(14) For many years the caliber(bore size) of the short rifle has been defined as .54, an error caused by measuring the rifle at the muzzle where it is swamped for easy insertion of the patched ball. not consistent with Army regulations, unless the arsenal had only one Lewiss took 50 pounds of Best Rifle Powder from Harpers Ferry and purchased 176 pounds of English Cannister Powder from Beck & Harvey in Philadelphia, who made the best rifle powder in the world. From 1796-1800, a number (332) of 1792 rifles were loaned to the Indian Department from storage at Schuylkill Arsenal In Philadelphia. Extra Parts of Locks and Tools for Repairing Arms, 15 Gun Slings, 2. The first observation of this document is the amazing detail of the rifle, right down to actual measurements. But it wasn't until October 1803 that the first of According to the journals, Windsors rifle had burst on the morning of June 16,1806. Loss of a mold meant the loss of a rifles use. Since we could not personally examine all the guns serial numbers submitted, we had to acknowledge them as either confirmed (examined and assembly numbers matching) or unconfirmed (unexamined and unknown if assembly numbers match). Lewis specifically notes that it was Windsors shortened rifle that was traded for the longer short rifle, a fact confirmed by Clarks entry. Various spellings of his name are recorded. January 4, 1792, the Secretary of War, Henry Knox wrote a letter to General Hand in Lancaster, Pennsylvania authorizing him to get with the area gunmakers and contract with them to make 500 to 1000 rifles as quickly as possible. Today, that same term would not apply to anything regarding a rifle. As noted, all 1803 and many early 1804 rifles have ROUNDED undersides at the breech end. In this manner they were able to produce the much-needed rifles in the remarkably short time allotted. This is important information in understanding why he took new slings for muskets he intended to press into service. The rifles Lewis took with him were built under Army contract in 1792 and 1794. Washington, DC; GPO, 1903). It is a well- balanced and a fine example of the long rifle makers work. This was not cost effective; thus, we find Pre-DEC 1803 production rifles retaining the straight upper pipe, just as with SN 15. from Congress for an amazing endeavor. The need for these rifles was so urgent that all guns were accepted despite many shortcomings, regardless if they were shipped directly to the troops or to an arsenal. Periods where Lewis made no entries are September 19 to November 11 of 1803, May 14, 1804 to April 7, 1805 (almost an entire year) and August 26, 1805 to January 1, 1806.(23). It is considered advisable to have a suitable number of judiciously constructed Rifles manufactured at the Armory under your direction. The available inspectors of that period were very limited. In many early articles on frontiersmen and their rifles, the same method was described to determine a powder charge. It would not have changed the size of the ball. Some believe that the contract rifles Lewis had modified for the expedition By that time, Lewis and Clark were leaving [1] The 1792 contract specified rifles with a 44-1/2 inch long barrel in .47 caliber. 1792 contract rifle - Wikipedia 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. The lock plate markings (lettering) are individually hand stamped, done before a full die stamp had been made for full production (see Appendix I). You will therefore take the necessary measures for commencing the manufactory as soon as may be after completing the Muskits now in hand. [4] The Army refers to modern speculation that the changes Lewis had made to the contract rifles (adding sling swivels, shortening the barrel further to 33-36 inches and reboring them to a larger caliber),[4] led to the design of the US Model 1803, created six months later.[4]. Thomas Rodney called Lewiss air rifle she when he wrote about his encounter with Lewis on September 7, 1803 ..he shewed us the mode of charging herbut she by some means lost the whole charge of air After studying so many, one cannot help but appreciate the hand craftsmanship and beauty of these rifles that continued through 1819. the Falls of the Ohio River, near Louisville, Kentucky. It is important to remember that when shooting at longer distances, their target would consist of an enemy cannon crew, a group of officers, or an infantry line of battle. We know from the 1812 riflemans manual that each soldier could select a powder charge best suited for his individual rifle, which usually was less than the standard service. The lowest serial number we have examined with the 1803 changes or updates is No. Both men made sure that all short rifles would be readily available, being the most effective means of defending themselves should they be attacked. 53. (15) Since locks were built by a specialized artisan in the arsenal, he too has his own small assembly numbers on each part of the lock that are independent of the rifle assembly number. the first had a Cock screw broken which was replaced by a duplicate which had been prepared for the Locks at Harpers, Ferry; the Second repared with a new Lock, the old one becoming unfit for use.(25). All have heptagonal flat-bottomed rifling, buckhorn rear sight, no stock ferrule, straight upper ramrod pipe, round bottom profile and hollow pipe rib. reproduction example was made by Virginia-based gunmakers Al Edge So, the first thing I did was get the Moulton 13 volume set on his expedition (borrowed it from Phil Schreier on a permanent type loan) and spend one whole summer reading all of them cover to cover. (17,19) Dating was important because weapons had a serviceable shelf life, which, when expired or obsolete, were usually turned over to State Militia Arsenals as part of their yearly arms allotments. 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. Most long rifles will shoot well with a charge slightly greater than the ball diameter viz. This is a Don Stith kit build which represents a'1792 contract rifle', that was re-locked at a later date, and purportedly carried bt Lewis and Clark. Smiths footnote credits his list as being compiled from combined records and verified with the Chief of Ordnance entries. SN 94, (2)14 and 359 are pre-Dec 1803 military production, both with December,1803 requested upgrades (front band and sight change) except for the upper ramrod pipe. These rifles are identical to M1803 second type III but WITHOUT serial numbers. Again, it is very important to recognize that Lewiss rifles had absolutely nothing to do with the upcoming 1803 military contract. 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. Standard rifle powder (FFFg) of that day simply cannot produce the pressure needed to burst an octagon barrel, especially at the muzzle where the energy has expended. 1054 (U) 1805 lock/ See Olson article, American Rifleman. Great War Militaria 2019. At Harpers Ferry, Captain Meriwether Lewis obtained 15 rifles built under contract for the United States Army in 1792 and 1794. It is not a simple story and requires a basic understanding of what was happening in the fledgling United States during this precarious time in our history including very real threats from abroad to our security, by France, Spain and Great Britain, with all demanding that our country keep up with world firearms technology to counter these threats. locks and spare lock parts for each rifle. What a story this rifle could tell! Small parts (such as screws) may be unmarked on later guns, but most early ones are. ", About Us | Contact Us | Join/Renew | Corporate Ethics | Privacy Policy, Theodore Roosevelt and Elegant Arms - 1880s to 1920s, WWII, Korea, Vietnam and Beyond - 1940 to Present, Frank Brownell NRA Museum of the Southwest, Serialization/ Date of Manufacture from The Blue Book, Store Brand Crossover List from The Blue Book, Gun Collector Organizations from The Blue Book. Lewiss expedition was undoubtedly the most difficult test trial that a newly designed weapon could undergo. Owned by Leon Budginas of Salt Lake City, Utah, it traces its origin back 35 years to a St. Louis Antique shop, where ironically the expeditions surviving arms and equipment were sold at public auction upon their return. These weapons also. 337, 347 & Appendix 5. We shall never know exactly how long it took the workmen to make his 15 rifles, but we know that in 1805 48 workers turned out 1716 rifles, requiring approximately 50 man-hours per gun. Our first Handbook for Riflemen, by William Duane, 1812. The rifle is in almost relic condition, weathered, sun bleached and exhibiting an extremely hard life in the outdoors. 1, Pg. The English system of averdupois uses 453.6 grams per pound, and they used the term caliber to denote bore size, not ball size. U.S. Harpers Ferry Model 1842 Percussion Musket - NRA Museum The size of the mark is not mentioned, nor the total number of shots fired, but most likely it represented a man sized target (for which military rifles were designed), or about an 18 circle, which, in 1803 was very respectable shooting with round balls and thus noteworthy in the journals. Harpers Ferry Model 1803 - The US Army's First Rifle (See Appendix II). They now gave away the second shorten rifle cut down by Shields. Due to the lateness of the shipment these guns may have carried an inspector mark. Pryor were both out of order. It also has a button release for the patch-box (as specified in the contract) under the toe plate where it might not get accidentally bumped), scant incised carving andmoderately engraved brass. Upper photo: 1804 rifle SN 909 made after December,1803 changes . found on the surviving examples. Rather than be dependent upon British SDS powder, around which the 33 barreled Model 1803 rifle was designed, the new rifle of 1814, with an increase in 1815 to a 36 barrel, could now use the slightly less powerful French formula DuPont rifle powder. TYPE II Military rifles produced BEFORE Dearborns December,1803 changes, then altered for compliance. This weapon was the first rifle built the US Armory at Harpers Ferry. We believe this was done to handle DuPonts new domestic rifle powder introduced in 1807 and called FFFg by 1808. Note the slightly flared pipe. Many, having survived the journey, died at the hands of the Indians in those endeavors. (39), Lewis, February 1, 1806(Ft Clatsop, Oregon) To day we opened and examined all our ammunition, which had been secured in leaden canesters. That shows I came into this project with no preconceived notions as to what they used. It's a somewhat controversial argument that this is one of the "short rifles" that was on the Lewis and Clark expedition but I knew the previous owner, the gentlemen that did the flawless research, and had the pleasure of seeing and holding the gun in person and I think the argument is iron-clad. There is no reason not to believe that Dearborn was very much aware of the new rifle ready for production and thus sent Lewis to Harpers Ferry to acquire them. the lock, barrel, and stock, is the bare minimum needed to tell if the rifle is an original assembly. (Hicks, op. As noted in the M1792/94 story, in 1805, of remaining rifles in stores at Schuylkill Arsenal, 94 were designated unserviceable and 5 serviceable meaning that an inspection process was in now in place. May,1985. (Above two photos) M1792 original riflemans axe (top) and reconstructed M1792 axe with original M1792 horn below as we believe were carried by Lewiss 15 riflemen. Louisiana Governor Claibornes return of arms for the years 1807, 1810 and 1811 show these arms in inventory at New Orleans. needed rifles like the one Lewis had procured for the expedition, and Usually, as common sense would dictate, only one pattern rifle was made at a time. Note the similarities in design. 46. (3) Viz. Engineering:Harpers Ferry Model 1803 - HandWiki Lewiss use of the term short rifle throughout the journal is the proper name applied to the new Harpers Ferry Rifle to differentiate it from the long rifle term (the M1792). Vol. transcontinental water route to the Pacific Ocean through the (commonly used) in actual service". His V/JS final inspection stamp will be found in the wood opposite the lock. It also confirms one other very important detail even if the Army had NOT placed an order for rifles in 1803, Lewis would still have received his fifteen special rifles. He wisely intended to start the entire expedition with as much new, reliable gear as he could obtain, being unsure of the condition of the accouterments in the hands of the soldiers posted at the frontier posts. Getz is known to have stamped an eagles head on Indian rifles he inspected in 1807. 1 turn in 56" twist, in .50 and .54 caliber. It is important to note the spacing of the numbers that all start the same distance away from the US cartouche which in most cases would not allow another number to be inserted between the cartouche and the first number. ((24)(19) From personal experience (working for the government), the same practice of delayed production reporting to meet budgeting constraints continues today within government production facilities. Writers today lump these rifles into basically one class Model 1803, but the story is not that simple and needs to be told for future collectors and historians. We also encountered some pipe distance variations on the Lewis rifle and some pre-December,1803 military guns. 3. See the special Chapter VIII for more information on these contract rifles. Considering the importance of an expedition authorized by President Jefferson along with Dearborns instructions to Perkin to make whatever Lewis needed without delay, his 17 production workers (some books indicate as many as 20) would have had ample time to manufacture his rifles with the raw materials available at the arsenal with only labor costs. In all actuality, they could not have left us better evidence regarding their use of the new short rifles soon to be part of the Army inventory.(50). 1800) prototypes. Next is a center thimble placed two inches forward of any known military contract rifles. 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. As for the slings Lewis, assigned regimental paymaster to the First Infantry Regiment in 1800, had visited all the Western forts and garrisons and was so well acquainted with them and their men that in 1802 (after he became the Presidents personal Secretly in March of 1801) Jefferson appointed him to prepare a chart rating the 269 officers then in the Army. Fifteen Harpers Ferry Model 1792 rifles are believed to have been issued to Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery. This is also is true for the series of common rifles. from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, produced these rifles. After 200 years of error, it is time to set the record straight. All short rifles found their way into state arsenals (and many other places) with two being held in each infantry regiment for hunting purposes for which they were unsurpassed. He may have even had Shields perform the simple task of adding the brass band to his 15 rifles to strengthen that area, or SN 15 had a band added by a subsequent owner since the fore end displays an old longitudinal crack. Whelan seems to be associated with Schuylkill arsenal where some of the 1792/4 contract guns were sent. The arsenal produced nothing at that time requiring such sheet brass. For two centuries the distinctive half-stocked rifle manufactured at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), has been regarded as perhaps the most handsome and historically important U.S. military long arm ever designed. Edward Flanagan, who wrote a paper on the 1792 and 1807 contract rifles, believes that the weapons were marked by the U.S. government, a lesson learned from gun thefts during the Revolutionary War. The journals are very specific about their movements at any time and in various places. Windsor birst his gun near the muzzle a few days since; this Shields cut off and I exchanged it with the Cheif for the one we had given him for conducting us over the mountain. (21) Jackson, op. His position as Arsenal Superintendent gave him access to a large reference collection of various types of rifles stored at the arsenal, including samples of British rifles of the American Revolution with their proven technology using fine German rifle powder (SDS), all of which found its way into the new United States Army short rifle.(11). 1807 was the year the Embargo Act was passed suspending foreign trade, so the government had to come up with its own brand of SDSfor the rifle powder. If we consider that the .525 ball weighs in at 219 grains, a charge of about 55 grains (1/4 the ball weight) would be enough for accurate shooting (man sized target) out to 300 yards. The same technology of SDS powder that made these rifles possible was adopted for our first military short rifle. 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. The U.S. Army's acknowledges that there were 300 of the 1792 or 1794 contract . The barrel was not protected by a wood stock (soft iron barrels were easily bent by soldiers misuse) and it did not mount a bayonet or carry a sling which became important for the mounted infantry concept. Subject to a great deal of folklore, the Harpers Ferry Model 1803 rifle is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful guns ever produced. Caliber was .54 . The Harper's Ferry Model 1803 rifle was the first rifle made by an American armory. A special select division of two companies was also part of the organization. it becomes clear that the Secretary of War was convinced that the Army In fact, Dearborn's letter specifies in great detail the type of rifle the armory Perkin and several other armorers created several patterns from Dearborn's instructions, and in November 1803 these . Springfield 1795 Rifles, replica Springfield 1795 Rifles - Davide Pedersoli This may have been a state level arsenal repair to extend barrel life, however, we have examined some late model rifles that show no use but have a bushed touchhole. United States 1792 contract rifles are Pennsylvania-Kentucky rifles with a 42-inch long octagonal barrel in .49 caliber, with a patch box built into the buttstock. Th e Model 1800 rifle, using the SDS powder, met this requirement. He was 38 years old (believed to have been born in 1774) and experienced a life that is excelled by few. and re-bored. It was from this chart that Dearborn chose 76 officers for removal during the Army reductions of that year. As stated early in this article, one of his short rifles survived. The disassembly of these rifles and examination of the assembly numbers, viz. Based on research in, For your convenience you can contact us via our. Just the type of catastrophic barrel failures experienced by Lewis, 2 out of 15 completely rules out the use of the M1792 rifle that used standard grade rifle powder. 42" rifled barrel bored 40 balls to the pound (about .490"), stock to be made from well seasoned maple, catch spring release to be high so as to be accessible to the thumb. Early production retained the heptagonal rifling if using a pre-rifled barrel from old stock, later production (about mid 1815) used the new round bottomed rifling if using a new made barrel. A letter from Samuel Hodgdon to Israel Whelan, dated October 14, 1800, requests him to purchase fifty pounds of thick & thin sheet brass for use at Harpers Ferry. If the barrel of a .405 Winchester became plugged with mud or snow, the chances are it would suffer the same catastrophic fate as the 1800 rifles, despite the vast improvements in barrel material. But though there is some elevation of the rifle ball in its course, it is relatively so small that it is not required to aim lower than the object at any range though when at a considerable distance, say 500 yards to 700 yards, it is necessary to take a higher aim. The rib is of hollow construction instead of the solid type found on later military contract rifles (See Appendix I). The Mountain Man's Rifle - Frontier Partisans It is believed that many of these rifles were The Rifle Shoppe, Inc. - US Arms This was common practice in riflemens ranks, allowing each individual to learn his own rifles shooting characteristics. Moreover, Dearborn's Ed Pugsley was an employee of Winchester and turned over much of his collection to the company. cit./Table 1) Browns calculations were based upon the reconstructed Bomford records, whose total is correct, but we now know that his years of production are also incorrect. Their report also described the nearly two The War Ministry secretary, Timothy Pickering, suggested the French musket to start production with, such to use some of the parts stocked in the Springfield's warehouses since 1794 assigned as deposits and gunsmithing for the guns repairs. That his men had become expert shots is recorded in the journals as they held shooting contests with Indians along the way. It was under these clouds of potential war that the short rifle was born. These were divided into smaller sections (called divisions, sub-divisions, twenty platoons and forty sections) for field maneuvers. The manufacturing was contracted out to Henry Deringer and R. Johnson to make rifles for use by the military. I included it to show that the lettering was all hand stamped on his 15 rifles. 8,, Pg.302). Also shown is probably the type of powder horn issued with the axe to his men. It was converted to percussion and bored smooth for continued use. In this process he was to make contact and befriend as many Indian tribes as possible who inhabited these areas with the intended goal of establishing trade relations that would allow peaceful expansion to the extreme western borders of the new United States. How inspections were done before this time is unknown as well as any markings that may have been applied during the process. 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. His rationality can be better understood if we look at our early history, historical documents and surviving weapons. They received special privileges and exclusion of normal camp duties. From our experience, the lower numbered guns (1803 & 1804 dated) were the most mismatched in terms of serial number ranges and lock date. These are two important points to consider when looking for a REAL 1803 production rifle. 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. NO serial numbers. Harpers Ferry Rifles for sale - Guns International In May of 1803 the sheet lead was sent from Schuylkill Arsenal to Harpers Ferry for Lewis to pick up for that purpose (which he did on May 18, 1803). PDF U.S. Model 1803 Prototype Rifle Lewis was also no stranger to the use of rifles. The idea that locks can be retro-fitted to other guns is absurd. With that threat over, the American rifle battalions were dropped in the May 4, 1800 Army reorganization. Rolled cartridges were reserved for close order fire only. This reproduction example was made by Virginia-based gunmakers Al Edge and Don Stith and represents a replica crafted on the features found on the surviving examples. These consisted of the best marksmen in the regiment and were to be emulated by the others in the unit. built under US government contract by Lancaster, PA gunsmiths. Indians did report at Edmonton Trading House that they had killed two trappers (Colter assumed dead) carrying one of the guns taken from them. The Legion of the United States was authorized by Congress on October 24, 1791 after the defeat of General Arthur St. Claire by the Miami Indians in November of 1790. It would just load easier and probably had little effect upon accuracy. Tench Coxe was Commissioner of the Treasury Departments revenue office from April,1794 to December,1794. The process was similar to today, in which the government requests weaponry of certain specifications and then finds a manufacturer to build them. The above lists are as accurate a yearly production record we can hope to reconstruct based upon known rifles instead of conflicting documents. The most convincing evidence of the use of the new Model 1800 short rifle on the Voyage of Discovery comes from entries in the various journals kept on the expedition by Lewis, Clark, and his Sergeants. Hopefully more confirmed (C) 1803 dated rifles can be found and examined. Clark resigned his commission six months after Lewis arrived (1796).(10). (4) Stuart E. Brown, The Guns of Harpers Ferry, 1968, (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1994, P10; National Archives Collection, papers of the War Department; Coxe and Irvine Papers, RG92.
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