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Were Sniders used by U.S. Cavalry?

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The Arctic Fox	Were Sniders used by U.S. Cavalry?	Lead	[-]
O/R Posts: 19 (06/13/09 07:43:44) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Tags : None I have recently come across some U.S. Cavalry gear. Model 1879 US Saddle bags, Carrying bag, 1896 US holster, 1851 Colt navy, 1858 Remington and 1860 Colt Army. It took me a while to I.D. everything. So I am trying to make a US Cavalry display probably Indian Wars, I don't have enough for US Civil War. My question is. Did the U.S. Cavalry use the Snider Enfield from say 1867 roughly - to 1890's? I do know 1853 Enfields and others were used during Civil War. I want to add one of my Sniders to the display. I will try to add pics later, some of my stuff relic cond. but all original. Thanks.
RichardWV		#1	[-]
Veteran of the Regiment Posts: 814 (06/13/09 08:07:33) Sergeant Major Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	No Snider was ever general issue to the US military. Some militia units did use conversions of Enfields, but using the Roberts system and not Snider and were in .58 Musket either rimfire or centerfire (depending on the state). Who knows if some individual might not of carried a Snider at some point, but ammo would have been hard to come by. As you know, the military was greatly "right sized" following the Civil War and attempts were made to standardize equipment in what was now a tiny force. The standard issue carbine until replaced by the Trapdoor was the Spencer carbine....which many troopers were sad to see replaced by the singleshot trapdoor. However from pics and battlefield relics, a bit of everything was to be found since NCOs, officers, scouts and the various hangers on often carried whatever they wanted to. Since ammo was really the limiting factor in the field, a firearm chambered for an uncommon (on this side of the border) round like the .577 would be an unlikely weapon in the field.
Tacolneston		#2	[-]
Veteran of the Regiment Posts: 1146 (06/13/09 09:57:39) Veteran of the Regiment Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Richard, I hesitate to join this one, but I thought that although the Spencer was standard issue after the Civil War it was replaced when the army adopted the .50-70 cartridge, because the Spencer action was too short. The replacement was the Sharps carbine, brought out of store and converted from a capping breech-loader to .50-70. This was in its turn replaced by the Trapdoor in .45-70. Roy
GrantR Canada		#3	[-]
Veteran of the Regiment Posts: 2178 (06/13/09 14:25:54) Forum Wallah Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Sounds as if you'll just have to get yourself a Spencer, Sharps and/or Trapdoor carbine ..... Actually, if I were faced with such a dilemma, I'd seriously consider the Spencer - As you likely know, many of the breechloaders acquired by Canada to meet the Fenian emergency (before the Snider-Enfields began arriving in 1867) were Model 1865 Spencer rifles and carbines chambered in .50-60 rimfire. Canada bought 1300 carbines, and Britain bought 1000 carbines and 2000 rifles for loan to the Canadian Militia. Ownership of the British acquisitions was turned over to Canada in 1870. So such a Spencer carbine would be an ideal addition to a Canadian military firearms collection, and would fit right in with your US cavalry kit as well! This Spencer rifle shown on the Canadian Military Heritage website is mis-labelled as a carbine ..... http://www.cmhg-phmc.gc.ca/cmh/en/image_497.asp Grant Rombough Medicine Hat, Alberta Canada ("Rattlesnake Jack Robson", Scout, Rocky Mountain Rangers, 1885) WEBSITE: "RATTLESNAKE JACK'S"
RichardWV		#4	[-]
Veteran of the Regiment Posts: 815 (06/13/09 16:04:14) Sergeant Major Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	While many Sharps were indeed converted, they got caught up in a classic gov't contracting fiasco where Springfield attempted supervision in the Sharps factory, followed by various arguements, protests and other slowdowns, some production at Springfield itself, followed by the recall of most of the original production to have the barrels relined from .52 to .50 caliber. As such the Sharps never replaced the Spencer as standard issue in many if not most field units. The Spencer wasn't declared obsolete for issue until sufficiant trapdoor carbines had become available for all units in 1876. The 7th of fame and ill-fortune evidently had their Spencers from when they were formed in 1866 until they received trapdoors in 1875, although battlefield evidence strongly suggests at least one of the troopers (NCO perhaps?) used a Spencer....as well as many of the Indians. I agree with Grant that a Spencer would be an excellent choice and with the availability of newly made CF blocks, a shootable one as well. Considering the high price of LBH era trapdoor carbines and Sharps, as well as their wide spread fakery, I think the Spencer is also the more affordable and safe choice.
The Arctic Fox		#5	[-]
O/R Posts: 20 (06/14/09 00:41:47) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Okay, thanks for the info. Here in Canada, a mix of Sniders, Spencer, 1851 London Navy, Adams and others were used for Cavalry and various Infantry units. I see a Springfield at our museum captured during Fenian Raids, but that's the poor Irish/US improvised army. I will look into this further, I just turned down a Spencer too. Hopefully I will find a Reg. or Res. Brit/American in the US Army that used a Snider during the Indian Wars. Or possibly kept his old 1853 from civil War, and I'll throw one of mine on the display.

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