Big Yehudah
Private
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2014
- Location
- Florida
Okay I've read a bit on wikipedia and some articles on the net about CSA usage of Breech loading firearms and repeaters. I cannot find a percentage however (including captured ones). Wikipedia says 3000 Maynard carbines were used. I know they also had captured weapons and produced their own Sharps rifles. However, I am inclined to think that the level of production was not extremely low in spite of their small industrial capacity. The North had maybe something over 200k of single shot breech loaders and multi shot repeaters (not including pistols.) Is there any authoritative information on how many the South possessed both by capture, purchase, and manufacture? CSA cavalry held there own throughout the war so I tend to think that they had a lot of these types of weapons. Jeb Stuart was ambushed during Gettysburg with a smaller number of men and managed to shoe the North off... By that time, most of the Northern cavalry were no longer using muzzle loaders to my recollection. I can't imagine Rifled Musket Carbines can stand up against repeaters and breech loaders.
Although correct me if I am wrong, but rifled muskets using the minie ball (with percussion cap) CAN be reloaded faster than smoothbore muskets prior to the mid 1800s right? I'm fairly certain they can be ebcause you no longer need measure powder for rifles since the cartridge is prepackaged... If that is the case, then the reloading gab between a rfiled musket carbine and a breech loading carbine is lessened?
Although correct me if I am wrong, but rifled muskets using the minie ball (with percussion cap) CAN be reloaded faster than smoothbore muskets prior to the mid 1800s right? I'm fairly certain they can be ebcause you no longer need measure powder for rifles since the cartridge is prepackaged... If that is the case, then the reloading gab between a rfiled musket carbine and a breech loading carbine is lessened?