The original sight on SN 15 still had blueing on the underside. 1800) prototypes. 100). 351; Vol. Second is a the very long-standing misplaced faith in the 1822 reconstructed Bomford records indicating that no short rifles (even prototypes) were made in 1803. 14 & 68. Lewis knew that much time was going to be spent in canoes, and that the hunters would be shooting buffalo, elk, bears and other large game. It was from his post in Pittsburgh that he enlisted in Waynes Second Sub-Legion in May of 1795 and joined the Chosen Rifle Company of elite riflemen-sharpshooters commanded by William Clark. (12) Jackson, op. 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. Dearborn's letter specifies in great detail the type of rifle the armory 265. 30. Barrel makers seldom marked their product in this period and if they did (as in later periods), it was on the bottom of the barrel. 30, 120, 208, & 250. He is credited in Arms Makers of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Woods & Whisker, Pg. 1803 Harpers Ferry Rifle. and Don Stith and represents a replica crafted on the features Vol 2, Pg. In additional correspondence of February 4,1792, barrel lengths of 42 were requested with 40 balls to the pound (.49 caliber bore). Lewis, June 18, 1806 ..we sent them a rifle which we offered as a reward to any of them who would engage to conduct us to travellers rest..(30), Clark, June 18, 1806 We dispatched Drewyer and Shannon to the Chopunnish Indian in the plains beyond the Kooskooske in order to hasten the arrival of the Indians who promised to accompany us, or to precure a guide at all events and to join us as Soon as possible. According James S. Stubblefield then took over final assembly inspection and carry his script V/JS final inspection cartouche. He immediately went to work for John Strode, manager of Rappahannock Forge in Virginia where he became renowned for his gunlock skills. 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. A second contract rifle has been identified, the 1807 Contract Rifle, which has different specifications than the weapons of 1792 and 1794. But for the precaution taken in bringing on those extra locks and parts of locks, in addition to the ingenuity of John Shields, most of our guns would at this moment be entirely unfit for use; but fortunately for us I have it in my power here to record that they are all in good order.. Such lists are both incomplete and inaccurate; they omit arms from years when existing specimens show that they were made; and they exaggerate the number made there during certain years by incautiously jumbling Model 1800 rifles, Snipper rifles, Wallpieces, Whale guns, and barrels only which were furnished both to contractors and to militia companies, all in one list. . The highest serial numbered 1803 rifle we could confirm is 318. Bullet molds had to be supplied with each rifle, requiring the soldier to cast his own balls for his rifle and work up a proper powder charge with whatever powder was supplied at any given time. Frank A. Tait, "The U.S. Contract Rifle Pattern of 1792," MAN AT ARMS Magazine, Vol. Our findings on the ball size were finally substantiated to our satisfaction by a book Colonial Frontier Guns, by T.M. Heating the brazing to change the pipe would have caused the solder (which melts at a lower temperature) to release the rib from the barrel. Since the Army ordered only 4,000, the additional 15 were Lewiss rifles. needed rifles like the one Lewis had procured for the expedition, and This reproduction example was made by Virginia-based gunmakers Al Edge and Don Stith and represents a replica crafted on the features found on the surviving examples. We believe this was done to handle DuPonts new domestic rifle powder introduced in 1807 and called FFFg by 1808. ************************************************************************, The Lewis and Clark Harpers Ferry Short Rifle, Manufactured by Richard H. Keller & Ernest E. Cowan, Great War Militaria, Chambersburg, Pa. 17201. Only by studying the documents surrounding the origin of a weapon and original specimens themselves can a production timeframe be concluded. Private Willards mishap of letting his gun fall in while crossing Boyers river on a 25-foot log would not have occurred. Conversions to percussion and reconversions back to flint was not a factor in this study. It was converted to percussion and bored smooth for continued use. Top is SN 909, bottom is SN 1 of our rifles built on SN 15 rifle pattern. A wax plug was driven the full length of the barrel and then measured for the true size. The use, or lack of use, of certain terminology in descriptions was intentional, all being proper for his day. Shooting a copy of this rifle has proven this correct, giving well over 30 shots between cleaning. Logic tells us that they would not have given up another full-length rifle when another cut one was available. Lewiss task was to explore and map this region as well as collect unknown flora and fauna. Standardization of calibers was something Lewis certainly calculated when settling on only two types of weapons muskets and short rifles, requiring only two caliber balls. to the records in Lancaster, these were .49 caliber weapons, with a Dearborn makes no comment of interchangeability of locks for the military rifles, making this feature unique to Lewiss fifteen rifles. When that supply was exhausted, they went to the round-bottom rifling with 36 barrel for reasons also explained in the story. Examination of rifles from this period confirms this phenomenon, to the point that they were omitted from many American made muskets of the Revolution. It, being suitable for priming also, speeds up the loading process. Seventeen gunsmiths delivered 2,000 rifles by November 1794. At that time it had no lock. It is a well- balanced and a fine example of the long rifle makers work. The condition of the rifle indicates very hard, long use. (5) To begin to unravel the controversy surrounding the type of rifle carried on the Voyage of Discovery, we need to examine how the short rifles appeared on the scene. locks and spare lock parts for each rifle. Lower photo: 1803 dated rifle SN 15 with its straight pipe. Americans along the Mississippi, especially the new State of Kentucky, were furious and the United States overtly began preparations for war (saber rattling) over this issue in early 1803. The full 90-grain charge had excessive recoil and did not group quite as well (but all stayed on the black). Vol. and fit them with new locks. Sometime in 1804 breech contour became octagon rather than round (and continued to end of all production) to possibly reinforce this area. As it progresses it will become obvious as to which lock plate dates belong which guns by serial number blocks. It was there that he became fast friends with his new commander during their short time together. This entry is significant in that it was made 4 months before any rifles were shortened by Shields. cit./Table D) The totals agree from two different sources, giving credibility to 4,015 total production. In 1794 George Rogers Clark went so far as offer to lead a military expedition on a state level to take these forts by force of arms. What becomes immediately apparent is that Dearborn is describing an existing rifle, in hand, in order to have such a detailed description for Perkin. In battle, they often provided advance skirmish support and as individual sharpshooters, inflicted casualties at long range upon opposing enemy officers. According to tradition his body was returned to his wife who buried him on a bluff overlooking the Missouri river near New Haven, Missouri. All rights reserved. The Rifle Shoppe, Inc. - US Arms - 1800 US Short Rifle (Lewis and Clark Model 1792 riflemans horn(our desination). * 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. (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. They were so special that Harpers Ferry built the militarys first sniper rifle in 1814 specifically for the best of these men as the force was increased. of powder each and(contain) 8 of lead. All these early 1803 rifles have had the other two December 1803 changes applied flat sight and the stock ferrule. 33-35. It proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Harpers Ferry Arsenal made short rifles in 1803, going against all previous beliefs. His rifle was never unloaded and always carried at the trail or advance on his right side. From the study of just Lewiss rifle (and other 1803 dated rifles we located) his records can conclusively be disputed. ). climate, plants and animals, and the customs and languages of It was caused by measuring across the muzzle of the rifle where it is swamped (tapered) to allowed a ball to be started into the muzzle with the thumb a characteristic found on our early long rifles but most adopted from British Pattern 76 rifle that was undoubtedly examined during the initial design phases of out M1800 rifle. Reference #2 & #9: There are 4 sun inserts on the stock, one in front of the patchbox, one on the cheek rest and one on each side of the forend stock. I included it to show that the lettering was all hand stamped on his 15 rifles. We can only guess what happened to the patch box cover. Most saw hard use and abuse, with minor parts being replaced as needed and thus may not be marked to the gun. Harpers Ferry was quite capable of building his 15 short rifles between March and July of 1803, as well as completing a substantial number of military contract rifles in the same year. Trade guns, with their octagon breech and round barrels were prone to burst at the muzzle if overcharged.
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