1) Standard ammunition for these stats is a round ball fired from a smooth or mildly-rifled (very slow twist) barrel.

2) A standard ammunition “case” for blackpowder rounds consists of enough balls and powder for 50 shots of ammunition. 

3) “Cases” of balls and shot weight 2 kg per “case: One measure of powder weighs 0.02 kg, and one ball weighs 0.02 kg. Magnum powder loads take 2 loads of powder per shot.  A Minie Ball weighs 0.05 kg per shot.  A rifled ball weighs 0.03 kg per shot.

4) Use base range, and increase rifled weapons’ range by 1.5 times; however, increase loading times by two steps (so 1/6 would become 1/8). This is for rifled balls only, and simulates the difficulty in ramming the ball down the barrel.  Such a weapon can also fire standard balls; in this case, the increase in damage and range does not apply.

5) This increase in loading time does not apply to inline firearms or rifles firing Minie Ball or similar types of rounds.  If something like a Minie Ball or inline rifle is used, double range (ranges for inlines will already be doubled in the stats below). 

6) If a blackpowder weapon has a rifled barrel and is designed for rifled balls, increase cost by 1.5 times.  If designed for something like a Minie Ball, increase costs by 1.9 times.  (Inlines double costs, but this is already figured in the stats below.)

7) If a blackpowder weapon is designed to fire rifled balls, increase range by 1.5 times. 

8) If the weapon is an inline or designed to fire Minie Ball-type rounds, double range.

9) Some rifles are stressed for magnum loads, and are given in the stats below, If a magnum load is loaded into a non-magnum firearm (standard loads are designed to take a man down), increase damage by one point and go the next level of penetration, but the weapon is 5% likely (cumulative) to be damaged per shot. 

10) Buck-and-ball shots give two extra 1d6-damage rounds per shot and the extra balls otherwise act like a shotguns and use shotgun rules, but range is reduced to 0.75 times normal.

11) Weapons given in their description as “rifles” will have their range adjusted in the stats, unless stated otherwise in the description.

 

These rules are preliminary, especially the weight figures for powder and balls.

 

1763/1766/1777 Charleville Musket

     Notes: This Musket is a modern reproduction of Charleville Musket produced for several decades in the 1700s.  Today, it is sold through Cabela’s, Dixie Gun Works, and Navy Arms.  It comes in several barrel lengths, but is unwieldy in any form.  The stock is a straight-wristed stock, with a modicum of room to shoulder the weapon and furnished with a flintlock mechanism.  Furniture is of hardwood and metal parts are of polished steel.  Sights consist of brass studs above the barrel and action, but these are low and not very precision sights.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Charleville Musket (44” Barrel)

.69 Blackpowder

3.7 kg

1 Internal

$278

Charleville Musket (44.5” Barrel)

.69 Blackpowder

3.96 kg

1 Internal

$387

Charleville Musket (44.75” Barrel)

.69 Blackpowder

3.97 kg

1 Internal

$388

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Charleville Musket (44”)

1/12

2

1-Nil

9

3

Nil

36

Charleville Musket (44.5”)

1/12

5

2-3-Nil

10

5

Nil

46

Charleville Musket (44.75”)

1/12

5

2-3-Nil

10

4

Nil

48

 

1803 Harper’s Ferry Rifle

     Notes: this is a modern reproduction of the old Harper’s Ferry Rifle, and is sold today through a number of outlets such as Dixie Gun Works and Navy Arms.  The Harper’s Ferry Rifle is a faithful reproduction of the old version, with an old stock design of walnut and a holder at the bottom of the barrel in the fore-end for the ramrod.  Ignition is by flintlock, and the stock widens into a half-stock ahead somewhere between a quarter and a third of the way down the barrel. Metalwork (except for the barrel) is largely of brass, though the lock and trigger are of color case-hardened steel, and the ramrod of steel.  The barrel is semi-heavy; it starts as a heavy octagonal barrel, but tapers to a round barrel towards the muzzle.  Sights essentially consist of a raised nib above the muzzle.  Barrels can be had in either 35 inches or 35.5 inches.  The Harper’s Ferry Rifle is designed to fire rifled balls (this is in the stats below).

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Harper’s Ferry Rifle (35” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder

3.86 kg

1 Internal

$612

Harper’s Ferry Rifle (35.5” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder

4.31 kg

1 Internal

$620

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Harper’s Ferry Rifle (35”)

1/8

3

2-Nil

8

3

Nil

74

Harper’s Ferry Rifle (35.5”)

1/8

3

2-Nil

8

3

Nil

75

 

1855 British Pattern Sharps

     Notes: In the mid-19th Century, Great Britain was basically the major arms dealer of the time.  Also known as the “Yankee Sharps,” the 1855 British Pattern Sharps was tested extensively by the US military; 12 rifles were basically shot to death, after which the War Department deemed them fit for its troops and a major order was made.  Large amounts of these rifles served on both sides of the Civil War, though they were in the process of being replaced by the Union.  The .577 round was the British service cartridge of the time, and that was what the 1855 British Pattern Sharps was chambered in.  Ignition was by the Maynard tape system; this used a roll of nipple primers that were advanced along by the shooter to prime each round.  Though it sounds innovative, the fact was that the tape got soggy in the elements and soldiers often found themselves priming the rifle normally, one nipple at a time, like any other rifle.  The soggy tapes were also a good way to lose primers, by having them drop off due to the wetness of the tape.  No one knows why the War Department was willing to go along with the Maynard tape system, but probably since they had made such a large investment, they felt obligated to use the rifle and its deficient tape system.

     Early 1855 Sharps rifles were easy to load, due to exacting tolerances.  These were manufactured primarily by the British, with some US license production.  Later construction became a bit sloppy, and they became harder to load cleanly, because the paper part of the cartridge would wad up unevenly.  There were three barrel lengths to the 1855 Sharps -- a short 19.15 inches, a longer 21.25 inches, and a long 39 inches, all round barrels.  The first two resulted from the War Department order, while the third and longest was primarily used by civilian hunters and to a small extent, sharpshooters.  Stocks are of walnut; both British and American walnut can be found.  Sights are a ladder-type rear and a small, round blade front.  Metalwork is blued.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

1855 Sharps (19.15” Barrel)

.577 Blackpowder

3.35 kg

1 Internal

$363

1855 Sharps (21.25” Barrel)

.577 Blackpowder

3.43 kg

1 Internal

$395

1855 Sharps (39” Barrel)

.577 Blackpowder

4.02 kg

1 Internal

$893

 

Weapon

ROF*

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

1855 Sharps (19.15” Barrel)

1/5

4

2-Nil

5

4

Nil

58

1855 Sharps (21.25” Barrel)

1/5

4

2-Nil

6

4

Nil

64

1855 Sharps (39” Barrel)

1/5

4

2-Nil

9

4

Nil

111

*This is when the Maynard Tape System is working.  If it isn’t (or the shooter is simply using individual nipples), ROF is 1/6.

 

1859 Sharps

     Notes: This is a modern reproduction of a pre-Civil War rifled musket designed to fire Minie Ball-type projectiles; the stats below reflect this.  These modern reproductions are sold by Dixie Gun Works, Navy Arms, and Taylor’s.  Construction is largely of steel (better-quality steel than was available in 1859) and the gun has a silver blade front sight and a flip-up rear sight.  The barrel has a blued finish and most of the rest of the external metalwork has a color case-hardened finish.  The fore-end has three military-type bands (except on the carbine, which has one).  Though not standard, a double set trigger is available.  This reproduction of the 1859 Sharps is available, like the original in two forms: a rifle version, with a 30-inch barrel, and a carbine version, with a 22-inch barrel.  Lockwork and ignition is by percussion.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

1859 Sharps Rifle

.54 Blackpowder Minie Ball

4.2 kg

1 Internal

$644

1859 Sharps Carbine

.54 Blackpowder Minie Ball

3.63 kg

1 Internal

$608

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

1859 Sharps Rifle

1/6

3

2-Nil

7

3

Nil

67

1859 Sharps Carbine

1/6

3

2-Nil

6

3

Nil

89

 

1861 Springfield

     Notes: This is a faithful reproduction of the rifle that armed so many sharpshooter Union troops at the beginning of the Civil War.  These reproductions are sold by Dixie Gun Works, Pedersoli, Navy Arms, and Taylor’s. As such, the furniture is walnut; however, in a bow to modern manufacturing methods, the steel used in this reproduction’s manufacture is of better quality than that used so long ago.  The barrel is of natural metal finish, as is most of the metalwork.  This rifle has sling swivels, and a very long rifled 40-inch barrel (which is reflected in the stats below, so no adjustments are necessary).  This reproduction is designed for Minie Ball-type projectiles (or modern equivalents of them). The 1861 Springfield reproduction is drilled and tapped for a scope; however, the type of scope the drilling and taping is designed for is a reproduction of scopes of the period, and a modern scope (or any other optics) will not fit in this drilling and tapping. Reproduction scopes vary in capabilities, but a standard sort of scope for the period is as long as much of the length of the barrel and gives a magnification of about 3x. Ignition is by percussion.  The iron sights are a steel blade in the front, and a 2-leaf rear for use at two different spreads of ranges.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

1861 Springfield

.58 Blackpowder Minie Ball

3.97 kg

1 Internal

$1011

1861 Springfield (with Scope)

.58 Blackpowder Minie Ball

4.65 kg

1 Internal

$1211

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

1861 Springfield

1/6

4

2-Nil

9

4

Nil

51

 

1863 Remington Zouave

     Notes: Another reproduction of a common Civil War weapon, this weapon is a musket and does not have a rifled barrel.  Like many other such reproductions, it is sold by Dixie Gun Works, Navy Arms, and Taylor’s.  It has walnut furniture, a brass plate on either side of the buttstock, a blued 33-inch barrel, and a color case-hardened hammer, trigger, and lock.  The sights consist of a leaf rear and a blade front.  Ignition is by percussion.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Remington Zouave

.58 Blackpowder

4.31 kg

1 Internal

$287

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Remington Zouave

1/6

4

2-Nil

9

4

Nil

34

 

1863 Sharps

     Notes: This is a reproduction of another common late-Civil War weapon, today sold by EMF, IAR, and Taylor’s.  The 1863 Sharps came in several sizes from carbine to long rifle size.  The 1863 Sharps was sort of an intermediate step between cartridge firearms and muzzleloading weapons – the 1863 Sharps was loaded by stuffing the Minie Ball, powder, and wadding into the breech of the weapon instead of into the muzzle and cramming it down, though ignition is by percussion.  This made it very easy to make the 1863 Sharps a rifled weapon, which is taken into account in the figures below and no conversions are necessary.  In addition, this reduced the loading time of the 1863 Sharps.  Features of the reproduction version are walnut furniture, a blade front sight, and a rear notch sight which is dovetailed in and therefore allows for limited windage adjustments.  Regardless of barrel length (which may be 22, 28, 30, or 32 inches), the barrel is an octagonal heavy barrel.  The reproduction also has a set trigger, which some versions of the original 1863 Sharps had.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

1863 Sharps (22” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder Minie Ball

3.74 kg

1 Internal

$521

1863 Sharps (22” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder Minie Ball

3.85 kg

1 Internal

$529

1863 Sharps (28” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder Minie Ball

3.98 kg

1 Internal

$644

1863 Sharps (28” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder Minie Ball

4.1 kg

1 Internal

$650

1863 Sharps (30” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder Minie Ball

4.06 kg

1 Internal

$684

1863 Sharps (30” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder Minie Ball

4.18 kg

1 Internal

$692

1863 Sharps (32” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder Minie Ball

4.13 kg

1 Internal

$725

1863 Sharps (32” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder Minie Ball

4.25 kg

1 Internal

$733

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

1863 Sharps (22” Barrel, .50)

1/5

3

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

80

1863 Sharps (22” Barrel, .54)

1/5

3

2-Nil

6

3

Nil

83

1863 Sharps (28” Barrel, .50)

1/5

3

1-Nil

7

2

Nil

101

1863 Sharps (28” Barrel, .54)

1/5

3

2-Nil

7

3

Nil

105

1863 Sharps (30” Barrel, .50)

1/5

3

1-Nil

7

2

Nil

105

1863 Sharps (30” Barrel, .54)

1/5

3

2-Nil

7

3

Nil

111

1863 Sharps (32” Barrel, .50)

1/5

3

1-Nil

7

2

Nil

111

1863 Sharps (32” Barrel, .54)

1/5

3

2-Nil

8

3

Nil

117

 

3-Band/2-Band Enfield Musket

     Notes: This is another modern reproduction of an old weapon, this time an unrifled musket commonly used by British troops during the American Revolution and Napoleonic Wars.  Whether the fore-end has two or three retaining bands depends on the barrel length; in general, shorter barrels use two bands, and longer barrels use three.  This reproduction faithfully reproduces the stock style and shape, and the stock/furniture is of walnut.  Barrels are 31.5”, 33”, 39”, or 40”, and are blued and tapered.  Most other metalwork is brass.  The Enfield Musket has a steel blade front sight and a flip up rear sight is adjustable, though accuracy with an unrifled musket is questionable.  Ignition is by percussion.  Modern reproductions are made by a variety of companies both in the US and overseas and sold by Dixie Gun Works, Navy Arms, and Taylor’s.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Enfield Musket (31.5”)

.58 Blackpowder

3.76 kg

1 Internal

$376

Enfield Musket (33”)

.58 Blackpowder

3.87 kg

1 Internal

$391

Enfield Musket (39”)

.58 Blackpowder

4.24 kg

1 Internal

$436

Enfield Musket (40”)

.58 Blackpowder

4.3 kg

1 Internal

$464

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Enfield Musket (31.5”)

1/6

4

2-Nil

7

5

Nil

32

Enfield Musket (33”)

1/6

4

2-Nil

8

4

Nil

34

Enfield Musket (39”)

1/6

4

2-Nil

9

4

Nil

40

Enfield Musket (40”)

1/6

4

2-Nil

9

4

Nil

42

 

AH Waters Contract Musket Model 1842

     Made in Milbury, MA, this musket is based on the Springfield Model 1842, but produce3d in the private Armory of AH Waters, with less than 100 produced for friends and family; later, they were given up to a Massachusetts company just forming.  They were produced in roughly 1844 and 1845.  The Type I had an iron buttplate, while the Type II  had a highly fancy engraved brass buttplate known as a Sea Fencible buttplate. Most of the Type I metalwork was dull iron, while the Type II had all-brass metalwork.  The Type I and II were identical for game purposes. In both cases, the steel 42-inch barrel was finished brown.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

AH Waters Contract Musket

.69 Blackpowder

4.69 kg

1 Internal

$199

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

AH Waters Contract Musket

1/6

5

2-3-Nil

8

5

Nil

35

 

Austrian Model 1842 Long Rifle

     Notes: Used in the American Civil War early in the conflict by some Union units, the Model 1842 was huge -- .70-caliber musket ball, and over 147 centimeters in length.  As sold, the Model 1842 fired using an unrifled bore, but later in the war, they were rifles and changed to firing Minie Balls.  There were three models, Infantry, Cadet, and Engineer's.  This and the change to a rifled bore made for a total of six models. They original used a flintlock ignition, but this was quickly changed to a percussion ignition.  Minie Ball-firing rifled variants make three more, for a total of nine subtypes. The Infantry Models' barrels were an astounding 43.5 inches long.  The cadet model had a 40.125-inch barrel; the engineer model had a 36.375-inch barrel.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Austrian Model 42 (Infantry Model, Unrifled)

.71 Blackpowder

5.02 kg

1 Internal

$254

Austrian Model 42 (Cadet Model, Unrifled)

.71 Blackpowder

4.79 kg

1 Internal

$237

Austrian Model 42 (Engineer Model, Unrifled)

.71 Blackpowder

4.54 kg

1 Internal

$218

Austrian Model 42 (Infantry Model, Rifled)

.71 Blackpowder

5.02 kg

1 Internal

$401

Austrian Model 42 (Cadet Model, Rifled)

.71 Blackpowder

4.79 kg

1 Internal

$381

Austrian Model 42 (Engineer Model, Rifled)

.71 Blackpowder

4.54 kg

1 Internal

$326

Austrian Model 42 (Infantry Model, Minie Ball)

.71 Blackpowder

5.02 kg

1 Internal

$483

Austrian Model 42 (Cadet Model, Minie Ball)

.71 Blackpowder

4.79 kg

1 Internal

$450

Austrian Model 42 (Engineer Model, Minie Ball)

.71 Blackpowder

4.54 kg

1 Internal

$392

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Austrian Model 42 (Infantry, Unrifled)

1/7

5

2-4-Nil

10

5

Nil

46

Austrian Model 42 (Cadet, Unrifled)

1/7

5

2-4-Nil

9

5

Nil

43

Austrian Model 42 (Engineer, Unrifled)

1/7

5

2-4-Nil

8

5

Nil

39

Austrian Model 42 (Infantry, Rifled)

1/7

5

2-4-Nil

10

5

Nil

69

Austrian Model 42 (Cadet, Rifled)

1/7

5

2-4-Nil

9

5

Nil

64

Austrian Model 42 (Engineer, Rifled)

1/7

5

2-4-Nil

8

5

Nil

59

Austrian Model 42 (Infantry, Minie)

1/7

5

2-4-Nil

10

5

Nil

88

Austrian Model 42 (Cadet, Minie)

1/7

5

2-4-Nil

9

5

Nil

77

Austrian Model 42 (Engineer, Minie)

1/7

5

2-4-Nil

8

5

Nil

70

 

Austrian Model 1849 Long Rifle

     Notes: Though labeled a long rifle, the Model 1849's barrel is relatively short at 36.38 inches. It is a modification of the Model 1842, and fired Minie Balls.  The Austrians sold/smuggled thousands to Giuseppe Garibaldi's rebels in Italy; so many that this rifle is often called a Garibaldi Rifle. 26,201 were also sold to the Union forces in the Civil War, where they too were often referred to as Garibaldi Rifles.  The barrel is browned and is octagonal, tapering to round.  When transferred to the Union, they were fitted with a new breech and bolster, as many were worn out.  The rifling was also re-done.  There were many more 1849 rifles in the Civil War than Model 1842s. The Minie Ball fired by this rifle is huge, and dealt horrible wounds.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 1849 Long Rifle

.71 Minie Ball

5.59 kg

1 Internal

$533

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 1849 Long Rifle

1/7

5

2-4-Nil

9

5

Nil

110

 

Austrian Model 1854 Long Rifle

     Notes: A smaller-caliber and much lighter version of the Model 1849, these rifles were referred to as Lorenz Rifles after their designer  at the Vienna National Armory.  The barrel is smaller at 39.375 inches, and this makes the entire rifle smaller.  (Of course, the massive damage of a Garibaldi Rifle was lost...) The Lorenz Rifle was used by both sides in the American Civil War, and during the war, it replaced the Garibaldi Rifle on the Union side.  The Union side referred to them as Lorenz Rifle-Muskets, and bought at least 250,000 of them; the Confederate side simply called them Lorenz Rifles, and bought 100,000 of them.  Metalwork finish is bright iron, with a browned barrel; wood used is European Walnut.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 1854 Long Rifle

.54 Minie Ball

4.55 kg

1 Internal

$472

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 1849 Long Rifle

1/7

3

2-Nil

9

3

Nil

103

 

Baker Rifle

     Notes: Officially known as the Pattern 1800 Infantry Rifle, the Baker Rifle became one of the official British Infantry weapons.  The British Army had seen officers laid low left and right in the American Revolution, and in fighting Europe and India.  They had also seen the power of American rifles in the hands of relatively untrained (though disciplined) troops.  Development began soon after the American Revolution, and continued until and through 1800 and the Napoleonic Wars. The rifle is named after the first to give a (partially) effective design, Ezekiel Baker. 

     COL Coote Manningham was hands on from the beginning. Baker’s design was based on Prussian rifles, the parts of which required precise and meticulous machining.  Manningham suggested the Prussian Jager Rifle as an example, but the result was a rifle that was too heavy for British Infantry standards.  The third design was a start-from-scratch; it was essentially a standard Infantry Musket with a rifled barrel. It was .75-caliber and has 8 grooves in its 32-inch bore; this was given the title of Provisional Infantry Rifle and issue started, but Manningham suggested that Baker shorten the barrel by two inches and neck down to .625-caliber.

     Operation was by flintlock; the weapon looked good in trial, but in practice, talking a ball, powder and wadding down a deeply-rifled 30-inch barrel could take considerable forcing and gritting of the teeth; at first, troops using the new rifle were issued small mallets, until stronger ramrods were made.  (And this only got worse as the grooves got fouled!) The stock had a raised cheekpiece to put the soldier into as natural position as possible.  The cock was swan-necked, and a ridiculous bayonet was issued for the Baker Rifle; it was a “sword bayonet” – and a real shortsword, complete with quillons and hilt guard! Like many “new” weapons of that time, it had a compartment for storing oiled patches, cleaning compound, etc.

     The major variation was a carbine version with a 24-inch barrel, and one for the Duke of Cumberland’s Corps of Sharpshooters with a 33-inch barrel. Other changes are, for game terms, minor or aesthetic.

     These are the stats for a real Baker Rifle – I have not been able to discover whether anyone is making reproductions or if there firing examples.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Baker Rifle

.625 Blackpowder

4.08 kg

1 Internal

$536

Baker Carbine

.625 Blackpowder

3.8 kg

1 Internal

$445

Baker Sharpshooter

.625 Blackpowder

4.15 kg

1 Internal

$583

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Baker Rifle

1/7

4

2-3-Nil

7

4

Nil

91

Baker Carbine

1/7

4

2-3-Nil

6

4

Nil

74

Baker Sharpshooter

1/7

6

2-4-Nil

8

4

Nil

99

 

Ball Repeating Carbine

Notes: This was meant to be one of the standard weapons of the Union Army. But before any could be issued, the Civil War was over, and as a result only the first batch of 1002 were taken into issue.  Designed by Albert Ball of Worcester, MA, Ball lacked the facilities to manufacture his carbine and they were actually manufactured by Lamson & Company of Windsor, Vermont (which also made Palmer carbines.  The operation was odd; the chamber was split into two parts, with the lower version lifting the round into the upper chamber. This worked quite well when new, but accuracy and jamming resulted when the parts became worn.  The .56-50 Spencer cartridge was designed for use by the Union Army, as this was one of the new cartridges chosen by the government, but later commercial sales were made, and for this purpose, the Ball Repeating Carbine was chambered in .44 Long Rimfire cartridge.  Note that the Spencer is also a rimfire round. The magazine is a tubular under-barrel magazine, and is actuated by a lever which doubles as a trigger guard.  The left side of the receiver, attached to the receiver, is either a robust saddle ring or a sliding lug. The carbine had a stock and fore-end are of walnut; the fore-end has a two-thirds length.  The drop on the stock is very pronounced. I have not been able to discern whether there are modern replicas of this carbine.

     Notes: Though the barrel is relatively very short, today a longarm with a 20.5-inch barrel would be considered a full-size rifle. The barrel has a round profile and is blued. The Ball uses a tubular magazine in the buttstock; the ejection port doubles as a loading port for the magazine. The trigger guard is also used to cock the rifle. The stock is in two pieces, joined by the action and receiver. Metalwork was primarily blued, with the exception of the brass central barrel band and the buttplate.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Ball Repeating Carbine

.56-50 Spencer

4.9 kg

7 Tubular

$498

Ball Repeating Carbine

.44 Henry Rimfire

4.22 kg

7 Tubular

$333

      

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Ball Repeating Carbine (.56-50)

LA

3

2-Nil

6

2

Nil

55

Ball Repeating Carbine (.44)

LA

2

1-Nil

6

2

Nil

50

 

Ballard Cartridge Rifle

     Notes: Like many such "variant" rifles which were not actually government issue in the Civil War, the Ballard .44 was a falling block breechloading single-shot rifle fed by metallic-cased cartridges (as in many such early rifles, rimfire). Though troops had been buying such rifles with their own money since they became available (or relatives back home shipped them to the troops), about 18,000 of these rifles were bought by Kentucky to equip one division of troops.  They used a blued octagonal 30-inch barrel, with a front sight blade and a rear adjustable leaf.

     The remaining versions differ primarily in caliber and minor details such as barrel bands and bayonet socket. In addition, the Type II version of the .46-caliber rifle had a slightly longer, 30.125-inch barrel.

     A carbine version of this rifle was also made, but few were actually made.  115 were actually delivered to the Kentucky Militia, and used on the Confederate side during the Civil War.  These were built by Dwight & Chapin, who sent bankrupt before they could make any more.  Most of the rest were built from 1863 onward, and were built by Ball & Williams.  Some were made from parts made by Dwight & Chapin; these carbines have both Dwight & Chapin and Ball & Williams markings, though all the latter did was to assemble the parts. It had only one iron barrel band, and the rear sight was a folding leaf-type, with post front sight. It had a 20.69-inch round barrel.

     The Ballard Carbine, US Contract Type I was one of the first metallic cartridge rifles deliberately the result of a request from the War Department, though only 1500 were produced. Most were produced for use by Kentucky units in March-August of 1864.  It has a half-octagonal barrel 20.31 inches long, which is blued (along with almost all of the metalwork. The rear sight is a pierced leaf, and the front sight a dovetailed blade.

     The Ballard Carbine, US Contract, Type II was for the most part similar to the Type I.  It has an interesting feature, however; a split breech block with a percussion cap nipple, enabling the firing of metallic cartridges or Minie Ball cartridges. Its barrel is 20.185 inches.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Ballard .44 Rifle

.44 Ballard Rimfire (Blackpowder)

3.86 kg

1 Internal

$386

Ballard .46 Rifle

.46 Ballard Rimfire (Blackpowder)

3.72 kg

1 Internal

$369

Ballard .46 Rifle (Type II)

.46 Ballard Rimfire (Blackpowder)

3.73 kg

1 Internal

$370

Ballard .54 Rifle

.54 Ballard Rimfire (Blackpowder)

3.82 kg

1 Internal

$421

Ballard Carbine

.44 Ballard Rimfire (Blackpowder)

3.18 kg

1 Internal

$529

Ballard Carbine, US Contract Type I

.44 Ballard Rimfire (Blackpowder)

3.19 kg

1 Internal

$528

Ballard Carbine, US Contract Type II

.44 Ballard Rimfire (Blackpowder)

3.25 kg

1 Internal

$527

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Ballard .44 Rifle

SS

3

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

87

Ballard .46 Rifle

SS

2

1-Nil

7

2

Nil

72

Ballard .46 Rifle (Type II)

SS

2

1-Nil

7

2

Nil

73

Ballard .54 Rifle

SS

4

2-3-Nil

8

4

Nil

90

Ballard Carbine

SS

3

1-Nil

5

3

Nil

55

Ballard Carbine, US Contract Type I

SS

3

1-Nil

5

3

Nil

55

Ballard Carbine, US Contract Type II

SS

3

1-Nil

5

3

Nil

54

Ballard Carbine, US Contract Type II (Minie Ball)

1/4

2

1-Nil

5

3

Nil

47

 

Bavarian Model 1842 Rifled Musket

     Notes:  It is a mystery just how these rifled muskets got into the hands of Union troops during the Civil War.  Their construction was ordered by the Bavarian Foreign Minister  in Amberg.  There was considerable correspondence between the Foreign Minister and the US Secretary of War. Though Union purchasing agent Marcellus Hartley commented in one of his letters that Bavarian arms were available, no importation or purchase orders have ever been uncovered. 

     These were originally built as muskets, and later the barrels were rifled with a rather tight rifling pattern.  They became the first percussion weapons made in Bavaria.  The barrel has three retaining bands; just behind the front one on top is a blade front sight; the front band has a sling swivel on the bottom.  The rear sight is normally a simple notch mounted on an iron block, but some with hinged rear leaf sights have been found.

     Barrel length is 42.19 inches.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Bavarian Model 1842

.70 Blackpowder

5.92 kg

1 Internal

$399

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Bavarian Model 1842

1/7

3

2-Nil

10

3

Nil

67

 

Black Powder Products 209

     Notes: The Model 209 is a modern take on the blackpowder rifle, an inline, which means that it is breech-loaded.  The stock is synthetic; it is normally black, but can be bought with one of several camouflage patterns.  The breech plug is stainless steel, and most of the rest of the metalwork is of modern carbon steels.  However, the ramrod and cocking spur are of aircraft-quality aluminum.  Finish for the external metalwork may be blued or nickel-plated.  The standard sights are a fully adjustable rear sight and a front sight that is drift-adjustable, dovetailed in so that it is removable, and has a fiberoptic insert.  The rear sight is in the “scout” position, at about the center of mass of the rifle.  As this weapon is rifled, the range below takes this into account and do not need to be modified.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 209 (24” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder

2.72 kg

1 Internal

$1142

Model 209 (26” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder

2.8 kg

1 Internal

$1220

Model 209 (29” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder

2.91 kg

1 Internal

$1344

Model 209 (24” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

2.74 kg

1 Internal

$1158

Model 209 (26” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

2.82 kg

1 Internal

$1238

Model 209 (29” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

2.93 kg

1 Internal

$1292

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 209 (24” Barrel, .45)

1/5

2

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

112

Model 209 (26” Barrel, .45)

1/5

2

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

116

Model 209 (29” Barrel, .45)

1/5

2

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

132

Model 209 (24” Barrel, .50)

1/5

3

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

116

Model 209 (26” Barrel, .50)

1/5

3

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

128

Model 209 (29” Barrel, .50)

1/5

3

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

142

 

Bridesburg 1861 Rifle Musket

     Notes: First, let’s get this out of the way – this is a musket and is not rifled; some muskets with long barrels were called rifles.  This was one of the primary battle rifles of the Union forces; it was introduced in 1861 and reached a peak of 5000 units per month, enough that a second factory was needed for production.  Bridesburg itself was a subcontractor of Springfield Arms.  The barrel was an astounding 40 inches long; sights consisted of a rear two-leaf ladder-type sight and a peep sights for when the leaf sights were folded or for close range shots.  The firing mechanism uses percussion.  Stock and fore-end construction was largely of black walnut and had an enlarged stock and a more natural position for the wrist. The end of the stock is curved to fit the shoulder and is capped by a serrated steel plate.  The external metalwork are all in bright natural metal.

     When that new factory was opened in 1863, Bridesburg took the opportunity to improve their design. The weapon had three barrel retaining bands which were attached by spring retainers, allowing the shooter to better remove and clean the weapon’s barrel. There were also minor improvements to the hammer, rear sight. For game purposes, it is identical to the 1861 model.

     Even with the second factory, Bridesburg found it necessary to farm out manufacturing to several other firms.  By the end of the Civil War, about 100,000 examples of the Bridesburg Rifle Musket were manufactured.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Bridesburg 1861 Rifle Musket

.58 Blackpowder

4.3 kg

1 Internal

$454

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Bridesburg 1861 Rifle Musket

1/12

4

2-Nil

9

4

Nil

23

 

British Pattern 1853 Rifle-Musket

     Notes: One of the most common rifles on both sides of the Civil War, the Confederates imported about 400,000 of these rifles and the Union about 505,000.  It was nominally .577 caliber, but both sides in the Civil War used .58 Minie Balls in them.  They were made in both London, England and Liege, Belgium.  It is the best-known imported weapon of the Civil War.  These were produced from 1853-1866. There were four types of the Pattern 1853, but the only one imported to the US or Confederates was the third version.  It had three barrel bands tightened with screws and a thick, strong ramrod.  Barrel was 39 inches.

     The Suhl Enfield Rifle-Musket is copy in all respects of the Pattern 1853.  Enfield subcontrated to Suhl, but Suhl outsourced the actual manufacturer to private manufacturers.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Pattern 1853

.58 Minie Ball

5.99 kg

1 Internal

$485

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Pattern 1853

1/7

4

2-Nil

9

3

Nil

106

 

Brown Bess

     This is a faithful modern reproduction of the musket that most British troops carried in the American Revolution, as well as numerous colonial wars and part of the Napoleonic War.  The stock is designed to look like the original stock, which means that it is elongated and has a high comb.  The stock and furniture is of walnut.  The barrel is of polished steel, but most metalwork on the Brown Bess is brass.  The front sight is a steel stud, but the Brown Bess has no rear sight.  The Brown Bess uses flintlock ignition, like the original.  Barrels may be 30, 30.5, or 42 inches long, and are not only smoothbore, but have a polished bore.  Modern reproductions come from a variety of sources, but are sold by Dixie Gun Works and Navy Arms.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Brown Bess (30” Barrel)

.75 Blackpowder

3.4 kg

1 Internal

$378

Brown Bess (30.5” Barrel)

.75 Blackpowder

3.42 kg

1 Internal

$383

Brown Bess (42” Barrel)

.75 Blackpowder

3.9 kg

1 Internal

$500

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Brown Bess (30” Barrel)

1/12

5

2-4-Nil

7

6

Nil

36

Brown Bess (30.5” Barrel)

1/12

5

2-4-Nil

7

6

Nil

36

Brown Bess (42” Barrel)

1/12

5

2-4-Nil

9

6

Nil

48

 

Burnside Carbine

     Notes: Though this carbine was produced from 1857-1865, it is more like a modern inline in function, firing a .54-caliber special cone-shaped cartridge; it is breechloaded, and fired by a percussion cap, and uses blackpowder.  The unique cone-shaped bullet sealed the joint between the barrel and the breech, eliminating a vexing problem with breechloading blackpowder firearms, in which the gun vented hot gasses through the gap afore mentioned.  Despite winning a War Department rifle competition to be one of the Union Army’s standard firearms, the conditions of the competition changed when the Civil War started, and the Burnside Carbine was bumped back to number three in priority, behind the Sharps Carbine and Spencer Carbine.  As the war went on, a problem with the Burnside Carbine proved to have a sometimes inopportune problem: the cone-shaped bullet tended to get stuck in the breech after firing.  In addition, the Sharps and the Spencer fired from self-contained cartridges, allowing a greater magazine capacity and volume of fire.

     A little known story about the Burnside was that 7 Confederate cavalry units were equipped with the Burnside Carbine, sold to them before hostilities started. Many will know Ambrose Burnside as a Union General who really didn’t know what he was doing.

     The initial version, of which 250 had been made, had a 22-inch barrel, and the bullet was encased in thin copper rather than paper. A tape primer system was pulled through the top of the lockwork. Construction of the stock was of walnut with no buttplate, but there was no fore-end. External metalwork is case-color hardened, except for the blued barrel.  This was the 1st Model.  The 2nd Model had an improved breechblock which made loading faster and with the lock to open the breech contained inside the trigger guard.  Due to the improved breechblock, the barrel was shortened to 21 inches. The 3rd Model brought the long sought after fore-end, a barrel band to fasten the barrel to the fore-end, and an improved hammer.  For game purposes and the firing table, the 3rd Model is identical to 2nd Model. The 4th Model features a spring-loaded breech which again simplifies and quickens reloading.  This was the definitive version, with 50,000 being built and issued.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Burnside Carbine (1st Model)

.54 Blackpowder Conical

4.31 kg

1 Internal

$627

Burnside Carbine (2nd Model)

.54 Blackpowder Conical

4.21 kg

1 Internal

$487

Burnside Carbine (3rd Model)

.54 Blackpowder Conical

4.63 kg

1 Internal

$490

Burnside Carbine (4th Model)

.54 Blackpowder Conical

4.63 kg

1 Internal

$499

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Burnside Carbine (1st Model)

1/8

3

1-2-Nil

6

3

Nil

80

Burnside Carbine (2nd Model/ 3rd Model)

1/7

3

1-2-Nil

5

3

Nil

77

Burnside Carbine (4th Model)

1/6

3

1-2-Nil

5

3

Nil

77

 

Cabela’s Blue Ridge

     Notes: This is another non-specific replica of an early rifle, with anachronistic features such as an adjustable double set trigger and a blade front and V-notch rear sight.  The furniture is walnut, highly-polished.  The finish of the lock is color-case hardened, the barrel is blued, and the fittings are brass. The barrel is 39 inches, and locks are percussion or flintlock.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Flintlock)

.54 Blackpowder

3.52 kg

1 Internal

$659

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Percussion Lock)

.54 Blackpowder

3.52 kg

1 Internal

$689

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Flintlock)

.50 Blackpowder

3.44 kg

1 Internal

$653

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Percussion Lock)

.50 Blackpowder

3.44 kg

1 Internal

$683

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Flintlock)

.45 Blackpowder

3.4 kg

1 Internal

$648

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Percussion Lock)

.45 Blackpowder

3.4 kg

1 Internal

$678

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Flintlock)

.36 Blackpowder

3.34 kg

1 Internal

$641

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Percussion Lock)

.36 Blackpowder

3.34 kg

1 Internal

$671

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Flintlock)

.32 Blackpowder

3.27 kg

1 Internal

$638

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Percussion Lock)

.32 Blackpowder

3.27 kg

1 Internal

$668

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Flintlock, .54)

1/12

3

2-Nil

8

3

Nil

108

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Percussion Lock, .54)

1/6

3

2-Nil

8

3

Nil

108

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Flintlock, .50)

1/12

3

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

102

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Percussion Lock, .50)

1/6

3

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

102

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Flintlock, .45)

1/12

2

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

98

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Percussion Lock, .45)

1/6

2

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

98

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Flintlock, .36)

1/12

2

1-Nil

8

1

Nil

86

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Percussion Lock, .36)

1/6

2

1-Nil

8

1

Nil

86

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Flintlock, .32)

1/12

1

Nil

8

1

Nil

81

Cabela’s Blue Ridge (Percussion Lock, .32)

1/6

1

Nil

8

1

Nil

81

 

Cabala’s Kentucky Rifle

     Notes: Like most of the blackpowder rifles and muskets sold by Cabela’s, the Kentucky Rifle is more of a replica than a reproduction, following the general lines of an old-time muzzleloading rifle but having several features that such a rifle would not have and are more advanced than such a rifle.  The basic rifle has walnut furniture, with a blade front sight and a V-notch rear sight.  The finish is largely blued, with polished brass fittings.  The Kentucky Rifle is generally sold with a Starter’s Kit, as it is meant to be a beginner’s blackpowder rifle; this includes a basic cleaning kit, a small amount of powder and shot, and spare flints or percussion caps.  Flintlock and percussion cap ignition systems are available.  The barrel is 37 inches.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Cabela’s Kentucky Rifle (Flintlock)

.50 Blackpowder

3.18 kg

1 Internal

$623

Cabela’s Kentucky Rifle (Percussion Lock)

.50 Blackpowder

3.18 kg

1 Internal

$653

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Cabela’s Kentucky Rifle (Flintlock)

1/12

3

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

98

Cabela’s Kentucky Rifle (Percussion Lock)

1/6

3

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

98

 

Cabala’s Kodiak Express Double Rifle

      Notes: Like’s many of Cabela-sold designs the Kodiak Express Double rifle is essentially a modern replica of a non-specific old-type rifle.  The double barrels have double lockwork, though only one trigger. It comes only in percussion cap designs, with European walnut furniture, color-cased hardened lock, blued barrels, and blued fittings.  The Kodiak Express Double Rifle has double leaf rear sights and double ramp front sights.  Barrels are short for this sort of rifle at 25.25 inches.  The .72 Caliber version is often known as the Big Bore.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Cabela’s Kodiak Express Double Rifle

.72 Blackpowder

4.22 kg

2 Internal

$1545

Cabela’s Kodiak Express Double Rifle

.58 Blackpowder

3.83 kg

2 Internal

$1484

Cabela’s Kodiak Express Double Rifle

.54 Blackpowder

3.74 kg

2 Internal

$1472

Cabela’s Kodiak Express Double Rifle

.50 Blackpowder

3.66 kg

2 Internal

$1461

 

Weapon

ROF*

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Cabela’s Kodiak Express Double Rifle (.72)

1/12

5

2-4-Nil

10

6

Nil

145

Cabela’s Kodiak Express Double Rifle (.58)

1/12

4

2-Nil

10

4

Nil

128

Cabela’s Kodiak Express Double Rifle (.54)

1/12

3

2-Nil

10

3

Nil

124

Cabela’s Kodiak Express Double Rifle (.50)

1/12

3

1-Nil

9

3

Nil

118

*Reloading both barrels takes 12 phases.  Reload figure for one barrel is 6 phases. Both barrels may be fired at once; in this case double the damage and double the recoil.

 

Cabela’s Traditional Hawken

     Notes: This is a modern replica of the traditional Hawken rifle of yore, with walnut furniture and updated with a bladed front sight with an adjustable rear sight,  The rifle also has several anachronistic features such as a color-case hardened lock, a blued barrel, though it has a brass trigger guards and fittings. A Sportertized Cabela’s Hawken is also available, with a more up-to-date stock configuration and a rubber recoil pad.  Ignition is by flintlock or percussion lock.  Barrel length is 29 inches regardless of caliber or type.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Cabela’s Traditional Hawken (Flintlock)

.50 Blackpowder

4.08 kg

1 Internal

$501

Cabela’s Traditional Hawken (Percussion Lock)

.50 Blackpowder

4.08 kg

1 Internal

$531

Cabela’s Traditional Hawken (Flintlock)

.54 Blackpowder

4.18 kg

1 Internal

$507

Cabela’s Traditional Hawken (Percussion Lock)

.54 Blackpowder

4.18 kg

1 Internal

$537

Cabela’s Sporterized Hawken (Flintlock)

.50 Blackpowder

4.13 kg

1 Internal

$576

Cabela’s Sporterized Hawken (Percussion Lock)

.50 Blackpowder

4.13 kg

1 Internal

$606

Cabela’s Sporterized Hawken (Flintlock)

.54 Blackpowder

4.23 kg

1 Internal

$582

Cabela’s Sporterized Hawken (Percussion Lock)

.54 Blackpowder

4.23 kg

1 Internal

$612

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Cabela’s Traditional/Sporterized Hawken (Flintlock, .50)

1/12

3

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

78

Cabela’s Traditional/Sporterized Hawken (Percussion Lock, ,50)

1/6

3

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

78

Cabela’s Traditional/Sporterized Hawken (Flintlock, .54)

1/12

3

2-Nil

7

3

Nil

81

Cabela’s Traditional/Sporterized Hawken (Percussion Lock, .54)

1/6

3

2-Nil

7

3

Nil

81

 

Chassepot M-1866

Notes: The Chassepot, officially known as the Fusil Mle 1866, replaced a motley collection of breechloading rifles then in service with French forces.  It was the primary arm of the French forces during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71.  It was a great improvement to military rifles of the time, being the first bolt-action rifle adopted by a major military force.  It was manufactured by MAS, MAC, MAM, and MAT in France, and manufactured under contract in England and then delivered to the French Navy.  They were also manufactured in Belgium, in Italy, and Austria; all of these went to the French military.  Manufacture of the Chassepot continued until 1875. Chassepot rifles were responsible for most Prussian and German casualties during the Franco-Prussian War.

The first two prototypes of the Chassepot used cartridges, but instead of a primer, used a percussion cap to ignite the cartridge.  The third, successful prototype used a variant of the Dreyse Needle system; it had a rubber obturator on its bolt head to provide a more efficient gas seal.  The Chassepot used a smaller cartridge, but used a much higher powder charge than the Dreyse, even for the smaller-caliber projectile. This gave is more power, longer range, and a flatter trajectory than the Dreyse.  The sights on the Chassepot were graduated to 1600 meters (the maximum range of the Chassepot), while the Dreyse’s sights were graduated to its maximum effective range of 600 meters.  The barrel of the Chassepot was 32.5 inches. The cartridge of the Dreyse was, however, fully metallic, while the Chassepot used a wax-paper-patched cartridge that had only a metallic ring holding the primer.  It is often erroneously referred to as a combustible cartridge, but the case is ejected like any other sort of case; such ejected cases are almost never in any shape to be reloadable; in addition, using a reloaded Chassepot case is quite often dangerous.

Though the Chassepot gave excellent performance during the Franco-Prussian War, troops using them complained about fouling, due both to the wax in the cartridge and the black powder loaded in the cartridges.  In addition, the rubber bolt obturator tended to wear down quickly (though they were easily replaced by troops using them); this is a problem the Dreyse did not have.  To correct this, the Chassepot was modified into the Gras M-1874 rifle, and most Chassepots were also modified to the Gras standard (M-1866/74), though they kept the same barrel length of the M-1866.  Today, the M-1866/74 is the most common version of the Chassepot Rifle encountered. The Gras M1874 also used an 11mm centerfire brass full-metallic cartridge which approximated the Chassepot cartridge in metallic form, and also used black powder.  The Gras Rifle was also used by the Hellenic Army starting in 1877, and later by Greek guerilla units in their conflicts with the Ottoman Turks and Nazis, though these were later supplemented by arms shipments from the Allies.  The barrel of the Gras Rifle was slightly shorter at 32.3 inches.  A hopper could be fixed above the Gras Rifle’s breech, forming a sort of ad hoc magazine.  This accoutrement, however, tended to fall off, usually at the wrong moment, and was little-used.

As Germany and Prussia won the war, they captured about 665,000 Chassepot rifles, which were converted to 11.15mm Mauser metallic cartridges and shortened to carbine size with a 26-inch barrel, and issued to many German and Prussian artillery and cavalry units.  Some were also converted to the 11.5mm Bavarian Werder cartridge (uncommon even then) and issued to police or home guard units or sold to other countries.  This rifle was not considered especially gifted in range or power and was later withdrawn.

An odd variant of the Gras Rifle was designed by the Vietnamese General Cao Thang, who managed to almost faithfully copy the Gras Rifle, but did not have access to rifling equipment and so his copies were unrifled.  This, of course, limited their effective range and power.

The Chassepot is often known as the “French Needle Rifle.”

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Chassepot M-1866

11mm Chassepot

4.64 kg

1 Internal

$412

Chassepot M-1866/74

11mm Gras

4.64 kg

1 Internal

$412

Gras M-1874

11mm Gras

4.15 kg

1 Internal

$410

Chassepot M-1866 Carbine

11.15mm Mauser Rifle

3.86 kg

1 Internal

$339

Chassepot M-1866 German Rifle

11.5mm Bavarian Werder

4.64 kg

1 Internal

$401

Vietnamese M-1874

11mm Gras

4.15 kg

1 Internal

$274

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Chassepot M-1866

SS

4

2-3-Nil

8

4

Nil

128

Chassepot M-1866/74

SS

4

2-3-Nil

8

4

Nil

128

Gras M-1874

SS

4

2-3-Nil

8

4

Nil

127

Chassepot M-1866 Carbine

SS

4

2-3-Nil

6

4

Nil

92

Chassepot M-1866 German Rifle

SS

4

2-Nil

8

4

Nil

113

Vietnamese M-1874

SS

3

2-Nil

8

4

Nil

67

 

 

Cosmopolitan Rifle

     Notes: Fewer than 100 of these rifles were built between 1859-62.  It was used in combat in only the early parts of the Civil War, by one company of the 9th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The low numbers of production do not mean there was a problem with quality; the Cosmopolitan was high on the quality scale. It was a breechloader, firing a combustible case (ie, nitrated paper) driving a Minie Ball.  It used a 31-inch blued barrel, with a single wide barrel band and a retention ring near the muzzle of the rifle.  The bayonet was essentially a huge, long spike that fit over the end of the barrel and locked to the front sight.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Cosmopolitan Rifle

.52 Combustible Case (Blackpowder)

3.63 kg

1 Internal

$403

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Cosmopolitan Rifle

1/2

3

2-Nil

8

3

Nil

85

 

 

CS Richmond

     Notes: This is another reproduction of a Civil War musket, and as such has walnut furniture in a shape to conform to the original musket. The 40-inch barrel is polished steel, and most of the rest of the metalwork is brass, including a brass buttplate and fore-end cap, as well as three barrel bands.  The CS Richmond is equipped with sling swivels.  As with most such muskets, the CS Richmond is a rather large and cumbersome weapon of questionable accuracy.  Ignition is by percussion. Current reproductions are sold by Dixie Gun Works, Navy Arms, and Taylor’s.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

CS Richmond

.58 Blackpowder

4.76 kg

1 Internal

$454

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

CS Richmond

1/12

4

2-Nil

10

4

Nil

40

 

CVA Bobcat

     Notes: The Bobcat is a modern take on blackpowder rifles; the ignition is by percussion, but the stock can be of hardwood or synthetic, and is of modern design and form.  The Bobcat normally comes with fixed sights, but adjustable rear sights may be had.  The front sight is a blade rather than a simple post or bead.  Metalwork is finished in blue, and the barrel is a 26” octagonal heavy barrel.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

CVA Bobcat (Wood Stock)

.50 Blackpowder

2.72 kg

1 Internal

$317

CVA Bobcat (Synthetic Stock)

.50 Blackpowder

2.5 kg

1 Internal

$323

CVA Bobcat (Wood Stock)

.54 Blackpowder

2.78 kg

1 Internal

$316

CVA Bobcat (Synthetic Stock)

.54 Blackpowder

2.56 kg

1 Internal

$326

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

CVA Bobcat (.50)

1/6

3

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

52

CVA Bobcat (.54)

1/6

3

1-Nil

6

4

Nil

54

 

CVA Model 209

     Notes: The Model 209 is essentially a modern bolt-action-type rifle modified into a blackpowder weapon.  As such, it has contours that a modern shooter would find familiar, with a stock that has a slightly-raised comb, a checkered pistol grip wrist and fore-end, and modern-type sights (appropriate to the ammunition, of course) with Dura-Bright fiberoptic insets.  The stock may be of a natural wood finish, or may be composite with black or Mossy Oak finishes.  Metalwork is blued or nickel. Ignition in all cases is by percussion.

     The Optima Pro 209 is the base version, with a 29-inch barrel.  The Kodiak 209 Magnum is the same caliber, but stressed for heavier powder loads, and has a Stainless 209 breech plug; it has a 28-inch barrel.  The Buckhorn 209 Magnum uses heavier calibers as well as being stressed for heavier powder loads; it has a 24-inch barrel. The Firebolt 209 Magnum differs in using inline bolt action and having a recoil pad, as well as adjustable sights; it is also drilled and tapped for a scope.  The barrel is 26 inches, and it is stressed for a heavier powder load.  The Hunterbolt 209 Magnum is again stressed for a heavier powder load and uses inline bolt action.  The sights are adjustable and the barrel is 24 inches. (The Magnum versions use magnum powder loads in the stats below.)

     The Eclipse 209 Magnum and Stag Horn are similar, but the Eclipse is stressed for a Magnum load, and the Eclipse comes in black synthetic furniture while the Stag Horn comes only in black furniture.  Both have 24-inch barrels.  The iron sights have fiberoptic inserts, and the weapons are drilled and tapped for a scope.  Metalwork finish is blue in both cases.  Both use inline ignition and loading.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

CVA Optima Pro 209

.45 Blackpowder

3.99 kg

1 Internal

$671

CVA Optima Pro 209

.50 Blackpowder

3.99 kg

1 Internal

$679

CVA Kodiak 209 Magnum

.45 Blackpowder

3.4 kg

1 Internal

$650

CVA Kodiak 209 Magnum

.50 Blackpowder

3.4 kg

1 Internal

$658

CVA Buckhorn Magnum 209

.50 Blackpowder

3.18 kg

1 Internal

$577

CVA Buckhorn Magnum 209

.54 Blackpowder

3.18 kg

1 Internal

$585

CVA Firebolt 209 Magnum

.45 Blackpowder

3.18 kg

1 Internal

$610

CVA Firebolt 209 Magnum

.50 Blackpowder

3.18 kg

1 Internal

$618

CVA Hunterbolt Magnum

.45 Blackpowder

2.72 kg

1 Internal

$427

CVA Hunterbolt Magnum

.50 Blackpowder

2.72 kg

1 Internal

$433

CVA Eclipse 209 Magnum

.50 Blackpowder

2.72 kg

1 Internal

$433

CVA Stag Horn 209

.50 Blackpowder

2.72 kg

1 Internal

$433

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

CVA Optima Pro 209 (.45)

1/5

2

1-Nil

6

2

Nil

97

CVA Optima Pro 209 (.50)

1/5

3

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

103

CVA Kodiak 209 Magnum (.45)

1/5

3

1-1-Nil

6

2

Nil

113

CVA Kodiak 209 Magnum (.50)

1/5

3

1-1-Nil

6

3

Nil

100

CVA Buckhorn Magnum 209 (.50)

1/5

3

1-1-Nil

6

3

Nil

104

CVA Buckhorn Magnum 209 (.54)

1/6

3

1-2-Nil

6

3

Nil

109

CVA Firebolt 209 Magnum (.45)

1/5

2

1-1-Nil

6

3

Nil

106

CVA Firebolt 209 Magnum (.50)

1/5

3

1-1-Nil

6

3

Nil

112

CVA Hunterbolt Magnum (.45)

1/5

2

1-1-Nil

6

3

Nil

74

CVA Hunterbolt Magnum (.50)

1/5

3

1-1-Nil

6

3

Nil

78

CVA Eclipse 209 Magnum

1/5

3

1-1-Nil

6

3

Nil

78

CVA Stag Horn 209

1/5

3

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

78

 

CVA Mountain Rifle

     Notes: The Mountain Rifle is sort of a deluxe version for CVA, as well as being a more traditional version; it has a straight-wrist stock, and the stock is of Hardwood with UltraGrain finish, and it of more traditional profile.  Metalwork is blued.  The sights consist of a fixed rear notch and a blade front.  The barrel is 32 inches, and the ignition is by percussion.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

CVA Mountain Rifle

.50 Blackpowder

2.95 kg

1 Internal

$555

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

CVA Mountain Rifle

1/12

3

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

85

 

CVA Plainsman

     Notes: This is a more traditional CVA design, with a hardwood old-profile stock with a bead front sight and fixed notch rear sight.  The metalwork is mostly color-case hardened, except for the barrels.  The barrel is 26 inches, and ignition is by percussion.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

CVA Plainsman

.50 Blackpowder

4.08 kg

1 Internal

$309

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

CVA Plainsman

1/12

2

1-Nil

8

1

Nil

24

 

CVA St. Louis Hawken

     Notes: This is a more traditional pattern of blackpowder gun, with flintlock or percussion ignition and maple furniture.  The iron sights are a brass blade front and a brass peep fixed rear sight.  The metalwork is largely blued, but with some brass or black parts.  It does, however, have a set trigger.  Left-handed versions are available. Barrels are 28 inches or 32 inches.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

St Louis Hawken (28” Barrel, Flintlock)

.50 Blackpowder

3.63 kg

1 Internal

$325

St Louis Hawken (32” Barrel, Flintlock)

.50 Blackpowder

3.79 kg

1 Internal

$208

St Louis Hawken (28” Barrel, Flintlock)

.54 Blackpowder

     3.68 kg

1 Internal

     $164

St Louis Hawken (32” Barrel, Flintlock)

.54 Blackpowder

3.84 kg

1 Internal

$308

St Louis Hawken (28” Barrel, Percussion)

.50 Blackpowder

3.63 kg

1 Internal

$355

St Louis Hawken (32” Barrel, Percussion)

.50 Blackpowder

3.79 kg

1 Internal

$238

St Louis Hawken (28” Barrel, Percussion)

.54 Blackpowder

     3.68 kg

1 Internal

$194

St Louis Hawken (32” Barrel, Percussion)

.54 Blackpowder

3.84 kg

1 Internal

$216

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

St Louis Hawken (28”, .50, Flintlock)

1/12

3

1-Nil

7

4

Nil

50

St Louis Hawken (32”, .50, Flintlock)

1/12

3

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

56

St Louis Hawken (28”, .54, Flintlock)

1/12

3

2-Nil

7

3

Nil

54

St Louis Hawken (32”, .54, Flintlock)

1/12

3

2-Nil

7

3

Nil

60

St Louis Hawken (28”, .50, Percussion)

1/6

3

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

50

St Louis Hawken (32”, .50, Percussion)

1/6

3

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

56

St Louis Hawken (28”, .54, Percussion)

1/6

3

2-Nil

7

3

Nil

54

St Louis Hawken (32”, .54, Percussion)

1/6

3

2-Nil

7

3

Nil

60

 

CVA Youth Hunter

     Notes: As the name suggests, the Youth Hunter is designed for young teenagers first getting acquainted with blackpowder weapons.  The stock is therefore shorter in length of pull and has less of a drop in it, and the pistol grip radius has a smaller diameter.  The stock is hardwood and the barrel is a 24” octagonal heavy barrel. Sights are a bead front and a fully adjustable rear peep sight.  Finish of the metalwork is matte blue.  Ignition is by percussion.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

CVA Youth Hunter

.50 Blackpowder

3.29 kg

1 Internal

$296

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

CVA Youth Hunter

1/12

3

1-Nil

6

4

Nil

23

 

Dimick Plains Rifle

     Notes: For most part, Horace Dimicks business consisted of copying (by license) several other blackpowder designs, including muskets, breechloading rifles, and derringers. This includes his Plains Rifle, which was part of a number of plains rifles that were produced at about the same time (1849), and is essentially a Hawken with a slightly longer 32.5-inch barrel.  The long barrel is in what we would today call a full octagon pattern, which makes for a rather poorly-balanced firearm that is a bit muzzle-heavy.  It was, however, a decently accurate rifle, especially at long range, and more importantly, was a weapon that could be easily bought by settlers before they went out into the Great Plains (being made in St Louis also helped sales). It used the modern (for the time) percussion system, and of course the lockwork and firing system are identical to the Hawken.  The rifle is half-stocked, with a fore-end about a third the length of the barrel and ramrod holder.

     Very few manufacturers make the Dimick, and they are generally small companies.  Other manufacturers make parts, to allow one to build his own Dimick.  This means that a Dimick could be of almost any caliber, though a historically accurate one is .58 caliber.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Dimick Plains Rifle

.58 Blackpowder

3.63 kg

1 Internal

$579

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Dimick Plains Rifle

1/6

4

2-Nil

8

4

Nil

96

 

Dixie Kentuckian

     Notes: Made in Italy, the Dixie Kentuckian is an old-style flintlock weapon with a long 35.25-inch smoothbore barrel.  (A percussion ignition version is also made.) The stock is of the old type, made of walnut and with a dovetailed front sight and an open V-notch rear fixed sight.  The barrel, trigger, and other small metalwork is blued; the lockwork is color-case hardened.  The Dixie Kentuckian hearkens back to the days of yore and is made in a sort of replica of an old Kentucky rifle (though it is smoothbore).

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Dixie Kentuckian (Flintlock)

.45 Blackpowder

2.49 kg

1 Internal

$394

Dixie Kentuckian (Percussion)

.45 Blackpowder

2.49 kg

1 Internal

$424

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Dixie Kentuckian (Flintlock)

1/12

2

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

30

Dixie Kentuckian (Percussion)

1/6

2

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

30

 

East India Company Victoria

     Notes: First Issued in 1838, the Victoria was issued to most non-British troops of the British Empire.  It was also known as the Brunswick Rifle. Two calibers were used, both quite huge – .733 caliber and .704 caliber, with .704 being more common.  The Victoria first used a back action percussion system, which was quickly changed to a side-lock system.  The first two versions of the Victoria were muskets, but the 1853 version updated this to a rifled barrel; this rifle was even used by British Troops, and it is what is shown below. The barrel length is 26 inches and the barrel is round.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Victoria

.733 Blackpowder

4.03 kg

1 Internal

$504

Victoria

.704 Blackpowder

3.92 kg

1 Internal

$495

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Victoria (.733)

1/6

5

2-4-Nil

7

6

Nil

89

Victoria (.704)

1/6

5

2-4-Nil

7

6

Nil

86

 

Enfield British Pattern 1839 Musket

     Notes: Also known as the P-39, the Pattern 1839 was imported from Britain by both sides during the American Civil War, this is an unrifled musket which is almost as long as the Austrian Model 1842.  Some 10,000 were produced, mostly for export, and most of these exports went to the North and South during the American Civil War.  It was originally designed as a flintlock musket, both sides in the Civil War converted them to percussion ignition. The 41.25-inch barrel is secured to the stock by a single screw.  The P-39 was produced with no rear sight, though one will see many with a rear sight these days; they were added later on.

     An improved version of the Pattern 1839 was produced, called the Pattern 1842.  The hammer and keys were flattened.  A notch-type rear sight was added. The Pattern 1942 has no side plates; instead, the lock plate screws are directly in the rifle itself, secured by two locking washers. The P-42 was used by both sides in the Civil War. For game purposes. it is identical to the Pattern 1839.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Pattern 1839

.75 Blackpowder

5.06 kg

1 Internal

$247

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Pattern 1839

1/5

5

2-4-Nil

9

5

Nil

45

 

Navy Contract Musket

     Notes: These were old even by Civil War standards, being produced by AH Waters, and of unknown production numbers, though they produced many for the Massachusetts units. At first, they took the form of standard muskets of the period -- later modifications, done from 1842-51, These were performed in several arsenals to bring them more up to date. Modifications included Belgian cone percussion, with a nipple directly on the breech, as well a heavy brass, curved buttplate that was narrowed from the original specifications.  This is often called the "Massachusetts Militia" modifications. The barrel was 43.25 inches.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Navy Contract Musket

.69 Blackpowder

4.51 kg

1 Internal

$251

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Navy Contract Musket

1/6

5

2-3-Nil

9

4

Nil

45

 

French Model 1816 Rifled Musket

     Notes: Like many such rifles, this was originally s smoothbore flintlock.  It was later converted to a rifled musket, percussion-fired weapon.  The Union side acquired them in a roundabout way; the French retired these firearms as muskets, and the German state of Wurzenburg bought them as cut-rate prices..  They then did the conversion work.  They first converted the then-muskets to percussion, then rifled the bores.  They added long-range sights. Union purchasing agent Marcellus Hartley bought 2000 of these rifled muskets for the Union side, but bought them in Liege, Belgium. The barrel is a long 43.6 inches, a legacy of once being a musket.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

French Model 1816

.71 Blackpowder

6.01 kg

1 Internal

$410

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

French Model 1816

1/7

3

1-Nil

10

3

Nil

69

 

French Model 1857 Rifle-Musket

     Notes: Though designed in Impale, France, the manufacturing work was split between France and Liege, Belgium. Most of the lockwork was done in France, and the rest in Belgium.  These rifles were literally covered in proof marks, French and Belgian, then of the country it was imported to. The Model 1857 was the first longarm that the French officially adopted for the French Army.  The Model 1857 draws much from the Model 1842; in some cases (particularly the furniture), parts from the Model 1842 were used on the Model 1857.  The Model 1857 fired huge Minie Balls.  The US Ordinance Department rated the Model 1857 as a 2nd Class weapon, but it was used by some state militias so more modern weapons could be given to frontline troops. The barrel is 40.75 inches.

     The Model 1863 is a copy of the Model 1857, basically the same weapon except for the smaller caliber.  The US Ordnance Department rated it as a 1st-Class weapon, suitable for issue to frontline troops.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 1857 Rifle-Musket

.70 Minie Ball

5.88 kg

1 Internal

$565

Model 1863 Rifle-Musket

.58 Minie Ball

5.22 kg

1 Internal

$502

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 1857 Rifle-Musket

1/7

5

2-4-Nil

10

5

Nil

124

Model 1863 Rifle-Musket

1/7

4

2-Nil

10

4

Nil

110

 

St Etienne Model 1822 Musket

     Notes: This musket's design was by St Etienne, but it was produced at several arsenals, including Tylle, Charleville, and Mutzig. This musket was employed early in the Civil War by the Union side, though they were quickly replaced.  The Type I version was designed for Infantry, and the shorter Type II was carried by Voltiguers (Light Infantry.  Despite which model is used, it is a huge weapon, with the Type I having a 43.5-inch barrel, and the Type II having a 41.85-inch barrel.  They were original flintlock muskets, but were later converted to percussion ignition. Many were also rifled and used as sniper's weapons.

     The Model 1842 Musket is a later update of the Model 1822, with the Type I having a 43.69-inch barrel and the Type II having a 42-inch barrel. This was the first percussion firearm that the French Army adopted.  It was also adopted by Union side of the Civil War.  Later, the Model 1842s received rifled barrels. Some 147,000 were bought by the Union side in the Civil War.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 1822 Type I (Unrifled)

.71 Blackpowder

5.02 kg

1 Internal

$258

Model 1822 Type II (Unrifled)

.71 Blackpowder

4.91 kg

1 Internal

$246

Model 1842 Type I (Rifled)

.71 Blackpowder

5.02 kg

1 Internal

$381

Model 1842 Type II (Rifled)

.71 Blackpowder

4.92 kg

1 Internal

$371

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 1822 Type I (Unrifled)

1/6

5

2-4-Nil

10

5

Nil

46

Model 1822 Type II (Unrifled)

1/6

5

2-4-Nil

9

5

Nil

44

Model 1842 Type I (Rifled)

1/7

5

2-4-Nil

10

5

Nil

69

Model 1842 Type II (Rifled)

1/7

5

2-4-Nil

9

5

Nil

68

 

Gallagher Carbine

     Notes: The Gallagher Carbine, Standard Production  was originally designed to be a breechloading rifle using a combustible paper and foil cartridge or  a special copper-cased metallic cartridge, with ignition by a percussion cap.  Some 17000 were built and issued to some Union volunteer regiments, such as 2nd, 4th, and 6th Ohio, 13th Tennessee, and 3rd West Virginia. The paper and foil cartridge was dropped early in production and never issued.  Barrel length was 22 inches and virtually all metalwork was blued.  Reloading was done by pivoting barrel. After the Civil War, some were converted to other calibers or into shotguns.

     The Final Model was similar in many ways to the Standard Production, but designed for use only with brass cartridges. Some 5000 were built.  These were delivered to the War Department in May 1860, too late for the Civil War; half of them were sold to France in 1870.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Standard Production

.50 Copper Case (Blackpowder)

3.4 kg

1 Internal

$282

Final Model

.56-52 Spencer

3.4 kg

1 Internal

$285

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Standard Production

1/2

3

2-Nil

6

3

Nil

60

Final Model

SS

3

2-Nil

6

3

Nil

60

 

Gibbs African Hunter

     Notes: This is a hunting version of the old Gibbs Hunting Rifle, designed for hunting big game (in a day where metallic cartridges were not yet available). The rifle has ghost ring sights, adjustable for elevation and windage.  It is also surprisingly useful in low-light situations. Stocks are dark walnut, while the external is dark blued.  The barrel is 29 inches with anti-reflection checkering on top. Operation is percussion and the barrel is rifled. Standard load is a magnum load.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

African Hunter

.72 Blackpowder

4.2 kg

1 Internal

$364

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

African Hunter

1/6

5

1-2-Nil

7

4

Nil

92

 

Greene Rifle

     Notes: Designed and patented by LTC James Durrell Greene, the Greene Rifle was the first bolt-action firearm to enter US service in 1857.  However, the largest users of the Greene Rifle was the Russians, who bought 3000 of them in 1859. The Union bought 900 of them, but their only documented use was at the Battle of Antietam. Operation was an adaptation of the Dreyse Needle Gun; it had an underhammer bolt, and the percussion cap nipple is in front of the trigger guard,  The barrel was 35 inches, with three barrel bands; each band was over half an inch wide. The stock was oiled walnut, and behind the brass buttplate was a compartment for cleaning supplies.

     A shorter and handier carbine version of this rifle was also designed. It was also much more rare, with only 300 produced and sent to the War Department.  They do not appear to have seen any combat use in the Civil War, despite having been available, and that Greene was more than willing to make thousands of them for the Union. The 21-inch barrel was round and blued, and took a cartridge made of rolled, nitrated paper tipped with a Minie Ball. The front sight was a blade and the rear sight was designed for shooting at long ranges, like that of the Greene Rifle. A variant designed for the British Army was also made by Greene; this was the British Pattern Greene Carbine.  This is basically the same rifle, but with a short 18-inch barrel.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Greene Rifle

.54 Minie Ball (Combustible Cartridge)

4.48 kg

1 Internal

$806

Greene Carbine

.54 Minie Ball (Combustible Cartridge)

3.52 kg

1 Internal

$274

British Pattern Greene Carbine

.54 Minie Ball (Combustible Cartridge)

3.4 kg

1 Internal

$244

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Greene Rifle

SS

3

2-Nil

8

3

Nil

106

Greene Carbine

SS

3

2-Nil

5

3

Nil

55

British Pattern Greene Carbine

SS

3

2-Nil

5

3

Nil

46

 

Hall Breechloading Rifle Model 1819

     Notes: an old rifle at the time of the Civil War, the Hall was used primarily by the Confederates, and was made at the Harpers Ferry Arsenal starting in 1819 and continuing until 1838.  Some 10,229 were on hand on the Confederate side; the Union used 677, made at the Washington Federal Arsenal. It was a curious combination of obsolete and ahead of its time, using flintlock ignition, loading by opening the breech, and the use of a combustible paper cartridge. The 35-inch barrel fired round-ball shot and had a single mid-barrel band and an iron end-cap.  Finish for the metalwork was blued, while the stock was black walnut with a considerable drop in the stock.  There was a front bead sight and a notch rear side, with the notch on the right side to aim around the flintlock mechanism.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Hall Model 1819

.52 Combustible Cartridge

4.65 kg

1 Internal

$310

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Hall Model 1819

SS

2

1-Nil

8

2

Nil

47

 

Hall-North Carbine Model 1833

     This carbine was one of the first breechloading weapons adopted anywhere; it entered US service in 1834, with 7163 put into service.  They were used in the Civil War and the Mexican War. Loading was by a hinged receiver that opened upon actuating a spur latch at the rear of the fore-end.  The barrel was smoothbore and 26.1875 inches, and the combustible paper cartridge had a ball-type round attached to the front.  In the stock was a box containing tools appropriate for the carbine.  The barrel and most of the metalwork were iron finished with brown lacquer, except for the action, which was case-hardened iron.  Ignition was by percussion cap; the nipple was mounted directly onto the receiver.  To the rear of the lock plate, on the left side, was a sling ring.  A relic of the past, a ramrod was included, and the carbine could actually be muzzleloaded if necessary or desired; the breech was closed and kept closed during muzzleloading.  There were two types of this carbine: a .58-caliber version, built from 1834-1836; these 1028 were issued primarily to the 1st US Dragoons in the Arkansas Territory, and ended up on the Confederate side in the Civil War.  The second model was in .52 caliber and the 6135 were issued to the 2nd US Dragoons in Florida, and also were used by the Confederates in the Civil War.  A special run of 100 were issued to the militia unit in Mobile, Alabama and also used on the Confederate side in the Civil War.

     The Hall Carbine Model 1836 was also nearly identical to the Model 1833, and the 2020 built were also issued to the 2nd US Dragoons in Florida.  It too was a smoothbore carbine, with a round barrel 23 inches in length.  The sling ring was actually an eyebolt. on the left side of the wrist of the stock,  There were no barrel bands; the barrel was secured by pins. The Type I did not have an implement box in the stock, while the Type II, built from 1839-40, had it.  They are identical for game purposes.

     The Hall-North Model 1840 is similar to the Hall Model 1836 and the Model 1833, except that it came only in .52 caliber and had a shorter 21-inch barrel.  Virtually none had the implement box in the stock.  The spur-latch was changed in favor of two types of levers: an L-shaped lever, and a fishhook-shaped lever. 6501 were built.

     The Hall Model 1842 is identical to the Model 1840 for game purposes.  1001 were built, all of which went to the 1st US Dragoons.

     The Hall-North Model 1843 is identical to the Model 1840 for game purposes.  Differences include a thumb lever for operating the breech, a case-hardened breech, and a nipple mounted directly on the receiver.

     The Hall North Model 1843 Rifle is basically a Model 1843 with a rifled, heavier-caliber bore.  It has an interesting history: The entire production run of 5000 were not accepted by the War Department.  In 1861, General John Fremont bought the entire lot at a cut-rate price for his troops, and they served throughout the Civil War.  The US government started a corruption investigation after that deal, and it led to Fremont being removed from his command.  But his former unit kept the rifles.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Hall-North Carbine Model 1833 (First Model)

.58 Combustible Cartridge (Ball)

3.71 kg

1 Internal

$158

Hall-North Carbine Model 1833 (Second Model)

.52 Combustible Cartridge (Ball)

3.62 kg

1 Internal

$154

Hall Carbine Model 1836

.64 Combustible Cartridge (Ball)

3.52 kg

1 Internal

$145

Hall-North Carbine Model 1840

.52 Combustible Cartridge (Ball)

3.52 kg

1 Internal

$128

Hall-North Rifle Model 1843

.52 Combustible Cartridge (Ball)

3.74 kg

1 Internal

$196

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Hall-North Carbine Model 1833 (First Model, Breechloaded)

1/2

3

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

26

Hall-North Carbine Model 1833 (First Model, Muzzleloaded)

1/5

3

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

26

Hall-North Carbine Model 1833 (Second Model, Breechloaded)

1/2

2

1-Nil

6

2

Nil

36

Hall-North Carbine Model 1833 (Second Model, Muzzleloaded)

1/5

2

1-Nil

6

2

Nil

36

Hall Carbine Model 1836 (Breechloaded)

1/2

2

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

36

Hall Carbine Model 1836 (Muzzleloaded)

1/5

2

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

36

Hall-North Carbine Model 1840 (Breechloaded)

1/2

2

1-Nil

5

2

Nil

20

Hall-North Carbine Model 1840 (Muzzleloaded)

1/5

2

1-Nil

5

2

Nil

20

Hall Rifle Model 1843 (Breechloaded)

1/2

3

1-Nil

5

3

Nil

32

Hall Rifle Model 1843 (Muzzleloaded)

1/6

3

1-Nil

5

3

Nil

32

 

Hanseatic League Model 1840 Rifled Musket

     Notes: These rifled musket was imported from Hertburg, Germany to the Ohio Regiment of the Union forces.  Though it was originally designed as a musket, most were rifled in the 1850s.  Most metalwork was finished in bright metal while the barrel was browned. Stocks were European Walnut. Ignition is by percussion.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 1840 Rifled Musket

.70 Blackpowder

5.88 kg

1 Internal

$394

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 1840 Rifled Musket

1/6

3

2-Nil

10

3

Nil

66

 

Hawken Rifle

     Notes: This is a reproduction of the rifle that saw the passage from the long and heavy Pennsylvania rifles, to a group of rifles known as “Plains Rifles,” and the Hawken also marked the abandonment of the old flintlock ignition system for the more modern percussion method.  As such, it began the process of evolution of the rifle to what would come with the Civil War.  Several versions were available, from the original Rock Mountain Hawken available in about 1840, and the Missouri River Hawken, which generally used smaller calibers of ball.  The barrels included a 28”, 28.75”, 30”, 31”, and 32”, and they are heavy octagonal barrels with low blade front sights and adjustable notch rear sights.  Though the original Hawken had double set triggers, these are an option and not standard on most reproductions.  The barrel is blued, and the Hawken reproduction has a brass butt plate, patch box, wedge side plates, and nose cap.  Stocks are of walnut or maple.  This weapon is already a rifle; no range adjustment for using a rifled version is necessary; though rifled balls are used instead of Minie-type balls.  Details may vary between manufacturers; current manufacturers or distributers include Black Powder Products, Dixie Gun Works, TC Arms, and Traditions.

     Note that this Hawken reproduction is not related to the CVA St Louis Hawken except in generalized form.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Hawken (28” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder

2.95 kg

1 Internal

$639

Hawken (28.75” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder

3.1 kg

1 Internal

$645

Hawken (30” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder

3.13 kg

1 Internal

$662

Hawken (31” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder

3.19 kg

1 Internal

$684

Hawken (32” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder

3.25 kg

1 Internal

$707

Hawken (28” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

3.12 kg

1 Internal

$646

Hawken (28.75” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

3.29 kg

1 Internal

$652

Hawken (30” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

3.32 kg

1 Internal

$683

Hawken (31” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

3.38 kg

1 Internal

$690

Hawken (32” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

3.44 kg

1 Internal

$806

Hawken (28” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder

3.28 kg

1 Internal

$637

Hawken (28.75” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder

3.46 kg

1 Internal

$652

Hawken (30” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder

3.49 kg

1 Internal

$677

Hawken (31” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder

3.55 kg

1 Internal

$696

Hawken (32” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder

3.61 kg

1 Internal

$714

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Hawken (28” Barrel, .45)

1/8

2

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

62

Hawken (28.75” Barrel, .45)

1/8

2

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

65

Hawken (30” Barrel, .45)

1/8

2

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

66

Hawken (31” Barrel, .45)

1/8

2

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

67

Hawken (32” Barrel, .45)

1/8

2

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

70

Hawken (28” Barrel, .50)

1/8

3

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

65

Hawken (28.75” Barrel, .50)

1/8

3

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

66

Hawken (30” Barrel, .50)

1/8

3

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

70

Hawken (31” Barrel, .50)

1/8

3

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

71

Hawken (32” Barrel, .50)

1/8

3

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

73

Hawken (28” Barrel, .54)

1/8

3

2-Nil

7

3

Nil

68

Hawken (28.75” Barrel, .54)

1/8

3

2-Nil

7

3

Nil

70

Hawken (30” Barrel, .54)

1/8

3

2-Nil

7

3

Nil

72

Hawken (31” Barrel, .54)

1/8

3

2-Nil

7

3

Nil

75

Hawken (32” Barrel, .54)

1/8

3

2-Nil

7

3

Nil

77

 

Harpers Ferry/Springfield Model 1842 Musket

     Notes: The Harpers Ferry 1842 Musket and the Springfield 1842 Musket are essentially the same weapon, just built by different armories.  For the most part, they are different only in the markings on the musket; even the parts are interchangeable. However, some 1200 were made at Harpers Ferry with shortened, 33-inch barrels which were rifled. They had long-range sights and were made specifically for John Charles Fremont in 1847 for an expedition into South America.

     The Springfield-built versions were used in large numbers in the Mexican War, and black walnut stocks with bright metal finish on the metalwork.  These too had many that were made into rifles; the US designation for both was US Model 1942 Rifled Musket. Most of these Rifled Muskets were made around 1855.  The normal muskets had no rear sights.  Their barrels were 42 inches.

     These were all percussion weapons. The Confederate-produced B Flagg & Company Model 1842 Musket was a Confederate copy of the Harpers Ferry and Springfield models, though technically they were at a level below the Union models.  The Palmetto Armory made the same copy of the Union rifle.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 1842 Musket

.69 Blackpowder

4.2 kg

1 Internal

$245

Model 1842 Rifled Musket

.69 Blackpowder

3.67 kg

1 Internal

$734

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 1842 Musket

1/6

5

2-3-Nil

9

4

Nil

44

Model 1842 Rifled Musket

1/7

5

2-3-Nil

8

5

Nil

55

 

Harpers Ferry/Springfield Model 1855 Rifle-Musket

     Notes: These two rifles were essentially the same, even able to interchange parts.  They were manufactured in Massachusetts and in Harpers Ferry, VA (shortly to become West VA). 12,158 were built.  The Type I was the standard rifled musket; the Type II had long-range sights. On the Type III, the muzzle was iron instead of steel, and the brass backplate had an iron compartment in it to store upkeep supplies.  Barrel is 42 inches. Ignition is by percussion.

     The Whitney 1855 Rifled Musket is also essentially the same except markings, but it was built by Eli Whitney in Connecticut.  However, the barrel has seven rifling grooves instead of three. The Cadet Rifle Model 1858 is also very similar, but had a 39.75-inch barrel.  It is otherwise similar to the Type I.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 1855

.58 Blackpowder

4.2 kg

1 Internal

$344

Cadet Rifle Model 1858

.58 Blackpowder

3.68 kg

1 Internal

$300

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 1855

1/8

3

1-Nil

9

2

Nil

60

Cadet Rifle Model 1858

1/8

3

1-Nil

9

3

Nil

55

 

Henry Repeating Rifle

     Notes: The Henry was one of the first repeating rifles to be invented; it saw considerable use by the Union side and lesser use by the Confederate side (as Henrys were captured).  It was the most sophisticated small arm of the Civil War. The Henry was available in 1860, but the Union did not buy them, citing wasteful use of ammunition.  However, an increasing number of troops used their own pay to buy the Henry and its ammunition, at first primarily by cavalrymen, then by infantrymen.  Some were also bought by families back home and sent to their loved ones on the front lines. The Henry was a lever-action rifle, fed by an underbarrel tubular magazine -- a magazine-fed rifle was another innovation.  Operation was via a sliding breech block actuated by the lever/trigger guard, setting the pattern for lever-action rifles for a long time.  The action and receiver was brass. The sights were in what would later be called the scout position, with the rear adjustable leaf forward of the barrel attachment assembly and a front blade sight. The barrel was a blued octagonal 24-inch barrel, the stock was of oil-finished black walnut. Some 4000 Henry rifles made it to combat in the later stages of the Civil War, but large numbers of Henrys did to make it to combat until about mid-1863.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Henry Repeating Rifle

.44 Henry Rimfire (Blackpowder)

4.2 kg

15 Tubular

$748

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Henry Repeating Rifle

LA

2

1-Nil

6

2

Nil

62

 

Indian Trade Musket

     Notes: This is a modern reproduction of muskets produced by Pedersoli, Pennsylvania Longrifles, and some British companies.  The original Indian Trade Muskets were traded or given to friendly or allied Native Americans in colonial times or during the early days of the US government.  As such, this reproduction matches the design of the times; it has a full length stock of hardwood and a long, narrow stock.  Most metal fittings are of brass, with an oversized trigger guard.  The front sight is a simple blade; the rear sight has a limited amount of adjustability (primarily for drift).  Being a musket, the 35.25-inch barrel is smoothbore, and has a browned exterior finish.  Firing is by flintlock percussion.  The example presented here is a model sold by Cabela’s.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Indian Trade Musket

.62 Blackpowder

3.13 kg

1 Internal

$411

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Indian Trade Musket

1/12

4

2-3-Nil

8

5

Nil

23

 

Jenks Breechloading Rifle

     Notes: the Jenks Rifle was produced for the US Navy by NP Ames; all were delivered by 1844.  It is a rather primitive sort of breechloading weapon; it appears to have used the simplest breechloading mechanism possible.  One moves the breech-lever up, then slides it back, opening the breech.  One then put a measure of powder in the breech and a ball ahead of it, then closed the breech again.  Fit was tight enough to be the equivalent of ramming powder and ball with a ramrod like a muzzle loader.  On then cocked the hammer and put a percussion cap on the nipple.  This sped up loading time, but only just.  The barrel was 30 inches and browned.  The stock was black walnut.

     The Jenks Carbine was based on the Jenks Rifle, but featured a number of improvements that turned it into what almost led me to make it a separate entry. Approximately 4250 were built. The Carbine had a sliding breechblock, which opened the chamber for loading.  At this point, one could pour loose powder and a ball into the chamber, and when the breechblock was closed again, the entire round was tightly pressed forward.  A percussion cap was then loaded onto a nipple. One could also put a packet of nitrated paper and powder, and put a ball ahead of this, and then close the breechblock again, with a percussion cap mounted on the nipple.  Though this only just increased loading times, it was still an improvement, as was breech loading in general. The 24.5-inch barrel was browned and rifled.  Most had no rear sights, just a bead front sight.  Later improvements gave the Jenks Carbine a v-notch rear sight and a blade rear sight.

     The Janks-Remington Carbine was produced in numbers of about 1000.  They saw service in the Mexican War, but it is unclear how many or even if they saw Civil War service, and if so, on which side.  For game purposes, it is identical to the Jenks Carbine, but uses only the combustible paper powder packet and ball.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Jenks Rifle

.54 Blackpowder (Breechloading)

3.06 kg

1 Internal

$407

Jenks Carbine

.54 Blackpowder (Breechloading)

2.72 kg

1 Internal

$292

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Jenks Rifle

1/5

2

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

46

Jenks Carbine (Loose Powder and Ball)

1/5

2

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

35

Jenks Carbine (Combustible Case Powder)

1/3

2

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

35

 

JF Brown Target/Sniper Rifle

     Notes: This Minie ball-firing rifle was one of the first purpose-built sniper rifles designed.  Though designed in Massachusetts, it was used by both the Union and Confederate sides.  Perhaps the most striking feature of the rifle was its Amadon 3x scope which, due to the technological limitations of the time, was longer than the barrel itself.  Controls for the scope are at the rear, near the shooter’s eye. The firing system was by percussion and was a unitary, contained system – when disassembled for cleaning, the firing system came out in one piece.  The barrel was what would later be known as a bull barrel.  The rifle has no conventional sights, but there were conventional sights atop the scope. There is no fore-end, simply the bulk of the rifle’s barrel along with a cooling sleeve; the stock had a curved butt covered with serrated brass.  At the top of this buttplate was a compartment for various cleaning supplies. The barrel is 32.48 inches long, as said earlier, fires a modified Minie Ball through a hexagonal bore.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

JF Brown Target/Sniper Rifle

.45 Blackpowder Minie Ball

13.6 kg

1 Internal

$1091

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

JF Brown Target/Sniper Rifle

1/6

2

1-Nil

8

1

Nil

60

 

JH Krider Rifle-Musket

     Notes: These was a limited-edition rifle that fired an enormous Minie Ball .69 caliber.  It was issued only to certain Pennsylvanian militia troops who had extremely short terms of service and were unlikely to be called to frontline service, and only near the beginning of the Civil War.  It looks like a Springfield 1861, but has a larger, browned barrel instead of the smaller .58 caliber barrel. Metalwork was largely an alloy of iron and brass, except for the bayonet and barrel. Near the buttstock was a two piece patch box.  The lockwork was color-case hardened.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

JH Krider Rifle-Musket

.69 Minie Ball

7.19 kg

1 Internal

$551

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

JH Krider Rifle-Musket

1/7

5

2-3-Nil

10

3

Nil

121

 

Joslyn Carbine

     Notes: The Joslyn Carbine was a rifle that went through three iterations, each improving the rifle. The first version, the Model 1855, fired a Minie Ball which was loaded into the receiver attached to a nitrided paper powder envelope.  It used an unusual breech mechanism; one pulls the hammer back to half-cock position and slides a ring to the front of the receiver cover, at which point the cartridge is loaded into the breech, the receiver closed, a percussion cap placed, and the hammer pulled back to full cock.  The Model 1855 had a 21-inch blued barrel, brass metalwork except for the blued saddle swivel and its bar, and a case-hardened breech, breech lever, and lock.

     The next version was the Model 1862, which fired a metallic cartridge. It had a pivoting breechblock and a firing pin extension that allowed the hammer direct contact.  The 22-inch barrel is round and blued, with a front blade sight and a rear sight consisting of two leaf sights.  All of the metalwork was brass, with the lock plate being case-hardened.

     The third version was the Model 1864; it was surprising in its numbers, with 12,500 being built and issued to Union troops.  The brass metalwork was case-hardened, but otherwise, it is for game purposes identical to the Model 1862.  After the Civil War, in private hands, some were modified to fire different calibers and cartridges; at least two other chamberings are known to collectors. .52-56 Sharps was the military cartridge (though also used by civilians after the Civil War).

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 1855

.54 Minie Ball (Combustible Case)

3.29 kg

1 Internal

$256

Model 1862

.52-56 Sharps

3.01 kg

1 Internal

$285

Model 1864

.52-56 Sharps

3.01 kg

1 Internal

$285

Model 1864

.44 Henry

3.01 kg

1 Internal

$268

Model 1864

.58 Springfield

3.01 kg

1 Internal

$297

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 1855

1/2

2

1-Nil

5

3

Nil

38

Model 1862

SS

3

2-Nil

6

3

Nil

60

Model 1864 (.52-56)

SS

3

2-Nil

6

3

Nil

60

Model 1864 (.44)

SS

2

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

54

Model 1864 (.58)

SS

4

2-3-Nil

6

5

Nil

62

 

JP Murray Carbine

     Notes: The original JP Murray carbines were built by Murray’s facility; much of Murray’s output of these carbines were sold on the sly to the American Confederacy.  Some were, in fact, built under license in the Confederacy by Zoli; however, not many were built by the Confederates, as they suffered from a poor manufacturing base.  Most that were built in the Confederacy were built in Columbus, Georgia. A large number were also built in England, but assembled in the Confederacy; this allowed for parts to be separately delivered by small blockade running ships and boats.  The JP Murray Carbine has been said to be heavily based on the US Model 1841 Rifle, though there is the chopped barrel and other small differences.  The JP Murray Carbine was well thought of by Confederate troops due to it’s relatively small size, though it a bit muzzle-heavy, and heavy in general for such a short weapon.  The JP Murray Carbine fires Minie Balls (through a rifled barrel, of course), though it used a percussion system that required a piece of flintlock in the hammer (though it is not actually a flintlock).

     Modern reproductions have hardwood or walnut stocks, with for-ends that go all the way to the end of the barrel.  The Modern JP Murray Carbine primarily sticks to the original plans, with a brass blade front sight, a rear sight which is dovetailed in (and therefore somewhat adjustable for drift), a blued barrel, a color-case hardened action, and otherwise with brass furniture (including one barrel band and a combined fitting for a ramrod and a bayonet).  The barrel is a short 23.5 inches. Dixie Gun works and Navy Arms are some of the manufacturers of modern JP Murray Carbines.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

JP Murray Carbine

.58 Blackpowder Minie Ball

3.63 kg

1 Internal

$544

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

JP Murray Carbine

1/8

4

2-Nil

7

4

Nil

94

 

Keen, Walker & Co Carbine

     I decided to include this weapon, even though only 300 were made, because it is one of the few "modern" weapons to be made specifically for Confederate forces.  It fires a .54 caliber Minie Ball attached at the tail to a combustible paper cartridge, through the breech. Quality and construction varied wildly, but the standard was an iron barrel which is either blued or browned, 23.275 inches long.  It employs a tilting breech to open the chamber; it tilts upwards only a small amount, just enough to slip a round in.  Ignition is by percussion cap, placed on a cone-shaped nipple. The breech is opened via a scroll-shaped lever which forms a part of the trigger guard. On the left side is a ring on a bar; this allowed the weapon to be carried on a loose sling or attached to a saddle ring.  Unusually, the metalwork of some of these carbines is of bronze instead of brass or iron.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Keen, Walker & Co Carbine

.54 Minie Ball (Combustible Cartridge)

3.23 kg

1 Internal

$474

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

JP Murray Carbine

SS

2

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

44

 

Kentucky Rifle

     Notes: I don’t know of any history major, history buff, or military weapon buff who hasn’t heard of the Kentucky Rifle.  Also known as the Kentucky Long Rifle (it is rather long, especially in iterations that have longer barrels).  It is an All-American rifle, developed in what was then the American frontier (Western Pennsylvania) in about the 1740s; however, it is generally acknowledged that the design developed from weapons used by German immigrants.  The Kentucky Rifle is known for its accuracy and simply for being a rifle (using a rifled ball) at a time when most longarms were unrifled muskets.  Some Kentucky Rifles were made rather ornate by their owners, though most retained their utilitarian form and were used for hunting and self defense.  Irregulars armed with Kentucky Rifles quickly became the bane of British Troops during the Revolutionary War – their owners were generally crafty woodsmen who would fire a well-aimed shot, with the accent on picking off officers, and then melt into the woods again, leaving no trace.  Kentucky Rifle-armed marksmen again acquitted themselves well during the War of 1812, particularly in the Battle of New Orleans.  Backwoods people were known to make regular use of the Kentucky Rifle well into the 19th century, and reports of its use into the early 20th century abound.  The Hawken Rifle was essentially a shorter-barreled, shorter-stocked version of the Kentucky Rifle.

     Modern reproductions follow the original design as much as possible. An authentic stock is made of curly maple, but most modern reproductions use walnut in the stock.  The stock is long, relatively narrow, has a pronounced drop in it, and a sharply-curved butt that is designed to help stabilization on the shooter’s shoulder. The smaller calibers available reflect the fact that users of the Kentucky Rifles often chose smaller bores, both to make a lighter weapon and to conserve lead, which a short commodity at the time.  The barrels, of course, are quite long.  Modern reproductions often are somewhat or even highly decorated, particularly on the stock.  Sights are rudimentary, with a simple notch rear and blade front (a long way to the front of the rear sight); some modern reproductions are equipped with better sights.  Most metalwork is brass, but the barrel is heavy and of an octagonal cross-section; it is generally blued in modern reproductions.  Depending on the time period simulated, the Kentucky Rifle can have flintlock or percussion ignition; the percussion versions are identical, but take only half the time to reload.  Modern manufacturers of the Kentucky Rifle include Dixie gun Works, Taylor’s, and traditions.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Kentucky Rifle (33.5” Barrel)

.36 Blackpowder

2.75 kg

1 Internal

$570

Kentucky Rifle (35” Barrel)

.36 Blackpowder

2.82 kg

1 Internal

$593

Kentucky Rifle (35.25” Barrel)

.36 Blackpowder

2.83 kg

1 Internal

$625

Kentucky Rifle (38” Barrel)

.36 Blackpowder

2.97 kg

1 Internal

$640

Kentucky Rifle (42” Barrel)

.36 Blackpowder

3.17 kg

1 Internal

$702

Kentucky Rifle (44” Barrel)

.36 Blackpowder

3.27 kg

1 Internal

$734

Kentucky Rifle (46” Barrel)

.36 Blackpowder

3.37 kg

1 Internal

$765

Kentucky Rifle (48” Barrel)

.36 Blackpowder

3.47 kg

1 Internal

$796

Kentucky Rifle (33.5” Barrel)

.40 Blackpowder

2.83 kg

1 Internal

$572

Kentucky Rifle (35” Barrel)

.40 Blackpowder

2.9 kg

1 Internal

$600

Kentucky Rifle (35.25” Barrel)

.40 Blackpowder

2.91 kg

1 Internal

$639

Kentucky Rifle (38” Barrel)

.40 Blackpowder

3.05 kg

1 Internal

$643

Kentucky Rifle (42” Barrel)

.40 Blackpowder

3.26 kg

1 Internal

$705

Kentucky Rifle (44” Barrel)

.40 Blackpowder

3.36 kg

1 Internal

$737

Kentucky Rifle (46” Barrel)

.40 Blackpowder

3.46 kg

1 Internal

$768

Kentucky Rifle (48” Barrel)

.40 Blackpowder

3.56 kg

1 Internal

$799

Kentucky Rifle (33.5” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder

2.95 kg

1 Internal

$577

Kentucky Rifle (35” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder

3.03 kg

1 Internal

$601

Kentucky Rifle (35.25” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder

3.04 kg

1 Internal

$604

Kentucky Rifle (38” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder

3.19 kg

1 Internal

$647

Kentucky Rifle (42” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder

3.4 kg

1 Internal

$710

Kentucky Rifle (44” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder

3.51 kg

1 Internal

$741

Kentucky Rifle (46” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder

3.62 kg

1 Internal

$772

Kentucky Rifle (48” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder

3.73 kg

1 Internal

$804

Kentucky Rifle (33.5” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

3.1 kg

1 Internal

$583

Kentucky Rifle (35” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

3.18 kg

1 Internal

$606

Kentucky Rifle (35.25” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

3.19 kg

1 Internal

$610

Kentucky Rifle (38” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

3.35 kg

1 Internal

$653

Kentucky Rifle (42” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

3.57 kg

1 Internal

$715

Kentucky Rifle (44” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

3.69 kg

1 Internal

$747

Kentucky Rifle (46” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

3.81 kg

1 Internal

$778

Kentucky Rifle (48” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

3.93 kg

1 Internal

$810

Kentucky Rifle (33.5” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder

3.25 kg

1 Internal

$588

Kentucky Rifle (35” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder

3.33 kg

1 Internal

$612

Kentucky Rifle (35.25” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder

3.34 kg

1 Internal

$616

Kentucky Rifle (38” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder

3.51 kg

1 Internal

$659

Kentucky Rifle (42” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder

3.74 kg

1 Internal

$721

Kentucky Rifle (44” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder

3.87 kg

1 Internal

$752

Kentucky Rifle (46” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder

4 kg

1 Internal

$783

Kentucky Rifle (48” Barrel)

.54 Blackpowder

4.13 kg

1 Internal

$815

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Kentucky Rifle (33.5” Barrel, .36)

1/12

2

1-Nil

7

1

Nil

76

Kentucky Rifle (35” Barrel, .36)

1/12

2

1-Nil

8

1

Nil

79

Kentucky Rifle (35.25” Barrel, .36)

1/12

2

1-Nil

8

1

Nil

80

Kentucky Rifle (38” Barrel, .36)

1/12

2

1-Nil

8

1

Nil

86

Kentucky Rifle (42” Barrel, .36)

1/12

2

1-Nil

9

1

Nil

94

Kentucky Rifle (44” Barrel, .36)

1/12

2

1-Nil

9

1

Nil

99

Kentucky Rifle (46” Barrel, .36)

1/12

2

1-Nil

10

1

Nil

104

Kentucky Rifle (48” Barrel, .36)

1/12

2

1-Nil

10

1

Nil

107

Kentucky Rifle (33.5” Barrel, .40)

1/12

2

1-Nil

7

2

Nil

80

Kentucky Rifle (35” Barrel, .40)

1/12

2

1-Nil

8

2

Nil

84

Kentucky Rifle (35.25” Barrel, .40)

1/12

2

1-Nil

8

2

Nil

84

Kentucky Rifle (38” Barrel, .40)

1/12

2

1-Nil

8

2

Nil

91

Kentucky Rifle (42” Barrel, .40)

1/12

2

1-Nil

9

1

Nil

100

Kentucky Rifle (44” Barrel, .40)

1/12

2

1-Nil

9

1

Nil

104

Kentucky Rifle (46” Barrel, .40)

1/12

2

1-Nil

10

1

Nil

109

Kentucky Rifle (48” Barrel, .40)

1/12

2

1-Nil

10

1

Nil

114

Kentucky Rifle (33.5” Barrel, .45)

1/12

2

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

86

Kentucky Rifle (35” Barrel, .45)

1/12

2

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

89

Kentucky Rifle (35.25” Barrel, .45)

1/12

2

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

90

Kentucky Rifle (38” Barrel, .45)

1/12

2

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

97

Kentucky Rifle (42” Barrel, .45)

1/12

2

1-Nil

9

3

Nil

106

Kentucky Rifle (44” Barrel, .45)

1/12

2

1-Nil

9

3

Nil

111

Kentucky Rifle (46” Barrel, .45)

1/12

2

1-Nil

10

3

Nil

116

Kentucky Rifle (48” Barrel, .45)

1/12

2

1-Nil

10

3

Nil

121

Kentucky Rifle (33.5” Barrel, .50)

1/12

3

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

91

Kentucky Rifle (35” Barrel, .50)

1/12

3

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

95

Kentucky Rifle (35.25” Barrel, .50)

1/12

3

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

95

Kentucky Rifle (38” Barrel, .50)

1/12

3

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

102

Kentucky Rifle (42” Barrel, .50)

1/12

3

1-Nil

9

3

Nil

113

Kentucky Rifle (44” Barrel, .50)

1/12

3

1-Nil

9

3

Nil

118

Kentucky Rifle (46” Barrel, .50)

1/12

3

1-Nil

10

3

Nil

123

Kentucky Rifle (48” Barrel, .50)

1/12

3

1-Nil

10

3

Nil

128

Kentucky Rifle (33.5” Barrel, .54)

1/12

3

2-Nil

8

3

Nil

95

Kentucky Rifle (35” Barrel, .54)

1/12

3

2-Nil

8

3

Nil

99

Kentucky Rifle (35.25” Barrel, .54)

1/12

3

2-Nil

8

3

Nil

100

Kentucky Rifle (38” Barrel, .54)

1/12

3

2-Nil

8

3

Nil

107

Kentucky Rifle (42” Barrel, .54)

1/12

3

2-Nil

9

3

Nil

118

Kentucky Rifle (44” Barrel, .54)

1/12

3

2-Nil

9

3

Nil

123

Kentucky Rifle (46” Barrel, .54)

1/12

3

2-Nil

10

3

Nil

129

Kentucky Rifle (48” Barrel, .54)

1/12

3

2-Nil

10

3

Nil

134

 

Knight Elite Disc Rifle

     I’ll fully admit I don’t understand what the name of this weapon signifies; as with the Revolution, it is essentially a modern take on a blackpowder weapon, and uses inline ignition.  The stock style and synthetic construction are all modern, however.  The pistol grip wrist and fore-end are checkered.  The Elite Disc rifle uses a fully adjustable open rear sight and a blackened front bead.  In addition, the Elite Disc Rifle is drilled and tapped for a scope mount.  There is a Master Model, which has a two-tone walnut laminated stock, and a Disc Extreme which uses a full plastic jacket primer holder.  For game purposes, they are identical to the standard Model.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Elite Disc Rifle (24” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

3.32 kg

1 Internal

$577

Elite Disc Rifle (26” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

3.41 kg

1 Internal

$618

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Elite Disc Rifle (24” Barrel)

1/5

3

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

87

Elite Disc Rifle (26” Barrel)

1/5

3

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

93

 

Knight Revolution

     Notes: This is essentially a modern blackpowder weapon, using inline ignition and having a synthetic stock of modern design (and finished in black, Mossy Oak, or Realtree), though a laminated walnut stock is also available. The rear sight is an adjustable open sight; the front sight is a ramp with fiberoptic inserts. Metalwork finish can be blued or stainless steel. The breech pivots and drops for loading.  As stated, this is a modern-form rifle; the only thing that separates it from modern rifles is the use of blackpowder.  Barrel length is 27 inches.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Revolution

.50 Blackpowder

2.92 kg

1 Internal

$638

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Revolution

1/5

3

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

97

 

Knight Wolverine

     Notes: This is another blackpowder weapon, almost a blackpowder carbine with its short 22” barrel.  The Wolverine is an inline design.  The stock is synthetic with the pistol grip wrist and fore-end synthetic; finishes for the stock are black or camo of various sorts, and the stock has a recoil pad on the butt.  The stock normally uses a pistol grip wrist, but a thumbhole wrist is also available.  The rear sights are fully adjustable and the front sight is a blade; both use fiberoptic inserts.  The Wolverine is also drilled and tapped for a scope mount.

     The American Knight is similar, but the stock has sling swivel studs and does not have a recoil pad.  The front sight is a bead instead of a blade, but still has a fiberoptic insert.  The American Knight is also considerably lighter than the Wolverine.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Wolverine

.50 Blackpowder

3.23 kg

1 Internal

$687

American Knight

.50 Blackpowder

2.81 kg

1 Internal

$537

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Wolverine

1/5

3

1-Nil

5

3

Nil

80

American Knight

1/5

3

1-Nil

5

3

Nil

80

 

Lindner Carbine

     Notes: There are two basic variants of the Lindner Carbine; both fired combustible paper cartridges with a Minie Ball up front.  The Type I numbered only 501 built.  It used a unique method of opening the breech: a locking collar was rotated, allowing the spring-loaded, hinged breechblock to open. The 22-inch barrel was round and, like the rest of the metalwork, finished in bright iron.  As on many carbines, the Lindner had a bar on the left side with a ring, allowing it to be carried on a loose sling or clipped to the saddle ring of a cavalryman.  Deliveries to Union forces began in 1862.

     The Type II varied primarily in the markings on the carbine, the shape of the lock plate, the shape of the stock, and rear sight moved to the front of the breechblock.  The Type II is, for game purposes, identical to the Type I.  The War Department ordered 6000 of the Lindner Type II, but they were not ready for delivery until 1864, after the entire lot was built.  The War Department refused the order, saying that they no longer needed the carbines.  They were eventually sold to France ten years later.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Lindner Carbine

.58 Minie Ball (Combustible Cartridge)

2.72 kg

1 Internal

$271

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Lindner Carbine

SS

3

1-Nil

5

3

Nil

44

 

Lindsay Double Rifle-Musket Model 1863

     Notes: with two percussion ignition systems, and with one barrel slightly ahead of the other (so as not to have both going off at once, the Lindsay had two triggers; the front fired the left barrel, and the rear the left barrel.  Perhaps 1000 were built, and they were actually used in one battle near the end of the war, plus by a few individuals late in the war.  Unfortunately, if the left barrel was fired first, the firing of the right barrel unduly fouled the right barrel, and the pulling of the front trigger often caused the inadvertent firing of both barrels (and massive kick and shoulder bruises). Most of the weapon had metalwork in bright metal, though the rear leaf sight was blued.  It has three barrel bands, with the front sling swivel on the center band and the rear sling swivel in front of the trigger guard..The bayonet was modified to fit around both barrels.  The stock is black walnut, oil finished.

     The first ROF figure is to load one barrel; the second is for both barrels.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Lindsay Double Rifle-Musket

.69 Minie Ball

7.19 kg

1 Internal

$1077

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Lindsay Double Rifle-Musket

1/7 (1/14)

5

2-3-Nil

10

3

Nil

121

 

Maynard Carbine

     Notes: There are two versions of the Maynard Carbine, Type I and Type II. Both use copper cartridges, also designed by Maynard.  The barrel is half-octagonal and 20 inches in length. The trigger guard has an extension which actuates the opening of the breech.  Metalwork is iron and is blued, as is the barrel.  The rear sight is a tang sight and the front is a blade.  Some later versions had a sling swivel on the toe of the stock for a loose sling. Despite being manufactured in Massachusetts, the Maynard Carbine was bought up by the soon-to-be Confederate States before the start of the Civil War.  Some 6000 were built and delivered, and issued to what Jefferson Davis considered his elite units. Ignition of the primer was by a percussion cap, though the Type I used the Maynard Tape Primer system.  The .35-40 Maynard proved to be positively anemic and was quickly dropped or converted to .50 Maynard.

     The Type II is made in only one caliber.  Some 20,200 were built and delivered, primarily in 1859 to the soon-to-be Confederate states.  The barrel was slightly longer at 20.375 inches.  It used conventional percussion caps. Otherwise, it is identical to the Type I for game purposes.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Maynard Carbine Type I

.35-40 Maynard

2.72 kg

1 Internal

$323

Maynard Carbine Type I

.50 Maynard

2.72 kg

1 Internal

$719

Maynard Carbine Type II

.50 Maynard

2.72 kg

1 Internal

$723

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Maynard Carbine Type I (.35-40)

1/2

1

Nil

5

1

Nil

34

Maynard Carbine Type I (.50)

1/2

3

2-Nil

5

5

Nil

58

Maynard Carbine Type II (.50)

1/2

3

2-Nil

5

5

Nil

60

 

Merrill Carbine

     Notes: This carbine fired a Minie Ball attached to a combustible paper cartridge or, unusually, a non-combustible foil or rubber cartridge. (The non-combustible packages increase loading time, but have no other effect in game terms.)  There were Type I and Type II versions, but the only difference was the markings and the lack of a patch box (they discovered it was not necessary), had a different rear sight, a stock with the fore-end being longer and fuller, and a different latch on the breech opening mechanism. (For game purposes, the two types are identical.  Both had a 22.125-inch browned or blued barrel (Naval and Marine versions were more likely to have browned barrels).  It was loaded by unlatching and lifting the breech lever, which caused the breechblock to move back, exposing the chamber.  All metalwork was bright brass.  Naval and Marine versions are tin-plated.  The bolt face is copper-plated.  Several thousand Type Is and 14,500 Type IIs were built, which made it one of the most-issued modern rifles of the Civil War. The Merrill Carbine was known for its relatively light weight.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Merrill Carbine

.54 Minie Ball

3.06 kg

1 Internal

$268

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Merrill Carbine (Combustible Cartridge)

SS

2

1-Nil

5

3

Nil

42

Merrill Carbine (Noncombustible Cartridge)

1/2

2

1-Nil

5

3

Nil

42

 

Millennium Muzzleloaders Competitor

     Notes: As the name would indicate, the Competitor is designed for blackpowder rifle competitions.  Except for the blackpowder propellant and inline ignition, the Competitor is a modern rifle, with a synthetic stock in matte charcoal or Mossy Oak finish.  The metalwork is blued.  The sights use a fiberoptic/bright paint system called by Millennium Muzzleloaders the Bright-Line system.  The Competitor is also drilled and tapped for a scope mount.  The trigger is fully user-adjustable and the Competitor comes with a synthetic ramrod.  Barrel length is 24 inches.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Competitor

.45 Blackpowder

3.18 kg

1 Internal

$570

Competitor

.50 Blackpowder

3.23 kg

1 Internal

$577

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Competitor (.45)

1/5

3

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

82

Competitor (.50)

1/5

3

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

87

 

Morse Carbine

     This carbine fired a metallic cartridge which was heavy-caliber and had a decent case size with a large powder charge.  They were built at the Military Works in Greenville, South Carolina, with about a thousand built and issued to South Carolina troops. The Morse Carbine is one of the most advanced firearms the Confederates had manufactured, but it did not appear until 1864. Except for the barrel and sights, the metalwork was brass, and the Morse carbine had a blocky, lumpish appearance.  Reloading is done via a tilting breech; loading methods differ with the Model of the Carbine.  Type Is used a moveable operating rod, which also the firing pin.  The Type II latching mechanism uses a hollow iron rod in which is the firing pin.  The hollow rod becomes flanged at the end going into the breech with a knurled front edge that covers the firing pin where is contacts the round.  The Type III has a sliding breechblock to open the breech and close it.  In all cases, the internal loading and firing mechanism are controlled by a hand lever under the wrist. All are identical for game purposes.

     The barrel may be round or half-octagonal, ands is 21 inches long.  It is blued iron.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Morse Carbine (Round Barrel)

.50 Morse

3.57 kg

1 Internal

$282

Competitor

.50 Blackpowder

3.59 kg

1 Internal

$285

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Morse Carbine (Round Barrel)

SS

4

2-Nil

5

4

Nil

63

Competitor (.50)

1/5

4

2-Nil

5

4

Nil

64

 

Morse Inside Lock Musket

     Notes: These were designed for use by the Union forces In the Civil War. Fewer than 200 were made; the reason is it's, ah...innovative design, with a centrally-mounted hammer and percussion cap nipple.  A shaft runs through the weapon, through the lock, and terminates at the percussion nipple. The barrel is 40.31 inches.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Inside Lock Musket

.69 Blackpowder

4.81 kg

1 Internal

$236

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Inside Lock Musket

1/6

5

2-3-Nil

9

4

Nil

42

 

NEF Huntsman

   This is for the most an old early 18th-century design muzzleloader, but it has some modern refinements.  The stock is American hardwood with a walnut finish, but the stock is also weatherproofed.  A polymer-stocked version is also built. The front and rear sights both have fiberoptic inlays.  The 24-inch barrel has a black oxide finish; the rest of the metalwork is color-case hardened, and the barrel is rifled.  The 26-inch barrel is less common, still made in significant numbers. The Huntsman is also drilled and tapped for a scope mount.  The Stainless Huntsman is a variant with a matte nickel finish receiver instead of being color-case hardened.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Huntsman (24” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder

2.95 kg

1 Internal

$275

Huntsman (26” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder

3.02 kg

1 Internal

$296

Huntsman (24” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

3.05 kg

1 Internal

$295

Huntsman (26” Barrel)

.50 Blackpowder

3.12 kg

1 Internal

$299

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Huntsman (.45, 24”)

1/6

2

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

41

Huntsman (.45, 26”)

1/6

2

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

44

Huntsman (.50, 24”)

1/6

2

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

44

Huntsman (.50, 26”)

1/6

3

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

47

 

Nock Volley Gun

     Notes: The Nock Volley Gun was an attempt to increase the firepower of the then-new rifled muskets.  Despite the name, the Nock Volley Gun was invented by James Wilson in the late 1770s; the first guns were delivered in the early 1780s.  However, the maker of the barrel cluster was stamped on the top barrel, “H.Nock,” and so the hybrid weapon became to be known as the Nock Volley Gun.  The name “Volley” came from the use of a cluster of simultaneously-fired rifled barrels; the result was much like a burst from an assault rifle.  (There was no provision to fire the barrels individually or keep some barrels unloaded; it was all or nothing.) The Nock Volley Gun proved to be heavy, produce massive muzzle flash and smoke, and prone to cause shoulder bruising and injuries due to the massive amount of powder required to fire 7 barrels simultaneously.  This was not so important on a ship or from a fortification where the weapon could be bipod or tripod mounted, but an individual infantryman carrying one was not a happy camper unless he was a masochist.  Barrels were short at 20 inches and chambered for .52-caliber balls (though a more common loading was a patched .49 or .495 ball). Eventually, complaints about the difficulty of using the Nock Volley Gun led to loadings reduced to 41.5 grains of powder (down from 57 grains), and the use of paper partridges loaded with a .445 ball.  Nonetheless, the tremendous gout of fire and smoke led to the rifle being banned on ships for fear of setting the rigging on fire.  On land and sea, the Nock disappears from military service after 1805.

     But this was not the end of the Nock.  It acquired a following among hunters, especially those hunting birds.  In the 1830s, some of the first cased rifle rounds were used on modified Nocks.  The Volley could bring down just about anything, and African hunters also used the Nock.  One hunter, COL Thomas Thornton, uses a 12-barreled variation.  Most of these cartridge-firing versions were break-open and chambered for rounds like .500 Nitro Express. These could be fired with some of the barrels unloaded. (Quite frankly, with the figures I’m getting, it mystifies me how anyone could fire a fully-loaded .500 Nitro-firing Nock!)

     However, the Nock again fell into the dustbin of history around the 1860s – until the late 1950s.  John Wayne and company were looking for massive amounts of period weaponry, including a Nock for Jim Bowie as played by Richard Widmark.  Though one fully authentic Nock was used in the movie, the laborious loading and long loading times meant that most Nocks appearing in the film were fired electrically with a surreptitious powder loading band being fitted to the Nock.

     Today, one can still get a Nock, whether old-style or cartridge firing.  The Rifle Shoppe will sell you parts kits, though an assembled gun will cost you a mint in IRL terms.

     Note that the barrels of the Nock are each rifled. Damage is per ball (or bullet); treat as a 7-round burst (or 12-round, for the Thornton Rifle) for volley effects.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Nock Volley Gun (Original Loading)

.52 Blackpowder

6.8 kg

7 Internal

$2285

Nock Volley Gun (Common Loading)

.49 Blackpowder

6.8 kg

7 Internal

$2285

Nock Volley Gun (Reduced Loading)

.445 Blackpowder

6.8 kg

7 Internal

$2285

Nock Volley Gun (Cartridges)

.500 Nitro Express

8.62 kg

7 Internal

$7323

Nock Volley Gun (Thornton Variation)

.500 Nitro Express

11.69 kg

12 Internal

$13032

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Nock Volley Gun (Original Loading)

1/42

3

2-Nil

6

12

Nil

57

Nock Volley Gun (Common Loading)

1/42

3

1-Nil

8

7

Nil

55

Nock Volley Gun (Reduced Loading)

1/42

2

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

52

Nock Volley Gun (Cartridges)

1/7

8

1-2-3

7

23

Nil

73

Nock Volley Gun (Thornton Variation)

1/12

8

1-2-3

7

37

Nil

73

 

Parker-Hale Volunteer 2-Band Target

     Notes: The Volunteer is a replica of an old-world type of rifle; the original was designed for rifled balls, but the Parker-Hale version is designed to fire a modern update of a Minie Ball-type round.  (The range below reflects that this is a rifled weapon and not a smoothbore.)  Ignition is by percussion, and the barrel is a very long 32-inch barrel with a heavy profile.  The stock is of walnut, and oil-finished; a not is given to modern methods with the checkered (straight) wrist and checkered fore-end.  The front sights are of a type that was once common, a ball-shaped sight called a globe; the rear sight is an adjustable ladder sight.  The receiver has a color-case hardened finish, the barrel is blued, and the buttplate, trigger guard, and parts of the fore-end are brass.

     The Whitworth is a similar design, but has a 36-inch barrel which does not have a heavy profile.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Volunteer

.451 Blackpowder

4.31 kg

1 Internal

$701

Whitworth

.451 Blackpowder

4.37 kg

1 Internal

$763

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Volunteer

1/6

2

1-Nil

7

2

Nil

104

Whitworth

1/6

2

1-Nil

8

2

Nil

114

 

Piedmontese Model 1844/60 Rifled Musket

     Notes: Originally built in Torino Italy, they were converted to then-modern standards in 1860, in hopes to sell them to the US Army, who would buy just about any reasonably-modern firearm at the time.  They originally a copy of the French Model 1822 musket, they then became their own rifles.  They were bought by Secretary of War Stanton in correspondence to Marcellus Hartley, without going through normal channels, as other parties were interested and they were regarded all over Europe as weapons of quality. The Union bought some 2000 copies. Barrel length is 42 inches.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Piedmontese Model 1844/60

.69 Blackpowder

5.93 kg

1 Internal

$678

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Piedmontese Model 1844/60

1/8

35

2-Nil

10

3

Nil

67

 

Prussian Model 1809 Musket

     Notes: These muskets, used throughout the Civil War, were perhaps some of the oldest in use in that war.  They were made by Potsdam, Saarn, Naisse, and Suhl.  Originally a flintlock, the Model 1809 was converted to percussion ignition well before the Civil War.  Some 100,300 were bought by the US Government.  Their external metalwork is finished in bright steel.  Barrel is 42.38 inches.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Prussian Model 1809

.72 Blackpowder

4.99 kg

1 Internal

$249

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Prussian Model 1809

1/8

5

2-4-Nil

9

5

Nil

46

 

Prussian Model 1839/55 Rifled Musket

     Notes: This rifled musket had several versions, primarily differentiated by caliber.  They had both Prussian and American markings, and were used only by Union forces during the Civil War.  Some 65,000 were imported from Suhl, Potsdam, Zella, and Mehlis armories.

     Two broad versions, other than caliber, were produced. The Type I was based on the Model 1839.  It uses the Belgian cone type of percussion lock, and the cone may be screwed onto the breech.  Their bores ranged from.60 to .715.  They were imported for the Union by Herman Boker, a company still in business. It is interesting that the importation order listed the Type I as "smooth bore," though they were definitely rifled.

     The Type II came in a .615 bore version only.  While the Type I could not accept a bayonet, the Type II could.  They have a long-range adjustable long range sight, with a brass bead front sight.  These were imported by John Hoey, but not until 1862.

     Barrels for all were 43.75 inches.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Prussian Model 1839/55

.69 Blackpowder

5.94 kg

1 Internal

$408

Prussian Model 1839/55

.70 Blackpowder

6.02 kg

1 Internal

$411

Prussian Model 1839/55

.715 Blackpowder

6.16 kg

1 Internal

$414

Prussian Model 1839/55

.615 Blackpowder

5.36 kg

1 Internal

$392

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Prussian Model 1839/55 (.69)

1/8

3

2-Nil

10

2

Nil

69

Prussian Model 1839/55 (.70)

1/8

3

2-Nil

10

3

Nil

69

Prussian Model 1839/55 (.715)

1/8

3

2-Nil

10

3

Nil

70

Prussian Model 1839/55 (.615)

1/8

3

1-Nil

10

2

Nil

64

 

PS Justice Rifled Musket

     Notes: These rifles, coming in Types I-III, were made in response to an emergency order by the Union forces,  Type I was built from already made stocks and furniture, usually black walnut, and mostly unseasoned; they tended to crack or warp with weather and abuse.  The rifling consisted of wide bands and shallow grooves.  It used long range rear sights. The lock and trigger were taken from surplus Model 1816 Muskets, and the three barrel bands from Model 1840 or 1841 Muskets.  The Type I had a 39-inch barrel.

     The barrel of the Type II was, like the rest of the rifle, crudely made, something you might find in a war emergency manufacture.  It has a browned barrel, but the rest of the metalwork was natural metal, except for the brass buttplate.  The stocks were made from blanks, and were generally shipped out in their unseasoned condition; they weren't black walnut, they were made of blackened walnut. The trigger guard had a distinctive reverse bow, and there were no provisions for sling swivels. It too had a 39-inch barrel.

     The Type III, unlike the others, was built from newly-manufactured parts, and had seasoned black walnut stocks.  The Type III had a browned 39-inch barrel.  Most fittings were brass.  The front sight was a broad blade, and the rear sight a two-leaf adjustable sight.  The barrel was secured with wide barrel bands, three in number, with a sling swivel at the top band and the rear swivel on the middle band.

     Despite the differences between the sub-models, all are identical in game terms.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

PS Justice Rifled Musket

.69 Blackpowder

5.62 kg

1 Internal

$248

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

PS Justice Rifled Musket

1/8

3

2-Nil

9

3

Nil

62

 

Puckle Gun

     Notes: The Puckle Gun (also known as the Defence Gun) was a flintlock weapon that was years ahead of its time; vaguely similar percussion revolvers were not available until 1814, nearly a hundred years after the Puckle Gun was first demonstrated.  The Puckle Gun was, astonishingly for 1717, the first example of a revolving firearm.  The ammunition was loaded, one chamber at a time, into cassettes; the firing handle was unscrewed, and the cassette inserted into the frame. Though loading a full cassette was impractical on the battlefield (it took nearly an hour), the cassette could be removed and another preloaded cassette inserted, which took only 20 seconds. A cassette held 11 shots.  The entire gun sat on a tall tripod, allowing the firer to fire the gun from a standing (and less fatiguing) position.  The Puckle Gun is fired in a manner similar to a standard flintlock -- the chamber was indexed, then powder placed on the pan and the cassette locked.  After firing a round, the cassette was unlocked and advanced by hand, then the firing procedure begun anew. This seems complicated, but the Puckle Gun was able to fire 9 shots per minute, where an experienced infantryman might be able to manage as much as 5 shots per minute, and three was more likely. Aiming is not it's strong point, and the Puckle gun has shorter range than is standard for a flintlock rifle, though the 36-inch barrel mitigates this somewhat.  The muzzle of the barrel also has a fixture ahead of its time: a flash suppressor, as well as another ahead-of-its-time features for a small arm, a leaf sight.  Puckle actually made two versions of his gun: one which fired conventional round shot, and one which fired square shot, to be used against the Turks "and other heretics."  However, though the square bullet was meant to cause more damage, the actual increase in damage is not quantifiable in Twilight 2000 v2.2 terms, and their flight path was unpredictable. Unlike most firearms of the period, the Puckle Gun was made of brass instead of iron or steel.  It had no pistol grip or stock, though it had a primitive T&E mechanism.  Loaded cassettes weigh 0.92 kg; unloaded, they weigh 0.85 kg.

     Alas, the Puckle Gun could not pass the giggle test, despite its technical brilliance and usefulness as a volley weapon. In addition, Puckle found investors who were essentially feckless and insisted on decreased manufacturing standard before they essentially stole Puckle's company's money, and the British Army itself and the Crown would not invest in the strange firearm.  Though a few were built and employed, the Puckle Gun was basically a failure, though no fault of Puckle's.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Puckle Gun

32mm Blackpowder

11.22 kg

11 Cassette

$945

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Puckle Gun

1/2

8

2-3-4

10

5

Nil

157

 

Remington Carbine

     Notes: Two chamberings for this carbine were made; the .46 Short, was the US Military cartridge  (Remington had a license for the .46 Short, meant for their upcoming New Model Army revolver, but also used in the Remington Carbine.  Some 5000 were produced.  The Remington Carbine was also known as the Split Breech Remington, because it used a split breech mechanism, an early version of the rolling block. Furniture is black walnut, and metalwork is iron, including a case-hardened receiver. The fore-end was short to save weight, and around this fore-end was the iron barrel band. The front sight was a blade, and the rear a folding single adjustable leaf. The barrel was round, 20 inches, and blued.  After the Civil War, it was common among civilians to modify the Remington Carbine to use .56-50 Spencer, and to be used as hunting weapons or general home defense weapons.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Remington Carbine

.46 Smith & Wesson Short

3.18 kg

1 Internal

$248

Remington Carbine

.56-50 Spencer

3.27 kg

1 Internal

$254

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Remington Carbine (.46)

SS

2

1-Nil

5

3

Nil

51

Remington Carbine (.56-50)

SS

3

1-Nil

5

3

Nil

48

 

Remington M-700ML

     Notes: This is the blackpowder counterpart to the great Remington Model 700 cartridge rifles, using blackpowder inline operation.  The Model 700ML is otherwise a modern firearm, with a synthetic stock finished in natural black or Mossy Oak camouflage.  The front sight can be a bead or a blade, and is dovetailed to allow changes of front sight.  The rear sight is an open adjustable model.  The Model 700ML is also drilled and tapped for a scope mount.  The metalwork is finished in wither satin blue or stainless steel.  A Youth version with a shorter stock is available; but this is otherwise the same as the standard Model 700ML.  Barrel is 24 inches.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Remington 700ML

.45 Blackpowder

3.52 kg

1 Internal

$570

Remington 700ML

.50 Blackpowder

3.57 kg

1 Internal

$577

Remington 700ML

.54 Blackpowder

3.62 kg

1 Internal

$585

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Remington 700ML (.45)

1/5

2

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

82

Remington 700ML (.50)

1/5

3

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

87

Remington 700ML (.54)

1/5

3

2-Nil

6

3

Nil

91

 

Remington Model 1863 Contract Rifle

     Notes: Also known as the Zouave Rifle, this is a shortened version of the Springfield 1855; it has a 33-inch blued barrel with 3-7 grooves in its bore (most have five).  The lock plates and lockwork is case-hardened; most other metalwork is bright brass, including the metal parts of the ramrod.  The Model 1863 had only two barrel bands, but they are wider than normal. The bayonet lug is large, locking the saber-type bayonet securely.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 1863 Contract Rifle

.58 Minie Ball

4.31 kg

1 Internal

$427

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 1863 Contract Rifle

1/6

4

2-Nil

8

4

Nil

91

 

Robbins & Lawrence Windsor Rifle-Musket

     Notes: Though the official caliber for this rifle-musket is .577, a .58 Minie Ball will fit, though it will be slightly tight. This is a copy of P-1853, with royalties paid to the Windsor arsenal in England.  It was oriuginally meant to be re-sold in Europe, under the Pattern 1853.  They were meant for use in the Crimean War, but the Union side ended up keeping the 16,000 rifles they had assembled, as well as buying back more from the British.  This was awkward, because in the early parts of the Civil War, the British supported the Confederate side.  The three barrel bands were soldered to the barrel, with an additional front sight blade soldered in front.  The rear sight was a simple notch.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Robbins & Lawrence Windsor

,577 Minie Ball

4.16 kg

1 Internal

$483

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Robbins & Lawrence Windsor

1/7

4

2-Nil

9

4

Nil

110

 

Ruger M-77/50

     Notes: Similar in concept to the Remington 700ML, the Ruger M-77/50 is the blackpowder counterpart to the Ruger M-77 cartridge rifle.  It uses inline ignition, and has a 22-inch barrel.  The stock may be laminated American hardwood or synthetic.  Sights consist of a gold bead front and a folding rear ladder/peep sight.  The Ruger M-77/50 has integral one-inch scope mounts, and comes with a pair of one-inch scope rings. Metalwork may be blued or stainless steel.  Unlike most blackpowder weapons of this type, the Ruger M-77/50 has a three-position safety.  A variant called the Officer’s Model has a checkered pistol grip wrist and fore-end and a curved buttplate.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

M-77/50

.50 Blackpowder

2.95 kg

1 Internal

$536

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

M-77/50

1/5

3

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

80

 

Savage 10ML

     Notes: This is another blackpowder weapon based on a cartridge rifle, in this case the Savage Model 10/110 series.  Like the Remington and Ruger examples, it uses inline ignition, and has a stock which is basically like that of its cartridge rifle counterpart which can be laminated hardwood or synthetic (the synthetic stock may be black or camo finished).  The rear sights are adjustable, and the front sight is a ramp with a fiberoptic inlay.  The sights may be deleted and the rifle bought with a factory installed scope (not included below), but is normally drilled and tapped for a scope mount.  Metalwork may be blued or stainless steel.  Barrel is 24 inches.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 10ML

.50 Blackpowder

3.52 kg

1 Internal

$577

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 10ML

1/5

3

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

87

 

Saxon Model 1844 Rifled Musket

     Notes: This rifled musket was built under the direction of Liege, Belgium, though manufacture was farmed out to several smaller armories.  Like many rifled muskets of the period, these started out as smoothbore, but were rifled in the 1850s.  Two rear sights have been noted on these rifled muskets: a notched, block-mounted sight, and a leaf site, plated in brass and with three sighting holes. Metalwork is brass over iron. The barrel was left in bright metal steel.  It is not known how many were imported, nor who used it; it was used by the Union side, however.  Barrel length is 42.75 inches.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 1844 Rifled Musket

.71 Blackpowder

6.05 kg

1 Internal

$541

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 1844 Rifled Musket

1/8

3

2-Nil

10

3

Nil

68

 

Saxon Model 1851 Rifle-Musket

     Notes: The original design for the Model 1851 used the Tige system, used to pre-expand the Minie Ball before impact with flesh.  In actuality, the Tige system added unnecessary complexity to the rifle, and made the Minie Ball unstable in flight, seriously degrading accuracy.  Therefore, the Tige system was quickly dropped, and few made it to the world's armed forces.  None of the Model 1851s imported by the US used the Tige System. George Schuyler, the purchasing agent for the Confederacy, secured 27,055 for the Confederacy, while Marcellus Hartley, the purchasing agent for the Union, was only able to buy 1740 of these rifles.  The Model 1851 was often referred to as the Dresden Rifle, due to large numbers being imported into Prussia through Dresden.  The 39.75-inch barrel was secured with three bands; the front band also had the blade front sight.  The rear sight was an adjustable leaf, graduated for 200, 400, and 600 paces (a pace being about 30 inches).  Model 1851s are essentially modernized Model 1844.

     And the Model 1857 is essentially a modernized Model 1851.  They were produced from 1857-1861.  Purchasing agents from the Union side of the American Civil War were unable to get many of them, as demand in Europe for the rifle was so high.  The Confederates were unable to get any. It has a 41.75-inch barrel, browned barrel, with otherwise bright metal finish and brass barrel bands with a brass blade front sight. Furniture again is European Walnut.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 1851 Rifle-Musket

.58 Minie Ball

4.04 kg

1 Internal

$492

Model 1857 Rifle-Musket

.58 Minie Ball

4.17 kg

1 Internal

$511

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 1851 Rifle-Musket (Tige System)

1/7

5

Nil

9

4

Nil

99

Model 1851 Rifle-Musket

1/7

4

2-Nil

9

4

Nil

108

Model 1857 Rifle-Musket

1/7

4

2-Nil

10

4

Nil

113

 

Sharps Model 1851 Carbine

     These 1457 carbines were built for the 1st and 2nd US Dragoons, though not issued to them until the Mexican War; they then saw service amongst the Confederates in the Civil War; 60 were also issued to the US Marines.  They fired a combustible cartridge of paper or linen, tipped by a Minie Ball.  There were Type I and Type II versions. Operation was by falling block; when fallen, the hammer base was enclosed within the lock.  The firing pin was retained by a spring.  The operating lever was under the base of the fore-end and was squeezed to open the breech.  It used the Maynard Tape Primer System, and was fired by percussion. On the left side of the barrel band, extending to the frame, was a 9-inch sling bar and swivel.  All metalwork except for the 21.625-inch barrel was brass.  Some models had an implement box set into the left side of the stock; this was also brass when present.

     The Model 1851 Sporting Carbine, also known as the Model 1851 Carbine Type II, was originally designed for civilian hunters rather than as a military weapon; only 400 were built.  Three calibers were available, with a combustible case tipped by a Minie Ball.  They did not have the sling bar, and sometimes had a browned barrel. The sling bar was omitted on the Type II, with the sling swivel being an eyebolt screwed directly into the fore-end. They typically saw only private use by Union troops in the Civil War, i.e., by soldiers or relatives and friends buying the Sporting Carbine for soldiers on the lines.  Usually the heaviest calibers were sent to troops by their relatives and friends, along with a copious supply of ammunition.  Some 400 of these carbines were produced.  The barrel was 21.625 inches and blued; some had blued and engraved frames and lock plates.

     The Model 1852 Carbine also fired a combustible paper or linen case tipped by a Minie Ball.  The Maynard tape system was abandoned in favor of Sharps' own slanted-breech pellet primer system.  It has bright-finished barrels and brass metalwork.  The Type II was the sporting model (Sharps Model 1852 Sporting Carbine)  and approximately 600 were built.  The barrel could be octagonal or round. Again many found their way to the troops in the conflict.  Other than loading times, these are identical to the Model 1851.  Barrels were 21.875 inches.

     The Model 1853 is for the most part identical for game purposes Identical to the Type I Model 1852,  The operating lever was a spring-loaded stud, retaining the operating lever pin, and thus the latch was directly on the breechblock.  At first, metalwork (except the barrel) were brass, but they were later blued iron.  The barrel was also blued.  Some had the 9-inch sling bar with sling swivel.  Some 900 were used by the Free Staters in Kansas, and took part in the Bloody Kansas massacre.  John Brown's rebels had some 7000 on hand, though not all were used in the 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry. These were later issued to Union troops.  For game purposes, it is identical to the Model 1852 Type I.

     The Sharps Model 1855 was the last Sharps slanting block design, and the last to use the Maynard Tape Primer System.  It was in many ways similar to the Model 1852 and Model 1853.  It had a 21.75-inch round barrel.  The Navy bought 101 of the same rifle, but used a .577 caliber round fired from an 18-inch barrel. 50 of these were equipped with the rather useless Rollins White cocking device.  This was difficult to use and prone to jamming, and these carbines were quickly discarded.  The Type II was the same, but was the civilian version, identical to the Type I for game purposes.  The Type III was similar to the Type I, but had the caliber increased to .577, and a 21-inch barrel which was usually round and blued.  The Type IV is similar to the Type III, but had an 18-inch or 19-inch barrel. It was primarily issued to US Marines.

     The Model 1859 Carbine used the Sharps Pellet Priming System, but this version of the system also allowed for the use of conventional percussion caps.  It had a 22-inch barrel with a case-hardened frame, brass metalwork, and a sling ring on the left side of the wrist.

     The Model 1859 New Model Carbine used a gas check system that ensured that the breech remained sealed until deliberately opened.  The sealing of the breechblock was advanced at the time.  3000 Early Models were built; 1500 were sold to Georgia, and 1500 to the War Department.  They had brass metalwork except for the blued barrel.  The Late Model had all-iron construction except for the furniture, and had an implement box on the left side of the stock, also iron.  Some 30,000 were bought by the War Department and 4000 by the US Navy, and were primarily issued out to the Marines.  For game purposes, they are identical to the Model 1859 Carbine.

     The Model 1863 New Model Carbine came in Early Models, which had an implement box, and the Late Model, which didn't.  Both used all-iron metalwork. It is identical to the Model 1859 Carbine for game purposes. Some 60,000 were built.

     The Model 1865 New Model Carbine was virtually identical to the Model 1863 New Model Carbine.  5000 were built.  They are identical to the Model 1859 Carbine for game purposes.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 1851 Carbine Type I

.52 Minie Ball (Combustible Cartridge)

3.18 kg

1 Internal

$277

Model 1851 Sporting Carbine

.36 Minie Ball (Combustible Cartridge)

3.18 kg

1 Internal

$256

Model 1851 Sporting Carbine

.44 Minie Ball (Combustible Cartridge)

3.31 kg

1 Internal

$265

Model 1851 Sporting Carbine

.52 Minie Ball (Combustible Cartridge)

3.49 kg

1 Internal

$277

Model 1852 Carbine (Round Barrel)

.52 Minie Ball (Combustible Cartridge)

3.46 kg

1 Internal

$280

Model 1852 Carbine (Octagonal Barrel)

.52 Minie Ball (Combustible Cartridge)

3.48 kg

1 Internal

$285

Model 1855 Carbine Type I

.52 Minie Ball (Combustible Cartridge)

3.46 kg

1 Internal

$278

Model 1855 Carbine Type III

.577 Minie Ball (Combustible Cartridge)

3.59 kg

1 Internal

$282

Model 1855 Carbine Type IV (18" Barrel)

.577 Minie Ball (Combustible Cartridge)

3.49 kg

1 Internal

$252

Model 1855 Carbine Type IV (19" Barrel)

.577 Minie Ball (Combustible Cartridge)

3.53 kg

1 Internal

$262

Model 1859 Carbine

.52 Minie Ball (Combustible Cartridge)

3.52 kg

1 Internal

$271

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 1851 Carbine Type I

1/2

3

2-Nil

5

3

Nil

53

Model 1851 Sporting Carbine (.36)

1/2

2

1-Nil

5

1

Nil

47

Model 1851 Sporting Carbine (.44)

1/2

2

1-Nil

5

3

Nil

50

Model 1851 Sporting Carbine (.52)

1/2

3

2-Nil

5

3

Nil

53

Model 1852 Carbine (Round Barrel)

SS

3

2-Nil

6

3

Nil

54

Model 1852 Carbine (Octagonal Barrel)

SS

3

2-Nil

6

3

Nil

55

Model 1855 Carbine Type I

1/2

3

2-Nil

6

3

Nil

54

Model 1855 Carbine Type III

1/2

4

2-Nil

5

4

Nil

54

Model 1855 Carbine Type IV (18" Barrel)

1/2

4

2-Nil

5

4

Nil

45

Model 1855 Carbine Type IV (19" Barrel)

1/2

4

2-Nil

5

4

Nil

48

Model 1859 Carbine

SS

3

2-Nil

5

3

Nil

51

    

Sharps Model 1853

     Notes: These rifles all stem from the 1853 design.  They use a combustible cartridge based on nitrated paper or linen.  They used Sharps' own patented pellet-primer mechanism (essentially a magazine for percussion caps); the mechanism held six caps.  Reloading the magazine takes 2 phases. The Model 1853 had a 27.325-inch round, browned barrel, with the rest of the metalwork being brass, except for the receiver, which was case-hardened steel.  One barrel band, an inch wide, secured the barrel about two-thirds of the way up the fore-end.  The butt had a brass plate, and inside was a compartment for cleaning supplies.  The rear sight was an adjustable leaf and the front was a blade.  Production numbers were low, and they were made exclusively for the US Navy.

     The Model 1855 Type was almost identical to the Model 1853; it was a bit heavier, primarily due to the barrel lengthened to 28.25 inches.  It too was made for the Union Navy, but fewer than 200 were made and delivered.  Less than 50 of the Type II were made; originally, the Type II had a mechanism that opened the bolt, cocked the hammer, and loaded a percussion cap from the magazine with one stroke.  It proved very unreliable, and those that were made had this mechanism removed, effectively making them Type Is again. Only 12 of the Type IIs were made.  The Type III had a barrel lengthened to 39 inches (and intended for sharpshooting), and made of bright steel.  The other metalwork was made in bright iron.

     The Model 1859 was again similar to the 1853 and 1855, but a new breech block mechanism was introduced, one that simplified production.  It was the straight breech, as opposed to the slanted breech of the earlier rifles.  The Type I version had a 30-inch blued barrel and were built for the Union Army and Navy; some 4300 were built.  The rest of the metalwork, other than the barrel, were case-hardened iron. The Type II was identical except for the use of a socketed spike bayonet instead of a saber-type bayonet. The Type III had a 36-inch barrel and was made for sharpshooters; 600 were made.  2000 Type IVs were made; they were issued only to COL Hiram Berdan's 1st and 2nd Regiments, US Sharpshooters. They had double set triggers and 30-inch round blued barrels.

     The Models 1863 Types I & II were identical for game purposes to the Models 1859 Types I & II.  About 7150 of these were built.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Sharps Model 1853

.52 Minie Ball (Breechloading)

3.97 kg

1 Internal

$683

Sharps Model 1855 Type I/II

.52 Minie Ball (Breechloading)

4.08 kg

1 Internal

$692

Sharps Model 1855 Type III

.52 Minie Ball (Breechloading)

4.39 kg

1 Internal

$801

Sharps Model 1859 Type I/II/IV

.52 Minie Ball (Breechloading)

3.97 kg

1 Internal

$710

Sharps Model 1855 Type III

.52 Minie Ball (Breechloading)

4.14 kg

1 Internal

$771

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Sharps Model 1853

1/3

3

2-Nil

7

3

Nil

81

Sharps Model 1855 Type I/II

1/3

3

2-Nil

7

3

Nil

84

Sharps Model 1855 Type III

1/3

3

2-Nil

9

3

Nil

115

Sharps Model 1859 Type I/II/IV

1/3

3

2-Nil

8

3

Nil

91

Sharps Model 1855 Type III

1/3

3

2-Nil

9

3

Nil

107

 

Sharps & Hankins Model 1861

     Notes: This rifle was designed for US Marines actively stationed aboard ships, and only about 700 were produced.  It fired a specially-designed rimfire metallic cartridge round.  It fired via a simple cocking lever; the barrel slid forward and the shooter put a fresh round into the breech and closed it again with the same lever he used to open the breech, with the barrel pulling back into the breech.  The barrel was a bit long at 32.75 inches, and it was browned.  Most of the metalwork was case-hardened, but the buttplate was brass.  The stock was secured to the barrel by four barrel bands.

     The Model 1862 was a "carbine" variant, with a 27-inch barrel and no fore-end, barrel bands, or bayonet lug. The firing pin was moved inside the receiver, and it had a lubricating aperture on the side of the frame. This version was not well received and few were built.

     The Model 1862 Army Carbine had a 23.625-inch blued barrel.  The firing pin is connected to the hammer in early models; later, the firing pin was a part in of itself and was in the rear of the frame. The breech opened via an operating lever connected to the trigger guard.  Most metal parts other than the barrel were case-hardened; unlike most rifles and carbines of the time, most of the parts were steel instead of iron. Some had no fore-end, but most had a short fore-end, not much longer than to provide gripping space.  The Model 1862 Cavalry is basically the same, but with a short 19-inch barrel.  The Model 1862 Cavalry was used exclusively by the 9th and 11th New York Volunteer Cavalry Regiments. The Model 1862 Navy Carbine was much more produced than any other of the variations of this rifle, with 11,000 being produced for the Union Navy and Marines.  It is almost identical to the Army Carbine, but had a leather cover over the barrel to help prevent rusting.  For game purposes, it is identical to the Army Carbine.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 1861 Rifle

56-.52 Sharps

3.63 kg

1 Internal

$1216

Model 1862 Carbine

56-.52 Sharps

3.5 kg

1 Internal

$1216

Model 1862 Army Carbine

56-.52 Sharps

3.46 kg

1 Internal

$688

Model 1862 Cavalry Carbine

56-.52 Sharps

3.34 kg

1 Internal

$641

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 1861 Rifle

SS

3

2-Nil

8

3

Nil

105

Model 1862 Carbine

SS

3

2-Nil

7

3

Nil

83

Model 1862 Army Carbine

SS

3

2-Nil

6

3

Nil

64

Model 1862 Cavalry Carbine

SS

3

2-Nil

5

3

Nil

51

 

Spencer Army Rifle

     Notes: The Spencer is often said to be the best firearm of the Civil War.  It was innovative, near-soldier-proof, used the rapid fire capabilities inherent in its design, and eliminated the possibilities of wet powder.  It was often the first time most Confederate soldiers had faced soldiers armed with repeating rifles. It was procured by the Union government and the soldiers alike, and the first government order was signed by Abraham Lincoln himself, after testing the prototypes brought to the White House by designer Christopher Miner Spencer.  Procurement was limited only by the ability of the Spencer Repeating Rifle Company itself; the Union would have bought as many as they could make.  In addition, many soldiers sent home their meager pay, with instructions to buy the soldier a Spencer Rifle or Carbine and as much ammo as possible. Custer’s regiment, composed of the 5th and 7th Michigan Cavalry, was armed almost exclusively with Spencer Carbines (and revolvers). The lever-action mechanism was designed by Christopher Spencer himself; the patent was registered with the US government in March 1860 and manufacture, at first for civilians, began almost immediately; the War Department ordered their first batch, at first for the Navy, in 1861. The design placed the tubular magazine in the butt; cartridges were loaded from the back of the tube, nose-first, followed by a spring-loaded follower.  Boxes of tin-tube quickloaders with a capacity of 6, 10, or 13 rounds were issued to Spencer-carrying troops starting in 1864. The blued barrel was 30 inches; to a military that is used to barrels sometimes over 40 inches, this was a carbine, though by today's measurement, it is a rather long-barreled rifle. The receiver and mechanism were case-hardened.  The rear sight was a single adjustable leaf, while the front sight was a blade.

     The Navy Rifle was essentially the same, expect for its markings.  It was primarily issued to Marines.  Prototypes of the Army Rifle were available to Union Cavalry as early as the battle of Antietam in September of 1862; an improved version of the Army Rifle, as well as the Army Carbine, was available soon after that battle, though not made general issue until after the Battle of Gettysburg.  (Nonetheless, decent numbers of Spencer Rifles and Carbines were used in that battle.)  For game purposes, the Prototype Rifle and the Army Rifle are identical, except for the caliber.

     The Rifle-Musket was not really a musket in any way; the term more denotes the increased length of the barrel.  The barrel was 38 inches long, and the extra length was designed for sharpshooters.

     The Spencer Model 1860 Carbine was a shorter version of the Army Rifle; it had a 22-Inch barrel.  Though available in 1860, Union purchases and issue did not start until 1863.  By then, a large number of Union soldiers were already using the Spencer Carbine, bought by soldiers or their families and friends and used in the Civil War as early as 1861. The Model 1865 was little used in the Civil War, as they were not available until early 1865.  Eventually, 21,511 were produced.  The Model 1865 used a shorter 20-Inch barrel and a different cartridge than the Model 1860.  Both used a tubular magazine in the stock, and both were cocked by using the enlarged trigger guard. The Model 1865 had a cutoff switch, allowing the shooter to load one shot at a time instead of feeding from the magazine.  The Union bought over 30,000 of the Model 1865 Burnside Contract Carbines; most didn't see combat in the Civil War due to their late entry.  For game purposes, both Model 1865s are identical.

     Spencers also found a home in other countries’ armies, including Mexico, France (during the Franco-Prussian War of 1871), where thousands of Spencers of all types were used.  Modern reproductions have been seen in the movie The Unforgiven, and many Civil War reenactors and Cowboy Action shooters use modern adaptations of them.  These reproductions are sometimes rechambered and reworked to use modern blackpowder rifle calibers.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Spencer Prototype Army Rifle

.56-56 Spencer

4.35 kg

7 Tubular

$1047

Spencer Model 1860 Army Rifle

.56-52 Spencer

4.54 kg

7 Tubular

$1177

Spencer Model 1860 Rifle-Musket

.56-52 Spencer

4.71 kg

7 Tubular

$1258

Spencer Model 1860 Carbine

.56-52 Spencer

3.74 kg

7 Tubular

$1096

Spencer Model 1865 Carbine

.50-52 Spencer

3.63 kg

7 Tubular

$1011

Spencer Reproduction Rifle

.56-50 Spencer

4.32 kg

7 Tubular

$1065

Spencer Reproduction Rifle

.44-40 Winchester

4.18 kg

7 Tubular

$983

Spencer Reproduction Rifle

.45 Long Colt

4.3 kg

7 Tubular

$1050

Spencer Reproduction Carbine

.56-50 Spencer

3.56 kg

7 Tubular

$963

Spencer Reproduction Carbine

.44-40 Winchester

3.44 kg

7 Tubular

$881

Spencer Reproduction Carbine

.45 Long Colt

3.54 kg

7 Tubular

$949

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Spencer Prototype Army Rifle

LA

3

1-Nil

8

2

Nil

74

Spencer Model 1860 Army Rifle

LA

3

2-Nil

8

3

Nil

85

Spencer Model 1860 Rifle-Musket

LA

3

2-Nil

9

2

Nil

109

Spencer Model 1860 Carbine

LA

3

2-Nil

6

3

Nil

59

Spencer Model 1865 Carbine

LA

3

2-Nil

6

3

Nil

53

Spencer Reproduction Rifle

LA

3

2-Nil

8

2

Nil

82

Spencer Reproduction Rifle

LA

4

1-1-Nil

7

2

Nil

106

Spencer Reproduction Rifle (.45)

LA

3

1-Nil

8

2

Nil

106

Spencer Reproduction Carbine (.56-50)

LA

3

2-Nil

6

3

Nil

51

Spencer Reproduction Carbine (.44-40)

LA

4

1-1-Nil

6

3

Nil

67

Spencer Reproduction Carbine (.45)

LA

3

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

67

 

Springfield Joslyn Model 1861

     Notes: The first breechloading rifle to be built in large numbers, the Joslyn was made for general issue, though it was not issued to Union troops until 1865, shortly before the end of the Civil War.  Joslyn was a subcontractor of Springfield. Two versions were built: the Army version, which fired a .52 caliber bullet, the Navy version (Model 1862), which fired a .58-caliber bullet.  Both were metallic cartridges.  The Model 1864 could fire the Spencer .56-52 cartridge or the Joslyn .54 cartridges. It also had a number of small improvements.  The Model 1865 had a slightly different action, not measureable in Twilight 2000 v2.2 rules.  Barrel length was 35.5 inches; it was round and blued. Three bands connected to the fore-end.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Joslyn Model 1861

56-52 Spencer

4.61 kg

1 Internal

$808

Joslyn Model 1862

.58 Springfield Rimfire

4.92 kg

1 Internal

$970

Joslyn Model 1864

.56-52 Spencer

4.61 kg

1 Internal

$808

Joslyn Model 1864

.50-40-640 Joslyn

4.58 kg

1 Internal

$960

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Joslyn Model 1861

SS

3

2-Nil

9

3

Nil

113

Joslyn Model 1862

SS

4

2-3-Nil

9

4

Nil

119

Joslyn Model 1864

SS

3

2-Nil

9

3

Nil

113

Joslyn Model 1864

SS

4

2-3-Nil

9

4

Nil

123

 

Springfield Model 1841 Rifle

     Notes: Though these rifles were assembled at the Springfield Armory, the parts were actually made at the Harpers Ferry Arsenal.  It called by many names, including Mississippi Rifle, Windsor Rifle, Harpers Ferry Rifle, Whitney Rifle, Remington Rifle, Yarger Rifle.  These names were connected to subcontractors who assembled or even manufactured the Model 1841 Rifle.  The Model 1841 Rifle was actually a Rifled Musket, as it fired a ball down a rifled barrel and not a Minie Ball.  The Model 1841 was replaced in 1855 by the Model 1855 Rifle-Musket, which was actually a rifle; this was a direct order from the Secretary of War.  The Model 1841 was not rifled at first; it was a musket, unrifled.  The Corps of Cadets as West Point received the Model 1841 Rifles for purposes of training underclassmen after they had been declared obsolete.  The Model 1841 had a V-notch rear sight and a brass blade front sight; it had three barrel bands secured by screws.  These sights were later upgraded for precision by Harpers Ferry, as there were complaints about the accuracy of the rifle because of its sights.  The left side of the rifle had a patch box set into the left side of buttstock, and it was of pretty substantial size.  The barrel is a short and reasonably manageable 36.375 inches.

     Subcontractors for the Model 1841 included Remington; Robbins, Kendall and Lawrence, Robbins & Lawrence (not the same company), Tryon & Son, and Whitney.  Confederate copies were made largely in South Carolina at Palmetto, though some were made in Northern armories for state militias before the Civil War began.

     There were a number of modifications and alterations made to the basic Model 1841 pattern.  Almost all of these modifications were done by the Harpers Ferry Arsenal.  Most were variations in the sights, the barrel bands, or the bayonet used, though the first alteration was to fire Minie Balls.  After the Fourth Alteration, the caliber was stepped up to .58 caliber, and the second pattern bayonet was used.  The Linder Modification was a major modification designed to use combustible paper cartridges, essentially turning it into breechloading rifle. (It's conceptually similar to an inline.) The rear leaf sights were modified to take into account the more standardized ballistics.  Modifications were applied to Confederate rifles as they were captured and brought in to armories.

     One of these Confederate rifles based on the Model 1841 was the Asheville Armory Rifle, which was based on the 1st Alteration.  The C Chapman Rifle was based on the 4th Alteration.  There were dozens of others; they were often handmade in individual workshops and may not have necessarily had interchangeable parts or high production numbers.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 1841 Rifle

.54 Blackpowder

4.41 kg

1 Internal

$323

Model 1841 Rifle (1st Alteration)

.54 Minie Ball

4.41 kg

1 Internal

$443

Model 1841 Rifle (4th Alteration)

.58 Minie Ball

4.6 kg

1 Internal

$459

Model 1841 Rifle (Linder Modification)

.58 Minie Ball, Combustible Cartridge

4.75 kg

1 Internal

$483

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 1841 Rifle

1/8

2

1-Nil

8

2

Nil

50

Model 1841 Rifle (1st Alteration)

1/6

3

2-Nil

9

3

Nil

95

Model 1841 Rifle (4th Alteration)

1/6

4

2-Nil

9

4

Nil

100

Model 1841 Rifle (Linder Modification)

1/5

4

2-Nil

9

4

Nil

105

 

Springfield Cadet Musket Model 1841

     Notes: This musket was designed and specially made for cadets at West Point; as a result, Springfield made just enough for West Point to use (about 450). It was in West Point service until 1856; when the Civil War broke out, when it was pressed into service. The Cadet Musket had no rear sight and has three barrel bands.  Most had a 40-inch barrel with three securing bands; it may have been a later modification, perhaps only a field modification, but examples have also been found with 31-inch and 34-inch barrels. Ignition is by percussion.

     Many of the Cadet Muskets received rifled barrels starting in 1857; some 341 were so rifled.  The contract was drawn up in 1851, so the nomenclature was Rifled Cadet Musket Model 1851.  These had 40-inch barrels, but not the shorter barrels. They were equipped with long-range rear sights. These were finished bright except for the buttplate and barrel bands, which were brass.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Cadet Musket 1841 (40" Barrel)

.57 Blackpowder

4.27 kg

1 Internal

$227

Cadet Musket 1841 (34" Barrel)

.57 Blackpowder

3.86 kg

1 Internal

$196

Cadet Musket 1841 (31" Barrel)

.57 Blackpowder

3.66 kg

1 Internal

$183

Rifled Cadet Musket Model 1851

.57 Blackpowder

4.68 kg

1 Internal

$379

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Cadet Musket 1841 (40")

1/6

3

2-Nil

9

4

Nil

38

Cadet Musket 1841 (34")

1/6

3

2-Nil

8

4

Nil

36

Cadet Musket 1841 (31")

1/6

3

2-Nil

7

4

Nil

30

Rifled Cadet Musket Model 1851

1/8

3

2-Nil

9

3

Nil

63

 

Springfield Model 1855 Rifle-Musket

     Notes: The winds of war had been blowing since well before the outbreak of hostilities in the Civil War, and the North was attempting to modernize as quickly as they could get funding.  The Model 1855 and later rifles were attempts at this.  The Model 1855 were the first American firearms to use the Minie Ball instead of a round ball for ammunition, though it was still a muzzleloader.  This rifle was made in Massachusetts by Springfield, as well as at Harpers Ferry (now in West Virginia, then in Virginia), and by Eli Whitney's company in Connecticut.  Springfield also built a much smaller number of rifles for the training of the Corps of Cadets at West Point.  The Model 1855 used the Maynard tape primer system, where percussion caps were embedded in paper and (theoretically) could be easily moved from on cap to another, much like a child's cap gun.  In actuality, the tape would get wet in rainy weather or even normal use and fall to pieces quickly, negating the advantages of a tape primer system.  It was nonetheless being used through the Civil War; even captured examples were duplicated by the Confederates.  There were generally three types of these rifles produced; Type I had a long-base notch-type rear sight, adjustable for long and short range, and metalwork was bright iron in finish.  Type II used a smaller two-leaf sight, also adjustable for long or short range.  Type II used an iron fore-tip and a patch and maintenance box was set inside the right side of the buttstock.  Barrels for the standard rifle were 40 inches long; for the Cadet Rifle, 38 inches (and a stock 1 inch shorter). The first number under ROF is for when the tape primer system is working properly; the second is for the usual, when it is not working.

     The Model 1861 was roughly the same, but corrected numerous deficiencies of the Model 1855.  It was the primary rifle of the Civil War, and produced by Springfield, Eagle, Colt, Alfred Jenks & Son, Whitneyville Armory, William Mason, ASH Waters James D Mowry, and some 27 other armories large and small, in a practice similar to the way World War 2 firearms would be manufactured about 78 years later.  It dispensed with the tape primer system.  Most of the metalwork was finished bright, except for the rear sights, which were blued.  As designed, they had two-leaf long/short range sights, but many were supplied with Model 1858 sights. The stock was walnut and oil-finished.  Barrels continued to be at 40 inches, and the caliber remained the same. All had the patch box in the right buttstock.

     The Confederate armory at Richmond, Virginia made a near-copy (close enough for game purposes) of the Springfield Model 1855. calling it the Richmond Armory Rifle-Musket.  It was the primary Confederate small arm throughout the Civil War.  It however did not use the Maynard tape primer system.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 1855 Rifle-Musket

.58 Minie Ball

4.2 kg

1 Internal

$494

Model 1858 Cadet Rifle-Musket

.58 Minie Ball

4.11 kg

1 Internal

$475

Model 1861 Rifle-Musket

.58 Minie Ball

4.16 kg

1 Internal

$494

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 1855 Rifle-Musket

1/5 (1/7)

4

2-Nil

9

4

Nil

108

Model 1858 Cadet Rifle-Musket

1/5 (1/7)

4

2-Nil

9

4

Nil

103

Model 1861 Rifle-Musket

1/7

4

2-Nil

9

4

Nil

108

 

Starr Carbine

     Notes: Another weapon that soldiers or their families and friends frequently bought for use in the Civil War, the Starr came in two versions that at first seem to be quite different from each other.  The Starr Percussion Carbine was fired by loading a combustible case of paper or linen, with a Minie Ball at its tip.  The Starr Carbine saw considerable use in the Western Campaign of the Civil War, on both sides -- it was built from 1858 until 1865, and most of the 1st Arkansas Volunteer Cavalry Regiment were armed with Starr Percussion Carbines.  The breech was opened using the lever, which was an enlarged trigger guard.  The round, blued barrel was 21 inches in most of the Starr Percussion Carbines, though early in the production run the barrel was 18 inches.  The breech, lever, and action are case-hardened, but the barrel band and the buttplate are brass.  A sling ring on a bar was on the left side; the sling ring is large enough to be attached to a Cavalryman's saddle.

     The Starr Carbine fires a different caliber, and uses rimfire cartridges instead of the combustible case.  However, they essentially have the same action, with some adjustments to allow it to take metallic cartridges.  In less than one month, March to April 1865, Starr tested, built and delivered 5,002 of these carbines to the Union, and they were all issued out, though they did not see much action.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Starr Percussion Carbine (18" Barrel)

.54 Combustible Cartridge

3.27 kg

1 Internal

$634

Starr Percussion Carbine (21" Barrel)

.54 Combustible Cartridge

3.35 kg

1 Internal

$664

Starr Carbine

.52-56 Sharps

3.35 kg

1 Internal

$668

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Starr Percussion Carbine (18" Barrel)

1/3

3

2-Nil

5

3

Nil

44

Starr Percussion Carbine (21" Barrel)

1/3

3

2-Nil

5

3

Nil

52

Starr Carbine

SS

3

2-Nil

5

3

Nil

57

 

Thompson/Center Black Diamond

     Notes: This weapon has a modern stock, but standard percussion ignition and muzzleloading.  It can use standard percussion caps or inline-type primers for ignition.  The stock is synthetic with checkering on the pistol grip wrist and fore-end.  Stock color may be black, faux black walnut, or Realtree Hardwoods camo.  The rear sight is a click-adjustable steel peep sight, and the front sight is a ramp.  Both have fiberoptic inserts, and the Black Diamond is drilled and tapped for a scope.  Metalwork may be blued or stainless steel.  The XR (Xtended Range) variant has a 32-inch barrel, as opposed to the 26-inch barrel of the Black Diamond.  Standard caliber is .50, but .45 is available upon request. The Black Diamond and XR are not rifled, unlike most modern blackpowder weapons.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Black Diamond

.45 Blackpowder

3.06 kg

1 Internal

$255

Black Diamond

.50 Blackpowder

3.09 kg

1 Internal

$258

XR

.45 Blackpowder

3.31 kg

1 Internal

$219

XR

.50 Blackpowder

3.34 kg

1 Internal

$235

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Black Diamond (.45)

1/6

2

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

22

Black Diamond (.50)

1/6

3

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

24

XR (.45)

1/6

2

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

27

XR (.50)

1/6

3

1-Nil

8

3

Nil

28

 

Thompson/Center Omega

     Notes: A modern inline weapon, the Omega is made primarily of synthetic furniture with blued metalwork. The furniture may be black, RealTree Hardwoods, or gray. It has a lever-action system, allowing one to load the primer from the breech rather than the muzzle, and to easily and safely clear duds. Atop the receiver it is drilled and tapped for a scope, with auxiliary iron sights consisting of a click-adjustable fiberoptic rear and a TruGlo fiberoptic dovetailed front sight. It has a rifled barrel 26 inches long. The breechblock cannot be lowered unless the hammer is fully cocked back, and vice versa.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Omega

.50 Blackpowder

3.46 kg

1 Internal

$332

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Omega

1/5

3

1-Nil

7

3

Nil

87

 

Traditions Vortek Ultralight LDR

     Notes: Despite being a blackpowder break-open muzzle-loading rifle, the Ultralight LDR is a modern inline weapon.  The Ultralight LDR has no iron sights, but does have a MIL-STD-1913 over the receiver.  The stock and fore-end are of Synthetic Hougue Overmold, and may be had in Black or Reaper Buck (a Camouflage design).  Metalwork is of chrome/moly steel, with a Cerekote finish.  The Ultralight LDR is in fact quite light in weight for the size of the weapon, largely due to its synthetic stock.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Vortek Ultralight LDR

.50 Blackpowder

3.08 kg

1 Internal

$699

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Vortek Ultralight LDR

1/5

2

1-Nil

6

1

Nil

93

 

Triplett & Scott Repeating Rifle

     Notes: Made by Meriden Manufacturing, the Triplett & Scott is names for its two designers -- who borrowed heavily from Spencer's design.  Kentucky bought 3000 of these rifles in 1865 and the Civil War was nearly over, but began to dispose of them in 1868, selling them off to entities like youth shooting programs, civilians, and state militias.  Like Spencer's design, the Triplett & Scott is fed by a 7-round tubular magazine in the buttstock.  To reload, the barrel is rolled aside 120 degrees, giving access to the spring-loaded magazine. It was shorter and handier than a Spencer Rifle, with a 27.5-inch barrel.  Most of the metalwork was blued iron, with the exception of the buttplate; even the single barrel band was blued iron.  The front sight was a blade and the rear sight an adjustable leaf.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Triplett & Scott

.50-52 Spencer

4.24 kg

7 Tubular

$1087

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Triplett & Scott

LA

3

2-Nil

7

3

Nil

77

 

Wesson Military Carbine

     Notes: Manufactured by Frank Wesson's company, the Wesson Military Carbine was known for being light and handy.  It uses a break-open action, like most modern single-barrel firearms.  Wesson started building them in 1859.  The barrel was an octagonal 24-inch barrel which was blued.  The barrel is steel, though the rest of the metalwork is iron.  The front sight is a blade, and the rear a folding leaf sight.  The stock was black walnut; the fore-end was very short, not much more than required to hold the rifle still.  The Type I did not have the automatic extractor of later models.  Sling rings were to the rear of the cocking lever and at the front.  Cocking was done by pressing the trigger to the front of the trigger guard.

     The Type I Kittredge (named for the arms dealer who sold the US government the carbines) was for game purposes the same as the Type I.  Most were used by troops raised in Indiana.  The Type II Wesson Carbine was also the same as the Type I for game purposes, but differed somewhat mechanically, with the "oscillating lock" located on left side of the breech.  It had an automatic extractor.  It was not used by the military; it was sold only as a sporting carbine.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Wesson Military Carbine

.44 Henry Rimfire

2.61 kg

1 Internal

$504

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Wesson Military Carbine

SS

2

1-Nil

6

3

Nil

60

 

Whitney Model 1861 Navy Rifle

     Notes: This rifle is often called the Plymouth Rifle because the Whitney 1861 was tested on the USS Plymouth for eventual general use by Union Navy sailors. The sailors were allowed a lot of latitude on modifying and improving the design as long as the basic design remained intact.  The Whitney 1861 therefore had a barrel length, sights, bayonet, and butt trap that had a lot of input from the actual naval personnel who would have to use it.  The result was a rifle that had a lot in common with the late Springfield designs, but was higher-caliber to tear sails and blast through wood planks to kill the enemy sailors behind them.  It had a relatively short 34-inch barrel so it would not be unwieldy on deck, and it had more stock to help keep it steady on a rolling deck.  It had two wide barrel bands, and a rear leaf sight and a front bead sight.  The ramrod had the interesting feature of being cupped to fit around a Minie Ball.  Metalwork is blued, and the stock is of Black Walnut.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 1861 Navy Rifle

.69 Minie Ball

4.37 kg

1 Internal

$494

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 1861 Navy Rifle

1/6

5

2-3-Nil

9

4

Nil

99

 

Whitney Model 1855-Derivative Rifle for Militia

     Notes: Produced only in small numbers for smaller state militia units, these rifles were essentially shortened versions of the Springfield 1855.  They used a 33-inch browned barrel with otherwise bright metal, and Black Walnut furniture.  They used a tangent-type rear sight with a block and blade front sight.  The lockwork was unmilled and could be a bit crude, and the "Militia Rifle" used the Maynard Tape Primer system.  It used a saber-type bayonet that fastened to a socket on the right side of the barrel.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Model 1855-Derivative Rifle

.58 Minie Ball

3.87 kg

1 Internal

$427

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Model 1855-Derivative Rifle

1/6

4

2-Nil

8

4

Nil

91

 

Whitworth Rifle

     Notes: The Whitworth Rifle was part of a design process to replace or upgrade the Pattern 1853 Enfield; this design process sort of presaged the modern design competition philosophy, and the Whitworth Rifle was one of those contenders. The Whitworth rifle was eventually cut from the competition by the British Army in 1857, though the British were able to sell the design in small numbers to the new French Army and the Confederate Army.  The Whitworth saw its last official military use by the Foreign Legion in 1861.  The Whitworth was an accurate rifle, but difficult to reload quickly.  Even skirmishers (the ancestors of today’s snipers), though they liked the Whitworth’s accuracy, did not appreciate the Whitworth’s reloading time, though they did appreciate the light weight vs. accuracy. However, shooters in the budding civilian competition shooting clubs of the time quickly snapped up the decommissioned Whitworths; they saw in the Whitworth a very accurate rifle, and in civilian competition, the long reloading times didn’t matter much.

     For Sir Joseph Whitworth, round barrels, even when rifled, were simply too long to produce the desired accuracy – some 800 meters was desired, which was a very long range by the technology of the period.  Whitworth thought that a barrel with very “hard” rifling would produce better accuracy – and they did; skirmishers and sharpshooters were able to wring sometimes 1600 meters out of the Whitworth, which is approaching modern standards.  Whitworth achieved this by using a barrel with a twisting hexagonal shape, so that the matching hexagonal cross-sectional matching bullets couldn’t help but rotate with the rifling – and the rifling rate could be adjusted as necessary. (Whitworth standardized on a 1-20 twist, about twice that of an equivalent rifle of today.)

     The Confederates employed the Whitworth among their sharpshooters during the Civil War, where they were sometimes topped by some of the first riflescopes in history.  The US Civil War also supplied the death knell for the Whitworth – they were much more prone to fouling due to the tight and rigid rifling, and in the Whitworth’s barrel, this just made reloading longer; in a heavy battle, this could drop (in T2K terms) to a 1/12 or longer.  (The time in the charts below is with a clean bore.) The sharpshooter was essentially cleaning the bore of an already difficult-to-clean bore every time he reloaded, and in a badly fouled bore, the shooter was literally jamming the bullet, powder, and patch down the barrel with all his force.  This also changed the ballistics of each round fired, lowering effective range.

  (To simulate this effect, increase time to reload by one per eight consecutive shots taken without cleaning the bore.  Per eight consecutive shots, decrease short range below by two.)

  The range of a Whitworth, when everything was working right and topped with a scope, could be magnetic to Confederate sharpshooters.  One of the posters to Juhlin’s Forum had on his sig line the last words of Union General John Sedgwick, which were something like, “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this dis--” and was then shot below the right eye, it is believed, with a Whitworth rifle. (Five sharpshooters claimed the kill, but all had Whitworth rifles.)

     There were several barrel lengths available to Whitworth shooters – 33, 36, and 39 inches.  (The Confederates typically used 33-inch barrels.) Though the hexagonal bullet was the most common, a hollow round ball was also employed, which expanded into the hexagonal bore of the Whitworth. They were effective, but did not have the range or hitting power of the hexagonal bullet; they were easier to make. The shape of the hexagonal bullet created more striking power and penetration (in T2K terms).

     Modern reproductions are made by Parker Hale, Pedersoli, and Euro Arms; they have a greater standard of metalwork, but are otherwise faithful reproductions.  They are quite popular among Civil War reenactors, and in modern blackpowder target competitions, often hit targets at 600 meters or more.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Whitworth Rifle (33” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder Hexagonal Bullet or Hollow Ball

4.08 kg

1 Internal

$557

Whitworth Rifle (36” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder Hexagonal Bullet or Hollow Ball

4.2 kg

1 Internal

$657

Whitworth Rifle (39” Barrel)

.45 Blackpowder Hexagonal Bullet or Hollow Ball

4.33 kg

1 Internal

$668

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Whitworth Rifle (Hex Bullet, 33” Barrel)

1/8

3

1-1-Nil

7

2

Nil

99

Whitworth Rifle (Hex Bullet, 36” Barrel)

1/8

3

1-1-Nil

8

2

Nil

108

Whitworth Rifle (Hex Bullet, 39” Barrel)

1/8

3

1-1-Nil

8

2

Nil

116

Whitworth Rifle (Round Bullet, 33” Barrel)

1/7

2

1-Nil

7

2

Nil

83

Whitworth Rifle (Round Bullet, 36” Barrel)

1/7

2

1-Nil

8

2

Nil

90

Whitworth Rifle (Round Bullet, 39” Barrel)

1/7

2

1-Nil

8

2

Nil

96