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Thread: If Santa would bring you any BP or ML pistol...

  1. #16
    greenshoots Guest
    General Custers handguns
    english if im not mistaken bulldogs but i stand to be corrected.. by our cousins across the pond.......

  2. #17
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    Billy Dixons' Sharps would be nice to have but I couldn't blame the gun for my poor shootin'.

    As for pistol, General Lee's Colt

    I understand Custer had an 1873 Colt with a 7 1/2" barrel and a Springfield trapdoor rifle. His brother Tom had a Webley.
    Last edited by Smokeless Coal; 26-12-2009 at 09:41 PM.
    “If a cricketer, for instance, suddenly decided to go into a school and batter a lot of people to death with a cricket bat, which he could do very easily, I mean, are you going to ban cricket bats?” :- Prince Philip said after Dunblane

  3. #18
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    Hi Jim

    Hi Jim hope you had a good Christmas and have an even better New Year.

    If Santa was willing, an original Baker rifle or Berwick rifle but would be very happy to have a modern repro of either.

    Reason I have always wanted to shoot the Baker as it was the first British miltary rifle even as a boy. The Berwick as it was the Bakers sucessor for a while and uses belted balls and I would like to find out first hand the effect.

    Being greedy can I ask for a Mortimer flintlock target rifle as well.

    Cheers
    Nigel

  4. #19
    greenshoots Guest
    George Custer carried a Remington .50-caliber sporting rifle with octagonal barrel and two revolvers that were not standard issue–possibly Webley British Bulldog, double-action, white-handled revolvers. Captain Thomas A. French of Company M carried a .50-caliber Springfield that his men called ‘Long Tom.’ Sergeant John Ryan, also of Company M, used a .45-caliber, 15-pound Sharps telescopic rifle, specially made for him. Private Henry A. Bailey of Company I had a preference for a Dexter Smith, breechloading, single-barreled shotgun
    i still stand to be corrected by our american cousins.....

  5. #20
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    In summer 1869, Custer was 'tenting on the plains' with wife Libbie and brother Tom at Big Creek near Fort Hays, Kansas. From there they hosted buffalo hunts for the travelling English Lords Berkeley Paget and, according to which source you read, either Lord Henry Cavendish or Lord Waterford. In a grand gesture of appreciation, Berkeley Paget presented Custer and brother Tom with a cased Webley .44 Galand & Sommerville revolver each.

    But it does not neccesarily follow that was what he carried at LBH. I'm sure an officer would have many to choose from. Still searching for a definitive answer.

    Can you say whats in this picture?

    http://www.old-picture.com/civil-war...e-Custer-A.htm

    Cant see a top strap.
    Last edited by Smokeless Coal; 26-12-2009 at 11:04 PM.
    “If a cricketer, for instance, suddenly decided to go into a school and batter a lot of people to death with a cricket bat, which he could do very easily, I mean, are you going to ban cricket bats?” :- Prince Philip said after Dunblane

  6. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Smokeless Coal View Post
    Still searching for a definitive answer.
    I don't think there is a definative answer. I have several books that touch on the subject of Custers arms including the study by Stephen Ambrose. It is known that Custer owned a number of firearms from pocket pistols to Buffulo rifles and that after recieving a Webley as a gift, had a taste for the said revolvers.

    As I said, it's not definative, but generally accepted that Custer carried a pair of Webley revolvers at the battle.

    However, no brass of British caliber has ever been found at the site........

  7. #22
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    Survivor Major Godfreys account after the battle said:

    General Custer carried a Remington Sporting rifle, octagonal barrel; two Bulldog selfcocking, English, white-handled pistols, with a ring in the butt for a lanyard; a hunting knife, in a beaded fringed scabbard

    I guess we will never know for sure.
    “If a cricketer, for instance, suddenly decided to go into a school and batter a lot of people to death with a cricket bat, which he could do very easily, I mean, are you going to ban cricket bats?” :- Prince Philip said after Dunblane

  8. #23
    Jim McArthur is offline Frock coat wearing, riverboat dwelling, southern gent
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    Quote Originally Posted by Smokeless Coal View Post
    [I]

    Can you say whats in this picture?

    http://www.old-picture.com/civil-war...e-Custer-A.htm

    Cant see a top strap.
    I can't see a top strap either. As a Union General during the Civil War, Custer would have been issued an 1860 Colt Army (.44 percussion), which is consistent with this photo.

    He was killed at LBH in 1876. Cartridge revolvers (like the Colt Single Action Army) were just being issued to the Army at that time. As a general, he'd have had first dibs at whatever he fancied.

    I also heard that he carried Webleys into battle that day, but don't know the source for this story. It would need to be based on observers' accounts before the Battle, since the Indians stripped the cavalry clean after they killed them.

    Can you image how they fought over Yellow Hair's weapons?

    As has been mentioned, generals had many pistols, given as gifts, etc. General McArthur had many, but never carried one openly after he made General. He is known to have carried a Remington .41 derringer when he lived in New York after the War(s).

    Jim
    Last edited by Jim McArthur; 27-12-2009 at 04:14 PM.
    UBC's Police Pistol Manager
    "Nasty, noisy things, revolvers, Count. Better stick to air-guns." Sherlock Holmes, The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone

  9. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by manxmangt View Post
    Sorry but it was Bromhead and Chard, Gonville Bromhead.
    You're right. Christmas turkey has gone to my head!

  10. #25
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    H&K MP5K or a 50 Cal!
    Daystate Renegade .177,Daystate Forester LE .22,Daystate Huntsman Classic .177,Daystate Huntsman Regal .177,Daystate Bullpup 2000 .177,Weihrauch HW45 Custom .22,Weihrauch Silverstar .22,Weihrauch HW77K SE .22,Weihrauch HW35E .22.

  11. #26
    Jim McArthur is offline Frock coat wearing, riverboat dwelling, southern gent
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    Quote Originally Posted by bullet boy View Post
    H&K MP5K or a 50 Cal!
    Remember: it's muzzleloading, or black powder, pistol!

    Jim
    UBC's Police Pistol Manager
    "Nasty, noisy things, revolvers, Count. Better stick to air-guns." Sherlock Holmes, The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone

  12. #27
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    Wilkes Booths derringer, just in case theres a need to resurrect the sport, if you get my drift.
    “If a cricketer, for instance, suddenly decided to go into a school and batter a lot of people to death with a cricket bat, which he could do very easily, I mean, are you going to ban cricket bats?” :- Prince Philip said after Dunblane

  13. #28
    Jim McArthur is offline Frock coat wearing, riverboat dwelling, southern gent
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    That could be a very dangerous sport, Smokeless!



    Incidentally, there was a story circulating some years ago about John Wilkes Booth's derringer. A professional burglar stated that he stole the original, which is on permanent display at the Ford's Theatre in Washington where Lincoln was murdered, and that he replaced it with another one.

    The FBI investigated and concluded that the story was bogus and that the derringer in question was the actual one.

    It being a cap and ball from the 1860's, of course, it'd be off-license for UK residents.

    Jim
    UBC's Police Pistol Manager
    "Nasty, noisy things, revolvers, Count. Better stick to air-guns." Sherlock Holmes, The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone

  14. #29
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    For me it would be a charles lancaster double barrel percussion belt pistol i saw at Holt's 2 years ago. It might have been described as a howdah pistol. Perfect 16 bore rifled damascus barrels about 10" long. How I wanted it...

  15. #30
    Jim McArthur is offline Frock coat wearing, riverboat dwelling, southern gent
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    Check out our other Thread about Howdah pistols.

    Jim
    UBC's Police Pistol Manager
    "Nasty, noisy things, revolvers, Count. Better stick to air-guns." Sherlock Holmes, The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone

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