Georgia type collection

Smokin' Joe

Private
Joined
Sep 18, 2018
Here it is!
From the top: Columbus Armory carbine (Columbus), J.P. Murray rifle Type II (Columbus), Dickson, Nelson rifle Type II, Dickson, Nelson rifle Type I (Adairsville and Dawson), Georgia Armory rifle (Milledgeville), 36" Macon Conversion of a U.S. Model 1842 (Macon), Cook & Brother musketoon (Athens), and J.P. Murray carbine (Columbus).

Georgia State flag, Atlanta Arsenal accouterments, Dickson Nelson stock blank (its a piece of wood, but heh its original and kind of neat), and Georgia Armory bayonet. I would like a Georgia State coat/jacket... any suggestion on a size? Its for the public... because we all know that we are naked without a propper jacket and hat...

The purpose of this type collection is to teach history and promote black powder competitive shooting (N-SSA). I wish to display this at gunshows and other events, and allow guests to touch, hold, and pull the trigger of what arm feels most comfortabe for them. I'm still sighting these guys in, and almost done! The belt is a one size fits all attempt, hence like 50 or so holes on a very long belt.

This covers the N-SSA's most common platforms (US Model 1841 "Mississippi" rifle, Enfield, and US Model 1855/1861); and most common matches, Musket (rifled), Smoothbore (not-rifled...), and Carbine.

I will be posting more pics and info shortly. Enjoy!
Joe

20200509_170519.jpg
 
I have done a good deal of research on the Columbus Armory series of arms. I may make a video about it. In short, Columbus Armory is early war, run by John D. Gray, finished arm production in early 1863. William Gray, John's brother, and his business partners picked up where John left off and produced arms until General Wilson captured and destroyed Columbus in April 1865.

The arms are essentially the same. These carbines are Navy Arms carbines defarbed to represent those two firms.

20200510_162034.jpg


20200510_162006.jpg


20200510_161944.jpg


20200510_161925.jpg


20200510_161854.jpg
 
The J.P. Murray rifle is built from the ground up, following originals. She is serial numbered near the muzzle, screw heads, etc. Sanding and filing marks remain, no where near the quality of the National armories. The "repair" was me copying an old repair method covering wood burned out from percussion caps... typical of the model '41s... She's a fairly comfortable gun to shoot.

20200510_162215.jpg


20200510_162150.jpg


20200510_162121.jpg


20200510_162059.jpg
 
The Georgia Armory Rifles are monsters. Enfield, Mississippi, and '55 rifle in a unique mess and alot of nuances...

Could use a Zouave as a base, but... you're going to have difficult fitting issues pretty much the entire build. The dark rifles are Zouave based... they hold and shoot right, but alot time to get there...
20200510_161516.jpg
20200510_161622.jpg
20200510_161556.jpg
 
Very nice display!

May I suggest a display of Georgia revolvers? Griswold & Gunnison (Griswoldville), Leech & Rigdon (Greensboro), Rigdon & Ansley (Augusta), Columbus Firearms Manufacturing Company, and Augusta Machine Works. Originals are very spendy and rare, so I have assembled a collection of replica/reproduction Italian guns, all except one I assembled from Pietta parts. All revolvers are .36 caliber.

Augusta Machine Works (12-stop-slot cylinder) but early ones had 6-stop-slot cylinders. They were located in close proximity to Charles Rigdon's plant and may have shared ideas:
Augusta-Machine-Works-007.jpg


Rigdon & Ansley (12-stop-slot cylinder) with a J.H. Dance .36 (Texas). Charles Rigdon completed the L&R Confederate contract of 1500 revolvers after Thomas Leech dissolved his association with Rigdon, and thereafter produced the 12-stop-slot cylinders rather than the Colt safety pins between chambers ceasing production after about 2300 revolvers produced in total:
Contest-002.jpg


Griswold & Gunnison with a Colt 1851 Navy Second Model:
G-G-and-1851-Navy-2nd-Model.jpg


Leech & Rigdon:
Leech-Rigdon-001.jpg


The Columbus Firearms Manufacturing Company (L. Haiman And Brother) revolvers (only about 100 made) are the similar to the L&R (smooth cylinder and part round/ part octagonal barrel with different markings):

Columbus-FMC.jpg


I put these 5 together, mostly from parts and better wood, from various sources who share my parts-changing mindset to create revolvers that are not available on the market as complete revolvers from the manufacturers (Pietta and Uberti) for about $1200.

I do not defarb my pistols as I do not want them to be confused by a layman as the real deal. There is (and has been) a lot of that going on for decades and are fakes, plain and simple.

I will stop here as I do not wish to hijack the OP's thread.

Regards,

Jim
 
Wow! No hijacking, just an accompanying a similar theme. Actually, its fitting as I do not do revolvers, or blades really. Simply no interest, modern C&C aside... those are nice. Well done. If you notice on some of the photos, on the opposite side of the lock mortise is 1 of 2 stamps that I use to mark all pieces so that they will not be confused with originals. On most of them, a little disassembly will give it away. Thanks for showing your collection and skills!
 
My Macon conversions. The top and bottom are restored from shotguns. The middle is a Springfield 2nd Model M1795 from 1809. She was altered/refirbished post War of 1812, brass pan and reproofed. She was altered to percussion probably in Columbus, Mississippi, and altered again in Macon, Georgia by cutting the stock and barrel back leaving enough room for adding a bayonet lug. Those alterations are well done. The drum is well finished and used a pistol nipple, not shotgun (now broken). The mainspring is from an 1816, and bridle and other parts brazed all over to remain functional... typical of deep south salvage operations, probably during percussioning. The final alteration was post war into a shot gun, removing sling swivels and hacking off the barrel just behind the bayonet lug. She is just cool. I'm not planning to restore her, just stabilize and keep her around for educational show and tell...unless someone wants her more than me...

20200510_161434.jpg


20200510_161409.jpg
 
The Cook & Brother musketoons are built from Euroarm models that needed a good deal of work to get to original specs. Both Cook & Brother and Dickson, Nelson & Co were quite uniform and well built. Arguably the best contract arms in the south.

20200510_161059.jpg


20200510_161018.jpg


20200512_140747.jpg
 
The Cook & Brothers shoot well... I just so happen to have a neck... tough well built, accurate, just difficult to shoulder. I know I can change my stance, but not for 1 platform.

20200510_160942.jpg
 
Very Nicely Done.
 
Back
Top