The 1861 Springfield Rifle During The Civil War

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The 1861 Springfield rifle was the primary rifle used by the Union army during the Civil War during 1861-1865. The rifle was made in Springfield, Massachusetts, where is where it got its name. It was the most widely used rifle in its era although there were many weapons that could best it. Although the weapon was accurate, the troops that had little to no experience had difficulty hitting their targets. It was estimated that nearly 700,000 Springfields were manufactured during the war due to the cheap cost of making them. Loading the rifle was a very time-consuming process compared to the types of advanced weaponry we have today. You would need a ramrod, gunpowder, and a percussion cap in order to load and fire the weapon.
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