Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery firarms.

[allyncooper]

Watched the Ken Burns video on the Lewis and Clark expedition the other night and it mentioned they took the "finest rifles available" and made several other references to using their weapons during the expedition. I was wondering what type of firearms they had. Anyone know or could point me to a source for more info on the subject? TIA

 

[ppg1949]

AC, if I remember correctly their primary weapon was the then new flintlock 1803 Harper’s Ferry rifle of 54 caliber bore with a 33 inch barrel. Lewis and Clark also brought some personal weapons. Like shotguns and pistols. I stood at a place on the Missouri river where L & C carved their names and date into the cliff. It was awesome to think about their presence standing exactly where I stood. Google their diary for a more complete list of their weapons.
good luck and have fun

 

[Jim]

Seems to me, I read the expedition also had some air rifles as well as firearms.
I don’t remember where I read this, but the rifles had a large, “bulbous” container hanging below the trigger guard to hold the compressed air.
Anyone remember this article?

 

[Dale Lilly]

Seems to me, I read the expedition also had some air rifles as well as firearms.
I don’t remember where I read this, but the rifles had a large, “bulbous” container hanging below the trigger guard to hold the compressed air.
Anyone remember this article?

There is a great deal of info on that gun. Just enter "Lewis and Clark air gun" in your search engine. Some good information. The maker was Giardoni btw. Dale

 

[BrantWW]

AC, if I remember correctly their primary weapon was the then new flintlock 1803 Harper’s Ferry rifle of 54 caliber bore with a 33 inch barrel. Lewis and Clark also brought some personal weapons. Like shotguns and pistols. I stood at a place on the Missouri river where L & C carved their names and date into the cliff. It was awesome to think about their presence standing exactly where I stood. Google their diary for a more complete list of their weapons.
good luck and have fun

Lewis & Clark did not have the 1803 Harper's Ferry Rifle as the contract for that rifle was not let until August 1803. By August, Lewis was already on his way to meet up with Clark. Lewis obtained 15 rifles from Harper's in the Spring of 1803.

The weapons obtained were a mix of 1792 contract rifles -- "Pennsylvania-style, single shot, muzzleloading flintlock rifles, with no ornamentation, hand-made by gunsmiths in Pennsylvania. Full stocked, they had an original barrel length of 42 inches. Lewis says that he had the rifles "prepared" for the expedition. No note was made of what was done, but it may have included shortening the long barrels a bit to make them handier in boats, and the rifling may have been refreshed, increasing the original caliber of the contract rifles. The other gun of daily use was what was then called the “Charleville pattern” musket, the standard firearm of US soldiers of the period (all but a few men on the expedition were US Army personnel). It is a 69 caliber smoothbore and is now called the “Model 1795 Springfield” musket."

http://westernexplorers.us/Lewis-and-Clark-Expedition-firearms-summary.html

 

[Okie Hog]

As previously mentioned, the rifles issued were not the model of 1803, which was not in service at time of issue. Lewis and Clark were issued contract rifles model 1792/1794.

Rifles of the Expedition - Lewis and Clark - Corps of Discovery - U.S. Army Center of Military History

 

[Rató:rats]

Lewis & Clark did not have the 1803 Harper's Ferry Rifle as the contract for that rifle was not let until August 1803. By August, Lewis was already on his way to meet up with Clark. Lewis obtained 15 rifles from Harper's in the Spring of 1803.

The weapons obtained were a mix of 1792 contract rifles -- "Pennsylvania-style, single shot, muzzleloading flintlock rifles, with no ornamentation, hand-made by gunsmiths in Pennsylvania. Full stocked, they had an original barrel length of 42 inches. Lewis says that he had the rifles "prepared" for the expedition. No note was made of what was done, but it may have included shortening the long barrels a bit to make them handier in boats, and the rifling may have been refreshed, increasing the original caliber of the contract rifles. The other gun of daily use was what was then called the “Charleville pattern” musket, the standard firearm of US soldiers of the period (all but a few men on the expedition were US Army personnel). It is a 69 caliber smoothbore and is now called the “Model 1795 Springfield” musket."

http://westernexplorers.us/Lewis-and-Clark-Expedition-firearms-summary.html

I think I remember reading John Colter was permitted to take his army-issue 1795 when he was discharged (honourably) two months early and went back up the Missouri with Hancock and Dixon

 

[Rod Man]

Watched the Ken Burns video on the Lewis and Clark expedition the other night and it mentioned they took the "finest rifles available" and made several other references to using their weapons during the expedition. I was wondering what type of firearms they had. Anyone know or could point me to a source for more info on the subject? TIA

I just finished Stephen Ambrose “Undaunted Courage”.
Call me lazy but here is what he said,


It’s just faster to take a pic.

RM

 

[Mousegunguy]

The coolest one in my book was the Girandoni air rifle!!!

 

[ppg1949]

Lewis & Clark did not have the 1803 Harper's Ferry Rifle as the contract for that rifle was not let until August 1803. By August, Lewis was already on his way to meet up with Clark. Lewis obtained 15 rifles from Harper's in the Spring of 1803.

The weapons obtained were a mix of 1792 contract rifles -- "Pennsylvania-style, single shot, muzzleloading flintlock rifles, with no ornamentation, hand-made by gunsmiths in Pennsylvania. Full stocked, they had an original barrel length of 42 inches. Lewis says that he had the rifles "prepared" for the expedition. No note was made of what was done, but it may have included shortening the long barrels a bit to make them handier in boats, and the rifling may have been refreshed, increasing the original caliber of the contract rifles. The other gun of daily use was what was then called the “Charleville pattern” musket, the standard firearm of US soldiers of the period (all but a few men on the expedition were US Army personnel). It is a 69 caliber smoothbore and is now called the “Model 1795 Springfield” musket."

http://westernexplorers.us/Lewis-and-Clark-Expedition-firearms-summary.html

Learning is what this forum is about and I stand corrected. I read they received the Harper’s Ferry rifle’s but using the info listed by another source, it verifies your source for the 1792’s. My original source must have been in error. Thanks for your update.

 

[andy52]

Lewis & Clark did not have the 1803 Harper's Ferry Rifle as the contract for that rifle was not let until August 1803. By August, Lewis was already on his way to meet up with Clark. Lewis obtained 15 rifles from Harper's in the Spring of 1803.

The weapons obtained were a mix of 1792 contract rifles -- "Pennsylvania-style, single shot, muzzleloading flintlock rifles, with no ornamentation, hand-made by gunsmiths in Pennsylvania. Full stocked, they had an original barrel length of 42 inches. Lewis says that he had the rifles "prepared" for the expedition. No note was made of what was done, but it may have included shortening the long barrels a bit to make them handier in boats, and the rifling may have been refreshed, increasing the original caliber of the contract rifles. The other gun of daily use was what was then called the “Charleville pattern” musket, the standard firearm of US soldiers of the period (all but a few men on the expedition were US Army personnel). It is a 69 caliber smoothbore and is now called the “Model 1795 Springfield” musket."

http://westernexplorers.us/Lewis-and-Clark-Expedition-firearms-summary.html

Correct on the 1795 contract muskets. Some of the corp was already enlisted army and would have had that musket.
Many of those that were enlisted along the way like the ones from Kentucky most likely already had rifles and just brought them along with them.

 

[andy52]

I just finished Stephen Ambrose “Undaunted Courage”.
Call me lazy but here is what he said,

View attachment 110109View attachment 110110View attachment 110111
It’s just faster to take a pic.

RM

I was a member of the St. Charles crop of Discovery before and
during the bicentennial. Our keelboat was the one used in the Ken Burns film. I meet Ken burns and Stephen Ambrose several times at Glen Bishop's house (builder of the boat) to discuss the filming. My observations of both men are quite different,
Ken was an astute and pleasant person, Stephen, on the other hand, was a pompous A-Hole good author yes, a pleasant person no.

 

[Phil Coffins]

The short rifle in this case was the earliest model of the 1803 and number 15 has been located. Here’s a link that may be of interest.

https://greatwar.com/wwi-links/lewis-and-clark-short-rifle/

 

[Rod Man]

I was a member of the St. Charles crop of Discovery before and
during the bicentennial. Our keelboat was the one used in the Ken Burns film. I meet Ken burns and Stephen Ambrose several times at Glen Bishop's house (builder of the boat) to discuss the filming. My observations of both men are quite different,
Ken was an astute and pleasant person, Stephen, on the other hand, was a pompous A-Hole good author yes, a pleasant person no.

I had heard this before from one of my professors. He was not a fan at all.

RM

 

[andy52]

I had heard this before from one of my professors. He was not a fan at all.

RM

Maybe it was just the age difference Ken and I was about the same age at that time I think I was 45 then. Glen and Stephen were in their late 60s or early 70s. Glen and Stephen got along pretty well
I just tolerated Stephen because I knew it meant a great deal to
get the bicentennial off the ground.

 

[waarp8nt]

The fact is records were not kept well in those days. Nearly everything was sold on auction upon the return of the expedition. Harpers Ferry Armory was destroyed by a fire and what few records they had are long gone. Many authors have offered personal opinions rather than facts in their writings. The truth may never be known and that is truly sad to me that such an Influential piece of history has been lost.

 

[Mtman725]

I read a while back they may have found the air rifle out in SF, and was trying to get it authenticated, but nothing since. I live about 2 miles from Clark's lookout here in the Beaverhead valley.

 

[Phil Coffins]

As to the air rifle, it to has been located.

Discovering and Duplicating the Girandoni Used During the Lewis and Clark Expedition
Enter Dr. Robert Beeman, a distinguished university professor, first chairman of San Francisco State University’s Department of Marine Biology and former fellow of the National Science Foundation at Stanford. As a youngster, Beeman had received a Daisy BB gun as a gift, and the weapon stirred a lifelong passion for air rifles. In time, Beeman’s name would become synonymous with air rifles after his boyhood interest led him to found the world-famous Beeman Precision Airgun company. In addition to designing and promoting air rifles, Beeman began collecting every sort of unusual and historical air rifle he could find during travels taking him to various arms factories, museums and private collections around the world. One such acquisition was a Girandoni air rifle in remarkably good repair.

In 2004, Beeman was contacted by master gunsmith Ernie Cowan, who wanted to duplicate the Girandoni weapon in his collection (Beeman’s was the sole representation of the weapon in North America). Beeman agreed. Cowan and his collaborator, Rick Keller, in carefully disassembling the weapon, made an electrifying discovery. In their careful dissection of the Girandoni, Cowan and Keller found evidence of repairs made to the piece that noted gun historian Mike Carrick confirmed as corresponding precisely to entries in the journals of the Lewis and Clark expedition recounting such repairs. Perhaps the most significant repair they discovered was a replaced mainspring. Lewis noted exactly such a repair in his June 10, 1805, journal entry: “[Expedition gunsmith John] Shields removed the main Spring of my air gun.” The repair was made with a farrier’s file ordinarily used to trim horses’ hooves. Other repairs included a new forward pin lug, middle thimble, and scarph joint in the rifle’s forearm, which replaced European walnut with good American walnut.

To his surprise and gratification, Beeman found himself the proud owner of the famous Lewis and Clark Girandoni. Beeman concedes that the Girandoni has a very peculiar and significant place in American history, but adds scrupulously: “We must avoid the very misleading thought that the Girandoni opened or won the West. Rather it was the key to Lewis and Clark returning alive and promoting the West.”

Beeman’s Girandoni has been extensively studied and field tested repeatedly to ascertain its capabilities. Without a doubt it is a stunning instrument. To spare the original repeated wear-and-tear, four exact copies of the weapon have been produced by Cowan and Keller. Recognizing its historical significance, Beeman donated the original weapon to the permanent collection of the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It is now on loan to and on special display at the Pentagon. Despite great scientific and technical advances in weaponry, few single weapons can rival the Girandoni for the peaceful promotion of American interests. That lack of violence, in itself, makes the Girardoni of the Lewis and Clark expedition a truly singular western weapon indeed.

 

[kansas_volunteer]

If you will read through this you will find very detailed info on L&C firearms.
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/1792-contract-rifle-in-original-flintlock.134359/

 

[Old Hawkeye]

I was a member of the St. Charles crop of Discovery before and
during the bicentennial. Our keelboat was the one used in the Ken Burns film. I meet Ken burns and Stephen Ambrose several times at Glen Bishop's house (builder of the boat) to discuss the filming. My observations of both men are quite different,
Ken was an astute and pleasant person, Stephen, on the other hand, was a pompous A-Hole good author yes, a pleasant person no.

Ambrose was later to be PROVEN a plagiarist, as well. Phony ass, is what I have heard him called by other scholars.