GALLAGER Type I & II Civil War Carbines

Making ammo for and shooting both the Type I & II GALLAGER Civil War Carbines.

[@453421abcdefg12345]

A fist class tutorial on a rifle I am unfamiliar with, I find these early forays into the breach loading very interesting, each design incorporates the designers own interpretation on what he thinks is the problem of sealing the breach, opening and locking the breach, and detonating the charge, of course we now all know which direction things went, but hindsight is easy! Many thanks for posting this excellent video! Chris B.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hello Chris, I'm glad that you enjoyed the trip into the past, my research on this project enlightened me also. So many designers were so close to perfection for many years, but needed the totally contained cartridge to bring it home. I never know how much gas I will end up eating when I try shooting a different antique firearm. Regards....Doc

[@feraltweed]

Those little rifles look like they would make handy deer rifles here in Michigan

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Yes, Sir. A 52 caliber, (colloquially speaking), "ought-a" knock something over. Best of luck this Fall on your hunt......Doc

[@columbuspalmer846]

Spencer was a great beginning of breech-loading rifle in 1861, and much more faster to reload.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Yes Sir, The totally contained cartridge opened the shooting world to immense possibilities.

[@santiagosoteslafuente8150]

A beautiful collection of Civil War guns.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hello Sir, Thank you for commenting and glad you could come along on the shoot.....Doc

[@steveblancard5566]

Great video Doc. Yours are always so well made and educational. I always come away learning something new. Thanks.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hi Steve, Great to have you along on the excursion. I thought you would enjoy the rim-fire one. She shot very well for an old Gal------lager. LOL

[@Dimwit_the_last_mountainman]

Good job, Doc! The cavalry carbines of the Civil War were certainly innovative guns of the time, but most were soon hopelessly outdated. Lots of interesting mechanisms also. Facinating guns for us collectors today. Never heard of the pinfire egg before. Thanks for sharing!

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hi John, and Happy Holidays to you and yours. There were about 20 different ones that the US government purchased for service and many more hopefuls that were designed and built by anyone that had a machine shop, and were looking for one of those lucrative contracts. Glad you caught the show. I surmise that the "EGG" never became popular because they could not induce the chickens to pass them ! ? ! (º¿º ) [ old guy "emotion icon"]

[@daveclemons1225]

Thank you again Doc for all the time and effort into making this video! I always learn each and everytime about the history behind these fine arms. I always look forward to your next video. You bring the past to life. You also get to fire these historic arms, I bet its fun too!! Thanks again!

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hi Dave, I must say that I'm learning right along with you. Sometimes you find too much info on a subject and others you can't find anything at all. Will talk to you soon....Doc

[@daveclemons1225]

@@dr.durellshepard398 I am looking forward to that!

[@blackpowderfirearmenthusia3194]

Awesome video thank you.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Thank you Sir, it is appreciated, ...Doc

[@antoninolatorre8355]

hi, doc Shepard !!! amazing video on awesone us civil war rifles ... we can see the evolution of barrel breech and cartridges thankyou bye bye 👋

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hello Antonino and thank you for your comment. Yes, it is interesting to see the progression of how the priming was accomplished in the early guns. Best wishes for the holiday season and the new year. Regards...Doc

[@antoninolatorre8355]

@@dr.durellshepard398 thankyou very much for your wishes to me !!! i wish you Merry Xmas and Happy New Year too ... bye bye 🌞🌾👋

[@poppasquat8483]

I never knew about the Type 2 rimfire version. I saw one in abysmal condition years ago and assumed it was a one off gunsmith conversion. It was also smoothbore, guess it was meant to shoot those spencer shotshells

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hi Poppa, The Starr did a similar conversion when the Rim-fires can into vogue, but I feel the Gallager accepted the change more graciously. The smooth-bore you speak of my have been an original civil war foraging gun just to put meat on the table for the troops. Regards...Doc

[@a.r.m.4you182]

Hey-hey. You did it! great video. 😃

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Yes Sir, and thank you for the inspiration and the comment. Best wishes for the holidays....Doc

[@mikeharrell4222]

Doc very nice rifles. I'm making 12 bore pinfire cases today for my pinfire double rifle. I was interested in those egg shaped pinfire. Good stuff.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hi Mike, I just watched your video, very cool ! I don't know if the "eggs" ever went into production ?? Good luck on you ammo build.

[@mikeharrell4222]

@@dr.durellshepard398 it often takes some hard thinking to shoot some of these old rifles.

[@csorgb05]

I love odd, quirky, firearms. I watched a video about the Gallagher rifle a few months ago, and now, i think I need one. I have heard that the soldiers didn't think much of them. Seems there were issues that needed sorted before the gun was "Good enough". By then its reputation, had sealed its fate. Too little, too late. Some people recommend the rifle made by Erma. Supposedly they have the issues worked out, and things improved a bit. I've been loving your videos!! I'm keeping an eye out for a rimfire carbine, hopefully a rolling block.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hello and thanks for commenting. ( "Cap and ball" channel and "A.R.M. 4 You" channel, both shoot the Erma so you can get a good look at it there. ) As you say, there were complaints about these gun during the day, but shooting black powder is always going to gum up the works eventually, specially without good obturation. Good luck on your gun quest.....Doc

[@justhavingfun675]

Another great video. The action seems to be a cross between a Smith Carbine and a Sharps and Hankins.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hello "Just", I appreciate your comment. Yes, it's a Sharps & Hankins want-to-be. It also reminds me of the Gibbs Carbine as the barrel does tip up at the end of its travel. Best wishes for the holiday season, Regards...Doc

[@justhavingfun675]

@@dr.durellshepard398 Hey Doc, I have a Frank Wesson carbine question. Have you every seen a Frank Wesson with a single floating firing pin in the breech block? No firing pin on the hammer or slot for a hammer located firing pin. If so was is center fire or rimfire?

[@dr.durellshepard398]

@@justhavingfun675 Speaking not as an authority, but as a casual observer...the .22 RF in my earlier video was my grand-dads and has the floating pin in the standing breech, a type 6, flat side, gun with three digit SN., with no CF/ RF options. The Type one in that video has the firing pin as one piece with the hammer nose. The type 2 had the floating pin in a threaded bushing. Type 3 had the same as type1 as part of the hammer. Type 4 was when the 1872 patent started and had the bushing again with the convertible hammer for CF / RF. Type 5 looks to be same as type 4. But if a gun was only to be used as a small RF, they may not have given the convertible option. ....Doc

[@justhavingfun675]

@@dr.durellshepard398 Having your Grandpa's rifle is quite the heirloom. Its hard to keep track of all the differences in the Frank Wesson carbine. But I guess that is to be expected for a firearm made over many years especially during a time of rapid cartridge technological development. Thanks for all the information.

[@rcooper3178]

Great video, Thanks. Lots of useful information. Where did you get the cartridge cases for the rimfire Spencer rounds?

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hello Sir, Some of the cartridge cases were from RCC, Robertson Cart. Co. but I think they are out of business. Rocky Mountain Cartridge can most likely make them for you. Some I made myself from .50-70 brass, I show the process in an other video. Regards...Doc

[@kenm8376]

Seems to me that the paper cartridges could be a bit dangerous if you were shooting from a fixed position and had some near the underside of your weapon.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hi Ken, Yes I agree with you in that regard. When you slow down the video you see flame going everywhere. At 17:58 I advised not to use paper in the Gallager. Regards....Doc

[@peterblackbee1977]

Love old firearms and making them work myself. What distance is the target set at though ?

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hi Peter, that shoot was at 50 yards.

[@user-nv2xt1bz2m]

Hello Doc, I was wondering how difficult it is to clean after a day of shooting, and what Meath is you use.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hello Robert. Pressed for the truth I must say that you really need to love the sport of black powder shooting to clean your gun properly. Water works but you must dry all parts completely and get them oiled ASAP. Ballistol or Hoppes black powder solvent are other options. Many patches used until they come out clean. Total disassembly is the best as the black powder residue and primer flash go everywhere. Turn on the radio and relax and enjoy handling all the little parts. Regards.....Doc

[@nzxt1234]

We're can I get the rolling paper ECT to my Gallagher?

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hello and thanks for commenting. I tried the paper cartridges this one time but would not do it again as there is too much gas leakage. First you settle on the lead bullet you want to shoot and wrap it with paper to see how deep it will go in the chamber, that will give you the proper length. There too many variables to give specifics. I drew mine on auto-cad and printed them out. Good luck....Doc

[@robertrobert7924]

Hi Doc, what a great video. I learned so much. Were you able to get any information on how the coiled metal foil cartridges were made? I have some original coiled brass foil Snider cartridges in their brown paper wrapper that were still being made in Canada as of 1892. They were not paper wrapped in foil. I am sure you can find line drawings and photos of these Snider Cartridges on the internet. I made some experimental card stock paper cartridges wrapped in copper foil and inserted into a 24 gauge shot shell primed base after removing the cheddite hull. They worked and fire-formed into a robust shape. I was actually amazed at what could be done with coiled copper foil.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Hi Robert, I have no experience with foil shells. Did you solder it to make tubes or just overlap the foil ? How thick is your foil ? Your card stock & foil cases sound fine. I do have one old Snider shell in the collection. It has a steel base and a paper body, not sure what is under the paper. Yes, i agree it needs researching. I really think the type 1 Gallager would benefit from the foil rounds. Best wishes for the holiday season and happy shooting...Doc

[@robertrobert7924]

@@dr.durellshepard398 Zero solder is used. The copper foil is .005" thick. I made a cardstock pattern of a parallelogram to cut the foil in its shape. I then overlaped the foil around the premade cardstock cases. Let me add that the premade cases were what NSSA skirmishers used to hold premade powder charges in, with the minie ball inserted into the top, This was before the "Age of Plastic". I punched a hole in the bottom to allow the primer flash to ignite the BP charge. I believe your Snider case may have a brass foil case that was wrapped and glued on the exterior with thin paper to theoretically keep it from uncoiling. In later cases the paper was no longer used as it was deemed unnecessary. The British Militaria Forum helped me to learn so much about the feeding and care of Snider rifles and carbines, which lead to my interesting experientations.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

@@robertrobert7924 Robert, that is good information, thank you. I have one Snider carbine, 1871 Enfield. Sad to say that I cannot ever shoot it as some idiot gouged out the chamber area, ....what were they thinking. I didn't realize it until I went to shoot it years later. But I'm sure some form of your cartridge will do well in the Gallager. I will check out the British Militaria Forum.

[@robertrobert7924]

@@dr.durellshepard398 I recently acquired an 1891 Argentine Mauser in esthetically excellent condition + brass handled bayonet. Crests are obliterated, as usual. When I took it to the range, I found that the magazine was dysfunctional due to the lips being too tight so that the cartridges would not feed into the breach when the bolt was pushed forward. The steel magazine lips etched scratches into the brass. I was able to shoot it as a single shot rifle. This is the first time I have ever received a surplus Mauser rifle with any defect. Do yo think your Snider was made inoperable on purpose by a Museum or British Gov. agency?

[@dr.durellshepard398]

@@robertrobert7924 Upon further examination it appears that some shade-tree mechanic i.e. gobber, put the barrel in a vise without the consideration of soft padding of any kind, something a museum would not do, and I call no your experience on this, and bored out the rim stop in the chamber. A 24 gauge shell goes a half inch down the barrel, so perhaps they were trying to shoot 20 gauge shells in it ??? A full Snider case stops about 1/8" too deep but is unsupported ahead of the rim. Your Mauser sounds nice except for the mag. Do you have access to another to get the correct dimensions or geometry from ? ......later Doc

[@csorgb05]

Instead of paper, what bout a Nitrated linen cartridge?

[@dr.durellshepard398]

Nitrated paper, and nitrated linen are great cartridges, but unfortunately this gun with its chamber split in the middle, affords no gas seal. I did not try a brass foil cartridge but I suspect that is the way to go.

[@monotech20.14]

Just get a Maynard.

[@dr.durellshepard398]

I tend to agree, the contemporary Maynard was a better gun.