CAS Confederate pants

[bobthemotorcycle]

I know Cowboy Action just barley overlaps with your guys time period but if its ok I would like to learn something.

My son got me a 1851 Navy for Christmas and I decided I might get into Cowboy Action Shooting. I will just get another revolver then a Henry 1860 and shoot blackpowder only thru it and then a cheap shotgun that I can make work and use black powder in it also.

My dress will be a set of Confederate pants. I have to make them at home so where is a place I can find paterns to make a set. It will be gray wool with a yellow strip down the side of the leg and a set of yellow button suspenders that I have. I will find a cheap pair of flat toe low heal boots and probably a set of red long john underwear as my shirt.

I really only need to make my pants for now. Come next winter I may need to make a coat but for now just pants. What is the best patern I can buy and where can I get the proper wool?

Thanks.

 

[Rat Trapper]

You could check with Dixie and see if they have anything for you.

 

[Carteret Kid]

Here is another source. They also have butter nut or jeanscloth CSA pants .

http://www.blockaderunner.com/Catalog/catpg14.htm

 

[bobthemotorcycle]

Were the uniforms wool or cotton or some other fabric?

 

[Carteret Kid]

The uniforms were supposed to be wool and grey. There were diferent patterns used during the war. The shade of grey varied with the depot of origin. Jeans cloth was a war time substitute made of wool and cotton blend. It was mostly used on the Western front. Butternut was a wartime substitue dye made of walnut hulls, It looked like khaki.

 

[Carteret Kid]

I believe you can buy a pair of CSA cavalry pants easier than you can make them. They a numerous sources for civil war gear online.

 

[Carteret Kid]

Look at this.
http://unclesamsutlery.com/confederate_mounted_cavalry_trousers.html

 

[bobthemotorcycle]

Wow, good choice.

I was going to just have my mother make me a pair since she can sew very well but this may be the way to go.

I am going to try to find a pattern like this and if pattern and material is cheaper then that is the path I will take but if it is not cheaper then I will go this route. I really like the cut to this set of pants.

My mom and step dad made all their rendezvous stuff. They have very nice leather mountain man stuff.

I just saved that site to my favorite’s site.

Thanks for the help.

 

[jgr1974]

Blockaderunner has some nice stuff-another site is Fall Creek Sutler-Andy Fulk has been in the business for 30+ years. fcsutler.com

 

[Carteret Kid]

Rondy era/ Mountainman gear tended to be made one at a time for user. Civil War gear tended to be mass produced.

 

[Carteret Kid]

Rondy era/ mountain man gear tended to be hand made one at a time for buyer. Civil War gear was mostly mass produced.

 

[bobthemotorcycle]

After looking at the site you have shown me I am getting hooked. I must now stop looking at post do to possable addiction.

Thanks for the sites. It will be a couple of months before I buy the pants. I must first buy myself another pistol, two holsters and belt, a Henry 1860 in 44-40 (I would prefer a Spencer but they only hold 7 and I need something that holds at least 10), and a cheap shotgun. Somewhere in there I will buy some pants but I do not know when but I do now know where to find them.

Thanks, anybody who may have a pair of 40 waist by 30 inseam that they want to get rid of please let me know.

In reality I need to find out what the guys in my area wore at the time. Around here there was the Battle of Pea Ridge and the battle of Prairy Grove. What would of people from N.W. Arkansas worn. I believe they mostly fought at Wilson Creek near Springfield MO and then went to southern Arkansas and was disbanded.
Any Ideas?

 

[mudd turtle]

The dye you speak of is and was Butternut hince the name Butternut soldiers. It produces a very different color than walnut hulls.Walnut dye is dark or maybe brown when it has had time to be changed by fadeing. Mudd Turtle.

 

[jgr1974]

You make look at canvas drop fronts-would work for both periods. Also don't know why you are set on 44-40 henry, but they do make them in 45 colt some friends of mine who were in SASS shooting way back when it started(They have 2 digit badge numbers!) Went with 45 long colt. Then when they wanted to use the guns for reenacting they made blanks from .410 shells cut to length.

Don't know how authentic you want to get either, but a Confederate during the war would not have had a Henry or a Spencer as ammunition was not available to them and the gun would be useless! Post war they would have been really poor!

 

[bobthemotorcycle]

I like 44-40 for the fact it may use less powder and less wear on my equiptment. I will be casting my own lead and every bit helps. Dont get me wrong, I love .45, its one of my favorite rounds but I want to be as close to period as I can be to pre 1865. I know for a fact there was more guys carrying a Henery 1860 in 1865 at the end of the war then they were carring winchesters 1873's or 1894's. I may go Winchester 1866.

I know very few had Henrys but I can not shoot a single shot muzel loader in main events. They need to hold ten rounds. I would like to shoot a Sharps but once again its just a one shot rifle.

At the battel of Pea Ridge Museme just down the road from me there are a bunch of those revolving rifles used buy the indians who fought for the south. Books will say they were not used much but picture and artifacts from that battle say otherwise.

It was the biggest battel west of the mississippi during the Civil War. Lots say the confederate D-handle bowie was just thrown away when issued because they were too big to march with but there are a lot picked up at this battel field and displayed. They are mostly rusted away but they were there and used.

 

[buffcreekforge]

If you plan to reload ammunition (and if you are shooting a lot, you will want to), I would highly recommend going .45 long colt over .44/40. I have owned, shot and reloaded both extensively and can tell you that .44/40 is a verrrrry difficult cartridge to reload. It is tapered and is easily crushed in the reloading process. I got rid of all my .44/40 simply because I got tired of swearing like a sailor while reloading. Do as you wish, my advice is free and well worth the price.

Your humble servant,

Just Dave

 

[bobthemotorcycle]

Good point Dave, thanks.

 

[biliff]

I know we're getting off topic, but if you're shooting BP in a toggle link action the 44-40 would be a better choice as it seals the chamber better and reduces fouling in the action.

I shoot a Henry in 45 (to keep it the same as my pistols) and have to pay particular attention to the carrier in order to keep it running smoothly for 60 shots.

Others who shoot the bottleneck cartridges with BP don't have the same issues during a match.

You'll also need a thin pair of gloves and will need to learn the "Henry Hop".



As for the pants, I agree that one of the CW sutlers would be your best bet.

 

[AWsaddles]

I think I live not to far from you in Berryville maybe . I shoot the first sat of every month with the ozark posse in Cassville Mo. I would suggest you come buy and visit and talk with the other shooters. They are a really great group of guys and girls and can give you some very useful advice. I made the mistake of buying everything before I really realized what I needed and have had to change a few things and that is expensive. Bring what you have and someone there always brings a few extra rounds and extra equipment for new shooters. We shoot this Sat. Shoot a stage, ask questions , and have fun.
Just my 2 cents


Allen

 

[AWsaddles]

Opps. This was supposed to be a PT post so feel free to delete this