1792 harpers ferry rifle

Lighter charges also meant conservation of valuable powder. These former members of the Expedition started the mountain man tradition to follow. The butt end of the ramrod should be concaved suited to the shape of the Ball the locks should be light and well executed the mounting should be brass there should be at least two thousand of these rifles made. Not only was it the first military rifle produced at a government arsenal, but also the first U.S. military weapon to use extra fine double strength powder that stretched firearms technology to the limits of its day. [2], These military- or militia-issued rifles were of civilian style, and it has been very difficult for collectors to identify them from this contract. Harpers Ferry - Discover Lewis & Clark The idea that locks can be retro-fitted to other guns is absurd. Henry Rifle Lee Repeating Rifle Marlin Lever Actions Military Longarms Pre-1816 Muskets 1st Model Brown Bess 2nd & 3rd Model Brown Bess Muskets Charleville Musket M1803 and M1814 Rifles M1816 Musket M1817 Common Rifle M1835 US Musket Austrian CW Rifle M1841 US Rifle (Mississippi Rifle) M1842 Springfield Musket M1851 US Cadet and M1847 US Musketoon It gets somewhat easier when we recognize that the 18th century British military establishment used only THREE calibre balls Musket (approximately .693/14 balls to the pound), Carbine (approximately .650/17 balls to the pound), and Pistol (approximately .610/21 balls to the pound). Two original guns have surfaced that are probably authentic to Lewis and Clark's journey, though the Lewis and Clark gun were likely prototypes. . However, we must remember that this letter has nothing to do with Lewiss rifles but rather the military rifle order, but the details contained within it gives us great insight into just how far the short rifle project had advanced by this date. Lewiss careful preparation for the journey was incredible. This was enough to hold 208 pounds of the 226 special powder carried, with 18 pounds left for immediate use just about right to fill 15 horns for the start of the journey and to practice with the new rifles. On February 28, 1803, President Thomas Jefferson won approval <snip> Except its not "short". British soldiers returning to England after our American Revolution spun tales about the unerring accuracy of our long rifle that are hard to dispel even today. Dearborns December 5th, 1803 letter is a prime example of a single document proving the invalidity of Bomfords calculations. His first known mention of the short rifle is in March of 1806. If fired (used) it will display slight erosion around the bushing. What was expected of these men and their training with rifles is worthy of quoting from the original 1812 dated manual: He must be taught to fire at a target without a rest, for if he accustoms himself to fire without a support, he will rarely fire true without one; but as this method will be rendered easy by practice, he should begin by firing at fifty yards distance, and increase it by degrees to 100, 150, 200 and 300 yards. Shooting a copy of this rifle has proven this correct, giving well over 30 shots between cleaning. Harpers Ferry Park needs to rethink the role this new rifle played in history and give it a deserving place in their museum, after all, there is a much bigger and better story to tell the public. It is a hammer poll type with a large US marking. A wax plug was driven the full length of the barrel and then measured for the true size. Lewis, July 1, 1806 ..set Shields at work to repair some of our guns which were out of order . The M1792 was a heavier built This pipe could not be changed for reasons explained in the text. Hamilton, Pioneer Press, 1987. the barrels of 15 of the 1792 / 1794 rifles to between 33 and 36 inches The above lists are as accurate a yearly production record we can hope to reconstruct based upon known rifles instead of conflicting documents. This would have been totally unacceptable to Lewis loss of a bullet mold resulted in the loss of a rifle. Initially 908 rifles went to Ft. Pitt and 100 to Virginia. 1,477 rifles were completed in 1792. 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. Since we could not personally examine all rifles on the list for originality, we listed them with a code as follows: C = Inspected & confirmed matching gun. (commonly used) in actual service". Lewis arrived in April 1803. The standard service charge was 100 grains (in a rolled cartridge), allowing for 10 in the pan and 90 in the barrel. U.S. Model 1803 Flintlock Rifle. We have learned a great deal about 1803 rifles. Breech markings on SN 15 rifle. The barrel was not protected by a wood stock (soft iron barrels were easily bent by soldiers misuse) and it did not mount a bayonet or carry a sling which became important for the mounted infantry concept. Clark was a 4-year Army veteran and had fought in the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794, so he also was no stranger to the tactical effectiveness of rifles on a battlefield. These were divided into smaller sections (called divisions, sub-divisions, twenty platoons and forty sections) for field maneuvers. (38) Iron barrels of all types in the early to mid-18th century were of very poor-quality iron. of the Harpers Ferry Arsenal Joseph Perkin, and the 8 July 1803 letter If we are real romantics, serial number 15 may have been the one given to John Colter (and subsequently lost to the Indians) who went back to the West and become a legend in his own right.(51). Hawken Fullstock Rifle, Pecatonica River Long Rifle Supply There were no .530 calibre U.S. military round ball molds (for a .54 bore) to be found. (50) On August 6, 1805, Lewiss air rifle had the sights knocked off by an accident with the canoes rolling over. (35), Many of the later 1807 contract rifles, using the same style 38 half round, half octagon barrel, also burst during proofing with 8 out of 18 barrels bursting under a proof test of 3/4 oz. Fifteen Harpers Ferry Model 1792 rifles are believed to have been issued to Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery. It has begun to let loose from hard use. If the lock, stock and barrel match, the rest is probably good since all were hand built and components are not interchangeable. The rib assembly was then SOFT SOLDERED to the barrel. 42" rifled barrel bored 40 balls to the pound (about .490"), stock to be made from well seasoned maple, catch spring release to be high so as to be accessible to the thumb. (9) Tony Hunter, The Wilderness Fighters: Part Four, (Muzzleloader Magazine, JULY/AUG 2005), Pgs. Since the Army ordered only 4,000, the additional 15 were Lewiss rifles. After picking up his rifles and shooting them at the arsenal in July of 1803, he may have influenced Dearborns December,1803 changes to the gun, but other than that possibility, his connection with the rifle ends. It gave more bonding area for the soft solder. These assembly numbers are found on almost every part of the gun and are important when checking the originality of any rifle. The fourth striking observation of the letter is the denouncing of the common long rifle as being unsuitable for actual service. In the day when an average soldier could only dream of hitting an X on a wood block at 30 paces, a good rifleman in action was something to behold as he placed shot after shot into it. 15,707 rifles were produced on this contract. All have heptagonal flat-bottomed rifling, buckhorn rear sight, no stock ferrule, straight upper ramrod pipe, round bottom profile and hollow pipe rib. It was a tremendous job, but as time would tell, he proved himself capable of the task, which led to a position of great power and earned him the absolute trust and confidence of Secretary of War, Henry Dearborn. This error came from measuring the bores of the rifle at the muzzle, not considering that the muzzle is swamped to allow insertion of the patched ball with the thumb. Lewis specifically notes that it was Windsors shortened rifle that was traded for the longer short rifle, a fact confirmed by Clarks entry. Clark resigned his commission six months after Lewis arrived (1796).(10). Many historians believe that Lewis and Clark traveled west with these . It rules out the Model 1803, which didn't enter production until the fall. Silver front sights were popular on long rifles for shooting in the dim light of virgin forests. 127-135; and Francis B. Heitman, Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army, from its Organization, September 29,1789, to March 2, 1903, 2 Volumes. The Short Rifle of the Lewis & Clark journals. In addition, they practiced an Indian-file pace for movement when acting alone or detached from the main body, with the weapon carried in any suitable mode (they used no slings). Amos Stoddards Artillery Company dated February 24, 1803 states that their arms were in tolerable order, old and incomplete, and noting that ..Ball Screwdrivers, Brushes Prickers and Gunslings wanting. Dearborn orders Perkin to begin manufacturing "a suitable number.". At 100 yards, the odds were very much in favor of being struck by an American rifle ball whereas a British soldier, using the smoothbore musket, could shoot all day and probably not strike a man sized target at 100 yards, thus our riflemen were greatly feared. 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. 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. The Gumpf rifle was most likely one of the rifles made on this contract and sent directly to Schuylkill Arsenal. Unknown to the United States, The Treaty of San Ildefonso (October 1, 1800) ceded Louisiana back to France but Spain basically ignored the treaty, most likely due to Spains reluctance to give up her forts along the east bank of the Mississippi river land that was ceded to the United States by England in the Treaty of Paris. This is more than just a casual letter expressing what might be a nice idea for a new rifle since he makes it a point to state that he has convincing proof of the new rifles advantages, meaning the rifle had passed the test stage. D, British Military Flintlock Rifles/ 1740-1840, Andrew Mobray Inc, 2002, Pg. The very nature of this fine powder, being sensitive to moisture, may have been the reason Lewis made 52 eight-pound water-proof lead containers, each of which held 4 pounds of powder with the lead to be cast into bullets when empty. When this arsenal was abandoned in 1798, he was given the task of setting up the new government arsenal at Harpers Ferry. Of interest also are two of the six woodcuts (shown below, pages 95 and 267) that appeared in the 1811 edition of Sgt. (1) The design (patterning) of new weapons at this time could be a slow process, identical to the British methods and done without drawings. Under Major General Anthony Wayne, it was comprised of 5,120 officers and men composed of four sub legions, each of which contained four rifle companies, requiring 1,312 rifles to arm the 82 riflemen in the 16 rifle companies. Note the slightly flared pipe. NO serial numbers. President Jefferson would not have left Lewis in the dark about the upcoming deal with France. (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. Note the similarities in design. According to tradition his body was returned to his wife who buried him on a bluff overlooking the Missouri river near New Haven, Missouri. Edward Flanagan, who wrote a paper on the 1792 and 1807 contract rifles, believes that the weapons were marked by the U.S. government, a lesson learned from gun thefts during the Revolutionary War. These dates and passages are very important to the researcher. Rifles of the Expedition - Lewis and Clark - Corps of Discovery - U.S Each rifle is unique, especially when fitting the lock. Shields Cut them off and they Shute tolerable well one which is very Short we exchanged with the Indian whoe we had given a longer gun to indue them to pilot us across the mountains.(34). They were often free to roam on the flanks and advance of an Army on the move, providing intelligence on the enemy. What a story this rifle could tell! List of individual weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces, "Papers of the War Department, Authorization to Contract with Manufacturer for Rifles", "Corps of Discovery Rifles of the Expedition". Lewiss expedition was undoubtedly the most difficult test trial that a newly designed weapon could undergo. All 1814 and into about mid-production 1815 used left over barrels from the first production run. ((24)(19) From personal experience (working for the government), the same practice of delayed production reporting to meet budgeting constraints continues today within government production facilities. We know from the 1812 riflemans manual that each soldier could select a powder charge best suited for his individual rifle, which usually was less than the standard service. We believe as time progressed (1814-1819 rifles), these small parts became interchangeable. Pennsylvania gunsmiths produced these weapons, which were .49 caliber with a 42-inch barrel. The only logical explanation is that it was put on by someone after the gun was made and stored at an arsenal. the type procured. If we look at those preparations, we can easily see that he was equipping for a larger expedition than approved by Congress. Front sight was a silver blade instead of brass found on all rifles produced after his special 15 rifles. Thus, you rarely (if ever) see a sling on a long rifle. Sgt Ordway, June 18, 1806 Drewyer and Shannon Sent on ahead to go to the villages of the pel-oll-pellow nation they took one of the Short rifles in order to git a pilot if possible to go over the mount with us. 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. (12) Jackson, op. the 25 May 1803 letter from Secretary of War Henry Dearborn to the Superintendent Ordways journal entry specifies a short rifle to be traded for a guide, so both Lewiss and Clarks use of only the term rifle really meant a short rifle. Flint - Dixie Gun Works Collectors know these rifles were made in 1803 and pay handsomely for an early example, but Caveat Emptor when buying any short rifle of the 1803 to 1806 period. Most long rifles will shoot well with a charge slightly greater than the ball diameter viz. a .45 caliber ball would shoot well with 45 grains of rifle powder. Original replacements are often not marked. NOTE ALL 1803 dated rifles were final inspected by Joseph Perkins (IP in circle on wood opposite the lock). territory recently acquired from France in what became known as the Private Willards mishap of letting his gun fall in while crossing Boyers river on a 25-foot log would not have occurred. LEWIS AND CLARK SHORT RIFLE - Great War Militaria Guns of Lewis and Clark - Buffalo Bill Center of the West A second contract for the same weapon took place in 1794. This pipe placement was a common British characteristic found on the Ferguson rifle and the P76 series. In this process he was to make contact and befriend as many Indian tribes as possible who inhabited these areas with the intended goal of establishing trade relations that would allow peaceful expansion to the extreme western borders of the new United States. It is not impossible to believe that Lewis proposed these changes to Dearborn since the inletting appears to be old, especially after having the rifles in his hands for many months. Dearborn and Lewis probably discussed this interchangeability idea, leading to Dearborns instructions to Perkin to make whatever he needed. their firearms and accessories: "1 Pair Pocket Pistols, 1 Pair (16) The common long rifle (M1792) did have one serious drawback that made it totally unsuitable for continued Army use the non-standardization of calibers. A reduced charge is more accurate, and it saves valuable powder. and Don Stith and represents a replica crafted on the features This may have been done as part of an actual arsenal (or state) overhaul or just to enhance their value to a collector. One other important fact is that all remaining rifles were sold off at auction in St. Louis on September 23, 1806 so none were available of any type for the painting.(44). As it progresses it will become obvious as to which lock plate dates belong which guns by serial number blocks. United States 1792 contract rifles are Pennsylvania-Kentucky rifles with a 42-inch long octagonal barrel in .49 caliber, with a patch box built into the buttstock. Our findings on the ball size were finally substantiated to our satisfaction by a book Colonial Frontier Guns, by T.M. A previous years work on the new Model 1800 rifle project would have been adequate to complete the prototype process with only the production phase halted. Frank A. Tait, "The U.S. Contract Rifle Pattern of 1792," MAN AT ARMS Magazine, Vol. e-WV | Harpers Ferry Armory and Arsenal - wvencyclopedia.org All short rifles found their way into state arsenals (and many other places) with two being held in each infantry regiment for hunting purposes for which they were unsurpassed. * Table of Contents, Chapter I The Lewis & Clark Short Rifle, Chapter II Harpers Ferry and the Model 1800 rifle, Chapter III Harpers Ferry Rifle Serial Number 15, Chapter IV Harpers Ferry Rifle Production Capabilities, Chapter V The Short Rifle of the Journals, Chapter VI Lewiss Short Rifles Summary, Chapter VIII The Common Long Rifle, Appendix I Short Rifle Categories Redefined, Appendix II Short Rifle Serial Numbers. Also, of interest is that the 8 pounds of lead in each cannister would cast 220 .520 calibre balls (using the 218 grains per ball figure) and the 4 pounds of powder would make 220 100-grain charges (10 for priming, 90 in the chamber). Using this as a crude standard, Lewiss 15 rifles would have required approximately 750 man-hours to produce, meaning they could have conservatively been completed in less than two weeks with materials available at the arsenal. He published an interesting table Appendix E on page 169, based upon two sets of 19th century bore gauges in the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers Proof House in London. Lewis, U.S.A., Early U.S. Military Riflemen, (The American Rifleman, December,1958), Pg. After the Revolutionary War he set up his own business in Philadelphia but continued to serve as a part time inspector for the Superintendent of Military Stores. American riflemen have always been a subject of legend and myth, both in the years before our Independence from England and long after. This brass could only have been for the M1800 rifle project that takes two thicknesses. It is worthy of being reprinted in its entirety for its minute detail and insight into the military thinking of the time. He delivered 106 rifles on the Feb 7,1794 (second contract placed) order of 2000. Only military horns have wood screw type base plugs as shown below. They were eventually made by George Ludlam in Philadelphia, Pa. at a cost of $.50 each with the bill paid on May 23, 1803. Thus, the term short rifle, used by Dearborn in Harpers Ferry records and Lewiss journals, can only be viewed as the proper name for the Model 1800 rifles. Over time they were issued to a variety of states and even Indian tribes (as many as 600 to the Chickasaws during the 1793/94 period), leaving 911 rifles in stores on October 1,1802. Dearborn informs Perkin: There being a deficiency of rifles in the public Arsenals, and those on hand not being as well calculated for actual service as could be wished. The Secretary of War, Henry Knox began procuring rifles for the army. Later, the halfstock model, with full under rib, came to be recognized as a kind . The stock displays four sun shaped inlays filled with pine resin that can be seen in the above stock photos. Thus, if any notes or journals exist for those lost periods, there is a good chance the rifles were mentioned in one form or another. He had been part of the militia that put down the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794. not consistent with Army regulations, unless the arsenal had only one Harpers Ferry M1803; 1792 contract rifle for the earlier process for producing firearms; M1817 common rifle; Rifles in the American Civil War; References Our research shows they were using their stock of existing round bottom barrels into 1804. Its purpose was to defend the now open frontier. [1] The 1792 contract specified rifles with a 44-1/2 inch long barrel in .47 caliber. This was common practice in riflemens ranks, allowing each individual to learn his own rifles shooting characteristics. The stock reinforcing band would have been added and the rear sight filed down to the barleycorn style but retaining the buckhorn lower sight profile. 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. The amazing distances they were expected to shoot is also recorded .. it becomes necessary to aim lower than the level line when the objects are near and to aim higher when beyond a given distance. Henry Leman built a classic plains rifle, and Henry Deringer (of pocket pistol fame) also built sturdy rifles for the Fur Trade. 351; Vol. After 200 years of error, it is time to set the record straight. 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. Morgans combined forces of riflemen went on to inflict great casualties among the British officers and artillerymen unfortunate enough to be caught in the open.(9). Both terms began to appear in period documents as soon as production of the M1803 rifle started. It was under these clouds of potential war that the short rifle was born. 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. Just before the battle 2,256 members of the of the Kentucky militia showed up, many without arms, so 1,173 were provided with arms from arsenal stores in New Orleans. Clark used the term small rifle when referring to his personal small caliber long rifle to avoid confusion with any other weapon in their arsenal. Almost all first contract rifles (1792) found their way into the hands of Waynes Legion and state troops between June and August at Fort Pitt. [2] What distinguishes them from civilian rifles is that they were bought by the government under military contract. Curly Maple 1/2 Stock Grd IV (85-100% Curl - $195) Curly Maple 1/2 StockGrd V ( Finest Curl - $260) Cherry ($135) Walnut ( $135) The short rifle, which we believe is all based upon prior successful British rifle designs, may not have taken as long as the development of an entirely new rifle. All subsequent rifles had brass blade front sights. Expecting another conflict with England, it was a wise move to cut our dependence on British imported rifle powder. There is the possibility that a few rifles may exist with an 1807 lock but none have surfaced as of this writing. (17) Many collectors contributed information on existing military contract short rifles in the 1803 & 1804 range. 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. It is a great tribute to these early mountain men from which much of the information in this footnote is taken. (6) The Spanish administered the French speaking colony. May 2006, Vol 32, No.2, written my Jim Merritt from our research. If we look at what Lewis took from Harpers Ferry, we can see he planned for exactly 30 men 15 with short rifles and 15 with muskets. built under US government contract by Lancaster, PA gunsmiths.
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