Overcharging was common practice in those days, especially by Indians who were unaware of the effects of such heavy charges. Both men were aware that not only was there no weapon in our arsenal in 1800 to meet the need, but, due to the limitations of interchangeability of gun parts in their day, the ONLY way this requirement could be met was to build 15 locks with very strict tolerances rules out the retrofitting of locks to a finished rifle. It is interesting to note that those guns were marked with a U.S. on the top flat of the barrel and carry a P and C inspector mark. The groups listed below should give the collector an idea of serial numbers ranges to be found within yearly production, viz. The first rifle designed exclusively for the US Army was made at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, site of the infamous John Brown raid. This was slightly over a month after his initial visit and tells us that Perkin was in the process of making Lewiss rifles (along with the other items mentioned) a full month before receiving the military contract. Joseph Perkin inspected ALL 1803 dated rifles and some of the early 1804 production, then James Stubblefield took over final inspection to the end of all production in 1819. We are fortunate that one of his 15 rifles survived, as well as other pre-December 1803 production military rifles, as they shed a whole new light on the Harpers Ferry short rifle story. Pedersoli's Shop website offers the sale of muzzle-loading pistols and rifles and related accessories, of historic cartridge rifles and modern rifles with lever loading system. The rifles Lewis took with him were built under Army contract in 1792 and 1794. The first observation of this document is the amazing detail of the rifle, right down to actual measurements. The rifleman must be acquainted with the nature of the sights, and the aim of the rifle; how to load with loose ball, to force it dexterously into the barrel, so that it shall lie close upon the powder without bruising the grains He must be taught to mark every shot fired at the target which it strikes it, and to observe whether it be too high or too low . The second observation worthy of note is the comment about the rifling being less liable to become fouled by firing. The very nature of this fine powder, being sensitive to moisture, may have been the reason Lewis made 52 eight-pound water-proof lead containers, each of which held 4 pounds of powder with the lead to be cast into bullets when empty. I am almost certain, knowing Colter, he would have taken the opportunity to keep his rifle. Documented cases of OCTAGON barrels bursting in any manner have yet to be encountered by the author. It is a well- balanced and a fine example of the long rifle makers work. It is important to note that all parts carry the same batch number which means the gun is a 100% correct assembly from the arsenal. It, being suitable for priming also, speeds up the loading process. One of these threats were the Indians on our new Western frontier (ending at the Mississippi river) in the area won from England after the Revolution. U.S. Harpers Ferry Model 1792 Flintlock Rifle repro - NRA Museum One could say that he had overstocked on this commodity, but it shows the importance he placed upon having a quantity of the correct powder for his rifles. These weapons also. The one thing found on this rifle that we have never seen on ANY long rifle is a cartouche on the upper left barrel flat near the breech where military markings of any type are always placed, especially an inspector cartouche in this case IW in a sunken half circle placed in the same manner as the later Model 1803 barrel markings upside down so it can be viewed from the top looking down on the barrel. This is respectable shooting for a rifleman using the 1803 rifle. An entry of April 12, 1806 just might confirm this We caused all the men who had short rifles to carry them, in order to be prepared for the nativs should they make attempts to rob or injure them. distn 220 yards. It was under these clouds of potential war that the short rifle was born. The idea that locks can be retro-fitted to other guns is absurd. Use and wear quickly changes this. For decades arms writers have tried to explain away the many inconsistencies in his numbers on other types of early Harpers Ferry arms without challenging them, perpetuating our belief that his records are not the gospel on the subject. Those who kept journals (each Sergeant was to keep one) recorded every day facts in the terminology of the day nothing more, nothing less. Sawyers judgment of their incomplete and inaccuracies is an understatement and has caused much confusion among writers, even Brown. We did and used it to prove the calibre of the ball. Lewis knew that much time was going to be spent in canoes, and that the hunters would be shooting buffalo, elk, bears and other large game. This is also is true for the series of common rifles. He recognized the connection of the Model 1800 rifle to the expedition, going as far as to say that they were prototypes and not the Army contract 1803 rifle.(29). type of weapon in stock, in which case it was not necessary to specify the majority were issued through Harpers Ferry. Frank A. Tait, "The U.S. Contract Rifle Pattern of 1792," MAN AT ARMS Magazine, Vol. Joseph Perkin, superintendent of the Harpers Ferry Arsenal, Henry Dearborn, Secretary of War, and Meriwether Lewis are the principal players in this story. Dearborn makes no comment of interchangeability of locks for the military rifles, making this feature unique to Lewiss fifteen rifles. They were eventually made by George Ludlam in Philadelphia, Pa. at a cost of $.50 each with the bill paid on May 23, 1803. 1, Pg. It was these fiascos from private contractors that sent rifle production back to the arsenals. A condensed version of the short rifle story was published in We Proceeded On journal. This was no doubt the prime reason Lewis wanted a better rifle of a single caliber. (37) Just for a comparison to a later 19th century rifle, the Model 1895 Winchester rifle in .405 caliber firing a 300-grain bullet produced a muzzle velocity of 2,000 FPS with 3,000 foot-pounds of energy. Whelen also took delivery of 100 rifles from John Miles during April-June 1800 for an order placed by Tench Francis in Feb of 1800 (hinting that he was Franciss agent and thus regularly inspected guns). Front sight was a silver blade instead of brass found on all rifles produced after his special 15 rifles. Perkins was known as an expert lock filer and may have done them personally. [2] What distinguishes them from civilian rifles is that they were bought by the government under military contract. 9, Pg. This practice would not have been confined to just one arsenal. Another goal was to find the mythical North West passage, a water route to the Pacific. Loss of a mold meant the loss of a rifles use. Returning downriver, Colter met three other expedition members on their way back to the mountains Drouillard, Potts and Weiser with Manual Lisas trapping party. The Rifle Shoppe, Inc. - US Arms Although crude woodcuts of the period, they are of interest in the fact that they seem to be purposely depicting the short barrels of the M1800 rifle.(49). According (50) On August 6, 1805, Lewiss air rifle had the sights knocked off by an accident with the canoes rolling over. (Hicks, op. Americans along the Mississippi, especially the new State of Kentucky, were furious and the United States overtly began preparations for war (saber rattling) over this issue in early 1803. The more detailed information we can gather on 1803-06 rifles will help immensely. The best information on these first military contract rifles comes from George D. Mollers book American Military Shoulder Arms, Vol 2, 1790s to the end of the Flintlock period(1993). This Old Gun: U.S. Model 1803 Rifle - An Official Journal Of The NRA It is a great tribute to these early mountain men from which much of the information in this footnote is taken. It is generally agreed that no government markings were put on the 1792/94 rifles. The Mountain Man's Rifle - Frontier Partisans (commonly used) in actual service". Two original guns have surfaced that are probably authentic to Lewis and Clark's journey, though the Lewis and Clark gun were likely prototypes. The Lewis and Clark "short rifle" Harper's Ferry "short rifle" SN 15, built in 1803 was used as a pattern for our rifle project once we verified its authenticity. From shooting the rifles, we did discover that the center pipe being slightly forward of center helps guide the rod into the ramrod channel. It was there that he became fast friends with his new commander during their short time together. Before this weapon, the army focused primarily on muskets (smoothbore). This new rifle would also use the same SDS powder that the British adopted for their series of rifles shipped over for use in the American Revolution.(3). Note the uneven US stamping below the eagle. There is the possibility that a few rifles may exist with an 1807 lock but none have surfaced as of this writing. Lewiss careful preparation for the journey was incredible. The short rifle, in any form, could not mount a sling without an addition barrel lug for support, so we know for sure the 1800/03 series of rifles were never intended for use of a sling. This is more than just a casual letter expressing what might be a nice idea for a new rifle since he makes it a point to state that he has convincing proof of the new rifles advantages, meaning the rifle had passed the test stage. Along the same thoughts, the term long rifle never appears in the journals, being inappropriate since in Lewiss day using that term would have specifically meant the M1792 rifle. As noted, all 1803 and many early 1804 rifles have ROUNDED undersides at the breech end. The U.S. Army's acknowledges that there were 300 of the 1792 or 1794 contract . The Model 1805 Harpers Ferry Pistol: From Inception to Insignia The first rifles made at Harpers Ferry reflect the popular American design of the Pennsylvania and Kentucky rifles. Slings were never a part of the American rifleman culture in the 18th and 19th century for a good reason they got in the way when stalking game and they snag on equipment when traveling on horseback or in canoes. It was caused by measuring across the muzzle of the rifle where it is swamped (tapered) to allowed a ball to be started into the muzzle with the thumb a characteristic found on our early long rifles but most adopted from British Pattern 76 rifle that was undoubtedly examined during the initial design phases of out M1800 rifle. A full 90 grain would easily reach the 2,000 FPS mentioned by Sawyer. (See Appendix II). cit., pg. To fully understand the role this rifle played in our military history, one must also understand the times in which it appeared. By the manual, a rifle regiment consisted of 1000 men formed into 10 companies of two battalions, each battalion containing 500 men (5 companies each). We are extremely grateful to Mr. J. William Larues contribution of serial numbers gathered over a 25-year period from various sources (auctions, sales catalogs, collections and articles) and for his permission to print them with additional numbers of rifles we (and others) have located to date. Ordways journal entry specifies a short rifle to be traded for a guide, so both Lewiss and Clarks use of only the term rifle really meant a short rifle. cit., Pg. This basic fact completely rules out the use 1792 rifles on the expedition. and re-bored. he was much pleased with the exchange and shot his gun several times; he shoots very well for an inexperienced person.(32). The new heptagonal .530 caliber bore of the 1803 rifle has wide flat lands with narrow grooves instead of the concave lands and grooves found in many of the second production (1815-1819) rifles. Top is SN 909, bottom is SN 1 of our rifles built on SN 15 rifle pattern. He shows up on the Lancaster County tax lists for 1785-1840. The manufacturing was contracted out to Henry Deringer and R. Johnson to make rifles for use by the military. Lewis quietly went about gathering his supplies for his small party of men so as not to expose the real size of the expedition about 30 men, all under Army authority and pay.(6). In many instances they were free from the normal camp and fatigue duties of the common soldier and were encouraged to practice with their rifles as often as possible. If an itemized list of goods sold at auction in St. Louis (September 23, 1806) could be located, we would know how exactly how many rifles were sold, giving us the number kept by members. He immediately went to work for John Strode, manager of Rappahannock Forge in Virginia where he became renowned for his gunlock skills. The brass patchbox was removed and replaced with a wood cover nailed into place with square cut nails. only one rifle in stock the 1792 / 1794 model. Ernie said to me we will build them but only if you are sure that is what they used. Perhaps some of the journals were lost. In 1792 there was a need for rifles, and a contract was drawn up with Lancaster, Pennsylvania, gunsmiths to deliver rifles. Winchester transferred most of their collection to Cody in 1976. Lewis held Colter in high esteem, and he was well known among his peers as an honest and truthful man, adding credence to his encounter and story of survival. The stock has many wood fillers (of various types and age) applied over the years for preservation with the patch box replaced by a wood covering held in place by handmade square cut nails. Probably bored with being stuck on a farm, in 1812 he enlisted with Nathanial Boone to fight in that war. Caliber 52. He also had the gunsmiths add swivels to these weapons, Patrick Gasss published journal. Reproduction 1792 Militia Rifle Lock. This is certainly Many other assembly numbers will be found hidden but are usually on the butt plate, side plate, trigger guard, patch box (and patch box release rod), ramrod thimbles (all three), and the tang. Harpers Ferry production capabilities in 1803 was more than enough to make his rifles in the allotted time. In addition, for this mark to be applied, the weapon passed some sort of inspection process by an arsenal inspector. This is another fact we uncovered in our research that confirms his production records are incorrect. The rifles taken on the expedition are repeatedly referred to as "short rifles". Powder was too valuable on the frontier to waste. This was a literal blank check to use all resources to make Lewiss arms in time for the upcoming expedition. Also, IBID, May/June 2016 story on Colter. It will match the other assembly numbers found on the stock and barrel. Lewiss men were the first to use the new short rifle and no doubt practiced some of the same shooting principles incorporated into the 1812 Riflemans manual. May 2006, Vol 32, No.2, written my Jim Merritt from our research. Also shown is probably the type of powder horn issued with the axe to his men. The fourth striking observation of the letter is the denouncing of the common long rifle as being unsuitable for actual service. This was all prompted by our shaky relations with France over their ongoing conflict with England (with who we continued trade after a 1794 treaty, which France claimed violated their 1778 Alliance with us) that came to a head with the XYZ Affair of 1798 when France insulted our delegates. This highly skilled work force was in place when Lewis arrived on the scene in March of 1803. Model 1814 common rifle - Wikipedia Apparently guns of both contracts were directly delivered to various sources where needed but 1,060 rifles show up in stock at Schuylkill arsenal on Jan 1, 1797, the surplus needed for emergencies as they arose. It was converted to percussion and bored smooth for continued use. The amazing distances they were expected to shoot is also recorded .. it becomes necessary to aim lower than the level line when the objects are near and to aim higher when beyond a given distance. All Harpers Ferry series rifles are .520 calibre (ball) with .530 bore. Has pictures. Lewis and Clark maintained a detailed journal of western geography, We are especially looking for a rifle over SN 4000 as it would tell us if they started serial numbering at 16. The short rifle was working on the extreme edge of the maximum pressure an iron barrel of 1800 could withstand. The center pipe was not placed at the center of the rib but about 2 forward of center. GI#: 102236266. we found twenty-seven of the best rifle powder, 4 of common rifle, three of glaized, and one of the musqut powder in good order, perfectly as dry as when first put in the canesters these cannesters contain four lbs. They practiced a pace of 90 to 100 (24 step) Vs. the 76 of the Infantry. Listed in Mollers book is Israel Whelan, Purveyor of Public Stores (May,1800 Aug,1803). At Harpers Ferry, Captain Meriwether Lewis obtained 15 rifles built under contract for the United States Army in 1792 and 1794. This has been an error that has persisted since books were written on this subject. 441. His rifle was never unloaded and always carried at the trail or advance on his right side. Hawken Fullstock Rifle, Pecatonica River Long Rifle Supply Amos Stoddards Artillery Company dated February 24, 1803 states that their arms were in tolerable order, old and incomplete, and noting that ..Ball Screwdrivers, Brushes Prickers and Gunslings wanting. The Gumpf rifle was most likely one of the rifles made on this contract and sent directly to Schuylkill Arsenal. Serial number 318 has a flared pipe which means they simply used one of the newer sub-assemblies. The 1792 contract rifle is not a specific model of gun, rather it is a modern way to categorize a collection of rifles bought by the United States government in that year. For all powder charges, the following instructions were given Some hold that a quantity of powder equal to three times the full of the mould in which the ball is cast, is the proper charge; others four times the full of the mould; on this plan a ball of twenty to the pound would be fired with nearly a fourth the weight of the ball. This also tells us that each person received and was responsible for his own rifle and carried it throughout the journey. All anyone needs to do, for their own satisfaction, is to professionally check it out for themselves. The grooves should not be cut too deep.(#2). 15,707 rifles were produced on this contract. To farther test our findings, we also made a go no go gauge of .532 calibre (which would easily fit any .54 caliber rifle) and found that it would not enter the rifled bore (even if worn slightly) of any short rifles made from 1803 to 1819. 265. Jedediah Starr Trading Co. On Line Store Anticipating an extended trip into an uncharted wilderness, Lewis wisely requested a supply of spare locks, perhaps as many as 15, to be used as needed, either in whole or part to keep his rifles serviceable. The War Department expended $9520.49 in 1799 on new arms manufacturing yet manufacturing of muskets did not get well under way until 1801. TYPE II Military rifles produced BEFORE Dearborns December,1803 changes, then altered for compliance. Lewis had 18 of these tomahawks made in Harpers Ferry, no doubt upon the same established pattern, picking them up on May 18, 1803 along with 15 rifle pouches, 15 powder horns and 15 scalping knives to accompany the 15 short rifles. By 1802, Perkin had established a manufactory similar to that in Europe where each craftsman was responsible for a specific component part of the gun or its mounting. built under US government contract by Lancaster, PA gunsmiths. As for the change to a solid rib while making the barrels of our guns with hollow rib, we had one release from the gun while mounting the sight, so we know why they changed to a solid rib to strengthen the rib bond with a larger (stronger) adhering surface. In addition, they practiced an Indian-file pace for movement when acting alone or detached from the main body, with the weapon carried in any suitable mode (they used no slings). Led by Jefferson's secretary, Meriwether Lewis, What is important is that Dearborn was well enough informed of the benefits offered by the new rifling design to make note of it in his letter. The style and placement of these markings varied considerably on the guns we inspected, from tiny detailed marks to big, crude scratches and cuts, so you must study them carefully. D, British Military Flintlock Rifles/ 1740-1840, Andrew Mobray Inc, 2002, Pg. Smiths footnote credits his list as being compiled from combined records and verified with the Chief of Ordnance entries. The Model 1800-1819 series of rifles are one of the most tampered with rifles in the collecting world. All 1803 dated military rifles examined had a solid rib and rounded bottom breech barrel profile. All these early 1803 rifles have had the other two December 1803 changes applied flat sight and the stock ferrule. Today, that same term would not apply to anything regarding a rifle. Adopted in 1803, this premier rifle (and the only flintlock rifle) built by a national armory at Harpers Ferry was, as stated earlier, a handsome gun, measuring some 49" overall. Clark, July 2, 1806 We gave the Second gun to our guides agreeable to our promis..two of the rifles have unfortunately bursted near the muscle.
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