"Interesting Factoids re Union Small Arms Ammo Production" Topic
6 Posts
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Blutarski | 21 Dec 2019 12:56 p.m. PST |
Try and figure these production numbers out - M/L Rifle Cartridges, .577, .58 ----- 46,409,514 Spencer Rifle Cartridges, .52, .56 -- 58,238,924 ????? B |
Onomarchos | 21 Dec 2019 1:23 p.m. PST |
Well, the US Army did use a lot of Model 1853 Enfield Rifle (.577 caliber) and did import ammo for the Springfield, so that may result in a drop in US production. I believe all Spencer cartridges were made in the US. |
jdginaz | 21 Dec 2019 9:12 p.m. PST |
This may explain in part the numbers. since Sharps rifles & Carbines being breach loaders aren't included in with the M/L numbers so no count from the Infantry & Cavalry that used Sharps weapons . Where as the Spencer number would included the Infantry & Cavalry that used them. In the West Spencer rifles seem to have been used more that in the East. Then from about 1863 the US Cavalry, many of whom used Spencer Carbines, were a lot more active many times conducting operations while the Infantry were still encamped. |
donlowry | 22 Dec 2019 10:46 a.m. PST |
Spencer Carbines didn't become the Union cavalry's weapon of choice until '64. It was Wilson, in his brief tenure as head of the Cavalry Bureau in the winter of '63-4, who instituted that. |
Blutarski | 22 Dec 2019 5:21 p.m. PST |
Sharps ammunition was not included in the Spencer ammunition figure. It was listed separately - Sharps Rifle cartridge, .52 ----- 16,306,508 Sharps Carbine cartridge, .50 --- 13,861,500 - for a total of an additional 30 million. I find these ammunition production numbers just mind-boggling for the ACW – almost 2x the ammunition production for the Union's standard rifled infantry muskets. B |
ScottWashburn | 24 Dec 2019 7:22 a.m. PST |
I remember one interesting line in the classic "Si Klegg and His Pard". Si's newly raised regiment, still 1,000 strong, had been issued their rifles and each man was given 40 rounds of ammunition. Si mused that 'This was enough to lay low the entire Rebel army facing us if each one had found its mark.' |
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