Cas City Forum Hall & CAS-L
CAS TOPICS => The Darksider's Den => Topic started by: Pay Dirt Norvelle on January 11, 2019, 05:24:45 PM
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Hope this is the correct forum. I just wanted to say that I have an Original Civil War Era Burnside Carbine coming. I think it is in quite good shape from the look of it on the vendor's website. I will probably shoot it a couple of times just to try it out. I have found an online vendor that make cartridges for it.
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Sounds like a great find Congratulations . Look forward to a shooting report . ,,,,DT
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There are several vendors who sell Burnside cases, including Dixie for starters. I've used mine for over 50 years and it shoots well and is easy to clean. I have used plastic, aluminum and brass as well as Dixie's "gas collar" which I started with and still have.
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380VI,
Thanks for the information. I am looking at Lodgewood Mfg. They have both brass and nylon Burnside cases and I think that is who I will be going with. I will check on Dixie's cases also.
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I shot CAC a few year back and wound up timing for the Plainsman side match. One of the competetors was shooting a Burnside. Did rather well as I recall.
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I took some pictures of the Burnside. Hope that this works as I am using Flickr now that I have quite Photobucket.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/27062700@N02/v7485B
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Looks to be in great shape!
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looks like a shooter for sure. Congratulations
Bunk
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What you have is a 5th Model Burnside, with the screw in the right side of the receiver. The screw projects into a curved slot in the breechblock, which makes for much smoother operation than the earlier models. I have used the Dixie Gun Works cartridges. These can be crimped lightly over the bullet ogive for easier handling. It has been a long time since I loaded, and IIRC, I used some sort of made-up ring tool to provide the crimp. IMHO, the Burnside was one of the better breechloading carbines of the CW. The cartridge case does an excellent job of sealing the breech, so the shooter doesn't get blowback in his face! :) Interestingly. when using "tophat" percussion caps, as the action is opened, a projection on the mechanism will knock the fired cap off the cone, which makes for faster reloading! The Sharps was probably produced in larger numbers, which is one reason you don't hear as much about the Burnside, but IMHO, the gas seal on the Sharps percussion guns eventually would foul and become ineffective during sustained rapid fire. The only detriment to the Burnside, was the use of the coiled cartridge cases, which were used in place of a solid brass or copper cartridge...when available. Have fun with your Burnside!
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Burnside made a fine carbine. My Dad has repaired & rebuilt them.... & I made the ammo. I liked the nylon cases best as they have a bit of flex & IMO more durable than the brass, plus they are even less expensive. For a projectile, I used the Lee 56 RB. You can insert a felt lube was between powder & ball, or dip completed cartridge nose in melted BP lube.
Please use this great piece & enjoy responsibly!
Slim
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I received my Burnside when I was about 8 from my Dad, who received it from a West Virginia CW veteran when he was about that age, along with an original cartridge (which he fired). I used it in NSSA competition in the late 60's - early 70"s. Before that, before I shot in NSSA, I originally used the Dixie device to close the gap between the block and chamber. Later, we had aluminum, brass and plastic/nylon cases for competition shooting. 35 gr FFg with a Dixie Round Ball mold. Accurate at the 25 yard ranges we shot at back then. I later had a Smith and a Starr, but I always went back to the Burnside. It's a 5th Model in the mid 25,000 number range, and still shoots, better than I can now.