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Aaron Newcomer -
  • Ammunition Articles
  • Gun Articles
  • Books and Documents Articles
  • Pinfire Ammo for Sale
  • Pinfire Guns for Sale
Ammunition Articles
Gun Articles
Books and Documents Articles
Pinfire Ammo for Sale
Pinfire Guns for Sale
Ammunition, United States

Excavated Pinfire Guns and Cartridges from the American Civil War

November 7, 2019 by Aaron Newcomer 9 Comments
Excavated 12mm pinfire revolver recovered from the sand in Beaufort, South Carolina
Excavated 12mm pinfire revolver recovered from the sand in Beaufort, South Carolina

Over the past few posts we have taken a look at the three American companies that manufactured pinfire cartridges for use in the American Civil War. Between Allen & Wheelock, Christian Sharps and C.D. Leet they manufactured a total of 1,572,000 pinfire cartridges. 

However there is no known documentation on which manufacturers we imported additional cartridges from. We know that the Union Army purchased at least 200,000 cartridges with the large order of Lefaucheux revolvers from France. We know some of the smaller purchases also came with cartridges. We also know that the Confederate States Army had pinfire cartridges stored in their arsenals and used pinfire revolvers.

So I figured the only way to answer this question was to acquire the actual cartridges they used. And that is exactly what this article is going to focus on.

Selma Arsenal Inventory
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies

On August 13, 1864 an arsenal inspection of the Selma Arsenal showed that the Confederate States Army had 52,800 pinfire cartridges in stock. Various inspection reports also list cartridges in Union arsenals as well as pinfire revolvers in use by various Union and Confederate units.

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About me

Hello, my name is Aaron Newcomer. I am a collector and researcher of early 19th century breech-loading firearms systems, with a particular focus on the work of Jean Samuel Pauly and Casimir Lefaucheux. I collect cartridges and documents related to these types of firearms and conduct research on these topics, furthering my understanding and knowledge of these historical firearms and their place in the evolution of firearms technology. My collection and research reflect my dedication to preserving and understanding the history and technical innovations of these early firearms systems.

Read more about me and where my work has been published.

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