Civil War Carbine Question

[w10085]

I'm looking to pick up a Civil War carbine to both collect and shoot. What is the best choice from a shooting aspect? I have a Spencer with a centerfire breechblock and I'm working on reloads. I also have a Sharps converted to 50-70 that is very accurate and I already reload 50-70 for several rifles. From what I have read it really leaves a Smith, Burnside or a Maynard as the easily obtainable shootable carbines. What is your opinion and why? Thanks in advance for any help.

[jonnyo55]

Most CW shooters like the Smith as it uses easily obtainable plastic cartridges. You might also find one of the Sharps carbines that were arsenal converted after 1865 to .50-70...

[Shooter5]

Don't get a Gallager!

[w10085]

Thanks for the info. I had a typo. I have the Sharps and It is my favorite right now.

[JB White]

I shoot a Pietta/Smith and in a pinch I can load it with .520 round balls. I did need to add a taller front sight though, but it's a nice shooter, easy to load for, and easy to maintain.

[Dick Hosmer]

While not precisely CW, except for the split-breech models, you might consider an 1867 Remington Navy carbine. There seem to be quite a few around to choose from, it has a very strong action, and is in a caliber (.50-45) which can use shortened .50-70 brass. I have no personal experience with that exact model, but do have other, contemporary, rolling blocks made at Springfield.

[Brad]

I know a man with a Burnside that he was thinking of selling.
Thats all I know for now, but will get you his contact info if you are interested?

[70ish]

Burnsides need a unique, brass case for loading. I think they (cases and carbines) are available, but I don't know the details. Taylor's Firearms is making reproductions of the 1865 Spencer in 44-40 and in 56-50 and you can buy either caliber from Ten-X and, maybe others, but it ain't cheap. If you want to make your own ammo, the Smith's might be the most commonly available for both cases and balls if you want to stay with percussion. I would hesitate to use your Sharps even though 50-70 ammunition is available, too, for fear of damage to an original piece since the Sharps can be a little more expensive than an original Burnside. Besides, the 50-70 is a post war cartridge. If you don't want to use a reproduction carbine, you might be able to find an original Joslyn (Model 1864 is a little more readily available) and it can use the same 56-50 TenX ammo as the Spencer - I think that's right, but you need to check. The Spencer used a couple different cartridges during the war years between the Model 1860 and Model 1865 and has always been confusing to me.

[JimF]

Funny I should just come across this thread . . .

I'm about to go out the door, to my local gun shop, to look at a Palmer carbine.

I believe there were only 1,001 made, so no wonder I've never seen one "in the flesh".

I'm more than a little curious!

I think they are all caliber .44 . . . correct?? --Jim

[70ish]

They were all in .50 cal, I'm pretty sure, and they weren't available for the army until after the Civil War ended.

[Southron]

The reproduction Smith Carbines are just plain "Fun, Fun, Fun" to shoot. They are also easy to reload as you can purchase nylon "cartridge cases" for a decent price from Lodgewood Manufacturing [you can Google their website.] The cases are good for a hundred or so reloads.

Reloading is simple for a Smith, simply drop a little piece of toilet paper in the case to close the flash hole at the bottom. Then dump the black powder in and push a lubed lead bullet in the case with your thumb and "Presto" you have a loaded round!

The "Rolls Royce" of all reproduction carbines are the Pedersoli replica of the New Model 1859 Sharps Carbine. Off the bench at 100 yards mine will place 5 bullets in one hole in the target. They are extremely accurate. Their sight is also superior to the Smith as you can tap the rear sight back and forth in its dovetail to adjust "Windage." For "Elevation" you have a flip up ladder.

The only problem is that making ammo is a hassle. I prefer to make my paper cartridges out of Ladies Hair Curling Papers as they are cheap, cut to the right size and burn up completely without being nitrated.

Most Pedersoli Sharps Carbines will "lock up" from powder fouling after about a dozen rounds are fired. I did an "O" Ring job where one grinds down the rear projection of the Lawrence Gas Check Plate so you can place a Neoprene "O" Ring behind the projection. That seals the Gas Plate Check and the rest of the breech block so well that you can fire 75 to 100 rounds before fouling becomes an issue.

Check out:

www.n-ssa.org/

The North-South Skirmish Association conducts both Individual and rapid fire,Team Matches using Civil War Carpines.

[Southron]

The most accurate replica CW carbine out there is the Pedersoli New Model 1859 Sharps Carbine. The two hassles are that you to make up combustible, paper Sharps cartridges out of Ladies Hair Curling Papers takes time, plus you have to do a "Neoprene O Ring Job" to the breechblock to prevent fouling from locking up the action.

Romano makes high quality replicas of the Maynard Carbines (and others) that are accurate:

http://www.romanorifle.com/

[Southron]

Having shot both original and replica percussion Smith and Sharps Carbines in N-SSA competition since the 1970's, I highly recommend the Pedersoli replica New Model 1859 Sharps Carbine with the "O Ring" job to the breech block. The "O Ring" job will allow you to fire between 50 and 75 rounds rapid fire before the breech block gets difficult to operate due to a build up of black powder fouling.

Both carbines can be exceptionally accurate, but the Sharps has the "edge" in accuracy. Especially when you make combustible paper cartridges using Ladie's Hair Curling Papers.

One of the most FUN, FUN, FUN at N-SSA Skirmishes are the Carbine Team Matches. The rules are simple-your carbine must be either an original military issue arm or a replica that is a single shot and is ignited by a percussion cap. The two most popular replicas are the Smith Carbine made by Pietta and the replica 1859 and 1863 Sharps made by Pedersoli and other manufacturers.

Most Regional Skirmishes use a 5 man carbine team but at the Nationals, eight man carbine teams are used. The object is simple-your team must clear all of the targets on your target frame IN THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TIME. Scoring is by time elimination. The targets are "Breakable" targets like clay pigeons hung on a frame at 50 yards, clay pots, hanging, water filled Styrofoam coffee cups, etc.

Just scroll down the page below to learn more about the N-SSA Carbine Team Matches:

http://www.n-ssa.org/n-ssa-shooting-events.html

[musketjon]

I shoot an original Smith Carbine in CWSA competition. My ex- loved her Burnside. The worst part of shooting the Burnside is the cost of the brass casings. They're $4 a pop and that adds up and gets expen$ive in a very short amount of time.
Jon

[mhb]

than that.
The best of the type is the Erma-Gallagher repro, originally made in Germany, but now discontinued.
It has the fastest rifling pitch of any of the original or repro CW carbines (1 in 16"), and the barrels were made from surplus 13.2mm machinegun barrels.
The brass cartridge cases are readily available, and the best bullet I've found for it is a modified .54 maxi-ball, with a rebated rear band. the bullet diameter is .540", which is perfect for the bore, wide grease grooves, and fits snugly in the case mouth.
The Erma-Gallagher is the most accurate of the repro CW carbines I've shot, and more accurate than any of the originals I've shot - which is most of them.
If you can find one of these, I think you'd be more than pleased with its accuracy.

mhb - Mike