Civil war training rifle????

[rebyank]

Pards,

This is up on ebay from the same fellow who has posted the alleged civil war shoes, a couple of posts down.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=13960&item=2212708023


Coments? Laughs?

[sivart]

Ya, I was thinking about making one of those. Maybe i can make one, paint it black, and sell it as a original. NOT!

[1stMaine]

Comrade,
The only instances I can remember of "training" rifles was the suggestion that ireperable arms be used for bayonet practice. A bayonet socket was fitted with a whalebone blade, the tip of which was capped with a padded leather ball, and the whole fitted to the condemned musket. This, along with a wire mesh face guard and a padded vest was to be used to allow soldiers to "fence" with the bayonet. When and even if this was done is subject to conjecture. It's possible that the regulars made provisions for this sort of thing, and certainly after the war it's probable, but beyond that i cannot say.
As to the ebay item, well, caveat emptor.
Respects,

[Clark Badgett]

Looks like an old childs toy to me.