AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: edwardc on December 12, 2015, 07:08:20 AM
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i am wanting to build a small collection of representative type guns from the following periods or conflicts
revolutionary war brown Bess or tower of course for the British side
but what would a good rifle be for the colonists period correct. or was it common for the colonists to use british guns
war of 1812 both sides of course
civil war i already have a harpers ferry 1842 date for the north ? but may be too early for actual civil war use
but what would be a good gun for the south or is there one gun
pre cartridge period
any opinions appreciated
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For the American side, in the Rev War, I think a New England fowler would by a good pick. That is probably what a farmer, standing on the green at Concord would own.
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For the Rev War an American made rifle, a Committee of Safety musket and a fowler would be a fantastic grouping. But the rifle and COS musket would be price prohibitive, so I agree an early fowler would be good.
Al
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I almost forgot, an American COS "type" musket might be the best overall choice. They are out there and normally quite reasonable but- you have to make sure it's a Rev war period gun and not a later militia musket.
Al
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You could kill two birds with one gun. Buy your self a Virginia Militia Rifle, a lot of them were used in the War of 1812 & the Civil War...Of course the ones used in the Civil War have been converted to percussion..
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nothing specific comes up when i search for Virginia militia rifle is there a style or type ??
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Rev. War....the counterpoint to the Bess would be the Charleville musket...and it became the basic pattern for American muskets for years to come. Not American made....but American used...and iconic....when you see a classical painting of continental troops...they are usually carrying a Charleville.
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nothing specific comes up when i search for Virginia militia rifle is there a style or type ??
See 9B-021 & 9B-022 oh, page 611
https://books.google.com/books?id=THeWYkwoLSUC&pg=PA610&lpg=PA610&dq=1808+contract+for+rifles+virginia+militia&source=bl&ots=rjQpdbgcyx&sig=B13w18uJdJ5Y4K1gIJMyzFMYqPo&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj8i8TV_9fJAhVGHx4KHWc4B7wQ6AEIUDAJ#v=onepage&q=1808%20contract%20for%20rifles%20virginia%20militia&f=false
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wow !! those are some pricey guns i think its going to be a while before i get one of those in my little collection
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wow !! those are some pricey guns i think its going to be a while before i get one of those in my little collection
Yep, money is a big issue with the collection you have in mind. You'd be better off starting at about the civil war, even that will be expensive if you bring it to modern day.
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well i like to think i have a pretty good start on the more modern guns
as far as civil war and before i do have a couple of nice ones
a 1842 harpers ferry and an 1844 springfield both pretty god cond
with the springfield i saved it from a fate worse then death some local idiot was going to drill up the stock from the butt plate to the barrel and through the breech plug and turn it into a floor lamp
i could not believe it !!
but i always have to remember some folks just don't care about old guns like i and i suspect most on here do
but at this point i still need a certified civil war period gun
the top 2 will take care of the Mexican American war period
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edwardc -the Virginia militia rifle is more commonly called the Virginia Manufactory Rifle. The Virginia Manufactory made muskets, pistols and swords and were used in the war of 1812 and converted to confederate service. Then the Richmond 1862 rifle was being mad in Virginia
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you folks have all given me some great info on what to look for and what to avoid
guess when i move my wife and i to tenn i will have some serious looking to do
out here in the south west i have Never run across anything even close
its mostly cart guns etc
i lucked out on the rifles i posted about above at a garage sale
something that almost never happens