"Telescopic" Rifles

[Don Dixon]

While doing some research at the National Archives, I ran into an interesting reference. (RG393, Part II, E3956, page 253) The record/entry was started by the ordnance officer, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, III Corps. I note that with the March 1864 reorganization of the Army of the Potomac the 2nd Division became the 4th Division, II Corps, but they didn't change the titling of the record book. In October-November 1864, he recorded that among his brigade's ordnance stores were nine "telescopic" rifles. The brigade was composed of the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 11th New Jersey Infantry, and the reported weapons would have permitted the arming of a small "sharpshooter" detachment or the issue of approximately two weapons per regiment. Does anyone have any idea what these weapons might have been?

Regards,
Don Dixon

 

[RedRover]

There were a variety of heavy, bench rest target rifles on the market during the war. Here's an article on the subject.

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrNapX4snRqVgIACtNXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1787242489/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2famericansocietyofarmscollectors.org%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2019%2f06%2f2013-B107-Sharpshooter-Weapons-in-the-American-Civ.pdf/RK=2/RS=cwue5AGQyiypqnmbw00KzLNPbGg-

 

[gary]

Privately made rifles so lack of uniformity would come as no surprise. Each rifle probably came with:

1) bullet mold
2) false muzzle
3) paper patch cutter
4) bullet starter
5) muzzle rest (popular for those super heavy 50 lb target telescope rifes)
6) powder measure
7) wiper (ramrod) with jag, worm, stuck ball remover
9) Powder flask
10) Storage case.

William Edwards' book, Civil War Firearms, has an excellent photo essay showing the steps for loading and firing one of those bigger behemoths. I often wondered how someone with one of them loaded while sitting on a tree. See Winslow Homer's Sharpshooter on Picket Duty in the Army of the Potomac. They couldn't have used a rifle that was heavier than 20 lbs and even then, it's a risky affair. Look at the pictures in the book and you'll see what I mean.

 

[Old Soldier]

Those nine rifles will have been issued to the BRIGADE's sharpshooters who could hit a target at over 1,000 yards. they would not be in the Front line but in a place where they could see their targets - ranking officers or gunners - and be able to fire from a rest without too much fear of return fire. It usually meant a high 'perch' , but not up a tree. These were heavy barrelled rifles and not very portable - think of them as you would a Browning machinegun and tripod - or a modern 50cal sniper rifle. They didn't climb trees.

They are not the same as a Whitworth.

 

[johan_steele]

Billinghurst supplied some to the US cause. They were precision rifles not any heavier than an M1861. But no optics only a vernier style sight. I believe most were in .41.