Guns in the Civil War

Conversion of Muskets

to Breech Loaders

Several inventors found ways to economically convert muzzle loading military muskets into breech loaders using the then new metallic self contained cartridge.  Shortly after these were shown to stand up to the rigors of military field service, the caliber bore sizes were reduced.  Some of these could be made by lining the barrel to reduce it in size, but most progressed in a few years to building new breech loading muskets from scratch for the newer smaller diameter cartridges.

Going back slightly, the muzzle loading 58 caliber rifled musket was the primary weapon of the American Civil War.  However, of the approximately 35,000 muskets picked up from the Gettysburg battlefield, it was discovered:

• 11,000 were unloaded

• 24,000 were loaded

• 6,000 held one charge

• 12,000 held two charges

• 6,000 had from three to ten charges each

• One had twenty-two charges

Clearly, the muzzle loader had to go as the primary military musket.  Immediately after the War when supply was no longer a consideration, the Army quickly switched to a breechloading rifle to the unpleasant surprise of the (American Native) Indians.

Various methods and inventions were used to convert the common muzzle loading musket to breechloader.  Some like the Greene, Merrill, and Mont Storm dated to before the Civil War.  The three most prolifically manufactured conversions were:

The American Trap Door Springfield;

The American Remington Rolling Block; and

The British Snider Enfield.

The Springfield Trapdoor was invented by Allen during the Civil War with the first preliminary production in 1865 chambered for the 58 rimfire.  This was quickly changed to 50 caliber center fire now known as the 50-70.  The action opened by the breechblock pivoting up and forward.  A spring driven extractor was quickly added to the design which popped the cartridge out.  The trapdoor Springfield remained the U.S. Army's standard shoulder arm until the Model 1892 Krag commencing production in 1894, and the 45-70 trapdoor was still used by some militia units that saw active service in the Philippines in 1898.

The British Snider hinged on the side

to look like this when opened.

The soldiers of the British Empire drew the breech block back on the hinge to draw the spent cartridge case, and then rolled the musket over the drop it clear.  The Empire doesn't seemed to have suffered much from the slightly slower speed of operation.  Just like in the Crimea for the British, or the Civil War for the Americans with muzzle loaders, the soldiers couldn't carry enough ammunition to keep the new breechloaders firing merrily away, whether in India or in Africa.

The Snider was studied by a committee in 1864 to consider the practicability of introducing breech loading. Extensive trials at Woolwich Arsenal tested fifty some different designs and recommended one by an American, Jacob Snider, which was adopted in 1866.

The French also had their own design that differed only in details.

Merrill's action open:

For all these methods of converting musket to breechloaders, the resulting products were as long and heavy as the predecessors and it was frugal to use the same bayonets.

For more information about the US muskets, consult "Flayderman's Guide To Antique American Firearms" by Norm Flayderman, and the references cited therein.  Or visit Ray Rilings Arms Books Company for the available references.

The technical information for the British 577 Snider and 58 US Rimfire is the same as for the muzzle loading muskets.  The US 50-70 cartridge is slightly more powerful.

Technical Information