In the smoky din of the American Civil War, when bullets flew and cavalry clashed in thunderous gallops across open fields and narrow ridgelines, it wasn’t just generals and flags that decided the outcome of a fight—it was firepower. Amidst the flood of breech-loading carbines issued to the Union cavalry, two especially curious creatures of...
Category: Rifle/Long Guns
The Krummlauf STG-44: Germany's Curved-Barrel Rifle
The Krummlauf is one of those rare inventions that straddles the line between absurd and brilliant. It wasn’t successful, but it was daring. It didn’t win any battles, but it remains unforgettable. More than anything, it represents the kind of wild-eyed, slide-rule-in-one-hand, grease-stained-blueprint-in-the-other kind of thinking that makes weapons history so endlessly fascinating.In a war...
Breech-Loading Carbines in the American Civil War
When the American Civil War erupted in 1861, the U.S. Army’s standard-issue firearm remained the ponderous muzzle-loading rifled musket. But for the Union cavalry—the fast-moving eyes, ears, and strike force of the army—a different kind of weapon was needed. One that could be reloaded quickly, even from the saddle. One that could keep pace with...
The Joslyn Carbine: First Brass Cartridge Breechloader
The Joslyn Carbine occupies a unique and often underappreciated place in the evolution of American military arms. As one of the first widely-issued breechloaders to fire a metallic cartridge, it bridged the gap between the percussion era and the age of modern repeaters. While it may lack the name recognition of the Spencer or the...