Confederate Shotguns

[Redleg Rebel]

I am interested in defarbing a SxS bp shotgun to more closely resemble those carried early in the war by some confederate troops. Can anyone help me with information on the sling attachments? The front attachment is particularly vexing. I have seen drawings that appear to show a band of material (either leather or metal) at the forend, but there is not enough detail to be certain...

[Iron Scout]

Sir,

Check www.oldsouthantiques.com and click on "Past Items" to see a CS shotgun with from barrel bands. Hope this helps. What impression are you using this for other that just early war?


Regards,

Neill Rose
PLHA

[DBlue]

Neill,

I tried to send a private message to you through this board and I am not sure it went through. Did you receive it? If not I will resend it. I will be out of town until Friday so I will resend it this weekend if you didn't get it. My e-mail address is pinemanor@direcway.com.

Thank you.

Best Regards,

Dennis Blue

[Yellowhammer]

Wallace,

Here's the shotgun Mr. Rose is describing:

http://www.oldsouthantiques.com/osnfsp6.htm

Be sure to check out Old South's online store. Even if you can't afford to buy, they have some wonderful things to look at.

[Jim Rowe]

Thanks John,

...for the sling illustration and the view of a shotgun with a sight 'blade', not just a bead. It makes me wonder if this double barrel was used for firing balls and not just shot?

A simple sling for carrying long-barreled fowling pieces is made from a long piece of leather with a slit cut back from each end. One end can be looped and slipped around the barrel in front of the forestock and the other around the throat of the butt stock.

For cavalry, using the illustration in the EOG Confederate book as a reference, I used a sawed-off shotgun. The one I used had a brass strap-keeper off a McClellan saddle screwed into the stock to use with a carbine sling.

In practical use a shotgun gives one an extra shot, quickly, but takes twices as long to load as a carbine or rifle. It's almost impossible to load a fowling piece on a horse, the length of the barrel and the tiny pistol caps used are impediments, and I have read two instances where cavalrymen left them on the side of the road.

[Redleg Rebel]

Thanks all for the responses. I especially like the saddle keeper idea. The pictures from Old South are exactly what I needed. Oh, to have unlimited funds...

[Bill Cross]

Anyone care to comment on the various guage percussion shotguns sold by Dixie Gun Works? I realize they would need defarbing, but beyond that, I am interested in a piece that a civilian might own for hunting.

[JimKindred]

Bill,

I own an original shotgun used in CS service with Birmingham (England) proof marks. The trigger guard has an iron loop, about 3 inches in diameter that probably was used as a sling swivel attachment. No front sight nor evidence of having one. Small compartment with a hinged lid on the underside of the rear stock, probably for caps. Silver fore arm cap.

Conversion to one like this would not be hard.

It is in storage but I will pick it up this week and post photos if anyone is interested in looking at it.

[Redleg Rebel]

Jim,
Would very much like to see photos of the shotgun. Thanking you in advance...

[JimKindred]

Wallace,

Thanks, now I remember what is was I was trying to remember to bring back today. I have to go back again next week and will be sure to remember it then.