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1863 Remington 'Zouave'

3K views 2 replies 2 participants last post by  jim brady 
#1 ·
Back in the late 60s and early 70s, Lyman and others produced a rifle they called a 'Zouave'. In advertiseing for these, I often read claims how these rifles were "used by Union troops, and highly prized by Confederates when captured". At the time, few - if any - replica Springfield rifle/muskets were available to a public eager for any Civil War buffs.

I've owned a few of these, and still own a Navy Arms "Zouave". They are very fine shooting rifles, but after diving more deeply into the facts, I found that only a few thousand were made by Remington, and those were never issued to front line - or any troops. Most were destroyed or sold off after the war having never been issued.

Another item that was sold by the thousands were the "Peace Flasks" that were supposedly issued with the "Zouave". I later learned that nearlly all of the ammunition used by both sides were manufactured paper cartridges, and just about the only flasks used during that time period were either pistol flasks or flasks carried by 'Home Guard' troops for non-military caliber weapons. I also learned that very few .58 round balls were ever used in battle, mostly the .58 Minies.

My Great, Great Grandfather was a Union soldier (1st Sgt, Co A, 56th Enrolled Missouri Militia) and I have a replica 1861 Springfield, kepi, belt, bayonet and cartridge box hanging on my wall in his honor. Have the "Zouave" hanging on the other wall to keep it company.
 
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#3 ·
I've looked up information on the 1863 Remington, seeking to post definate information concerning the fact that this rifle was never issued, and it is available in volumes. To post everything here would crash my machine, and maybe the Forum. Of over 12,000 of these rifles made, there exists no record of any being actualliy issued.

To put it in a nutshell, it seems that the most accepted view of why they were not issued is that by the time these rifles were produced by Remington, domestic production of the 1861/1863 model Springfields was meeting the Federal demand for long arms. It is true that the U.S. government was still buying guns from foriegn countries, but it seems that this was being done to help limit the supply of long arms that the Confederacy was obtaining from the same foriegn contractors.

This would be an excellant basis for someone who wanted to publish a book. As far as posting pictures, there are plenty of pictures available on the web of both originals and new-made replicas. My Navy Arms replica looks like any of the rest, except it hasn't any of the "VP" or the eagle head inspection stamp markings on the barrel, or the "Remington" stamp on the lockplate. I assume to keep it from being a 'fake' the lockplate only has the Federal Eagle stamp, and "Navy Arms Co." stamp.
 
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