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Thread: First Civil war rifle purchase

  1. #1
    Harlan is offline
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    First Civil war rifle purchase

    Greetings, I'm considering purchasing my first civil war rifle as a Christmas present to myself and I've narrowed it down to two rifles, the Enfield 1853 3 band and the CS Richmond 1862. Currently, I don't participate in any reenactments, though I really might in the future as living history has alway's been an interest of mine, so I want to keep that option open. Until then, it would primarily be for the range.

    Within my price range of $850.00 USD, there are two particular companies making both of these rifles, one being Armisport, the other being Chiappa.

    The problem that I'm having is that I can't decide on which one. I really do like the CS Richmond, but I did read in my research up to this point that some owners had issues when firing blanks at reenactments and had to modify their CS Richmond rifles in order to do so. Obviously, this is something I wish to avoid in the event I do start reenacting. Someone also brought up a concern with possible rust issues since there is no bluing on the CS Richmond rifles. But any rifle, blued or not can rust if you don't take care of it.

    I haven't read anything band about the Enfield 1853 3 band rifles, other then they can be sharp around the edges, but that's an easy fix.

    Decision's, decision's. My friend's, I don't know but I must stay with my $850.00 budget, excluding shipping cost.

  2. #2
    MarkTK36thIL is online now
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    You're opening a bag of worms once you get your first. I said I'd only have 2; an Enfield and a Springfield... then the 1816s started, then the Halls, 1841, Saxon, Lorenze, m1817 Common Rifle, etc.

    Long story short, if you're simply shooting NSSA, I don't think rust will be a major issue. For reenacting, it's not a major issue unless you throw it in a gunsack after a rainy weekend and don't touch it for a couple months (which I've seen).

    The blanks are an issue with all reproduction 1861 style rifles- it doesn't help when you're not permitted to ram the powder, so it doesn't settle near the bolster arena stay there. I've drilled out a cone which helps, but the biggest improvement came from ramming paper.

    Enfields are great all war weapons. They imported a lot of them early, East and West. And even the Federals reissued captured ones as early as Jan. 1863 after Stones River.

    Your budget isn't a problem. You can probably buy a nice repro for $500-$600, and then reline the barrel to make it more of a shooter. Then you can go the route of defarbing it to look more authentic.
    Mark Krausz
    Co. B 36th Illinois Inf.
    Agent Campbell and Pelican's Military Goods

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    I have a couple of Enfields and a Richmond carbine. The Richmond Carbine came from James River Armory (no longer does civil war guns) and has a Hoyt barrel - it is a tack driver!

    The Richmond has a clean-out screw on the bolster which means a right-angle fire channel. This makes it not like the weaker CCI caps. They work fine on the Enfield with the straight-in fire channel.

    Nice thing about an all-white arm is that if you do get rust you just hit it with the green scotchbright scrubbie and it's gone. No bluing to be careful of.

    Personally I've always been fond of Enfields.

    Steve

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    Harlan is offline
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    Thank you for the replies. I was searching for the Enfield rifles, I'm really liking the 2 band rifles. I think the overall length of the rifle would be perfect for me.

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    Eggman is offline Banned
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    The two band is probably a good choice, especially if you're rather small and have spindly mussels.

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    PoorJack is offline
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    Coming from a former reenactor- do NOT get a 2 band if you're planning on doing infantry. 2 banders are heavily frowned upon in the ranks and the very few who shoot them are relegated to skirmisher role or front rank only. The reason being, when in the rear rank, the shorter barrel puts the muzzle fairly close to the face or the front rank guy. There's virtually no guarantee you'll always be front rank. You also cannot do a musket stack unless all guns are of equal length, bye bye 2 band.

    As for shooting live, I love a 2 band. Length is about perfect and with the right ammo a real pleasure to shoot.
    "A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition"
    Rudyard Kipling


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    Jim_Burgess_2078V is offline
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    Decisions, Decisions

    I agree with everything said so far. 3-banders are more appropriate for re-enacting while skirmishers often prefer 2-banders as they are a little quicker to load and some consider the heavier barrels more accurate. (In the interest of full disclosure I currently skirmish and do well with a 3-bander M1861 Springfield.) Probably the best advice I can offer is to see how the stocks on these muskets fit you. The Enfields have a higher comb and not everyone finds them comfortable to sight and shoot. If you are doing living history the Enfield is good for both a Union or Confederate impression; the Richmond only works for a Confederate impression.

    Jim Burgess
    15th CVI

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    Fred Jr is offline
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    Lots of good info here so far! Doesn't make it any easier to decide does it. I have shot both the 2band Enfield and 3 band Enfield. One of the main differences between the two is the position of the site. The rear site is father away from your eye than it is on the 3 bander. What was said about the comb is also true. The enfield has a little longer reach from the butt to the trigger than the Springfield types.

    Just a little some thing else to confuse you even more. These points are only if you are going to shoot live ammo.

    Good Luck,

    Fred

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    Harlan is offline
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    Thanks everyone. I've decided on the Enfield 3 band rifle. I found a site selling Armi Sport Enfield 3 band and I also found a site selling an Enfield 3 band from an unknown manufacture in the link below. Don't know much about them.

    http://middlesexvillagetrading.com/c...&product_id=80


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    Curt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Harlan View Post
    Thanks everyone. I've decided on the Enfield 3 band rifle. I found a site selling Armi Sport Enfield 3 band and I also found a site selling an Enfield 3 band from an unknown manufacture in the link below. Don't know much about them.

    http://middlesexvillagetrading.com/c...&product_id=80
    Hallo!

    Your second choice is a controversial one- it being an Indian made model gun aka "wall hanger" and not a firearm. (Although some reenactors learned to drill out a touch-hole and shoot them with blanks (and some even with live rounds.) And several importers import them, one IIRC does the cone/nipple/touch-hole work.

    I saw this late, but I would have recommended that you handle some of the Italian repro options first. As shared, the "Enfields" have a higher comb and straight butt some lads do not like.

    Also the rifle has a shorter 33 inch but thicker walled barrel than does the longer rifle-musket (39 for Enfield, 40 inches for Springfield) so it is a different weight feel.

    Some lads like the rifle over the rifle-musket because they can load it faster. When I skirmished with a (so-called) Enfield P1858 "Naval Rifle" I could shoot 8-9 well-aimed rounds per two minute event. With my custom-built M1855 Type II "Harpers' Ferry," I could shoot 7-8.

    Curt
    Curt Schmidt
    Formerly 17 years a Sherman's Bodyguard
    Married to a descendant of Senator John Sherman's wife

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