check them out. Also, read the accounts of one Samuel Chamberlain Company "E" First Dragoons. He carried his Hall carbine thru the war with Mexico. He states he and members of his company always carried the chambers of there Hall carbines when off duty and going into the towns to drink and chase the Senoritas. In one incident, it saved him from being carved up by Mexican militia when he was left behind after passing out in a bar. The full account of this can also be found in Halls Military Breechloaders by Peter A. Schmidt on pages 84-85. It a great read. If you don't find it, let me know and I'll post it here. G.S.

 

[Jo]

Man what a gun!!! What a peice of History! But pray what ya going to do with it? :hmm: :hatsoff:

 

[Viking78]

The Hall chamber was used as an inspiration for the Norwegian chamber-loading rifle that was adopted in 1842. Norway was the first army in the world to equip all its soldiers with breech-loading rifles. One of the main success factors of this rifle was that it solved the gas leakage problems of previous designs ”“ the Hall included. Both rifles could be used as a muzzle-loader in a pinch, but it would have been difficult with the chamber-loading rifle as it lacked a ramrod.

Last week I published a book in which both the Hall and the chamber-loading rifle are described. One of my favourite images from the book is that of a Union soldier with a Model 1843 Hall carbine with side lever. It can be seen in the Kindle preview at Amazon (page 2): http://www.amazon.co.uk/From-Musket-Metallic-Cartridge-Practical/dp/1847975933

A short movie of the chamber-loading rifle action can be seen in the trailer for the book from 1:11 (sorry for the self-promotion):

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[ChrisLJ]

Very nice, I've added it to my Amazon wish list. :thumbsup: