The Springfield Model 1847 was a

percussion lock The percussion cap or percussion primer, introduced in the early 1820s, is a type of single-use percussion ignition device for muzzle loader firearm locks enabling them to fire reliably in any weather condition. This crucial invention gave rise ...

musketoon The musketoon is a shorter-barrelled version of the musket and served in the roles of a shotgun or carbine. Musketoons could be of the same caliber as the issue musket or of a much larger caliber, 1.0–2.5 inches (25–63 mm). The musketoon ...

produced by the

Springfield Armory The Springfield Armory, more formally known as the United States Armory and Arsenal at Springfield located in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts, was the primary center for the manufacture of United States military firearms from 1777 until ...

in the mid-19th century.

History

Muskets A musket is a muzzle-loaded long gun that appeared as a smoothbore weapon in the early 16th century, at first as a heavier variant of the arquebus, capable of penetrating plate armour. By the mid-16th century, this type of musket gradually dis ...

were designed for a dual purpose on the battlefield. They could be used as a ranged weapon, and they could also be used as a pike for short range fighting. Because they were used in a manner similar to a pike, muskets had to be long and heavy, which made them impractical for other uses. Because of this, many muskets were produced in a shorter version, often called a

carbine A carbine ( or ) is a long gun that has a barrel shortened from its original length. Most modern carbines are rifles that are compact versions of a longer rifle or are rifles chambered for less powerful cartridges. The smaller size and lighter ...

or a

. These shorter weapons were often used by naval forces and cavalry. The Model 1847 carbine was a shortened version of the

Springfield Model 1842 The US Model 1842 Musket was a .69 caliber musket manufactured and used in the United States during the 19th Century. It is a continuation of the Model 1816 line of muskets but is generally referred to as its own model number rather than just a ...

standard infantry musket. Three basic models were produced at Springfield between 1847 and 1859. The total production of all three models is estimated at approximately 10,000 carbines. The cavalry model was not highly regarded by those mounted troops to whom they were issued. Inspector General

Joseph K. Mansfield Joseph King Fenno Mansfield (December 22, 1803 – September 18, 1862) was a career United States Army officer, civil engineer, and a Union general in the American Civil War, mortally wounded at the Battle of Antietam. Early life Mansfield was ...

conducted a tour of the Western outposts in 1853 and reported that the troops made many derogatory comments about their carbines. Dragoons told him that when the weapon was carried by a mounted trooper, the ball would simply roll out of the weapon's barrel. His report also stated that "There is no probable certainty of hitting the object aimed at, and the recoil is too great to be fired with ease." Mansfield concluded that the gun was essentially "a worthless arm," having "no advocates that I am aware of." The Model 1847 musketoon's inadequacies were largely responsible for Steptoe's loss at the

Battle of Pine Creek The Battle of Pine Creek, also known as the Battle of Tohotonimme and the Steptoe Disaster,Keenan, Jerry. "Steptoe, Col. Edward Jenner." Encyclopedia of American Indian Wars 1492-1890 Santa Barbara, CA : ABC-CLIO, c1997 p. 223. was a conflict bet ...

(along with other poor equipment selections).

Design and Features

The Model 1847, like the Model 1842 musket that it was based on, had a .69 caliber barrel, and was fired using a

system. The barrel was much shorter, only 26 inches in length compared to the Model 1842's 42 inch barrel. The Model 1842 had been produced as a

smoothbore A smoothbore weapon is one that has a barrel without rifling. Smoothbores range from handheld firearms to powerful tank guns and large artillery mortars. History Early firearms had smoothly bored barrels that fired projectiles without signi ...

musket, but many were later rifled. The Model 1847 carbines were also produced as a smoothbore weapon, and a small number of these also were later rifled. Smoothbore carbines were not sighted. The carbines that were rifled were also fitted with sights. Like the Model 1842 musket, the Model 1847 carbine used barrel bands to attach the barrel to the stock. The carbine, being much shorter, only required two barrel bands, instead of the three required for the longer Model 1842 musket. The Model 1847 carbine featured a small lock and chain or metal bale for attaching the

ramrod A ramrod (or scouring stick) is a metal or wooden device used with muzzleloading firearms to push the projectile up against the propellant (mainly blackpowder). The ramrod was used with weapons such as muskets and cannons and was usually held i ...

which was especially useful while reloading on horseback. The total weight of the carbine was approximately 7.4 lbs, and its overall length was 41 inches.

Variants

The Model 1847 musketoon was produced in three variants, called the Artillery, Cavalry, and Sappers (engineers) models.

References

* Troiani, Don; Coates, Earl J.; Kochan, James; ''Don Troiani's soldiers in America, 1754-1865'', Stackpole Books, 1998,

External links

{{USCWWeapons Springfield firearms Muskets American Civil War weapons Weapons of the Confederate States of America

History

Design and Features

Variants

See also

References

External links