Tallassee Carbine: The Confederacy's Last-Ditch Effort

[@RSpracticalshooting]

Being Floridian my brain read "Tallahassee" so when Ian said "Tallasee" I was extremely confused for a few seconds.

[@CharlieRocRevolution]

Same here

[@genghiskhan6809]

Same

[@cavalieroutdoors6036]

I'm from Virginia and my brain still refuses to acknowledge that it's Tallasee and not Tallahassee.

[@kmech3rd]

Glad it's not just me.

[@lairdcummings9092]

Likewise

[@possumpatrol45]

With an 80% failure rate, Ea-Nasir must have been reincarnated as a spring steel supplier for the Confederacy.

[@genghiskhan6809]

LMAO

[@AGS363]

Ea-Nasir? Oh, you mean the copper guy!

[@tyrian_baal]

GOD DAMN YOU EA-NASIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jalpat2272]

Ah warm my heart to see a fellow voice of past listener.

[@Eric-vs2he]

Earl Jonathan Nasirfield

[@bamaDSM15]

How cool, I grew up in Tallassee and the old armory structure is there. It's a ruin now but until about 20 years ago it was a standing roofed structure still.

[@STho205]

I went to a fund raising dance there one autumn...about 1998 to 2003 or so. Can't remember which year exactly.

[@petesheppard1709]

I grew up around Tallassee as well, but never knew about the Civil War history.

[@cullendonaldson9303]

My 3rd great grandfather was a blacksmith in coffee county Alabama at the time and he made some small parts in these guns

[@paulstuhrenberg9165]

Went to Hotel Tallasee for Sunday dinner for years 30 years or so ago

[@STho205]

Stayed there myself. Last time about 2000.

[@stormthrush37]

6:40 That's actually a pretty ingenious device for retaining the ramrod while simultaneously allowing its use. I'm impressed.

[@alecblunden8615]

It's a fairly standard device for cavalry muzzle loaders, in use for a couple of centuries by the time. Logical, but yes it's cool.

[@kutter_ttl6786]

Just Google stirrup ramrod to find more images of the device. Not sure of when it first appeared, but there are pistols for use by Dragoons dating as far back as 1800 that have that feature.

[@stormthrush37]

@@alecblunden8615 Oh really? That's cool. Learn something new every day.

[@guynemer53]

Would help prevent reenactors from accidently shooting their ramrod too (true story).

[@lorsmephisto5222]

@@guynemer53 Wow, that sounds scary, lol

[@SamSpade903]

I live about 20 minutes from Tallassee. The old brick cotton and armory buildings were still standing until a few years ago. As kids, we walked through them once or twice after brunch at the Hotel Tallassee.

[@danielhurst8863]

Wait, WHAT, there is something firearm related outside Ian's expertise!!! Percussion Cap protectors. How long till Ian has a video going into detailed history of such protectors and shows us all 6 types that ever existed?

[@Chaosrain112]

Announcing Headstamp Publishing's newest upcoming release!

[@ericsteenbergen9470]

​@Robert Stallard That is a known thing, nipple protector is used on the current enthusiast market to differentiate them from modern snap caps (plastic cartridges that do much the same, protecting the firearm during dry fire operation). But if you are a modern vendor dealing with the mostly ignorant customer base of the general public you risk confusing people about your stock if you dont differentiate. So nipple protector it is, the language has moved on.

[@aidenhall8593]

A week max

[@SynapseDriven]

yes, a book on nipple protectors please lol

[@KevinSmith-yh6tl]

​@Robert Stallard And damaging...... THE NIPPLE!

[@craighansen7594]

When you mentioned confederate rifle barrels used as reinforcement in a foundation it reminded me of a very long fence and gate system at a place called Grant's Farm. The fence is built primarily of Civil War rifle barrels, thousands of them(alot but not sure of the exact count). This is in St. Louis County, Missouri. Those are surely forgotten weapons and hundreds of people drive past them every day not realizing they are there.

[@wesleyrogers5390]

In '89 or '90 my dad and I went to Giest music shop in Helena Arkansas and dad purchased one from Mr. Giest. Mr. Giest (about 70 at that time) said he can remember as a small boy, his granddad put that carbine, along with the saber I purchased in that corner and no one paid any more attention to them. The carbine dad purchased did not have a sling. It did have the rings for a sling. I had a brass bar and ring on the side of the wood opposite the lock. It also had a serial# 590 on the trigger guard and on the wood under the butt plate. The wood and brass was complete as well. My eldest brother now owns the carbine, as dad passed in the early 2010's I went hunting with it the same year dad bought it. We used black powder, with a slug and sabot from a 20ga. It did not kick as hard as my 20ga. It put a HUGE hole in the beaver I shot. To the best of my knowledge, no one has fired or even loaded it since I cleaned it.

[@gabed.101]

Ian, I know you must hear this all the time but PLEASE consider doing either the occasional history video or a history channel altogether. My favorite parts of your videos are always the historical background and you tell it so well. Great video as always!

[@harlech2]

The cannon that sits out on the corner of the ME engineering building is from Tallassee. Also, I have been diving in the river by the old armory looking for cannons that were allegedly dumped when the armory was packing up.

[@mikejohnson2098]

ME engineering building?

[@harlech2]

@@mikejohnson2098 ME.. mechanical engineering @ Auburn. At least it did in the `80's.

[@Indeciferable]

Wouldn't they presumably be buried under mud? I'd assume if the river is still flowing they'd naturally sink into the river bed over time.

[@harlech2]

@@Indeciferable The bedrock there is pretty shallow, so the mud and debris gets swept away from time to time.

[@jamessimms415]

Supposedly there’s a cannon from Selma in the Tombigbee River near Gainesville, AL

[@carlvondrunker7855]

In the last couple of years, the Tallassee armory was disassembled. Tallassee is pretty cool. There's a car grave yard of models from early 1900's to the 70's just in a ravine by the river, and it's illegal to harvest anything off the cars. Great little downtown. Cool to see this and I've seen the Tallassee Armory before it got torn down.

[@tn_bayouwulf2949]

When I First read the subject title, I thought it was about Tallassee, TN which is a small unincorporated town on the Chillhowee Lake/River, near the Smoky Mountains. What a small world of township names.

[@danielhurst8863]

LOL, so did I.

[@velvetant]

My great grandparents and grandparents worked in the cotton mill that was the Arsenal before they built the other cotton mill across the river. My grandmother still lives half a mile from the old Mill.

[@gwoody4003]

I have a Traditions brand .50 muzzleloader that is pretty much this model but with an octogon barrel. Has that straight line from the trigger to the butt plate and everything. Wish it had the ram rod guide, thats a sweet feature. I got it because I was looking for a muzzleloader for hunting that felt like my Win.94 30-30. The short barrel is nice for aiming from inside a blind, walking through brush and climbing in a tree pretty easy. Most shots are within 50 yards so I don't need that extra barrel length.

[@EngineeringWizard11]

This bears a striking resemblance to the 1856 Enfield carbine. I have a 1972 Indian manufactured replica that is chambered in 12 gauge. It's a wonderful shooter, launching 1oz round balls downrange.

[@gregbrown4009]

The handling and "handiness" of a carbine-length riflesd from ML to SA has always impressed me. It is fascinating that it took so long for the M4 carbine to become the standard barrel length. Now pretty much every new military rifle on the market is carbine length.

[@filmandfirearms]

Apart from everything Walker mentioned, there's also the simple fact that our understanding of ballistics and optics, as well as related technologies, weren't as advanced as they are now. It was obviously more than adequate for most purposes, people still hunt with 19th century pattern muzzleloaders to this day. However, with the simpler rifling that was available at the time, the slightly improved accuracy of a longer barrel was a welcome benefit. It's only recently where the difference in accuracy has become so negligible that a shorter weapon is actually a net benefit. It's not as if carbines didn't exist until the M4, every army on earth had a carbine variant of their standard rifle, even before rifling started to see regular service. Fusees, for example, were just shortened smoothbore muskets, and were very common among officers, and even occasionally appeared with light infantrymen. Quite simply, there are some situations where a shorter weapon is objectively better, but until recently, the benefits did not outweigh the costs enough to justify widespread use

[@ismellmandude6401]

I haven't been keeping up with military stuff, care to explain what's going on with the whole 6.8mm thing?

[@vernonbender3384]

As I recall, there survives an intact Conferedate powder mill deep inside Mammoth Cave. Apparenly the 10' thick deposits of bat guano were superb for extracting saltpeter.

[@kylehebert3738]

Enjoyed your utreon video the other day went over an watched thanks for all the great content!

[@holopaste]

Love having breakfast with a brand new forgotten weapons video

[@andrew051968]

Using barrels in concrete reinforcing happened here in Australia - one Australian gunsmith used hundreds of Martini- Cadet barreled actions as reinforcing in his concrete driveway in the early 1960's when he couldn't sell them for a shilling each (equivalent value is about $1 in today's money).

[@davidneel8863]

Note the key difference between the Cook & Brothers and the Tallassee Carbines is that the former was pretty much a complete copy of an Enfield carbine, while the Tallassee used an Enfield style lock and breach design, but a Springfield style stock with a higher comb and a curved button plate, as well as a multi piece trigger guard , all brass mounted, as noted. An interesting blend of the two most common arms of the War.

[@sw-wk3qm]

From Alabama, civil war history nut that lived seven years in Montgomery, about half hour from Tallassee and never knew this. Thanks

[@christopherreed4723]

From what I've read - partly in Peterson's classic The Book Of The Gun - the reluctance of the Union's ordnance department to adopt a breechloading rifle was only partly due to concerns about complexity and dubious reliability. A great deal was due to being so adverse to any kind of innovation that I suspect they'd have insisted on issuing percussion-primed rifled muskets if they'd had a wormhole feeding them 1903 Springfields and whole pallets of .30-06 ammo. More than a generation later their successors eagerly followed in their footsteps by trying to unload outdated single-shot Allin Conversion Springfields in .45-70 onto some crackpot who wanted to equip a *volunteer* cavalry force to go fight the Spanish in Cuba. After all, it's a proven design, easy to operate, hits hard, and half-trained "Volunteer Cavalry" won't waste ammo they way they would with newer designs. And they use black powder...you can hide behind the smoke. Fortunately, the crackpot in question was far too downey a bird to be taken in by that, and after adjusting his spectacles and giving the gentlemen at Ordnance an earful, Colonel Roosevelt left with a full issue of Krag bolt-action carbines.

[@R4002]

The American Civil War took place during a very interesting time in firearms development. I live in Richmond, and one of the reasons it was chosen as the capital of the CSA was the fact that Richmond had more industrial capacity and is located at the intersection of several railroads and of course the James River - direct water transport to the Hampton Roads area, the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic. So “important transportation hub” is putting it lightly. Of course the industrial capacity is very important. Otherwise…Richmond is almost exactly 100 miles due south of Washington, D.C.. hence why a huge number of Civil War battles took place in Virginia.

[@dinsdalemontypiranha4349]

Great story about the history of these guns Ian! The ramrod retainer is a great piece of engineering: simple and effective. I'm really impressed by the thinking behind this design. I don't remember seeing anything like this in any of your videos of muzzle loading weapons. Thanks!

[@jeffreyknickman5559]

I had a book years ago that was an encyclopedia of weapons. There was a drawing of a P1856 Enfield piston (sea service I think) with one.

[@BleedingUranium]

I was super impressed too, it's complex yet simple, and I'm very surprised that I don't think I've ever seen it on another muzzle loader.

[@kutter_ttl6786]

The retainer is called a stirrup ramrod and was several decades old by that time. When you Google it you'll find pictures of pistols for Dragoons dating as far back as 1800 with that feature. It seems it was most commonly used in cavalry carbines and pistols.

[@ted356]

Ok, this is definitely a Forgotten Weapon! BTW, I’ve actually been to Tallassee AL and never heard of this carbine. Great story.

[@dcbadger2]

I've been watching Ian for years, and that swiveling ramrod has to be the neatest thing I have seen on this channel.

[@leo7001]

I've lived near that mill for 50 years and never seen a weapon that was made there.

[@CeltKnight]

Being from (and in) Alabama, I really enjoyed this bit of history. Further spiking my interest, the first PD I worked for hired a chief from Tallassee and he brought several of his folks down to fill new posts. I made some life-long friends, and that chief's now d-i-l is my physician. So when I saw Tallassee, I had to watch this (of course I watch every other FW video, but .. you get what I'm saying). ;)

[@jagx234]

The map story was horrible and hilarious at the same time.

[@DanielBeaver]

They did that guy cold for trying to help them out.

[@STho205]

Shows that despite the rhetoric, the Union Army didn't care about anything but forcing the rebelling states back into the Union....just as they said at the onset of the war.

[@DB-yj3qc]

Showing a pattern..... about government. I'll leave you to 🤔 on.

[@cyberpunk2453]

@@DB-yj3qc That's a pattern about humanity in general. I'll just point out that government is reflective of that in all forms, even idealized ones.

[@CoolAndrew89]

@@DB-yj3qc "Hmm yes I shall provide a vague statement that doesn't really add anything to the conversation"

[@ImpurestStewart]

Tallassee, Alabama. One of the nicest small towns i've visited.

[@ricardodavidson3813]

As far as I am aware, the ramrod swivel first appeared on the British Paget carbine around 1812, it was in service by the battle of Waterloo. Can anyone add to this?

[@kutter_ttl6786]

It's called a stirrup ramrod, it may have been invented several years before that. When I Googled it, I found an auction for a Dragoon pistol dating from circa 1800 that already had that feature.

[@eloiseharbeson2483]

I thought this thumbnail said Tallahassee 😂 That story about Cook sounds awful familiar. Grocery stores that give out credit to keep their customers coming in often find that the customers end up owing so much that they take their business elsewhere so that they don't have to pay on their debt every time they come in.

[@saladiniv7968]

you can still load a muzzle loader without a ramrod using something called tap loading. it's certainly not as effective and you risk having the project not fully seated, plus i'm not sure if it would be feasible at all on horseback.

[@Unus_Annus_]

I wouldn’t take that risk

[@saladiniv7968]

@@Unus_Annus_ even if it's that or not shoot back at all?

[@satansnarwhal]

@@saladiniv7968 would rather use it as a club

[@cjp8u2]

Ian evidentially needs to give Sharpe a watch.

[@saladiniv7968]

@@cjp8u2 i really would advise against the sharps technique, spit loading like the do in that series is hilariously unsafe. there is always a risk of a couple burning embers being left in the gun after firing, couple that with you putting your mouth over the barrel to reload and the results will be pretty mind-blowing, as in your brain gets blown out the back of your skull.

[@CraigTheScotsman]

Fascinating as always. One thing re: ramrods that I assume you know but simplified for expediency and to drive a point home: You *technically* can load and fire smoothbore or (I believe) Minié-ammunition muzzleloaders without ramming, but I would not recommend it and it certainly neither common nor officially prescribed in any capacity I’m aware of. Without the ramrod tamping the powder down, your reliability significantly decreases, as does the lethal potency of your shot. There are accounts of Austrian, French, and British forces situationally tap-loading instead of ramming, but these were exceptional occasions.

[@Dryhalf08]

I’m from tallassee and work probably 300 yards from where these were made originally.

[@drewm389]

Macon arsenal wasn't burned down. It fell in due to neglect. Source: Historical marker in Macon. Also, the Cook & Bros building is an admin building for the University of Georgia as it was never burned down either.

[@primeministersinister625]

I reckon since Cook was a private company, it doesn’t technically count as a confederate arsenal

[@lovehunter726]

That was my father’s hometown. Been there several times. Tallassee is 20 miles west of Auburn Alabama

[@corwinhyatt519]

From what I can tell the ram rod is basically a muzzleloader's equivalent to the bolt in a modern rifle. It makes sure the projectile and powder are in the proper position for firing and without one (other than with break actions) the weapon doesn't work. It is a bit easier to improvise a replacement ramrod than a replacement bolt though.

[@michaelwarenycia7588]

Good analogy!

[@RDeathmark]

I would imagine that that ramrod retention thing also makes it so that loading is a little faster because you don't have to worry about lining up the end of the ramrod with the barrel it automatically lines it up for you basically

[@burnsboysaresoldiers]

Yeah, southern cavalry didn't focus on carbines in combat very much. Southern Cavalry really pretty quickly turned to the idea of carrying as many revolvers as possible. It wasn't unknown for a southern car trooper to carry 5 or 6 revolvers. Carbines fired from horse back was tough and southern cavalry preferred riding in shooting up the place and leaving, never really dismounting. Northern Cavalry acted more like dragoons and focused on long destructive raids. The smash buckling "Cowboy" kind of antics of the southern cav looked great for moral but northern can caused way more of strategic effect.

[@georgem7965]

Ian, this is the first time I have ever been able to hear something I consider question able from you and it is very surprising that you wouldn't know this. I haven't read all 500+ comments to see if anyone has brought this up but I believe that you have the explanation of the operation of the articulated ramrod a bit off. I have always used one by flipping the ramrod 180 degrees after removing it from the guides so that the wide, flat end is the one pushing the powder and the projectile down the barrell, just like a normal mussel loader. I have never seen one of these operated using the small end to push down the paper cartridge or projectile. In fact, I believe that it might be very possible for the small end of the ram rod to pierce the paper cartridge and create a number of problems, none of them good. I'd like to see any black powder folk comment on this.

[@timbaskett6299]

It's a "basic" design, but I do like the simple design. I have a Hawkens .50 cal percussion rifle that someone got a "wild hair" in working over the stock, and it is missing the front sight. I can't beat the price for it, though. I bought for $50. I want to fit it with a diopter sight(my favorite open sight)and redo the stock on it.

[@sealove79able]

Quite a great very interesting video and musket GJ.These muskets had a pretty good range and a hefty cliber.Have a good one.

[@AGS363]

The interesting thing is that almost everyone spent decades using front loader, while breach loaders were already very much feasible. Remember: The Dreyse-Zündnadelgewehr was introduced in 1837!

[@beargillium2369]

Doesn't do much good if you can't get ammo

[@lairdcummings9092]

It wasn't technical limits that argued against breechloaders - it was machining *capacity* - not enough factories of the right *type* available. Well, that, and military conservatism; no need to train new drill, no need to stock new spare parts, etc.

[@Bobafett-lc2vx]

@@lairdcummings9092 The cheapest and readily available option is the best option.

[@STho205]

Laird is correct on both counts. Mfg capabilities for elaborate hinging, latchings, fittings, vs a tube with a touch hole drilled. Remember in this lecture, 80% of mainspring steel were rejected in this startup. Such steel rejects were common in most startups. Burning black powder looses effectiveness through breach venting. Tri nitro powder made this a negligible issue. Manufacturing early breach loading cartridges is also a major struggle. The Henry Martini breach loader was often plagued by bent foil cartridges jamming the gun. One of the causes of the Zulu overrun. Trapdoor Springfield needed very precise paper cartridge for proper fit, where muzzle cartridge didn't. The trapdoor Springfield after the war was not much faster than the 1863 muzzle only design. Pouring and ramming ball takes about 6 seconds in the load sequence. Opening the door, inserting cartridge, closing the door takes 4. Hardly noticeable in battalion fire of single shot longarms. Trapdoors were fitted with rammers. They were used as muzzle loaders into 1900 when proper cartridge (or damaged substandard cartridge only) was available.

[@alexandermarinin7036]

Major issue was ammo production and logistics. With muzzleloaders all you need is to bring couple casks of gunpowder and few chunks of led to troops, so soldiers could make cartridges for themselves. But for metallic cartridges you need whole industry and proper logistics capabilities

[@tsk9277]

You would think that you'd send a few soldiers to check the river crossing before just shooting the random man.

[@lovetohate028]

It's 1865. They're all desensitized and have killed enough civilians to not value life all that much

[@jameshenderson4876]

Military intelligence at work.

[@Aliyah_666]

​@@jameshenderson4876 Paradox in terms right there.

[@boingkster]

Looks like an Enfield or Snider at first glance. Go figure!

[@jjgourde]

I wish Ian would have said just "not to be mistaken for Tallahassee" because I did...

[@marvinguillot9327]

Awesome. Love your Chanel. I actually see Weopons I never knew about.

[@nathantucker5300]

While my wife was in Veterinarian school we live right behind where the old Tallassee Armory used to be. It is one of those old Southern towns that is basically dead. The only reason it is still even there is because it sets dead center between Montgomery and Auburn.

[@bobgoodman1451]

The shell of the fallacies armory still stands. Very impressive

[@Rumblestrip]

Shame about that large splitner missing near the breach. Wonder if its otherwise shootable... If so, personally id build a new stock in style for it and store the original... Guns like these have stories to tell, if only they could.

[@anthonyfarmer4977]

I may have missed it, but has there ever been a video on the lever actions of WW1? I was wondering the other day why they weren't used, then was surprised to find they were, I had just never heard about their usage in the war. I was even more surprised to see that the Winchester Model 1894 even carried into WW2.

[@rileyknapp5318]

I'd imagine there was a pretty wide variety of reasons they weren't used. What immediately comes to mind is: They need a two-piece stock, which is more complicated and expensive than a one-piece stock a bolt-action uses. Similarly, I'm under the impression that a lever-action firearm is more complicated (and therefore, expensive) than a bolt-action. While rather uncommon, even a 1 in 10,000 tube detonation for a lever action would be, if not _unacceptable_ to a military, highly undesirable, and the vertical magazines of bolt action and self-loading pistols were much more appealing. Except for 45-70 Gov.'t, which were single-shot and blackpowered and _super_ obsolete by WWI, lever action rifles used pistol cartridges, which obviously are far less powerful than a rifle cartridge. Lastly, bolt-action rifles would've actually been faster/easier to load, I think. A lever action with a tube barrel needs you to manually reload, one round at a time, whereas a bolt action you just grab a 5-round clip from its pouch and you reload in mere seconds.

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank you , Ian . 🐺

[@NoThankYouReally]

They shot the slave that tried to help them. War truly is hell.

[@crusherbmx]

Hindsight is 20/20 and I've never been in a calvary, but I'd guess that an unreliable breachloader is better than a reliable muzzleloader while on horseback in battle.

[@Sturminfantrist]

i think (not 100% sure) CSA Cav fought more Dragoonstyle, they used carbine seldom when mounted during a battle more Sabre and or Revolver (better two then one) while on Horseback and Carbine/Rifle when dismounted.

[@davidnicholas7516]

Unreliable can mean several things. It can mean the gun gets "jammed" in some fashion, or parts break. It can also mean the breech block isn't properly sealed, and you get half a load of powder in your face. Actually happened to a friend of mine with a reproduction Sharps breechloader...burned the beard off half his face. Or the gun could completely explode, which isn't good when you're holding it next to your face. Oh, and it's cavalry, not calvary. The latter is the hill where Christ was crucified.

[@jeffreyknickman5559]

@@Sturminfantrist So did the Union

[@samuelprice2461]

Confederate cavalry had a notably “anti-breachloader” attitude in general. In Kentucky, John Hunt Morgan’s raiders wouldn’t even take breachloaders when they found them. They preferred shotguns, muzzle loading carbines, and revolvers.

[@asval9398]

a muzzleloader that you're capable of manufacturing is a lot better than a breechloader that you can't manufacture though

[@JamesThomas-gg6il]

Next episode Ian shows how to load and fire from horseback..then the next time its on to the BUG range paired with a LeMat.

[@dutchcountryoutdoors]

Found a custom replica of one of these a few years ago. I had no clue what it was.

[@bill5457]

Fascinating as usual, Ian. I just wish you had shown us a close-up of the muzzle. I'm curious about the rifling, i.e., whether they used the 3-groove Zouave pattern or something more akin to the Mississippi Rifle.

[@jacobturner6646]

Captive ramrods are such a cool feature, interesting that they seem to be fairly uncommon.

[@CubanWriter]

The ramrod hinge device was very clever.

[@gus.smedstad]

That “union troops murdered a slave because they didn’t believe him” story was pretty casually horrific.

[@Jacob-pu4zj]

Many such cases

[@wizardofahhhs759]

​@@Jacob-pu4zj Why don't you share a few of them with us?

[@samuelprice2461]

@@wizardofahhhs759 If you read a lot of actual Civil War memoirs, you will find that many Union soldiers despised slaves and free blacks. Union soldiers were often more dangerous to black people than Confederate forces. Lots of Union conscripts viewed blacks as “the reason why I’m here being shot at.”

[@wizardofahhhs759]

@@samuelprice2461 That's a good point.

[@butcher-pete]

Yeah, I didn't really love how much he laughed at that

[@adamrobbins2091]

Hey from Tallassee Al.

[@astridvallati4762]

Copy of Enfield Pattern 1861 Cavalry Carbine...with captive ramrod, & side-bar and sling ring. DocAV Edited 11.04.23 correct Pattern.

[@TheDagraner4576]

While correct, it is worth a good chuckle to hear ian say the "the later years of the civil war". You know, all 2 of them.

[@TheDe1deonly]

I would think, having never participated in a war of this magnitude, that every year felt like a lifetime to those involved...

[@ScottKenny1978]

Like the early, middle, late years of ww2. 1939-41, 42-mid 44, and June 1944-1945.

[@dsch0]

@@ScottKenny1978 Don't forget 1937-39 - some of the most destructive years of the Pacific War.

[@SaintThomasAquinas1]

@@dsch0 Not the pacific war, the pacific war didn’t begin until late 41

[@dsch0]

@@SaintThomasAquinas1It began in 1937 with the Marco Polo Bridge incident, or alternatively 1931 with the Mukden incident. The US and European Allies joined after Pearl Harbor in 1941, but the war had been raging for four years already, with China standing almost totally alone.

[@gusbuckingham6663]

Made me wonder about the armory at Orange Springs. It was a tourist destination, second to Silver Springs before the war. While Oklawaha to Springs were a main artery for goods than ran the blockade I wonder what was produced in Orange Spring. I believe Caotain J.J. Dickison, independent Florida cavalry unit took the place back from US troops. He also captured a sank a gunboat near Palatka. Horse Lsnding if memory serves. Orange Springs resort was owned byba fierce fighter John W. Pearson who fought on both coasts and died after being mortality wounded in Augusta, Georgia. Just wondering. Gah, I'm long-winded even when writing.

[@kirkboswell2575]

Small point. That style ramrod wasn't used by pulling straight out and going straight back down the barrel. The bump on the end was just to keep the ramrod captured. After pulling free from the stock, the ramrod is spun end for end, and the larger part rams the ball home. Spun end for end again, and replaced into the stock. Not a new technique. First used on Austrian military arms, I think (not positive about that part).

[@josemalave1322]

That’s my thinking at first, but looking at the video, it looks like the large end of the ramrod is way larger than the bore

[@kirkboswell2575]

@@josemalave1322 - Good thought, but no. Pedersoli has recreated this style with one of their muzzleloader pistols. And it has instructions on how to use it.

[@NullElemental]

@kirk this isn't a reproduction firearm. the muzzle end of the ram rod as mounted while stowed is CLEARLY too large for the bore, what you are describing may have been used for other weapons, but not for this example.

[@kirkboswell2575]

@@NullElemental - "Clearly too large" ..... no, that's a camera lens effect. While this carbine is original, not a reproduction, the method of use of a captured ramrod system is an oft repeated method. The Confederates wouldn't have used a captured ramrod system and at the same time made it unusable in a normal manner. If I'm mistaken and it's not a camera lens effect, I can safely say that it isn't an original ramrod.

[@josemalave1322]

@@kirkboswell2575 Well, I’ve seen this on many reproductions, and I’d agree with you, but the one in the video is obviously way too big for the bore. I’m serious, just watch the video and tell me that it will visibly fit

[@markdunn2076]

The German needle rifle had been around for a while. it is surprising neither side experimented with it.

[@brettbaker5599]

There were a few tested before the war, but they weren't adopted.

[@Ginrummy33]

Probably a combination of supply cost, manufacturing complexity, and general warryness of new complicated tech.

[@jessestreet2549]

The firing pin was fragile and prone to breakage.

[@balasaashti3146]

@@jessestreet2549 I don't know I've seen a few videos on that and it seems pretty sturdy. On top of that it was really simple to swap the needles and each man was given a spare. I would assume manufacturing and cost is the biggest factor.

[@balasaashti3146]

@Robert Stallard Wait that's literally what I was implying, at the end. I was just pointing out the needle rifle was a pretty good firearm for its time period and use.

[@rusty_square6319]

Just even listening to these stories about how poor weapons production was in the CS just reinforces how poorly thought out the entire idea of the CS was in the first place.

[@Robert6P6M]

That ram-rod thingy was apparently very common on naval pistols.

[@kutter_ttl6786]

It's called a stirrup ramrod, your correct in that it was found in naval pistols but also in cavalry carbines and pistols too.

[@GazalAlShaqab]

As it is even harder to dive for your ram-rod than to get off your horsie… :)

[@edouardrobert160]

Really enjoy your site thanks

[@dbaider9467]

This weapon was so high-tech for it's day, 160 plus years old and in such nice condition, considering.

[@pjm204]

I hope I win the auction so I can restore this. I'd really like to see the brass all shined up and the stock repaired. Wish me luck!

[@beargillium2369]

This is a bad joke

[@Unus_Annus_]

@@beargillium2369 I hope

[@pjm204]

@@beargillium2369 I know. I still laughed when I thought of it though. I was going to make it more obvious by adding something about putting it in one of those Mosin Archangel stocks.

[@beargillium2369]

@@EminemLovesGrapes I wasn't thinking of the money involved

[@beargillium2369]

@@pjm204 😉

[@stumpythedwarf8712]

Super cool, thank you Ian.

[@mitchellline4242]

Ian could you at some point make a video on all the little differences between the 1861 springfield and the 1863 update

[@chriskelly929]

Fascinating. Thank you!

[@ssupdude55]

Hey Ian, id love a video on the plain Jane steyr M95. I've got one and I'd really like to hear whet you have to teach about it!

[@michaelwarenycia7588]

I second that ! (On the video...sadly I don't have a Steyr m95)

[@mgallmachine]

production start in April 1865? Just in time!

[@jamessimms415]

There’s a Reenactment each year in November in Tallassee called ‘The Battle For The Armory’

[@aaronzigelbaum]

Never thought I'd hear the phrase 'Percussion nipple protector'

[@edshelden7590]

The site on that gun was adjustable for what you say is 600 yards. What would be the realistic accuracy at that range? What real damage could you do with that range?

[@johan.ohgren]

Throwing this out there. Anyone know where one might buy 54. Cailbre bullets, either round or minnie?

[@elijahmccormick3360]

I live about 45 minutes from Tallassee. Awesome. Didn’t know about the failure of union troops to find it though. Great rifle.

[@michaelpeltier2772]

By 1863 United States cavalry was mostly using breechloading carbines. Sharps were most common, but Burnsides were in the field, and the first field use of Spencer rifles was at Gettysburg. Shortly after the battle Lincoln overrode Ordnance, and Spencers quickly became the 2nd most common carbine for US forces.

[@setituptoblowitup]

Imagine rocking a GE mini and iPhone with a way to recharge both on one of those battlefields

[@frenchroast1355]

Was the ramrod retention device used on any other firearm? That's pretty ingenious.

[@spondulixtanstaafl7887]

Thanks for the great content, some collector will be very happy.

[@DavidtheNorseman]

My mother had me sell her old Snider Enfield .577 breech loading rifle when more restrictive gun laws hit Canada back in the 1990s (sadly in Canada, since more restrictive gun laws are hit with most urban voters, our gun laws are actually hitting the danger-to-humans-from-wild animals levels in rural settings...) since even though it was over a century old its caliber qualified it as a 'firearm'. Those aren't particularly uncommon as they were a standard British Empire weapon but it was a beautiful gun, even though I think it would be most dangerous in general if you dropped it on your foot....that thing was *heavy*. It might make a good video episode and I've heard rumours some are still fireable with a range out to 1000 yds so maybe a test range video, too :-) Sadly, the one we had is no longer in the family :-(

[@alecmullaney7957]

You should be thankful Canada has implemented stringent gun control laws. Just ask any survivor of a school shooting

[@dwayneelizondomountaindewh6073]

that's a nifty little gun.

[@comiketiger]

Very interesting once again

[@nilo9456]

Ian, This may not be your area of expertise. When you talked of moving machinery, I started to wonder how the CSA obtained their arms making machines. I know that the CSA got some of their machinery from Harpers Ferry and there may well have been other State and Federal arms manufacturing facilities from How ever, I also recall that many small arms were obtained from foreign sources from which the CSA could and did obtain small arms and artillery.

[@USAACbrat]

Was it rifled or smoothbore, 58 cal. sounds like it was rifled. Is it too rusty tu tell?

[@BrochachoEnchilada]

The rammer captive device seems to be copied directly from the Paget Carbine

[@johncopeland4782]

I understand the arrangment is called a 'stirrup ramrod'.

[@adamrobbins2091]

And fun fact, the factory is still standing with all kinds of stuff even guns inside!

[@malm8477]

It belongs in a museum!!!

[@jameshoy380]

Is the cable tie on the sling swivel original to the gun?

[@OldManAndTheSeaOfTooManyCats]

Not going to fire it? I’m interested in what kind of group it makes, or if it just blows up.

[@kenibnanak5554]

Cool gun. I have no idea why someone would buy that and not take an oiled rag to it and do some stock repair. I mean not only are there pieces broken from the stock and a crack on the other side, but also we see light rust on the gun's metal. It needs a rub with oil and a rag badly.

[@Zereniti77]

I thought the Spencer Repeating Rifle was quite common among Union cavalry?

[@randyklieman7272]

Will it ignite a cap with the cover on with a hammer strike?