Sighting In a Civil War Smith Carbine 

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! (or HAD a Merry Christmas, depending on when you see this)

Mike, I have enjoyed your channel for a number of years now. You have pulled me into black powder shooting and guns of old. Thank you some much for having this channel even in these rough times. You do a great job of teacher and explining. Sad will be the day this channel ceases. Thank you mike, and Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Like your method for sighting in the elevation. I've got 2 Smiths, a Sharps and a Spenser to get ready for this years N-SSA skirmish season. All are repros I've had for a while but haven't gotten them ready as I generally just been shooting my '63 3 band Springfield in the musket team matches. Coming up on 50 years of skirmishing.

Well done! It's always a treat to see a genuine ol' war horse, fit for duty again.

A local dealer listed one of these on gunbroker years ago and I bid & won it. The carbine looks perfect and I haven't shot it as it just seemed too nice to use. Your video might get me to dig it out of the safe and give it a range day.

Thank you Mike, for the entertainment and education you have given us in the past year. I don't think many of us understand how much time and work goes into these presentations. Your work is greatly appreciated. Looking forward to new content in the future. Thank you very much for your efforts. Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year.

nice little lead slinger i wouldn't mind a modern version of that in 44 mag or 500 S+W for deer season since we're stuck with straight wall cartridges in ohio!!

Never seen a Smith fired before! Very cool!

Awesome video and beautiful carbine. I going to have to reach out to lodgewood Manufacturing. I am looking for a original colt 1860 army barrel fairly desperately.

Mike looking forward to seeing how this carbine functions. The history as well. Your research is always impecable and sincere. The carbine groups pretty nicely for an original. You must be pleased with your purchase. Dave

Merry Christmas to a gifted videographer. In my BP days of circa 1956-7, Smith carbines were mostly NRA very good with pristine rifling and over 50% blue: but, alas no ammo.

Really cool video, Mike! I know it would seem like “nothing” to a disinterested party regarding the sight regulation, but to an owner/enthusiast, it’s very rewarding to get the sights dialed in. Blessings to you during this Christmas Season!

Ah morning coffee and watching Mike do what he does best, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and family and stay warm..lol 🎄☕️🎄☕️

I SUCKED with this thing in Fistful of Frags... Still, so cool to see a video of it, and with the typical Duelist quality.

Hey Mike!!! My great, great, great grandfather carried one of these in Company D ,17th Regiment of the Indiana Infantry during the Civil War. And it's been passed down to a veteran in each generation. I have it now, I'm a Navy vet, and it'll go to my son, an Army vet once I'm gone. The rifle has been converted to a shotgun so Zacharia could hunt with it after the war. Keep putting out great videos!!

Mike, I have been shooting Smiths for over 30 years and have learned a lot doing so. If you come across any of the heavy brass cases that are available today, you probably shouldn't use them. They do not expand and allow gasses to to blow back into the action. Cleaning the Smith then would be very difficult. Also, get a sight protector. The high front sights will draw blood. Have fun shooting the Smith. It can be extremely accurate.

Mike, thanks for the enjoyable video. But am I the only one wondering what the chances are of setting off a cap if that knife blade goes down faster and further than you were expecting? May I suggest a thin piece of wood (wall paneling or maybe even thinner) with a hole bored the size of the cap. Now the knife blade will stop on the wood, never risking hitting the priming compound. Merry Christmas!

Another awesome video! Love the Smith Carbine! Can’t wait for the deep dive video! Maybe a Burnside Carbine is in the future?

That’s a very nice knife you’ve got there.

Merry Christmas ! And that was the coolest video i have seen in some time.. Great technique too.. Always helps listen to those who walked the path before you.. Thank you.

Wow the last group you put on paper was pretty tight that thing seems accurate. Great video Mike and Merry Christmas to you and your wife!

Thank you Mike. Merry Christmas to you as well.

Great video! Love the lines of that rifle!

Merry Christmas Mike! Thank you for all the effort you put into these excellent videos!

Nice, thank you! Merry Christmas!

Thanks Mike. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

stay warm

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas. Thanks for the great video, always seem to learn something new.

Hello again Mike, Another great video. The only thing I wished you had included was the actual loading procedure. I am really interested in seeing the breech and if you have a bore sight, I would be interested in seeing the condition of the rifling of this gun after 160 odd years. Thanks Mike. Keep warm.

Cabela's sells the Smith carbine and bullet casings for it.

Nice. I used to repair a lot of older repro Smiths, many built by Yecks, that had a problem with really short and weak ignition drum screws. After some time, these screws would blow out, requiring a new set screw to be installed. The set screw also serves to narrow up the huge cavernous flame channel and ensure more consistent ignition. The new Pietta Smiths don't seem to have this problem.

Great video! Merry Christmas!

Love my Smith carbine. I got a Pietta, the quality, fit, finish, and function are exceptional. This would make a great short range hunting rifle too. I use Eras Gone bullet molds.

Dang Mike, youre hard core! Love the rifle, love your dedication to making the videos. God bless you sir!

Nice job Mike. I'm so glad I found and subscribe to your channel. I enjoy learning about older fire arms and black powder shooting. Thank you for all your hard work and time Sir. Merry CHRISTmas to you and your family Mikey

I agree with most of the other commentators, I just love the videos that you produce on historical firearms. I shoot a little bit of black powder with my .36 Pieta’s, but don’t have the money to venture much further. While you invest in the originals, I’ll watch vicariously.

Another interesting video

I hope you have more luck than I did with my reproduction Smith. I really like it's looks but it was a disappointment. I swopped it for a two band Enfield made in Birmingham England in the 1970s.

I also have been looking off and on for a smith. I have a inline I bought 20 years ago it just doesn’t fill like black powder.

Great video and history lesson,and Merry Christmas to you Mike.

I just picked up a Pietta Smith on Gun Broker. Just started working on the loads. Shoots great with Eras Gone Bullets. I struggled with a reproduction or original. So far happy with the reproduction

All those old Civil War rifles had 200 yd front sights.

Another great informative video. Thank you especially for the tip regarding the musket caps! I’ll give that a try with my Smith carbine when it isn’t freezing cold out!

your front sight gets wider the lower you go so the first "licks" of a file take much more material off vertically... the lower you go the more work is needed to shorten it

Very Merry Christmas 🎄to you and yours Mr Bellevue...!

The first 10 strokes of a file across the pointed, cut site is going to take off more than the next ten because the surface area you are filing us getting larger...

Have a reproduction. Using cigarette rolling paper as my cover on back of the cartridge case. Currently in the shop for a tall front sight and a bit of repair. Does not hold on full cock unless I put my finger behind the trigger ad push forward. Shoot in N-SSA completion. I have an original Maynard that shoots like a dream.

Mike, there is a formula for calculating how much to change the front sight height. It is sight radius x impact change / distance to target, all in inches. I don't know the exact measurements for that beautiful Smith rifle, but let's play with some numbers. 24 sight radius x 18 impact change / 1800 50 yards = 0.24. Based on your video you probably didn't have to remove this much metal from the front sight, but I was not using actual numbers. I have an Excel spreadsheet that will calculate this if you would like to have a copy.

Wonderful! Just wonderful! Thanks for new video, DueList1954.

Just bought a new Pietta Smith Carbine (no box) at at Civil War show in Ohio. Got very lucky finding one. Price was very reasonable and well under $1k. Now I need to order the plastic cases and Minie bullets.

Very heavy slow bullet it shoots. I know that the old standard issue war between the states guns and their repros are meant to hit a man sized target in the torso. With the revolvers at 25 yards and with the carbines and rifles at 200 yards. They weren’t made for precision accuracy just like the later .45-70 trap doors and colt SAA peacemakers weren’t made for precision accuracy either but with modifications greater accuracy is possible. At 45 or 50 feet my Uberti 1858 with my Howell .45 colt cylinder hits all over the place but all the shots hit within an area that would be within a man’s torso. With some compensating out of 20 shots I can even hit a small cantaloupe a few times at that distance

Formula for moving impact one inch: Sight radius in inches/ target distance in inches. Mathematically sound

Have always wanted a Smith. Had a Burnside (the one with the weird case) that I brought back from the dead several years ago but sold it. There are replicas but I would like to have an original. One day maybe...

very cool Civil War Rifle. Merry Christmas supposed to be 80'in some parts of Southern California on Christmas

Mike that is an awesome looking rifle and you really got it firing in well now that I've watched it here and thumbs up you I'm going to go on Rumble and do the same thanks for posting I appreciate it cuz I enjoyed it Joe security

I was just ready to ask about the loading procedure for that beauty...and Mike at the end of the video tells me I have to wait for the next update. Thx Mike like it very much so far.

Merry Christmas Mike. God bless you and thanks for another cool video. Keep 'em coming!

Merry Christmas! Those cartridges look like something that would be extremely easy to churn out on a 3d printer.

Very short sight radius means you don't take very much off the front site to make a noticeable difference.

That is one more awesome rifle. I certainly hope when you do the Deep dive and I hope you do it pretty soon, that you show how you load the rifle not the cartridge how you get the cartridge in the rifle

Can I borrow your "way back machine"? Have some things I want to change.

I'm kidding, but you should've just asked the gunsmith to put a red dot on it. 🤣

😂 I have never seen a gun guys bench that doesn’t have an open bottle of 3 in 1 oil!😂😂

Best black powder channel in the world ! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

I would have to deer hunt with that .Modern muzzle loaders should beade like them

NSSA shooter? Come to an NSSA nationals event! Join

Very interesting firearm indeed, very accurate for its tender age.

Mike, why are all my civil war replica firearms shoot so high? When I shot N-SSA I had to have new/much higher front sights on my enfield and 1841 Mississippi. I think I’ve heard the answer before but value your knowledge more than anyone’s on these topics. Thanks in advance Sir.

Several years ago I got into Civil War Reenacting and my Unit was a dismounted/mounted cavalry unit. I was torn between buying a Smith or a Sharps. I bought the sharps and while I haven't regretted my purchase, I paid a grand for a Pedersoli from Dixie, I longed to have the simple Smith. My reenactment days are pretty much behind me and I still long for the Smith. I'll keep my eye out on DGW and perhaps one will make its way to my hands. Great shooting and cheers. Merry Christmas Mike.

Merry Christmas Mike! Great video! I’m just down the road from Dixie gun works. That’s where I got my Walker colt 34 years ago for $200.

Great vid. I'm sure you know about Cherry's in Greensboro, NC, which has lots of old timey guns. I always wondered if those obsolete guns were worth buying as shooters, I guess they are. Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.

Does changing out the front sight hurt the collector value?

Great Video Mike! I was waiting for you to post this. What a neat gun. Like you said easy to load. I am still looking for a good shooter. Thank you for making this video. Merry Christmas to you and your family!!

really like the way that sounds

Mike, You are just great. Wish I would be able to take part in your experiences, Still this is the next best thing. Merry Christmas.

Happy holidays Mike from a fellow Pennsylvania very much enjoy your channel

Thanks Mike for all your videos. I really like the ones about the percussion revolvers, Colt, Remington and Starr. These recent ones about the Civil War carbines are fantastic! I have been shooting the 1859 Sharps and Smith Carbine, both replicas, for over 10 years now. Your videos are informative and helpful. The Star and Bullock Hardware cartridge kits work well, with some modification and those cardboard tubes for the Sharps work better than I imagined they would. Thanks again and have a Merry Christmas!!

Merry belated Christmas, Mike!! Would you ever do a video about semi-auto handguns in the Old West?

I recognize your replacement front sight. I had the exact same one I used for my Springfield 1873 trapdoor. I sighted mine at 100 yards with a file after every other shot. OBTW, your best three shot grouping did far better than any grouping I did with my Rossi 92 44 mag rifle at fifty yards.

I'm looking forward to seeing more about the Smith! A diagram of the chamber would be cool!

What a sweet rifle!! Great job sighting her in. I got an old Zouave I’d like to change out the front sight on. But having a terrible time getting it to slide out. Looks like you got a fun rifle to shoot, I be willin to bet a 100yds would be very obtainable? Merry Christmas Mike!!

could this cartridge setup used for a sharps?(glad the first filing didn't go too far)/ did you notice some fire came out of the nipple?

Thanks for a great video, Merry Christmas to you'll

Merry Christmas Mike!

I always learn so much!

Hey Mike im liking that shank your slicing up those primers with where did you purchase it?

Thanks for the video Mike, that looks like a fun gun to shoot. Merry Christmas!

Awesome

Looking forward to the deep dive, and to see the final shape of the sight. Merry x-mas and thanks for all you do!

Merry Christmas - Hope you have a Great 2023

could this carbine be used for hunting deer if legal in your area?

Really a good shooting carbine. What a final group!

GREAT GUN GOOD VIDEO BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO SEE HOW IT LOADS

Nice!!

Could you show a close up of how you load the "cartridge" into the carbine and remove the empty? Love your insight on historical weapons.

i like that pocketknife Mike,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

👍👍👍👍

Nice gurping for a 200 year old rifle.

Great video. You spent quite a bit of time out in the cold to get it sighted in. It was probably just as exciting for me as it was for you. Good job and Merry Christmas to you.

The way back machine… great reference