Harpers Ferry Model 1803
First standard rifle made by an American armory.
The Harper's Ferry M1803 rifle was the first standard rifle produced by an American armory, as opposed to a smoothbore musket. It was developed under the direction of Secretary of War Henry Dearborn, who specified a short barrel for easier handling and reduced fouling. The rifle set a precedent for American military long arms and influenced later civilian designs.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- United States
- Service
- 1803-1841
- Wars
- War of 1812
- Mexican–American War
- American Civil War
- Manufacturer
- Harper's Ferry Armory
- Produced
- 1803-06, 1814-19
- Variants
- Types 1-3
- Weight
- 9 lbs (4.082 kg)
- Cartridge
- .525 (13.335 mm)
Facts from the source article.
History
Rifles existed long before the 17th century but were rarely used by military forces because the tight-fitting round needed to engage the rifling would quickly become unusable due to black powder fouling in muzzle-loaded weapons. Smoothbore muskets, though less accurate, did not suffer this problem and were favored by armies. The U.S. military, however, recognized the superior accuracy of American long rifles such as the Pennsylvania and Kentucky rifles. In 1803, Secretary of War Henry Dearborn wrote about the utility of a short-barreled rifle that would be easier to charge with and less likely to foul. He specified a barrel not exceeding 33 inches and a ball of about .54 caliber. On May 25, 1803, the War Department ordered the new rifle. Joseph Perkin, superintendent of the Harper's Ferry Armory, oversaw the design. Several patterns were presented in November 1803, and one was approved with minor changes. Dearborn complimented Perkin on the pattern and ordered 2,000 rifles, later expanding production to 4,000. In November 1805, Dearborn asked Perkin to create a horseman's pistol based on the M1803.
Design features
The M1803 rifle used a flintlock firing mechanism, though some were later converted to percussion cap. The barrel was intentionally short, octagon to round in shape, and 33 inches in length per Dearborn's specification, firing a .54 caliber round. Later rifles had a 36-inch barrel. The walnut stock featured a well-defined comb and a narrow wrist, with a brass patch box and brass furniture throughout. The rifle was 49 inches in length, increasing to 52 inches with the longer barrel.
Variants
Some historians believe a small number of early 1803 type rifles were produced for the Lewis and Clark expedition, though records are not exact; the first 1803 prototype appears to have been produced six months after Lewis departed Maryland. Others suggest that contract rifles of 1794 were modified at Harper's Ferry by shortening barrels and reboring to .54 caliber. The later 1803 rifles had a slightly lighter barrel, a thinner lock plate, and a narrower trigger guard, with a 36-inch barrel. The first production run had a 33-inch barrel; early models had the bottom of the octagon portion rounded, changed in 1805 to octagonal bottoms, resulting in a slightly heavier barrel. Wood screws were hand forged, and all first production rifles were serial numbered. The second production run increased barrel length to 36 inches, made minor trigger changes, significantly modified the lock plate and hammer, enlarged the patch box, used machine-made screws, and omitted serial numbers.
Use
The M1803 rifle was carried into battle at York during the War of 1812 by the 1st U.S. Regiment of Rifles under Benjamin Forsyth, inflicting heavy casualties on the 8th Regiment of Foot. It saw service in other engagements, including the American victory at Big Sandy Creek. Harrison's scout Peter Navarre carried an 1803 rifle, now held by the Toledo Public Library. By the time it was replaced by the M1817 and M1819 rifles, the M1803 had been carried by regular army troops through areas that later became Kansas, Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Texas. It influenced the market toward smaller rifles and inspired civilian gunmakers to produce plains rifles and mountain rifles used by mountain men, explorers, and civilians.
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