Advancements in Firearm Technology during the American Civil War

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During the years leading up to and during the American Civil War there were a number of advancements in firearms technology. This paper will focus on a few of those advancements, namely the inventions of the Minié ball, the Spencer and Henry repeating rifles, and of the Gatling gun. Prior to the invention of the Minié ball it was necessary for the bullet to be the same diameter as the barrel in order for it to engage the rifling. This made it difficult and time consuming to load because the bullet would have to be rammed down the barrel with some force. Due to this fact, muzzle loading rifles had not seen any previous use in combat. The Minié ball, however, changed this. The Minié bullet was slightly smaller in diameter than the rifle barrel, was conical in shape, and contained an iron plug in its hollow base. When fired the force of the expanding charge would force the iron plug into the base of the bullet, thus causing the base to expand slightly and engage the rifling. The Minié bullet, fired from a rifled musket, had an effective range of up to 250 yards, which was a vast improvement over earlier muskets and ammunition. The rifled musket firing the Minié ball became the most common firearm used by both sides during the Civil War, and the Springfield armory in Massachusetts produce nearly two million for the Union Army. (History.com, 2010) Christopher Spencer first patented his Spencer rifle in 1860. (Greener, 1910) Although his rifle was technically not the first repeating rifle because Samuel Colt had adapted his revolver system for use as a rifle, it was much more efficient, and safer than Colt’s rifle. The Spencer rifle had a seven round magazine in the butt stock, and ammunition was loaded from the magazine into t... ... middle of paper ... ...aid the groundwork for the invention of more modern repeating arms, and their mechanisms are in fact still in use in many modern civilian arms. Modern versions of the Gatling gun, such as the .30 cal. Dillon Aero mini gun and the 30mm GAU-8 on the Air Force’s A-10 Warthog, are still in common use in the military today. Works Cited Davis, W. C. (1991). Weapons of the Civil War. The Mallard Press. Greener, W. W. (1910). The Gun and its Development. Bonanza Books. History.com, S. (2010). Gatling Gun. Retrieved from History.com: http://www.history.com/topics/gatling-gun History.com, s. (2010). Minié Ball. Retrieved from History.com: http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/minie-ball Hogg, I. V. (1987). Weapons of the Civil War. Military Press. the gatling gun. (2005, April 5). Retrieved from civilwarhome.com: http://www.civilwarhome.com/gatlinggun.htm

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