Potsdam 'carbine'??

[Jim Strang]

Folks:

Is there a class of smoothbores that could be called Potsdam "carbines"?

I'm in a chat with a fellow from the Dakota territories on the muzzleloading forum bb -
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusio ... id/227167/
- who has a rather ill-treated Potsdam with what appears to be about a 30-inch barrel. Look at the pictures and see for yourselves.

My best guess to him was that it might be either a home amputation or an arsenal post-traumatic-stress refitting. As I told him, I know a (very) little about Potsdam muskets, but nothing about any Pdam carbines or systematic conversions thereunto. Any knowledgeable advice would be appreciated.

BTW, if you're not familiar with the Muzzleloading Forum and need yet another outlet to consume time on the Internet, it's a pretty good site. Some skirmishers already lurk around its dark corners. They sell a "premium" membership, but the basic membership is free, and that's sufficient for me.

[Ken Hansgen, 11094]

Jim, I'm kinda surprised nobody's answered this one. Surely some of those muskets must have been shortened during the CW after battlefield damage, but you would need a surviving example, I guess, or documentation to convince the SAC. You would need their card anyhow, since Potsdams have a rear sight notch. The 14th Miss. SB team shoots Potsdams, but those are all full length. Have you asked Richard Hill? He's on both the 14th Miss. team and the SAC.

[Jim Strang]

Ken, that's two of us who are kind of surprised. :shock:

This guy's not a skirmisher, just a shooter who wants to restore it IF a "carbine" version was its legitimate starting point. Otherwise, he's undecided about what, if anything, to do with it.

I heard off-board from one of our regional commanders that it was most likely a post-service conversion, a la the Bannerman Springfield "shotguns," with its barrel shortened for handling purposes. That makes a lotta sense to me, but I thot I'd toss it before the greatest body of accumulated period firearms expertise for confirmation.

[Ken Hansgen, 11094]

Oh--thought you were considering getting and using it yourself, Jim. Haven't viewed the photo of it myself, yet, but I'd agree, the postwar conversion scenario is also a likely explanation.

[Richard Hill]

Foreign guns that were damaged were generally scrapped. No evidence has come to light that imported arms, Potsdams included, were shortened and reissued.

The Illustrious Fourteenth Smoothbore A-Team is all H&P’s. The Mighty Morgan shoots a Potsdam on B-team. I got a Potsdam I loan out every now and then, but not often.

Richard Hill
14th Mississippi Infantry

[John Holland]

Jim, Ken -

There are probably a lack of commments because once you click on the link you can't see the photo until you register to use the site. At least that's what I found. And, no I didn't register.

JDH

[Jim Strang]

Ooops. Sorry 'bout that, John. I wasn't aware of the picture restrictions.

The blockage probably spared your good sensitivities, however. What he has looks like it was shot hard and put away dirty waaay too many times. :shock: Might best find use as a parts gun for somebody.

See y'all come spring!

[Greg Ogdan, 11444]

"See y'all come spring!?" I'm no Reb, Jim, but does that language imply you are from South Cleveland? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Jim Strang]

Actually, it's a western outland "border" 'burb, but my allegiance is purely to the Red, White, Blue and Green. We'uns jus' talk a li'l syrupy from time t' time. Helps keep mollified them Kaintuk' boys who surround us ...

[Greg Ogdan, 11444]

I understand about keeping peace in the "Family", and I know about the"burbs up there. I'be still got a few relatives fron one end to the other. Dad was born Bogdanovich, go figure.