What was on the original "Quigley"?

[Texas Shooter]

Omak:

If you can't find a copy locally, check out this link:

http://used.addall.com/SuperRare/submit ... oreZVAB=on

There are 31 copies for sale by different book sellers. Prices are in desending order.

I've done business over this website and have had good luck so far.

Good Luck,

Texas Shooter
"Long Live Henry Bowman!!"

[BIG50]

Getting back to the original Quigly rifles the sight was a Hartford transition mid-range made for the movie by The Riflesmith.

Two years back Dad and I saw the two rifles that Mr. Selleck bought from his producers. Shiloh had them at the 'Quigley' meet and were giving them a look over for the actor before he put them in his private collection. They said that he already owned the third rifle from the movie, the one that saw the least wear and tear. I guess that was part of the agreememt when he sighned on for the movie. The two rifles that were there were beat up all to hell and looked every bit 130 years old with the aged finish that Shiloh put on it and the abuse it took during filming. Still beautiful to look at. Id like one. I guess Mr. Selleck bought each rifle back for $15,000 apeace

BIG 50

[IronSight]

canoe112,
Finally back to the 'Missouri boat ride' Sharps. Watched the
'The Outlaw Josey Wales' DVD yesterday and now i know why i never
remembered any details about the Sharps he used. The rifle is almost
always in motion except when he aims, but then its not a good closeup.
What i did note, its a single trigger, round barrel - about 26", no pistol
grip and the large hammer - couldn't tell if there was a primer nipple.
Probably a 59 Sharps which was widely used by guerrilla and cavalry units
and Berdan Sharpshooters during the Civil War. I have to believe the rifle
used in the movie was period correct as were the rest of the weapons
used including muzzleloaders and colt 44 cap n ball pistols.
Its my understanding that the scopes used during the war had magnifying
lenses. Everything i've read about Civil war snipers refers to a 'telescopic
scope'. What would be the purpose of a no magnification tube, a peep
sight would be just as good. Maybe someone on this board knows for
sure.
One of the most famous sniper incidents of the war involved a
Confederate who took out Union Gen. Sedgwick at a reported 5400 ft.
using a Whitworth rifle fitted with a Davidson scope. The Whitworth was
said to be accurate to 1500 yards with its hexagonal .451 cal bullet and
was the weapon of choice for Confederate snipers.

[Canoe112]

IronSight,

Thanks for the information on the rifle.

I'll have to find my citations on "sight tube" vs"optical tube". I may be wrong.

But I know I came across that information somewhere.

It is my "recollection" that the value of the "sight tube" was to create a sight radius unaffected by sunlight. Therefore, the only light was the one on the target.

I've got a 2 Volume Set, 1st Edition, entitled, "The History of the Civil War In America". Volume one was published in 1863. Volume 2 in 1865.

It has some old information on Berdan.

I am not that much of a Student on that particular War. I generally leave that pursuit to my Southern Brothers.

Regards,

Hal

[Canoe112]

IronSight,

It appears the Berdan Troops originally brought their own personal Rifles. Once Berdan was able to get funding he sought Sharps 1859 models.

"A true Berdan Sharps rifle falls in the serial number range roughly between 54374 and 57567. This range also covers approximately 1300 Sharps M1859 carbines and a number of single trigger non-Berdan M1859 rifles. The weapon weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces; measured 47’/s inches overall; and fired a .52 caliber, 350 grain conical lead bullet. "

http://www.berdansharpshooters.com/tactics.html

Admittedly, the Internet is not the best resource material. But, its all I have tonight.

I do not pretend to be anything close to an expert on this subject.

Hal

[Gravity Railroad]

IronSight and Canoe112,

An interesting article about Sharpshooters in the Civil War appears in the 1977 edition of Gun Digest.

All the Best
Dave

[Todd Birch]

Hi Hal

Thanks muchly for posting the url of that site!

In a short read I read more good stuff about the rifle and the men who used it than from any other source so far.

A 10" group at 200 yds from a rest to qualify, huh? I have a little more work to do....I get 12-14".
The same at 100 yds off hand. I can hit a 12" gong at 100 yds on demand from off hand so I would have barely missed making the cut.

The info on that site and all the links ought to be requisite reading for all '59 and '63 shooters.

Regards, Todd

[Canoe112]

IronSight,

I found a reference to "sight tubes". It is not an article I have read before, but the statements concerning "sight tubes" is consistent with my recollection from other readings.

"Sight tubes" were evidently used on target rifles, prior to, and during, the War.

It is unclear to me, at this time if Berdan used open sights, sight tubes or optical sights. This article states he ordered open sights on his units' Sharps. But, is silent on whether the rifles were subsequently modified with "sight tubes" or "optical tubes".

But, I still think I recall reading something about Berdan and "sight tubes". Haven't found it yet.

If you send me an eMail, I will send you a .pdf file of the reference discussed above.

Let me know.

Hal

[Canoe112]

Gravity,

Thank you very much for the information. I have retained the reference.


Todd,

I talked to one of the Berdan Unit guys.

Membership is USD 10/year. This gives you complete access to their library and accumulated archives.

I doubt if I will do any reenacting, but being in the Unit and having access to all the information is more than worth $10/year to me. Contact is David Rider dmriderATptdDOTnet

I thank you all for your input.

I won't be posting often. So take care.

Hal

[IronSight]

Canoe112,
Well you made me pull out the bible so to speak, "Civil War Firearms" by
Joe G. Bilby an expert in this field. Here are some excerpts.

According to the book, the Berdan Sharpshooters were mustered in the
Fall of 1861 and a recruit had to pass a marksmanship test similar to the
one mentioned in the previous post. Recruits were promised $60 for the
use of their own target rifles. Unarmed recruits were promised Sharps
breech loaders. Interestingly, the recruits were initially given Colt
revolver rifles until the promised Sharps could be delivered. Eventually
the army purchased 2000 '59 Sharps for all recruits. The author describes
these rifles as having double-set triggers.

Now references to the scopes used.
"Although not as accurate at extreme range as the telescope-sighted
heavy rifles the Sharps was not a bad long-range rifle in its own right.
Unfortunately, it was only sighted to 800 yrds. On occasion, one
sharpshooter whittled a wooden extension for the rear sight and drove
rebel signal men off a tower 1500 ft. away".

"Interestingly, the British paid__ to have a Davidson telescopic sight fitted
to a Whitworth"

"The Davidson telescope nestled in a quick, detatchable externally
adjustable mount on the rifles left side".

There are many other references to a 'telescopic sight' in other books i
have. During the Civil War, they had telescopes and binoculars, why not
scopes? I seem to remember the term sighting tube also, maybe the
Revolutionary War, where it might make more sense since smooth bores
were used.

[KHR]

Hi all
I got out the Josey Wales DVD and examined his sharps. Here is what I could determine. It was either a 59 or 63 sporting rifle, half octagon half round heavy weight barrel. Almost no barrel finish. Definately percussion lockplate. It had some sort of scope on it. I wonder if it was an original rifle..... Kinda makes one want to get a shiloh in the same configuration with the antique finish.


keith

[IronSight]

KHR,
Either you have better eyes, a better DVD player, better Television or all
of the above. It sure looked like a full round barrel. Gonna have to check
it out again!

[Trigger Dr]

The wife and I watched Tommy Lee Jones in MISSING last night. The guy had quite an arsenal with him. In one fight scene he had a slant breech Sharps, an 74 Sharps 2 yellowboy 44/40 and an 73 Win 44/40. Methinks the continuity of the set coordinator needs some checking. Good Movie though
trigger Dr.