Discussion Did Union cavalry ever use shotguns?

[major bill]

We often hear of Confederate cavalry using shotguns but did any Union cavalry units use shotguns? I would take it some early war Northern home guard units may have used some shotguns.

 

[Old Soldier]

Union smooth bores were loaded with ball and shot. The 'sporting' shotgun is too long for cavalry use and would be almost impossible to reload on horseback - hence the cavalry carbine. The civilian versions would not necessarily take the issued ammunition, which would cause resupply problems.

 

[SeaTurtle]

The 'sporting' shotgun is too long for cavalry use and would be almost impossible to reload on horseback

Hence the sawed-off shotgun. Confederate cavalry definitely used them, although I don't know about Union guys.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Unaware of any Federal cavalrymen carrying standard issued shotguns. As the war progressed Northern troopers were commonly issued with single shot, breech-loading (shorter barrel) carbines, with a very few using repeating carbines. These weapons were additional to the standard issue cavalry sabers and in some cases, any pistols used. (In contrast, some Confederate cavalrymen did carry shotguns).

 

[SeaTurtle]

Unaware of any Federal cavalrymen carrying standard issued shotguns.

I'm not aware of any "standard issue" shotguns on either side of the war. The ones from Confederate service I've come across seem to have been fairly varied in terms of make, gauge, length, etc.

 

[leftyhunter]

We often hear of Confederate cavalry using shotguns but did any Union cavalry units use shotguns? I would take it some early war Northern home guard units may have used some shotguns.

Yes most definitely the Missouri State Milita which is a misnomer has the MSM was a full time federally funded force that was mostly used in counterinsurgency but fought in the battle of Pea Ridge and Westport. The MSM had men recruited out of state mostly Illinois. My old thread " How did the MSM kill anyone " has reference".
Leftyhunter

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

I'm not aware of any "standard issue" shotguns on either side of the war. The ones from Confederate service I've come across seem to have been fairly varied in terms of make, gauge, length, etc.

The use of shotguns by Confederate cavalry seems to have primary occured in the Trans-Mississippi early in the war when nothing better was available.

I don't think Union cavalry was ever that desperate for weapons.

 

[SeaTurtle]

The use of shotguns by Confederate cavalry seems to have primary occured in the Trans-Mississippi early in the war when nothing better was available.

I don't think Union cavalry was ever that desperate for weapons.

I do think that shotguns have some utility as a cavalry weapon, despite the fact they seem to have been mostly ad-hoc weapons in the ACW. In fact I might even say that for close-range fighting I'd prefer one over a carbine. It's hard enough to hit a target while on a moving horse, and a shotgun increases those odds as long as you're within range. Even if you don't hit the rider, a blast of buckshot to the horse's face could cause trouble for your opponent.

 

[Old Soldier]

I do think that shotguns have some utility as a cavalry weapon, despite the fact they seem to have been mostly ad-hoc weapons in the ACW. In fact I might even say that for close-range fighting I'd prefer one over a carbine. It's hard enough to hit a target while on a moving horse, and a shotgun increases those odds as long as you're within range. Even if you don't hit the rider, a blast of buckshot to the horse's face could cause trouble for your opponent.

But you have to be darn close to do that and buckshot is not a guaranteed man-kill beyond 50 yards - especially with a sawn-off. Even an 'average' carbine is effective beyond 100 yards - and a debilitating wound, if it doesn't kill. You do not have to be on horseback to fire a carbine either! Remember that we are not using break-barrel breech-loaders (pin-fire maybe) or even double-barrel shotguns, but smooth-bore muzzle loaders.

 

[leftyhunter]

We often hear of Confederate cavalry using shotguns but did any Union cavalry units use shotguns? I would take it some early war Northern home guard units may have used some shotguns.

Yes most definitely the Missouri State Milita which is a misnomer has the MSM was a full time federally funded force that was mostly used in counterinsurgency but fought in the battle of Pea Ridge and Westport. The MSM had men recruited out of state mostly Illinois. My old thread " How did the MSM kill anyone " has references .
Leftyhunter