West Point Museum: Moro blades, etc.

[Bill M]

Great Pictures! Thanks for posting them!

Too bad part of the pommel is broken off. But a nice kris anyway.

[Rick]

First picture .
Is that a Sniper's rifle from the Civil War ?

[CharlesS]

Thanks for sharing. Some very interesting stuff!

[Bill M]

Originally Posted by Rick

First picture .
Is that a Sniper's rifle from the Civil War ?

The period is right. It is not an Enfield. Looks like a Whitworth or a Baker. Could be a Civil War sniper. Sight tube is a little smaller diameter than usual. I'd love to have one.

I am looking at buying a Civil War sniper rifle that weighs 35 pounds. This is much heavier than an average target/sniper rifle.

One of the problems with the sight tubes was in that recoil in a light weight rifle would often give the guy sighting down the tube, a black eye. The heavier guns had less recoil, but were, of course harder to carry.

Black powder had a limit of how fast it could push a bullet. Smokeless was superior in pushing bullets faster and also did not give away the sniper's position.

Prone snipers using black powder would fire and roll away from the smoke because the other side would open fire at the smoke cloud, hoping to get lucky.

[Rick]

And the Whitworth weighed only eight pounds .
I'm sure the scope added some weight, but what a difference !
I don't believe this is one though .
http://johno.myiglou.com/whitworth.htm

[migueldiaz]

Hi Bill, Rick, & Charles,

With regard to that sniper rifle, below is the pic of the description (sorry for the blurry photo) -- it's a .44 caliber Morgan James target rifle.

The description reads:

Morgan James Target Rifle,
Caliber .44

Cadet military training included familiarity with the most modern equipment and designs. Therefore, in January 1860, Lt. Holabird, Adjutant of the U.S. Military Academy, wrote to Morgan James of Utica, N.Y., and ordered this rifle fully equipped with telescope sight and loading tool for $95.00.

The original order states, "It may be well to remark that this gun of yours is to be placed in the Model and Small Arms Room (today known as the West Point Museum) at the Military Academy as a specimen of the Improved American Rifle, and also to be fired in comparison with others of different designs and principals."

Muzzleloading rifles of this type were intended to be civilian target arms, but many were used during the Civil War by sharpshooters for long range sniping. As an example of their accuracy, a full-size facsimile of a target shot by Morgan James in 1859 is shown here. He fired using a rest to support the rifle at a distance of 220 yards. The shot outside the circle was the sighting shot, after which he adjusted the telescope and fired nine shots.

I also found this photo I took of a Bristish-American musket, as well as a series of photos on the Brewster-Heller body armor.

This post is off-topic, and am just posting it just the same in view of the queries on the sniper rifle.

Thank you.

[Battara]

WWI experimental armour, nice piece.

I love the barong way above.

[Rick]

Thanks Miguel !

Now that I've changed the subject; I'd like to go back to the kris pictured early on in this thread .
Let's look at it carefully; it was 'captured in battle'; kept by the Military ever since ................. and guess what ?

Wait for it .
.
.
.
.
.
.

It is etched !!

[Spunjer]

lol, who among here was the curator for that museum at one time?