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Cool Civil War canteen


LongestHorn

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I see that it is stenciled. So somebody turned out more than one of these at some point in the past. I could see some troops who were there going in on stencils and paint to give themselves bragging rights. I could also see some PT Barnum wannabe 25 years later doctoring surplus canteens to sell them.

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1 minute ago, Armybrat said:

When my Dad was in high school during the 1920s, he bought two surplus 1873 Springfield Trapdoor muskets for $1.25 each. I still have one (with the original bayonet.

Wow, beautiful firearms Had a replica 63 Springfield for a number of years.

My dad has been an avid collector/ relic hunter since the late 60's.  Being here in central Va. we're in the bread basket of civil War activity.  I spent many a Saturday or Sunday with him in the woods or actually hunting myself once I was old enough.  Back then people were very cool with you in their woods, not so much today.  

At one point he had permission to hunt the property @ Berkeley plantation on the James river.  It was one of the first kings land grant parcels in Va.  Big tourist spot today to tour the home, and dependency buildings.  As a kid, getting to roam the grounds of such places is what made me such a big history junkie.

Stuff today is stupidly expensive and faked all the Time.  If it wasn't dug from the ground serious collectors often don't want to touch it.

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"Antiques Made While You Wait" is a very big business.

My Dad knew a blacksmith in Montemorelos, Mexico who could replicate a Colt Walker revolver that was difficult for the average collector to tell if it was fake. Apparently he had an original that he used as a "template", but did a superb job with just a crude forge, hammer, & files.. No telling how many fakes he produced over the years, but Dad had him make two at $125 each in the early 1970s. My brothers own those. I have a half scale Walker .22 the fellow made. Being his first effort at miniaturization, he didn't quite get it right - but it still functions very well.

Colt Walkers & Patersons were among the first scarce models to be faked prior to WWII.

Edited by Armybrat
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No kidding. Colt should've supplied 5 or 6 spare cylinders with each gun to keep up with all the kabooms.

Makes me wonder how many of those Walkers were dumped in the trash later on because of a lack of replacement parts.

Here's an original for sale in Houston  at a bargain price (because its cutoff barrel & loading lever were restoredto their original lengths):

http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/colt-walker/

DSC_0817__49684.1520703470.1280.1280.JPG

Edited by Armybrat
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On ‎6‎/‎14‎/‎2018 at 11:57 AM, Onboard 2.0 said:

Wow, beautiful firearms Had a replica 63 Springfield for a number of years.

My dad has been an avid collector/ relic hunter since the late 60's.  Being here in central Va. we're in the bread basket of civil War activity.  I spent many a Saturday or Sunday with him in the woods or actually hunting myself once I was old enough.  Back then people were very cool with you in their woods, not so much today.  

At one point he had permission to hunt the property @ Berkeley plantation on the James river.  It was one of the first kings land grant parcels in Va.  Big tourist spot today to tour the home, and dependency buildings.  As a kid, getting to roam the grounds of such places is what made me such a big history junkie.

Stuff today is stupidly expensive and faked all the Time.  If it wasn't dug from the ground serious collectors often don't want to touch it.

If you're ever in the neighborhood of Clarksville, check out Prestwould plantation. Neat place. Guys I knew in the area used to hunt with Plott hounds for deer, 'coon and bear. Great part of the country there.

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1 hour ago, El Diablo said:

If you're ever in the neighborhood of Clarksville, check out Prestwould plantation. Neat place. Guys I knew in the area used to hunt with Plott hounds for deer, 'coon and bear. Great part of the country there.

Clarksville , Va.  that Prestwould name sounds familiar.

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1 hour ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

I've been there many times over the years. Good bass fishing, and rockfish when the weather is right.  

Entrance to the plantation is right at the end of the bridge if you're leaving Clarksville and headed to South Hill, on the South Hill side end. I think that's 59, it's been some years now so I might be wrong on the hwy number. They've got a white maple tree there that has about an 8' diameter. Not a big tall tree but da ass on dat tree is something else.

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On 6/19/2018 at 7:58 AM, Armybrat said:

No kidding. Colt should've supplied 5 or 6 spare cylinders with each gun to keep up with all the kabooms.

Makes me wonder how many of those Walkers were dumped in the trash later on because of a lack of replacement parts.

Here's an original for sale in Houston  at a bargain price (because its cutoff barrel & loading lever were restoredto their original lengths):

http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/colt-walker/

DSC_0817__49684.1520703470.1280.1280.JPG

One theory is that the soldiers, etc. Didnt know what to do with the conical bullets supplied with them and loaded them backwards.

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I doubt that, as troops did receive some training. Most likely the ruptured cylinders were a result of poor metallurgy.

Incidentally, a pristine cased "civilian" Walker was auctioned off for a record $1.8 million two months ago, a world record for a single firearm:

https://www.range365.com/rare-colt-walker-revolver-sells-for-18m

Edited by Armybrat
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36 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

I doubt that, as troops did receive some training. Most likely the ruptured cylinders were a result of poor metallurgy.

I ain't no student, of ancient pistol history.

Before I talk, I should read the book.

But would it not also be possible that there could have been a lot more variation in the quality of the gunpowder back then, as in, you've got some average that the gun is meant to handle, and every now and then you'd get some that was accidentally too good?

Doesn't explain why all other guns didn't have a similar rate of blowing up.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 6/12/2018 at 10:06 AM, RDCanecutter said:

I see that it is stenciled. So somebody turned out more than one of these at some point in the past. I could see some troops who were there going in on stencils and paint to give themselves bragging rights. I could also see some PT Barnum wannabe 25 years later doctoring surplus canteens to sell them.

The humorist Patrick F. McManus wrote in his book "A Fine & Pleasant Misery" about the Army / Navy surplus place up the road from him where he used to frequent as a kid & miraculously, they always had a steady supply of canteens that had suffered bullet holes from the Germans in WW II... & of course all the kids wanted those more than one that would actually hold water.

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11 hours ago, ROFL BOX said:

The humorist Patrick F. McManus wrote in his book "A Fine & Pleasant Misery" about the Army / Navy surplus place up the road from him where he used to frequent as a kid & miraculously, they always had a steady supply of canteens that had suffered bullet holes from the Germans in WW II... & of course all the kids wanted those more than one that would actually hold water.

Loved his work. The book They Shoot Canoes Don't They ? has always been a favorite.

Edited by Onboard 2.0
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