- Joined
- Feb 20, 2005
- Location
- South of the North 40
It isn't that surprising that in the west older arms saw heavy use, the percussion conversions of the M1817 was put to good use as a Sharpshooting arm in the Indian territory.
The only issue about the Whitworth was getting your hands one. That's why the CSA only gave them to their best sharpshooters, which weren't in shortage due to the supply of expert hunters. The ammunition, a hexagonal bullet, was also very expensive to come by. How the Whitworths came to the CS was via blockade runners.
As of performance, it out classed every single other rifle n the field in terms of accuracy. I believe Major General Sedgewick was actually killed by one of these.
The Kerr rifle used a Kerr rifled barrel, not Whitworth - the two are different. They were made by London Armoury Co on machinery and were interchangeable with the P.53 Enfield.Also available and used in the Western Theater was the Kerr Rifle (or poor man's Whitworth) which used a Whitworth barrel and Enfield parts.
maybe so but the Sedgwick ledged has grown taller with age
The sound alone generally id'ed the Whitworth. Also Sedgwick was with his staff and the sniper was just shooting in amongst them.The "Sedgwick Shot" as probably a sniper aiming at the men in his close proximity. It was obviously not a 1 shot 1 kill situation either. The sniper had been shooting, and coming close, hence the others took cover. I would imagine the Whitworth ws identified by the round recovered from Sedgwicks body
If you can believe the internet, There was a kill shot made by a Confederate sniper, using a Whitworth, from Fort Sumter to the shore of Charleston Harbor. 1400 yards.
I dont believe that...that is about .8 miles....tell me, if u drop off your wife, drive .8 miles and look back at her (if terrain allows), can you really tell it is her??? Now tell me using loose powder, iffy sabot rounds and iron sites, that u can make the shot 1 in 10 tries...
Dont tell me u read this or that, try the shot and tell me what you think.
Zburkett - Can you provide your source, please? Only because I would like to read it first hand.
As for the reference to Billy Dixon's famous shot, even he is quoted as saying it was "....a lucky shot..." To also be noted at that time is that it was not a "killing" shot, because the Indian rendition is that one of their party, watching from the hill top, was knocked off his horse by a bullet that hit him in the chest, but did not break the skin.
J.