Firearms Used At Fort Smith

• 1803 Harpers Ferry Rifle
• 1816 Springfield
• 1842 Springfield Musket
• U.S. Model 1843 Hall-North
• 1851 Colt Navy Revolver
• 1853 British Enfield
• 1854 Austrian Lorenz Rifle
• 1858 Remington Army
• No. 396 Lefaucheux Pinfire Revolver
• 1859 Sharps Carbine
• 1860 Colt Army
• 1860 Henry
• 1860 Spencer Repeating Rifle
• 1862 Colt Pocket Navy
• 1866 Allin Conversion
• Moore's Patent Firearms Co. No.1 Derringer
• 1873 Winchester Rifle and Carbine
• 1873 Colt Revolver
• 1875 Remington Revolver
• 1875 Schofield No.3,2nd Model
• 1876 Winchester Rifle
• 1877 Colt DA
• 1878 Colt DA
• 1880 Harrington and Richardson
• Merwin and Hulbert Co. 2nd Model Frontier Army
• 1887 Winchester Shotgun
• Colt Lightning Slide Action, Medium Frame
• L.C. Smith Shotgun

 

*Click the name of the firearm to view a full size image.

 1803 Harpers Ferry Rifle
Caliber: .54
Barrel length: 33"

This flintlock firearm was the first rifle completely built for and designed by the US military in the US Armory at Harpers Ferry. This was an advanced weapons of the time compared to the muskets the infantry used.  Designed with rifling for accurate long distance shooting, this weapon could shoot 300 yards. However, due to the rifling and tight fitting of the bullet, it was difficult and slow to load. The 1803 had a shorter barrel and stock making it easier to use in the wilderness. These were issued to the United States Regiment of Riflemen beginning in 1808 since these men needed an accurate weapon that was built for the wilds of America. When company A of the Rifle Regiment established Fort Smith in 1817, they carried this firearm. By 1821, the US military abolished the Rifle Regiment and many of the 1803 rifles were sold to citizens who continued to use them on the frontier.   

1816 Springfield
Caliber .69
Barrel length: 42"

This is a flintlock musket. Basically a close copy of the a common musket from the Revolutionary war, the 1777 French Charleville, the 1816 Springfield was used by the army through the Mexican War. Due to the shortage of weapons, some Confederates and a few union solders used these until they could find better weapons. A well-trained soldier could fire this weapon three times a minute because of the smoothbore barrel but were only effective to a distance of about 60 yards. This musketwould have been carried in Fort Smith in 1821 by the seventh infantry and later by Arkansas State Troops that took the post in the beginning of the Civil War.

1842 Springfield Musket
Caliber: .69
Barrel length: 42"

This is a percussion musket that fires with a cap made of brass which is filled with fulminated mercury inside.  A cap is placed on the cone then hammer is pulled back. Next the trigger is pulled and the hammer strikes the cap cause a small explosion to ignite the powder.  Basically, this weapon is an 1816 Springfield musket with the addition of a percussion lock. The percussion lock was the next improvement in the ignition system after the flintlock. This became the third weapon the military used with this type of improved ignition system. The last U. S. musket to be made a smoothbore,  the 1842 was used during the Mexican War and saw use by Union and Confederate soldiers during the Civil War.

U.S. Model 1843 Hall-North
Caliber: .52
Barrel Length: 21"

Commonly called a Hall carbine, this type of weapon was produced between 1819-1853. The Hall is a rifled black powder firearm that loads from the breech of the gun making it a much better weapon for troops on horseback.   However, it still uses a percussion cap to fire. This was first firearm the military used with a percussion ignition system. To load the Hall, a lever was moved on the side of the stock that opened a block of steel in the breech, then powder and a bullet was placed in a hole in the steel block and closed. Then a percussion cap was placed on the cone, the hammer cocked, and the trigger pulled to fire the weapon. These carbines were issued to the United States Dragoons at Fort Smith and even saw use in Arkansas during the Civil War. 

1851 Colt Navy Revolver
Caliber: .36
Barrel length: 7 ½"

Samuel Colt's invention of the Revolver gave the military its first reliable repeating weapon in 1847. This weapon used percussion caps for ignition. Though it was still a muzzleloader, the cylinder could fire six rounds before it needed to be reloaded.   It was referred to as a single-action since the hammer had to be cocked each time before it was fired. Colt experimented with a double-action design but felt that it was too prone to failure. The 1851 Colt Navy replaced the three versions of dragoon revolvers that came before to make it lighter so it was easier to carry on a man's belt. You could always tell a Colt from the other fake copies by Ormsby's gramograph that was used to ward off copyright infringements. The gramograph created a picture all the way around the cylinder. The 1851 Navy had a picture the Texas Navy's victory of the Mexican Fleet in 1843. This was issued most commonly to cavalry and some artillery and was used extensively throughout the Civil War. The 1851 remained in production until 1873 because of its popularity. Even after the cartage firearms were available, Wild Bill chose to carry these as a law enforcement officer in western towns.

1853 British Enfield
Caliber .58
Barrel length: 39"

During the Civil War both the Union and Confederate Armies were in desperate need of good weapons to arm its men. The Springfield Armory made rifled muskets at this time but were not able to keep up with the demand. Therefore, the two governments had to look to other countries to obtain more weapons. The British Enfield was an excellent choice and the north and south utilized them throughout the conflict.  This weapon used a percussion cap for ignition so it was similar to previous percussion rifles. However, the weapon could be loaded as fast as the earlier smoothbore muskets with better accuracy than earlier rifles due the invention of the minnie ball.

1854 Austrian Lorenz rifle
Caliber: .54
Barrel length: 37 ½"

The Lorenz rifle was imported from Austria by both Union and Confederate governments during the Civil War due to the shortage of weapons.  This rifle was a muzzleloader that used a percussion cap for ignition. The bullets fired by this rifle were an inferior type of minnie ball and the barrels were inconsistent in quality making these poorly performing weapons. Private Henry Strong of the 12^th Kansas Infantry who latter was stationed at Fort Smith during the Civil War disliked the Lorenz due to the poor and inconsistent quality of the weapon. Strong claimed he was glad when they replaced his Austrian rifle with a British Enfield.

1858 Remington Army
Caliber: .44
Barrel length: 8"

This pistol was a six shot percussion single action revolver. Used primarily by Union soldiers in the Civil War, it was favored by many solders over the 1860 Colt Army due to the fact that it had a top strap it was more durable than a Colt. These pistols were issued to the Second and Sixth Kansas Cavalry while they were at Fort Smith during the Civil War. Several years ago one was found during an archeological investigation at the battle grounds of Massard Prairie in Fort Smith.

No. 396 Lefaucheux Pinfire Revolver
Caliber: ?
Barrel Length: Need to measure the one in the case.

These French revolvers were imported and used in the western theater of the Civil War. This particular model would have been procured privately as an extra weapon. This weapon used a metallic pinfire cartridge rather than being loaded through the muzzle. (What to say about engraving?) This revolver was donated by the Fort Smith Police Department.

1859 Sharps Carbine
Caliber: .54
Barrel length: 22"

This carbine was issued to cavalry troops during the Civil War. The shorter length made it easier to handle on horseback. This weapon was rifled and used a percussion cap ignition system. However, unlike other weapons of the time it was a breechloader. A paper cartridge was used inserted into the breech and when it was closed it cut the back of the paper off exposing the powder to the cone. Many Sharps rifles and carbines were converted to the metallic cartridge after the war. Union cavalry units in Fort Smith such as the Sixth and Second Kansas were issued these carbines during the Civil War.

1860 Colt Army
Caliber .44
Barrel length: 8"

Samuel Colt's invention of the Revolver gave the military its first reliable repeating weapon in 1847. This weapon used percussion caps for ignition. Though it was still a muzzleloader, the cylinder could fire six rounds before it needed to be reloaded.  It was referred to as a single-action since the hammer had to be cocked each time before it was fired. Colt experimented with a double-action design but felt that it was too prone to failure. The 1860 Colt Army was made to give the military a pistol that had the caliber of the old dragoon revolvers but light enough to wear on a man's belt. Though this was still a Colt, there were no gramographs  on its cylinder.  These were used extensively during the Civil War.  

1860 Henry
Caliber: .44 Henry rimfire
Barrel length: 24 ½"

The Henry rifle was an improvement over the Volcanic repeater of the 1850s. The Henry could hold 15 rimfire .44 caliber cartidges in a tube under the barrel.  The cartridges were loaded into the firearm by twisting the end of the tube to open it and dropping in the rounds. It was fired by moving the lever which cocked the hammer, ejected the spent cartridge case, and loaded a new one. After levering the gun, the trigger was pulled to fire the gun. It was a great improvement over the muzzle loading muskets of the period and dubbed by the Confederates as "that damned Yankee rifle that they load on Sunday and shoot all week." Only 1731 were purchased by the army during the Civil War, so most soldier had to buy one of these rifles with their own money if they wanted one. Cartridges spend by Henry rifles can be found in battlefield throughout Arkansas.    

1860 Spencer Repeating Rifle
Caliber .56-56
Barrel length: 22"

The Spencer was a lever action repeating rifle that held seven metallic cartridges in the stock. To fire the weapon, the lever was moved back and forth to eject a spent cartridge case and load a new one.  However, the hammer had to be manually cocked before pulling the trigger. To reload the weapon, a tube with seven cartridges could be put in the stock. The Second Kansas Cavalry which was station in Fort Smith during the Civil War were issued the Spencer in 1865 to replace their Sharps rifles.  

1862 Colt Pocket Navy
Caliber .36
Barrel length: 5 ½"

This Colt was a five shot revolver. This weapon used percussion caps for ignition. It was referred to as a single-action since the hammer had to be cocked each time before it was fired. Colt experimented with a double-action design but felt that it was too prone to failure. The idea of the pocket model was to it make a pistol that is easier to carry and conceal. An earlier pocket model in 1849 used a smaller .31 caliber bullet but this pistol was made in .36 caliber so it was an improvement in power. These were produced between 1862 and 1873. This revolver is reported to have belonged to the outlaw Nathaniel Reed, alias Texas jack.  

1866 Allin Conversion
Caliber: .50-70
Barrel Length: 32"

With the invention of the metallic cartridge, the military began to move away from muzzle loading weapons. However, there was a large supply of rifled muskets from the Civil War. This lead to Springfield muskets being converted to shoot a .50-70 metallic cartridge in 1865.  It still used black powder as the propellant in the cartridge. The weapon could only hold one cartridge at a time. A piece of steel called a trap door in the breech of the gun was opened which ejected the spent cartridge case, then a new round was placed in the breech and the door shut. Then the hammer had to be cocked and the trigger pulled to fire the musket. Commonly called a trapdoor due to the loading system, rifles based on this design continued to be used by the army until the introduction of the Krag Jorgensen rifle which used the more powerful smokeless powder in 1894. These were the last rifles to be carried by soldiers who left Fort Smith in 1871. However, the pictures from the posse that killed Ned Christie show a deputy holding a trapdoor.    

Moore's Patent Firearms Co. No. 1 Derringer
Caliber .41 Rimfire
Barrel Lenghth: 2 ½" 

This derringer was produced by National Arms from 1865 to 1870. It only fired one shot and was intended to be used as a personal defense weapon. This derringer was loaded by twisting the barrel sideways and putting in one bullet.  Then the hammer had to be cocked manually to fire. Larry Keating, a guard who was killed by Cherokee Bill in the Fort Smith Jail owned this derringer.  

1873 Winchester Rifle and Carbine
Calibers: .44-40, .38-40, and .32-20
Barrel length: Rifle 30" Carbine 19"

Commonly called the gun that won the west, this is the most common rifle seen in pictures of the deputy marshals.  These came in both carbines and rifles and several calibers. Winchester based its first repeating rifle in 1866 on the Henry. The 1873 was the second design by the company and remained a popular model for several years. The weapon was loaded through a loading gate in the frame. The lever was moved back and forth the eject a spent round and load new one.   Then the trigger only had to be pulled to fire.

1873 Colt Revolver
Calibers: .45 Long Colt
Barrel Length: 7 ½", 5 ½", and 4 ¾"

Certainly the weapon most identified with lawmen in the old west, the 1873 Colt revolver was the second pistol produced by this company to shoot a metallic cartridge. These pistols were available in thirty different calibers. Like the most of the previous Colts, it was single action and held six rounds. This pistol was loaded through a loading gate in the rear and each round had to be extracted one at a time using the ejecting rod.  These came in various barrel lengths with the most common being  7 ½, 5 ½, and 4 ¾ inches. This pistol was made in continued production from 1873 to 1941.

1875 Remington Revolver
Caliber: .44-40 caliber
Barrel length: 7 ½"

Built to compete with the 1873 Colt, the 1875 was Remington's first metallic cartridge revolver. It kept the overall appearance of the 1858 Remington making it heavier than a Colt but sturdier as well. Like other revolvers, it was a six shot single action. This pistol was loaded through a loading gate in the rear and each round had to be extracted one at a time using the ejecting rod.  Though predoninatly made with 7 ½" barrels a few 5 ¾" versions were produced. Frank James was known to carry an 1875 Remington. In 1883, the Department of the Interior purchased these pistols for Indian police serving on reservations.    

1875 Remington Revolver
Caliber: .44-40 caliber
Barrel length: 7 ½"

Built to compete with the 1873 Colt, the 1875 was Remington's first metallic cartridge revolver. It kept the overall appearance of the 1858 Remington making it heavier than a Colt but sturdier as well. Like other revolvers, it was a six shot single action. This pistol was loaded through a loading gate in the rear and each round had to be extracted one at a time using the ejecting rod.  Though predoninatly made with 7 ½" barrels a few 5 ¾" versions were produced. Frank James was known to carry an 1875 Remington. In 1883, the Department of the Interior purchased these pistols for Indian police serving on reservations.    

1875 Schofield No. 3, 2^nd Model
Caliber: .44-40
Barrel: 5"

The Schofield was a top break single action revolver produced by Smith and Wesson. The advantage of this pistol was in how it was unloaded. The weapon came apart at the top and ejected all the cartridges.  These pistols came in several different calibers.   These pistols also came with a 7 ½" barrel. Some well know western icons reported to carry the Schofield were  Jesse James, John Wesley Hardin, Pat Garrett, Theodore Roosevelt, Virgil Earp, and Billy the Kid.  

1876 Winchester Rifle
Caliber: .45-75
Barrel Length: 28"

Called the Centennial Rifle, the 1876 Winchesterwas introduced during the United State centennial year. This rifle was made to answer the need for a cartridge that was much more powerful that the 1866 or 1873 Winchesters could offer. This rifle chambered rounds big enough to kill a buffalo. These were made in .40-60, .45-60, .45-75, and .50-95 calibers. Some well know groups to be issued this weapon were the North West Canadian Mounted Police and the Texas Rangers.  Even Teddy Roosevelt used the 76 during his hunted expeditions in the western United States.  

1877 Colt DA
Caliber: .38
Barrel Length: 4 ½"

The 1877 was Colt's first double action revolver. This was offered in three different calibers. Each one had its own unofficial name: .32 Rainmaker, .38 Lighting, and .41 Thunderer. The1877 Colt double action mechanisms were weak and prone to failure and ended production in 1909. Bell Starr can be seen holding a lighting in one of her photographs. 

1878 Colt DA
Caliber: .44-40
Barrel Length: 7 ½"

The 1878 was Colt's second double action revolver. Commonly called the Frontier Revolver, this was much larger than Colt's first double action making it possible to shoot .44-40 and .45 LC cartridges. These were offered in seven different calibers and ended production in 1907. This 1878 belonged to George Maledon, a jailor under Judge Parker.

1880 Harrington and Richardson
Caliber .38

Many companies began to spring up and produce cheap poorly made revolvers during the late 1800s. Many of these types of pistols were called "suicide specials" since they were pretty much useless for self defense.  This one was dropped by Bill Cook during a gunfight with lawmen in the Indian Territory in 1894 and picked up by Dew Wisdom, and Indian Agent for the Five Civilized Tribes. This pistol was donated to the park by the Wisdom Family.

Merwin and Hulbert Co. 2^nd Model Frontier Army
.44-40 Caliber ?

Merwin and Hulbert began making revolvers in 1876. It was referred to as an automatic due to the unloading mechanism. It was able to eject only the spent cartridges and left the loaded ones in the cylinder. This pistol was also made with better machining and finish that the competitors. In fact, the tolerances are so close that when pulling the barrel forward to unload the weapon it has a vacuum that will pull it back into place. Though this was a superior revolver to others of the period, the company was short lived due to the high cost of production.  This particular pistol is reported to belong to Henry Starr. Donated:      

1887 Winchester Shotgun
Gauge : 12
Barrel Length:

The 1887 Winchester was the first successful repeating shotgun. John Browning suggested that a pump shotgun be made instead of a lever action but Winchester affirmed that they were a lever action company. However, in 1893 a pump shotgun was introduced due to the fact that the 1887 could not hold up to the smokeless powder that was becoming available.  The 1887 was produced until 1901 after being replaced by the 1897 pump shotgun. Deputy Marshal Henry Dickey states that he was carrying a lever action shotgun during Henry Starr's murder trial.  

Colt Lightning Slide Action, Medium Frame
Caliber: .44-40

Initially, Colt tried to make lever-action rifles but after an agreement with the Winchester Company they chose to make a pump action instead.  The rifle is loaded with a loading gate on the side and the wood forearm is moved back and forth to eject a spent round and load a new one. The rifle version could hold 15 rounds while the carbine held 12. These rifles were produced between 1884 to 1902. Though most people think of the lever action rifles as the weapon of the old west, these Colt rifles are a part of the history as well.

L.C. Smith Shotgun
Gauge : 12

This double barreled shotgun is made by L. C. Smith company.  This one is stamped Wells and Fargo & Co. These types of shotguns were common with law men in the old west as it did not require much aiming and had a lot of power. It was intended to shoot a metallic round that held several small lead balls. To create a larger pattern with the lead balls the barrels were cut short as in this example. Its range was limited but deadly.

 

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Glossary

Army: When used to designate a pistol, it means that is a .44 caliber.

Artillery: Commonly called cannons. Large bore guns that are mounted on a carriage or platform that is fired by a crew of soldiers.

Barrel: The part of a gun or rifle that is shaped like a tube where the bullet travels through on the way out of the weapon.

Black Powder: An explosive mixture of potassium nitrate or sodium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur used as a propellant in early firearms.

Breech: The rear of the barrel.

Breech Loader: A black powder firearm that loads from the rear of the barrel.

Bore: The inside of the barrel where the bullet goes.

Bullet: The projectile that is shot from a firearm.

Caliber: The size of bullet.

Carbine: a short lightweight rifle that is intended for use on horseback.

Cavalry: A type of soldier that fights on horseback.

Cone: The part of a gun where the percussion cap is placed to fire the weapon.

Cylinder: The round part of a revolver which sits in the frame that holds the bullets.

Dragoon: Originally, dragoons were soldiers who moved around on horseback but fought on foot like infantry. By the 1840s, United States Dragoons were evolving into cavalry with guns and swords they could use on horseback. When the word dragoon is used to designate a type of revolver, it refers the powerful pistols meant to be carried on a saddle rather than on a man's belt. 

Double Action: An action is the way a weapon is fired. A double action means that the weapon can be fired two ways. For example, the hammer can be cocked by hand and then the trigger pulled to fire it or the trigger can be pulled which will cock the hammer and fire the weapon.

Double Barrel: A fire arm that has two barrels.

Ejecting Rod: The part of a metallic cartridge firearm that is used to remove a spent round so it can be reloaded.

Flint: A type of rock that creates sparks well.

Flintlock: A type of lock that uses flint to hit a piece of steel to create a spark which ignites the black powder in the pan. (A picture of the lock with the names of the parts would be beneficial here)

Forearm: The wood part of a rifle or shotgun that is under the barrel. It helps protect the hand from the heat of the barrel when firing.

Frame: The central part of a revolver that holds the barrel, cylinder, and handle together. On a repeating rifle or shotgun, it is the part that the loading gate is in and holds that barrel and stock together.

Friction Primers: This is the ignition system for a piece of artillery during the Civil War. A friction primer is a brass tube filled with fulminated mercury. I twisted brass wire in placed inside the tube with a looped end hanging out. A string with a hook called a lanyard is placed in the loop and the wire is yanked out causing friction which creates the explosion necessary for ignition.   

Fulminated Mercury: in 1800 Edward Charles Howard created fulminated mercury. This is prepared by dissolving mercury in nitric acid and adding ethanol to the solution. The solution was commonly used in caps and friction primers during the 1800s.

Hammer: The part of a firearm that is pulled back then released with the trigger to impact a primer or percussion cap.

Lead: A type of soft metal and heavy that is used for bullets. Because it is soft, it does not damage a firearm the way harder metals would.

Lever Action: An action is the way a weapon is fired. A lever action uses a lever to eject a spent cartridge and reload a new one. In most cases, it also cocks the hammer.

Loading Gate: The place where cartridges are inserted to load a firearm.

Lock: The mechanical part of a firearm that makes it shoot.

Metallic Cartridge: A brass or copper container that holds a primer, powder, and bullet.

Minnie Ball: The minié ball is a conical shaped lead bullet that normally has a hollow base.   It is slightly smaller than the firearms barrel's bore, making it easier to push it down the barrel with the ramrod. It has exterior grease-filled grooves to assist in loading the weapon. The bullet was created by Claude Etienne Minié, hence the name minié ball This type of bullet first saw use in the Crimean War and saw its most extensive use in the Civil War.

Musket: A musket is a long barreled smoothbore firearms used by the infantry.

Muzzle: The open end of a firearm's barrel.

Muzzleloader: A firearm the loads from the the muzzle of a barrel.

Navy: When used to designate a pistol it means that it is .36 caliber.

Paper Cartridge: Before metallic cartridges were invented the fastest way to load a firearm was with a paper tube filled with black powder and a bullet. The paper had to be torn open with the teeth then some of the powder would be poured into the pan if it was a flintlock. The remaining amount would be poured into the barrel and then the bullet pushed down with the ramrod. The paper would be the wadding that prevented it all from falling out.

Percussion Cap: A cylinder shaped piece of brass or copper that is filled with fulminated mercury. When hit by a hammer it explodes, forcing flame into the barrel, causing ignition. The first US army weapon to use this ignition system was the 1819 Hall.

Pinfire: The pinfire cartridge was invented Casimir Lefaucheux in 1828. It consists of a rimless casing that is filled with black powder with a percussion cap on the inside. A pin sticks out of the side of the casing and when the hammer hits it the pin is driven into the cap, causing ignition of the powder.

Pistol: A firearm intended to be fired with one hand. This is often referred to as a handgun.

Primer: A part of a weapons firing system that ignites powder to discharge the firearm.

Projectile: Anything that comes out of a barrel at high speed. Some examples of projectiles are cannon balls, bullets, and shot.

Propellant: Both smokeless and black powder are propellants. It is a chemical substance that explodes and creates pressure in an enclosed space such as a barrel to force out a projectile at high speed.

Ramrod: The part of a muzzle loading firearm used to push the bullet down the barrel. It is stored under the barrel so it can be easily removed to reload the weapon.

Repeater: A type of firearm that has one barrel that holds several cartridges so that is can be fired quickly. 

Rifle: A firearm that has twisted grooves inside the barrel. These grooves make the bulletspin like a well thrown football making the weapon fire further and more accurately. 

Rifling: The grooves inside of a barrel.

Rifled Musket: A rifled musket is type of weapon made in the mid-19th century. Originally rifled muskets only referred firearms that had a smoothbore barrel that had rifling added latter. Later, this term designated rifles that were of the same design as a smoothbore musket.

Rimfire: A type of metallic cartridge that has the fulminated mercury added to the entire outer base of the round. The hammer can hit any part of the rear of the bullet and it will fire. .22 caliber cartridges still use this type of technology.

Round: A cartridge.

Trapdoor: The breech loading mechanism of a single shot military rifle.

Trigger: A small strait piece of metal that is squeezed the make a weapon fire. 

Single Action: An action is the way a weapon is fired. A single action can only be fired one way. In most cases it means that a hammer must be cocked manually to make it ready to fire. Later, weapons were made with the hammers covered that only fired by squeezing the trigger. These are also single action. 

Shot: A projectile that a shotgun fires. It consists several small lead or steel balls that fires out of a shotgun at once.

Shotgun: A smoothbore firearm the fires shot. These are the preferred tool for hunting birds and small game.

Smoothbore: A barrel that is completely smooth on the inside.    

Stock: During the 1800s it was the wood part of a rifle, musket, shotgun, or carbine that holds all the parts of the weapon together and gave a place to put on the shoulder of a shooter.

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