Recent content by forward observer

I've read that those sword bayonets were generally disliked by the troops they were issued to. A typical triangular ACW bayonet weighed only 13 to 15 ounces while the sword types with their heavy solid brass handle weighed well over two pounds. Consequently, they were inordinately heavy plus...

His name is Domicik Carpenter. He used to have a website and offered quite a few different black powder cannon models from the 18th and 19th century up to some decent replicas of WW I type French 75mm in small to medium scales. He eventually cut his business way back and shut down his...

I had read somewhere that Crockett was presented with a fancy caplock by a group of admirers from a political party sometime before leaving for Texas but that he left it behind since he worried that percussion caps might be hard to obtain on the Texas frontier. The article linked below is not...

Yeah, he needs to hook up with Rock Island or Dan Morphy's--both sell some high dollar items and the bidders seem to have deep pockets--especially Rock Island. I see where RIA is opening a new auction facility in Texas. They had to abandon Illinois sooner or later due all the restrictions...

I voted other because my state--Arkansas usually ranks 2nd to 4th for the laxest gun laws in the nation by either Giffords or Everytown. That translates to 2nd to 4th best. How could you leave us off your list? It's right behind our rating for the number of people married to their own...

I finally got around to taking a picture of the bore using a fishing light lure to light it up. I took this with my phone so it's not a high resolution but you can still see how shiny it is. In fact, when I first looked down the bore I thought it was relined but I can see no signs of that at...

When I retired and downsized, I sold a shop full of power tools--mostly wood working stuff like a table saw, router table, joiner planer, and a band saw. I lived in a townhouse for a few years with no garage at all. Now, I have a garage again but haven't started collecting anything major in...

I actually have a Euroarms replica but it's a little too nice to use. Also Unfortunately, the barrels on the Euroarms models are a bit oversized compared to an original so the channel in the stock is already too large. It's a known issue with those models because most of the reproduction...

That's the price for just the rough inletted stock and doesn't include shipping which is high now for extra long packages. I'd be doing all the final fitting plus finding a butt plate, trigger guard, nose cap, and internal trigger assembly. That's another $125 to $175 if I can find all the...

Thanks all for the nice replies and comments. Well, that's a good question but with a complex answer. The bore is bright and shiny with well defined rifling so it's quite shootable. However, the stock is not. I got this through Lodgewood--a well-known supplier of antique guns, antique gun...

Are you talking about the fact that the curve on the bottom of the rear sight is different than the barrel leaving a space at the back? I've seen that before on other ACW models. You won't see it on those rifles manufactured by the Royal Small Arms Factory because their machinery was designed...

I've posted this on another board but thought you folks might enjoy it seeing too. It's the latest acquisition for my small but select collection of ACW small arms. I started off with an M1863 Springfield, then got a Burnside 5th model cavalry carbine--and now to finally represent the South--a...

Yes, Lincoln had a personal bodyguard. A man named John Frederick Parker was on assignment from the Washington metropolitan police force. However, he was not a good policeman and had been written up for drinking on the job and many other complaints. He arrived at the theater several hours...

There was one true replica of the Lincoln/Booth Deringer on the market for a short while although very pricy when it was issued. Henry Deringer typically produced and sold his pistols in pairs to give the client a second shot. Some firearms historians have wondered why Booth, who could have...

I just ordered this from a civil war militaria dealer. It should ship tomorrow so I might get lucky and have it by the weekend. It's an original pattern 1853 Enfield made by the firm of R.T. Pritchett & Sons of London who shipped arms exclusively to the Confederacy. Supposedly the barrel has...