post 1865 minie balls,ect

[JackAubrey]

I was wondering about the years following the CW. Was it "common" for a civilian, possibly a former CW soldier, to have an issue rifled musket leaning against the wall of his cabin? Yes, I am aware of the so- called "sod -buster "shotguns,the bored out and chopped up rifled muskets, but that's not what I am after.
What I am wondering is, would a former soldier take his issued rifled musket home or at least purchase one to hunt /defend the family with? A non - butchered one. Say a P53 or M1861 Springfield.
If he did, how long would minie balls and musket caps have been available through commercial channels, before he was forced to "upgrade" to one of those new, fangled, self contained metallic cartridge guns? Thanks all for your patience, JA

 

[satx78247]

IF I (who is decidedly NOT talented in "mechanical stuff") can make his own 530 grain Minie balls, the non-availability of commercial Minie balls wouldn't be a problem for my "dirt-farmer" ancestors in IT/OK.

yours, satx

 

[Trot]

At least some of the soldiers were given the opportunity to buy their issue weapon when they mustered out. I am not sure if all were given this opportunity or not, but have read of some who did. As to what ammunition was available I have never heard, but I suppose they could shoot round ball and shot if minies were not available.

 

[satx78247]

YEP. PRB works fine in a rifled or "bored smooth" Army musket.
(A former school chum of mine shoots PRB in his Austrian Lorenz rifle with good success.)

yours, satx

 

[will5a1]

I imagine both minnies and RB were used, but for what it is worth I have a reprint of Bannerman's 1929 catalog, on page 42 "Calibre 58 Muzzleloading Rifle Ball Cartridges. Price 10 cents each, $$2.00 per 100" are listed, along with surplus CW Springfield and Enfields at $3.50 to $5.00 each. So from at least one vendor as late as 1929 the standard service cartridge/bullet was still available.

Over the years I recall, or at least I think I do, reading in CW soldiers diaries that when mustering out they were offered the opportunity to purchase their rifle. In the old Buckskin Report over several months a soldier's diary was printed, and I think the author mentioned that they were offered their rifles for a certain price, and I also think Rhodes mentioned it in his diary also, but I have no idea if I still have copies of either publication available.

 

[smoothshooter]

I can't recall ever coming across any information saying that rifled muskets had any real popularity outside the military. Perhaps it was due to the highly curved trajectory even for a muzzleloader, weight of the ammunition,or relative lack of versatility given the large caliber.
Remember, most of the population lived East of the Mississippi, where big game was getting scarce, except for some areas of the upper Midwest. Smaller calibers shooting balls were more than adequate and cheaper to boot. Civilian rifles tended to be more streamlined and aesthetically pleasing as well.
People living in or heading for the western frontier may have found the large caliber rifled muskets an attractive option for hostile Indians and bigger game.On the other hand, these same guns, reamed out to smoothbore for use as economical shotguns, were extremely popular popular well into the early 20th century.

 

[JackAubrey]

That's what I was looking for. I read a story about an old man in Idaho , circa early 1930's,who still had, and used his m1861Springfield to hunt deer. He was a CW vet,just never saw a reason to give up his musket.
Another story I read was a man using his father's M1863 w/ PRB b/c he no longer had any conical bullets,( I assume he was referring to minie balls.)
It makes sense they would be less common east of the Mississippi from lack of large game. I read the last moose was recorded shot in Massachusetts in 1707.
So it would not be unheard of, out west, for a rifle
d musket to be still in use, but it seems it was not the norm. Thanks guys! JA

 

[will5a1]

Found this last night, all Union soldiers could purchase their rifles on mustering out:

General Orders, No. 101
War Dept., Adjt. General's Office,
Washington, May 30, 1865.

Retention of arms by soldiers on being honorably discharged from service.

Upon an honorable muster out and discharge from the service of the United States, all volunteer soldiers desiring to do so are hereby authorized to retain their arms and accouterments on paying therefor their value to the Ordnance Department.

The payments will be made, under the regulations of the Ordnance Department, to the officer or representative thereof at the rendezvous in the State to which the troops are ordered for payment and final discharge.

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. Townsend,
Assistant Adjutant-General.


Springfields were charged out at $6.00.

 

[BrownBear]

Can't even begin to dig up the reference, but I recall reading accounts of commercial buffalo hunting after the CW, in which surplus arms and ammo played a big role.

 

[will5a1]

Yeah, me too, I think in Dakota, and somewhere I've read also of GAR veteran/members using their surplus rifles for matches between different posts, but I did not want to push the post-1865 limits too much. Wonder if any GAR posts had friendly matches with UCW camps, fun to think about.