Dulcie,

Those are the two most common weapons during the war. What impression will he be doing (what unit)? Keep your eyes peeled on here, the Authentic Campaigner, and Civil War Reenactors (I've seen you over there) for used weapons. They do come up every now and then and could save you several dollars. Just be very careful if buying used as if the weapon was not well cared for it may not be worth buying at all. I primarily do late war Confederate and Federal so my personal choice was the 61 Springfield. Very common on the Federal side and after a few battles became rather common on the Confederate side as well if you know where I'm coming from. Enfields were also popular on both sides and have the added advantage of being blued which means they are a little easier to keep clean than the bright metal of the Springfield. Springfieds will start to rust the second any moisture gets on them so you have to make sure to clean them, dry them, and oil them very well after using them. I go so far as to completely strip mine down after each event and go through it completely cleaning and oiling everything and even mine has some marks that will not come off. If you are wanting to buy new and hope to do some "history heavy" events at some point (i.e. C/P/H) the extra you pay to have it "defarbed" (modern markings and stock finish removed / correct markings, stock finish, and stock recontouring done)at purchase is cheaper usually than having it done after the fact. Just some food for thought.

Also, most units have loaner gear for new reenactors; I would be real surprised if the one you are looking to join doesn't as well.  

--Last edited by toptimlrd on 2007-04-05 15:37:10 --

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toptimlrd wrote : Dulcie, Also, most units have loaner gear for new reenactors; I would be real surprised if the one you are looking to join doesn't as well.

Our unit has 4 loaner muskets that we use to help people out until they get their own.  

I have to second the above about loaner gear.  Most units have loaner equipment and a time limit to get yourself kitted out.  Our unit allows 2 years to get yourself able to walk onto the field with your own kit.  

the unit we are working with is the 147th regiment here in central pa... they want him to have his rifle on the second yr, they have not said anything about a loaner yet.  they actually prefer you have the enfield over the springfield due to easier cleaning and its lighter. but im also finding harder to find!

we will get there, slowly, but we will get there. not a cheap hobby to get into

Mam, you have never seen or smelled me after an event.

Grumpy, that was a bit forward wasn't it?  

Dulcie, the fact is this hobby is expensive.  However, there are many ways to make it less expensive.  I constantly search the classifieds on the boards that Robert mentioned.  I have bought four Enfields for one of my units.  They are our loaner rifles and they work fine.  Yes, they are used, but they were a fair price and we take good care of them.  You have to keep your eyes open and be the first one to take the bait.  

Used gear/equipment can be reworked to near perfection if you know what you are doing.  

who said anything bout smelling? im just looking!

im keeping my eyes open   my thing is i dont know a thing about rifles...except that my husband has about 30 of them and not a single one will work for this. im afraid my buying is put at a stop right now since we are in the process of buying our house... im planning on by the end of the yr having his rifle.

and if you havent figured it out.. the husband is only doing this for me, he really has no interest, but i keep telling him he will, hes one that has no interest until he does it. then he will be the one bugging me to go to them all!

Ken, you've never been up wind of me on a Sunday morning, have you? Wet sheep...

Mam, I have a friend who has a '61 Springfield for sale. I'm sure it is in good working order. If you wish, I can get you his e-maill addy. Or, look in the buy Sell Trade section of this forum. I think Erik has it posted there.

it is posted there... i was leary of buying since i saw he only had one post, but if your going to verify for him, i have emailed him. looks like his list may actually outfit my husband... alls he would need is a strap for the canteen now.

I don't know Dave. I have run into you a couple times.  One at Gettysburg in the old Daley/Kline shop.  You didn't stink there.  But at Into the Wilderness, we all stank pretty good there and then the heavens opened on us Saturday evening.  Probably washed the smell away.

Could have made it worse I suppose.  

Into the Wilderness was one of my better waterworks events. That's the first time my bootees got mouldy after an event. My boiler is still hanging on some thorny bush in that mess somewhere. I've never seen so many hostile plants all in one place...ever.

I still remember ITW with great fondness.  After huddling in a fetal position under a shelter half with the bugler all night (the other half made a good windbreak), I got up at dusk to clean my musket.  Clerk or not, I'd fired 56 rounds the day before, but the circumstances under which we went into bivouac precluded me providing the Springfield with its customary ablutions.  Half a canteen of cold water, some linen tow in a worm, exploratory surgery with a vent pick and small cut nail, followed by a domet flannel patch or two (the best possible use of domet flannel), and it was good to go for the last 24 rounds.  (Back home was another story, involving four or five hours of the following day and liberal applications of Ballistol.)

After the battle, at home -- getting back to the original question -- I washed my brogans off outside with the garden hose and saddle-soaped them.  A day later after they'd dried I applied a thin coat of mink oil.  Most bootees will last a good long while if treated nicely.  Not far from my house there's a shoe repairman who will gladly half-sole and reheel (with plates) for a reasonable fee.  He claims to have done any number of brogans but, being in Arlington County, I suspect him of exaggeration.

who knew a simple question about brogans and boots could bring up 2 pages worth of posts!

i still need to get the stuff, seems ive been busy.

i emailed erik and it seems he has already sold the rifle..so its a no go.

If DH is only getting involved to please you/spend time with the family, what about having him pursue a citizen's role?  No gun to buy, and you *can* make just about everything he'd need right at home, with a very few exceptions.  And, he'd be on hand with the family for entire events, too.

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ElizabethStewartClark wrote : If DH is only getting involved to please you/spend time with the family, what about having him pursue a citizen's role?

Excellent point!  Not to mention that civilian men are few and far between, and can be used at almost any and all events that have civilians.  

It's still not cheap, and your husband may want to purchase an appropriate gun at some point in the game (particularly a pistol or a shotgun), but it's not an immediate necessity.

Liz can help with patterns and sewing advice, and we both can help you with any other questions you have, or if we can't we know who can.     We've both been around the hobby for more years than we probably care to think about; but watch out cause we are also classified as those snobbish, unhelpful hardcores.  

Linda.

Liz has already helped me tons with my sewing..since Im doing the whole family (minus the husbands) clothing. Right now he has a uniform, I can see him actually liking getting out and fighting though, its just a matter of getting him out there (hes one that wont like it til he does!).

We arent hardcore yet...though I aim for our clothes to be as hardcore as possible. Our unit is mainstream.

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but watch out cause we are also classified as those snobbish, unhelpful hardcores.

Snort!  Hee hee....

I got a huge giggle a few years ago--I was teaching in Florida, and having a great after-hours chat with a lady who was trying to work out impression details.  We had visited for most of an hour, and I had been busily advocated all SORTS of "hardcore" options, but she looked so happy, and smiled at me and said, "Oh, it's so nice to talk with a SENSIBLE person--those hardcores are so nasty all the time!"  She was a bit shocked when I let her know "I are one."  

Accurate clothing is a good start--but there's so much more to accuracy than just clothes, and I find kids get really hooked on "doing it right."  It's nifty to have the whole family involved.  Regardless of the sort of events a family attends, I do believe it is possible to have history-heavy aspects present, and to continually develop over time.

we are mainstream  the only unit around...but thats okay. i dont want to start out so hardcore that we cant go to any events. this also helps break us in.

we still need to work on impressions and such. im thinking im going to be the wife of a railroader.... thus making my husband the railroader.... that shouldnt be all that hard since thats what we are in real life and since we are in PA.

this one lady keeps telling my oldest she has to change her name and cant go by her real name at reenactments. my daughter started to freak out, she likes her name i told her not to worry about it right now.

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chatrbug wrote : this one lady keeps telling my oldest she has to change her name and cant go by her real name at reenactments. my daughter started to freak out, she likes her name i told her not to worry about it right now.

What reason would she give for not going by your name at an event??  

Our unit uses our names at events.. I know there have been some events where you could choose to be a real person who was at that occurance.  I think some of the ladies did something like that for McDowell a few years back and also I think some of the Federals in the "german" company did that too.

Bill, didn't you guys do something similiar for WOTJ?

But at most events, we are who we are..