Which would be best?

[Cpl Isaac Metcalf CSA]

A quick query,for a Confederate cavalry scout,in the field,circa 1863/4,which would be the best choice of firearm,an 1860 Henry repeater or an 1864 short barreled shotgun with "pistol grip",i'm asking because i've been given the choice of one or the other and i want to use the most likely of the 2,any help would be most gratefully received.

 

[JOHN42768]

Not an expert, but the number of Henry's available to the Confederate would have been extremely few. I would think the shotgun or a carbine would have been a more likely choice.

 

[Frederick14Va]

Henrys are nice, but were quite expensive and not all that common as compared to many other carbine types. A CS trooper finding access to one would be quite rare. Also finding sufficient ammunition supply for it would usually be rather difficult.

When you mention the shotgun having a "pistol grip", are you referring to a cut down stock in the cowboy outlaw fashion kinda thing ?.. This would be near equally unusual.

 

[James N.]

A quick query,for a Confederate cavalry scout,in the field,circa 1863/4,which would be the best choice of firearm,an 1860 Henry repeater or an 1864 short barreled shotgun with "pistol grip",i'm asking because i've been given the choice of one or the other and i want to use the most likely of the 2,any help would be most gratefully received.

How about a two band British Enfield carbine, a typical import for cavalry and certainly more common than the other two?

 

[Cpl Isaac Metcalf CSA]

The fact of the matter is...i'm out of funds for any more purchases but,i've been offered (very kindly) the choice of one of these two,and i'm desperate to get it right,the stock on the shotgun is identical to that on the "ahem"...Denix Wells Fargo Coach Gun but given that this won't cost me anything i'm only interested in picking the right one for the job.

 

[johan_steele]

The Henry in CS hands would be farbarific if not outright farbtastic. The Denix shotgun is a replica of a shotgun that came into existence well after the ACW. But at 50' might pass as a muzzleloading shotgun as it at least has hammers.

 

[Cpl Isaac Metcalf CSA]

Oh Dear,now that is a problem...however,i've just been offered a third option,namely,a 44 cal Colt Dragoon,would that be a better choice than the other two?,i already have a Brass frame copy of a 36 cal Colt Navy 1851 but this IS my very last option.

 

[johan_steele]

Colt Dragoon is the best option presented this far.

 

[Cpl Isaac Metcalf CSA]

Many Thanks indeed for the advice,i now own a decent Dragoon and that does complete my kit so its time to get down to refining it,only hope i get it right!.

 

[johan_steele]

Many Thanks indeed for the advice,i now own a decent Dragoon and that does complete my kit so its time to get down to refining it,only hope i get it right!.

Are you using a Denix or a repro?

An original Kerr or Adams revolver comes up once in a while. An English connection might be rather interesting to be able to talk about. English made double barrel shotguns are also rather common and rather inexpensive, certainly considerably less than the typical pistol.

 

[kevikens]

The Henry was a full length rifle and a heavy piece with ammo hard to get and if he is a scout he may need to move on foot, in heavy cover where even a short shotgun is going to be an encumbrance. I think a brace of Colt .36 Navies would be the best choice for that role and these arms are quite available on the secondary market with the Italian repros being obtainable for under $100. That Colt dragoon revolver is a big heavy chunk of metal to be hauling around all day.

 

[DixieRifles]

I wish I had the inventory of Forrst's cavalry corps. I think the majority of the weapons were some infantry rifle.

 

[kevikens]

Some of Forest's men carried long barreled Enfield rifles but these, but these men often fought more as mounted infantry. If the OP wants to be a cavalry scout I think the brace of Colt Navies would be more likely, or let me put it this way. If I were a Southern cavalry scout, or a Northern one for that matter, I would prefer the Colts to any long arm.

 

[Cpl Isaac Metcalf CSA]

Erm...they are both Denix...actually,i'd rather tote a revolver round than a Rifle,even a Dragoon,i agree that a Scout would probably favour them over a larger or heavier piece but i'm stuck with the 44 and can't buy any replacement as i'm now out of funds,by the way (and please pardon my ignorance) but,what does OP stand for?

 

[James N.]

Some of Forest's men carried long barreled Enfield rifles but these, but these men often fought more as mounted infantry. If the OP wants to be a cavalry scout I think the brace of Colt Navies would be more likely, or let me put it this way. If I were a Southern cavalry scout, or a Northern one for that matter, I would prefer the Colts to any long arm.

Erm...they are both Denix...actually,i'd rather tote a revolver round than a Rifle,even a Dragoon,i agree that a Scout would probably favour them over a larger or heavier piece but i'm stuck with the 44 and can't buy any replacement as i'm now out of funds,by the way (and please pardon my ignorance) but,what does OP stand for?

John S. Mosby's Rangers who were scouts par excellance preferred the Colt-type pistols, either Army or Navy models. Mosby especially disdained sabers which he felt were merely noisy encumbrances. Shoulder arms would be helpful indeed for mounted infantry types engaged in long-range skirmishing, but would have relatively little application to actual scouts. Corporal Metcalf, OP would stand for original post, or in this case original poster - the one at the top of this or any other thread. In your circumstances, I think the Dragoon will be a perfectly adequate choice!

 

[johan_steele]

For me, I always suggest looking at what the men you are portraying actually carried. The there is the NUG (normally, usually, generally) & PEC (probably everyday common) view. Trying to go that route is harder for CS than US as the records are sparser for CS with a lot more mythos built into it. So research, research and when done with that research some more.

Pistols are part of that, there is a widely held belief that pistols were common in the CS ranks when the reality is that there were never enough to go around. Hampton had companies of Cav carrying only Sabres as late as 64 because there weren't enough pistols to go around. Stuart had slave patrollers give up their pistols because his command was short of them. Guerrillas and such are often brought up but the reality is that they were anything but soldiers with Motrin common with Hollywood than the average CS Cavalryman.

The Adams, Kerr & other European revolvers are horribly under represented in the reenacting world and actual knowledge about them by reenactors is even worse. To make matters worse is a lack of actual horseflesh or even common knowledge about horses in too many Cav units.

 

[James N.]

Pistols are part of that, there is a widely held belief that pistols were common in the CS ranks when the reality is that there were never enough to go around. Hampton had companies of Cav carrying only Sabres as late as 64 because there weren't enough pistols to go around. Stuart had slave patrollers give up their pistols because his command was short of them. Guerrillas and such are often brought up but the reality is that they were anything but soldiers with Motrin common with Hollywood than the average CS Cavalryman.

I read somewhere that in 1862 Confederate infantrymen and artillerymen who had them were "encouraged" (more likely ordered) to give up any pistols to the cavalry; also, artillery sabers were confiscated for the same purpose.

 

[Cpl Isaac Metcalf CSA]

and just to muddy the waters...a friend of mine suggested,a short time ago,that i might be better off using a D-handled bowie instead of the Dragoon,i think i'm about to get a headache instead.

 

[Tin cup]

A quick query,for a Confederate cavalry scout,in the field,circa 1863/4,which would be the best choice of firearm,an 1860 Henry repeater or an 1864 short barreled shotgun with "pistol grip",i'm asking because i've been given the choice of one or the other and i want to use the most likely of the 2,any help would be most gratefully received.

Both are TERRIBLE choices!

Am betting many a cavalryman carried a 3-band Musket of some kind, or a 2-bander, or just a plain double-barrel Shotgun, not chopped up, or pistol gripped.

Kevin Dally

 

[Cpl Isaac Metcalf CSA]

Finally sorted this out,i suppose it was obvious,really but (and my father suggested this),for a scout,why not use a straightforward knife coupled with my 36 cal revolver so,he went and bought me a "toothpick" with a nicely made plain hide sheath,it arrived yesterday and the combination looks very good....well,to my eyes,at least.