Weapons of the Crimean War= Questions

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f_soldaten04

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If it is possible, can someone please tell me the rifles/muskets used by each of the billigerents, and if they went through any changes throughout the war. Also, I would like to know who used Minie bullets and who used roundball.

Thanks in advance. :)
 
Crimea....

As with so many wars, the weapons used were in flux as all combatants were trying to gain an advantage. I do believe the British started off with P39 and P42 muskets and Baker rifles. At some point a number of muskets were transitioned to rifles. I think that is was during this period that rifles and the minie ball were proven. I know that a British gentleman, William Curtis is an expert on the subject but I do not think he is a member here. You may have better luck with this question over at the "British Militaria" board......<p223.ezboard.com/bbritishmilitariaforums>. Good luck, Dave
 
Do not beleive Baker was used in the Crimea since it was replaced by Brunswick in 1836. British took P1842 SB and P1851 Minie rifles to the Crimea and received some P1853s later.
Russians had a direct copy of the Brunswick (M1843/1848 shtutzer) using an elongated bullet and sighted to 1200 paces issued to riflemen. Infantry had M1844 SB percussion conversions of the M1839 FL and the 7 line (71 cal) M1845 SB PL musket. After the war the russians adopted the 6 line M1856 rifle which was a close copy of the P1853 Enfield except for the back action lock.
 
I think Bekers WERE used in Crimea, but would probably have been converted to percussion.

The Brunswick was also likely on issue. England was caught going to war having adopted the P53 to replace most guns in service, but without nearly enough rifled muskets to fill the role. As a result, regiments went off to fight with a hodgepodge of smoothbore muskets, rifles, and several calibers. All non-deploying units in the UK who had been issued P53's had those arms recalled and were re-issued older smoothbores to free up as many Pattern 53 muskets as possible. All new P53 production went straight to units at the front and by mid-war, most units had P53's.
 
From what I have been able to find. The Russians used the 1843 Luttich Carbine, an exact copy of the 1st model Brunswick Rifle. Also used was the 1845 Musket, a copy of the French 1842 Musket. The 1845 Musket were FTR'd in 1854 to rifled barrels and had 1843 Luttich sights added. The Brits used the 1st and 2nd models Brunwick Rifle, the 1842 Percussion Musket, a smoothbore which between 1852 and 1855 26,000 were FTR'd with a rifled barrel and sight. Also present was the 1851 Minie Rifle - the first rifled musket of the British Army "This rifle made a grand showing in the Crimean War where it preformed(sic) exceedingly well.", the 1853 First Pattern Enfield and possibly some of the improved Second Pattern 1853 Enfield.
 
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Claven2 said:
I think Bekers WERE used in Crimea, but would probably have been converted to percussion.

The Brunswick was also likely on issue. England was caught going to war having adopted the P53 to replace most guns in service, but without nearly enough rifled muskets to fill the role. As a result, regiments went off to fight with a hodgepodge of smoothbore muskets, rifles, and several calibers. All non-deploying units in the UK who had been issued P53's had those arms recalled and were re-issued older smoothbores to free up as many Pattern 53 muskets as possible. All new P53 production went straight to units at the front and by mid-war, most units had P53's.
Click to expand...


Funny how so little has changed in the Military logistic department :)
 
I don't know for certain what the french used, but undoubtedly they would have had some 1830 pattern percussion conversions of the 1777 Corige An IX musket.
 
Check mlagb.com, click forums click rifle and musket. French arms listed are M1822T,M1842 Musket and M1854 Minie rifle.
 
Bill Curtis will undoubtedly give you chapter and verse on this subject. I am pleased to have met and talked with him many times, especially during the MLAGB meetings at Bisley England. He is a wealth of superb knowledge, but, like so many of the real experts he (forgive me Bill) is advancing in years, and for all my years listening to the likes of my Father, Bill, De Witt Bailey,John Weedon and the like i am unlikely to ever have the knowledge they do on the matter of British Mil Firearms.

The sheer quantity of these old guns is just not there to handle any more, and the collections in the Tower, and the Enfield Pattern Room are somewhat difficult to truly explore these days, so real enthusiasts just don't get to see such a variety and quantity, as did all the more "senior" collectors.
 
AS Claven2 said quite a "hodgepodge" of weapons were deployed, just on the Brit said, let alone everyone else.

My list contains the following arms and variants on issue to the Army and Naval units serving in the Crimea includes..........................

The Pattern 1839 and Pattern 1842 Musket, the patt 1842 Rifled musket, the Paget percussion Carbine, the Brunswick Rifle 2nd Mod, the pattern 1851 (the Minie) Rifle and the Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle in both first and second models, in cluding some of the Windsor Vermont and Belgium contract rifles, purchased to cover gaps in British production levels.
 
During the opening year of the Civil War, some second-line units were still armed with a mix of French and American made flintlocks based on the Charleville muskets of the American Revolution. Of course, as production in the North and smuggling activities in the South ramped up, these arms were either replaced or converted to percussion as rapidly as possible.

Excavations at later war sights like Gettysburg have unearther a real dog's breakfast of Minie ball calibers and even some round ball. It's safe to say that not all forces were armed with .58cal Springfields and Enfields (and Richmond CS copies thereof). Other arms were surely in use in some capacity.
 
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Still regretting a very fine Russian Brunswick with Liege lock that went for $150. in an auction 20 odd years ago. Should have bought it from the dealer later when he had it for $350...
 
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