uniform questions

[G.W. Strong]

Quite the array of weapons there,--very impressive Sir.

For all the trouble you're going to with the uniform, I felt it was my duty to mention the Smith & Wesson. The Trapdoor is fine going up against any other single shot, but you will be hosed, really badly, on time when it comes down to going up against any of the good break open, simultaneous ejecting revolvers with your Ruger or an SAA etc.

Who makes a good one and where can I find one at a reasonable price?

[FTrooper]

I have to agree with Charles on that.  Years ago a couple guys I know were having a hard time with the US Army's use of the M1870 Remington Rolling Block Single Shot Pistol in the age of the six-gun.  Yes it was a more powerful cartridge and such, but it just didn't seem to make since.  So they decided to do a bunch of side by side tests of a Remington RB pistol and a Colt SAA.

The most amazing and eye opening test was the 12 shots speed shooting (shots had to be somewhat aimed and no "fanning").  As can be expected the SAA made out with a fast lead, but after 6 they had to eject 6 rounds while manually indexing the cylinder and the load 6 more in while indexing the cylinder.  In that time the RB caught up and started to lap the SAA...end the end they pretty much ended at the same time! 

Chris Fischer
F-Troop

[G.W. Strong]

Quite the array of weapons there,--very impressive Sir.

For all the trouble you're going to with the uniform, I felt it was my duty to mention the Smith & Wesson. The Trapdoor is fine going up against any other single shot, but you will be hosed, really badly, on time when it comes down to going up against any of the good break open, simultaneous ejecting revolvers with your Ruger or an SAA etc.

Schofield secured. I shoudl have it in a few weeks. Thanks for the advice.

[cpt dan blodgett]

Buddy of mine shot the match today with his twin schofields today..  Says they work really well.  His worked good, had some one tune them up and now they work really good.  Sad to say, I neglected to ask him to try them out.  A another buddy was going to shoot them, but some how he disappeared for a while in the mean time Buddy 1 put them away in the vehicle - oh well maybe next time.

They look interesting, treat them kindly even though they look pretty rugged they are not Super Black hawks.  Moderate loads and they should serve you well for a long time.  Save the hot loads for Rugers.  Probably telling you something you already know.

Whey you get to the range please give us a report.

[G.W. Strong]

Schofield secured. I shoudl have it in a few weeks. Thanks for the advice.

The deal fell through. I am back in the market.

[cpt dan blodgett]

Santa (my son &gf) brought me a khaki pith helmet.  Has the brit cover but what the heck may still wear it with the 84  canvas uniform

[G.W. Strong]

Santa (my son &gf) brought me a khaki pith helmet.  Has the brittle cover but what the heck may still wear it with the 84wire canvas uniform

I have not received my pith helmet yet. I will have to look into the order.

[G.W. Strong]

Alright. It is a new year and I have new questions.

I have decided to first concentrate on a mid 1880s or early 1890s period impression (perhaps the Geronimo campaign) since I like shooting my carbine and I have the 1884 Artilleryman uniform.

I need a drab hat. I have heard several companies in this thread that sell them but I don't knwo which one is appropriate for me.
Coon Creek seems to be about the bottom end of cost and Dirty Billy seems to be at the high end. I will not purchase one from him dirty billy because I believe in customer service and people who have a reputation of being rude to their customers will not get my business.  Now I am left with multiple other options. Which one should I choose?

Next for field gear. I would like recommendations for model and for a source from which to purchase the items.

I have the mills belt and a Model 1874 belt. What esle should I have? Haversak? Canteen? Knife? What else?
I assume th eknife woudl be the model 1880 knife. Is this correct? Where could one find one?

[Trailrider]

Not sure how much the redlegs were out in the field in the 1880's, but generally field "uniforms" were pretty loosey-goosey, and a matter of comfort and expediency.  There are numerous photos of troops wearing civilian holster and belts, and several company commanders had their own holsters designed, fabricated and issued.  Capt. Fechet, G Co., 8th Cav, designed one and Sgt. Wm. Miller fabricated such a holster which could be used with the Mills belts by means of a skirt that was held to the body of the holster by a narrow strap and buckle. It was open-top, butt-rear.  Of course, this was a cavalry outfit. Not sure where artillery troops figured, but they might have been in charge of a mountain howitzer or somesuch.

[G.W. Strong]

I forgot, I also have an 1881 pattern holster and a civil war cap box which I believer were still in use for loose revolver rounds.

I understand that Cavalry were the ones that went after Geronimo but artillery is the uniform I have and I am sure there sere some artillerymen doing garrsion duty somewhere in the southwest at the time.  If people have suggesions of where artillery would have been used in the late 80s or early 90s I would welcome the info. According to this photo there were redlegs in the field at the Wounded Knee massacre. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/service/pnp/ppmsc/02500/02562r.jpg;  Perhaps that would be appropriate to portray.

[Charles Isaac]

The deal fell through. I am back in the market.

I can only recommend original guns-I know little about repros, but hey, the repro Schofield I looked at seemed like a pretty well made gun. Would seem out of place to me with those original long guns you have though.

The No. 3s and Russians in good shooting condition show up on the auction sites for around a grand, give or take a few hundred. Sometimes an American sells fairly low too. It would be wild to see an original 1800's big bore Smith come alive on the line!

[G.W. Strong]

I agree. I need an orginal but I have not found one yet. I will be on the lookout. If I find it I will shoot it. In the mean time I have a Ruger Vaquero in 45 colt. It will due until I find what I really want to shoot.

[Pitspitr]

Next for field gear. I would like recommendations for model and for a source from which to purchase the items.
What esle should I have? Haversak? Canteen? Knife? What else?

How serious to you want to be?

You might want to check the clothing thread in the GAF Regulations child board. http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,33884.0.html

[Grapeshot]

I forgot, I also have an 1881 pattern holster and a civil war cap box which I believer were still in use for loose revolver rounds.

I understand that Cavalry were the ones that went after Geronimo but artillery is the uniform I have and I am sure there sere some artillerymen doing garrsion duty somewhere in the southwest at the time.  If people have suggesions of where artillery would have been used in the late 80s or early 90s I would welcome the info. According to this photo there were redlegs in the field at the Wounded Knee massacre. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/service/pnp/ppmsc/02500/02562r.jpg;  Perhaps that would be appropriate to portray.

Up until the late 1880's Field Artillery had been cut down to a very few regiments.  In fact, Congress authorized the Army to disband several regiments of artillery and convert the troops to CAVALRY to chase the indiginous Native Americans.   Most of the Artillery Regiments left were at Fort Leavenworth or Fort Sill.  Coast Artillery, However was still a strongly populated force, but garrisoned in seacoast towns where most of the Artillerymen came from the surrounding area. 

Anytime you see US Army personnel handling cannons they are usually muzzleloaders.  We did not get into large caliber, 3.2 inch breech loading Rifles, until sometime after 1885.  Most of the guns you would see were of the Breech Loading Hotchkiss 1.65 inch pack or mountain howitzer types as used by troops during the Nez Perz War and at Wounded Knee.  The practice at the time was to train cavalrymen or infantrymen on how to service and shoot those guns because of the lack of TRAINED Artillery Crews during the Indian Wars.

I remember seeing a ploto of Artillery Troops being drilled on a 12 pound Napoleon down in Texas some time in 1885 because they were all wearing the White Duck Uniforms and White Sun Helmets pattern of 1881.

[Niederlander]

Keep in mind, too, that whatever uniform you want to do didn't have to be indigenous to the frontier west.  We portray Victorian military forces from around the world.  If you want to do Coast Artillery, by all means do that!

[cpt dan blodgett]

Liten up!  Plenty of us don't know what we wanna be or are actually different folks in different eras.  I sometimes wear an 1858 infantry officers uniform, some times an 1870's or 80s Infantry uniform, some times Dress like I am ready to go up San Juan Hill.

Proudly wore my 1884 Canvas Fatigue Infantry Uniform Standing Next to Cowtown Scout in his 84 Canvas Cav Uniform, 2 Days later came in 3rd with the 58 inf uniform finishing behind CTS in his 1898 Engineer LTC or Maj Uniform.

Given the time it took to get promoted prior to the civil war, to be a Captain I would have had to been in the mexican american war, would have been way to old to go up san Juan hill some 50 years later without a scooter or walker at the very least.

We are all afterall really playing dressup, cowboys and indians and wanna be or usta was soldiers.

Heck if Strong can come up with Seal or Walrus skin parka, muc lucs and snowshoes let him be that alaska eskimo scout.

[Pitspitr]

Heck if Strong can come up with Seal or Walrus skin parka, muc lucs and snowshoes let him be that alaska eskimo scout.

A good friend of mine was a Captain, commanding a company of eskimo scouts.

[Niederlander]

I don't know if we can carry enough water to keep Strong going in July if he does the Eskimo thing!

[G.W. Strong]

Liten is right, I don't know what I want to be. As I stated earlier, I have many rifles and would like to have appropriate kit to work with several different ones. Eventually I will find the one that feels right and I like the best. As of now I have two fairly complete uniforms. I have a Civil War private's uniform and the 1884 Canvas fatigues. I figured I would complete the Canvas uniform and develop a kit that works for that. Since it was pre-owned it is artillery. I like making things go boom and have built and fired many medieval artillery pieces. Artillery is very interesting to me so I don't mind the red stripes at all. Now I need to find a place and time when the 1884 uniform would be in use and build a kit around that.

Since I have no seal skins I need to find a hat. I would like to stay on the shallow side of $100 if possible for a drab hat. Is this possible? If so from whom?

I will learn and I will change and I will strive for authenticity. But for now I am just starting in this endeavor. I could use more suggestions.

[Pitspitr]

If you're looking for a cheap hat to get you started the M237 from hatcrafters might get you started.