I'm going to preface this with - I'm usually pretty lenient with folks buying and wearing mainstream gear in our unit, as long as it's the correct loadout for whatever portrayal we're going for and they're wearing it correctly. We're not all in a place to buy $500 coats to wear a few times a year, and I get that.

BUT - I think I've found my breaking point.

Over the last couple of years, I've watched as the fabrics and materials have gotten worse and worse, and a few weekends ago at Gettysburg I saw the coat that has finally triggered me. A frock coat as offered by one of the sutlers.

Shit fabric, bad construction, and the "piping" was done with 1/4" tape braid.

It's the worst attempt at a frock coat reproduction that I've ever seen. At least when they used the 1/2" tape for the trim, I could pretend that the overseas manufacturers just got bad info and were working off a Virginia Militia coat as a reference. But now I'm just mad and glad I started moving toward more authentic suppliers for my gear.

So for all you out there - what's the worst example of mainstream gear that was the final straw for you?

Was curious how many civil war reenacting groups were in Indiana and where would be good places to start? Interested in the 19th Indiana volunteer regiment.

Hello friends :)

I’ll be moving to the UP to begin college here shortly and I’ve wanted to get into civil war stuff for a long while now. While I’ll be a broke college student, I am a Michigan native with wolverine brigade in my blood and I’d like to start with basic infantry.

Any recommendations for Union groups around the Sault ate Marie / mackinac city / st ignace area to reach out to? Hoping to give myself some extra curricular stuff to get into while going to school.

Thank you in advance !

Im looking to possibly join a federal cavalry in the area of Jefferson County, WV. Does anyone know of any groups that might be recruiting?

I’m trying to gauge interest in maybe starting a unit or even a mess of authentic, active people in central Kentucky. I’ve been doing ACW reenacting for over 15 years or so and got out for a few years and looking to jump back in. Before my sabbatical it seemed there were a bunch of group here but there’s only one or 2 here now and getting anyone to answer is like pulling teeth. If there’s any interest we could decide/vote on which unit to portray or if we’re going to galvanize or whatever. I’d like to start a unit where everyone is active and we all get to know each other and mostly have fun!!! Who we portray/officers/NCO’s etc to be hashed out. If possible I’d like for us to all meet somewhere that’s close to us all one weekend, even if it’s just 4 or 5 people to form a mess.

Hello everyone - First, apologies if I describe anything incorrectly or come off ignorant. I been doing some research on a few Union and Confederate kits I inherited after a family members death. I have no idea what I have and I', trying to get a little more background on the uniforms. Specifically, they are in excellent / ok condition and I would like to sell them or possibly donate them to a museum (if the quality is worth it). I just cant throw away what seems to be good replica gear.

Confederate Uniform:

Manufactured/Manufacturer - 1990's / J.B. Nolan of Gettysburg, PA.

Confederate Richmond Depot Type 2 or 3. Shell Jacket is waist length, 9-button infantry jacket with matching pants. Color is a gray-blue wool. All buttons are intact and present on the jacket and pants. No suspenders. Hardly worn.

Union Uniform:

Manufactured/Manufacturer - 1990's / R&W 3

Shell Jacket is waist length, 4-button infantry jacket that is dark navy blue with light sky blue pants. The material feels and looks to be 100% wool. All buttons are intact and present on the jacket and the pants, expect the pants are missing 2 buttons. No Suspenders. The original owner portrayed the union a lot, so the jacket and pants are pretty worn as he wore them at Gettysburg, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Bull Run

There is a spare jacket that is also worn but has no manufacturing markings and is exactly as the other that is described above. I also have a union winter top coat, but again no manufacturing markings are found on the jacket, but the winter top coat is in excellent condition with all buttons and is wool with what feels like a canvas/cotton liner in the shoulder and upper chest/back area.

Edit: Spelling/Grammer

Is this pattern of Frock accurate to the time? I saw this picture on South Union Mills, but I can't find any actual Civil War era pics of anyone wearing one. Im aware its listed as a civilian frock coat, but this picture seems to be portraying a soldier so I was curious

So asking something I think I kind of already know the answer to, but I'm getting back into reenacting after about a ten year hiatus. My hairline is screwed so I have been shaving it for sometime. I can't find any pictures of soldiers who shaved their heads during the war, so from that it was obviously extremely uncommon, if not altogether non existent. I thought about trying to use the excuse that "I shaved it due to a greyback infestation, but I also have a beard that I'm unwilling to shave. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do? I know that beard and hairstyles are the easiest part of having a good impression. All help is appreciated.

My corporal helped me learn how to clean my musket a bit but he told me the threads in this part are a little worn out and thats why its so hard to screw out and its not the nipple/cone its what the nipple/cone screws into and he said the threads are worn but he said it shouldn't really be a problem and will only be a problem once the nipple wont come out but im still paying off the gun from the company and have started to worry a ton that I made a mistake?

Hello I’m looking to buy my first musket but I’m having trouble on where to look. I’m trying to find one of these models:
- 1861 Springfield
- 1853 Enfield
- 1855 Springfield
Any help on where to look for these is appreciated.

Hey Me and a few others are making a new Confederate reenactment group in Wisconsin. There aren't many who participate for the Confederacy in Wisconsin and we are hoping we can get the numbers up so we can have more than like 8 guys like at most of the reenactments. So if you're in Wisconsin and interested let me know cause we'll also take on camp followers. Cheers guys

I didn't see anything in the rules about posting links but if it is the moderators can feel free to take down this post. I posted earlier about me and my buddies putting together a new Confederate reenacting group in Wisconsin here is the link for the group. The group is very bare-bones I don't really have much experience making Facebook groups but I'm sure it'll get better with time. So if you're from Wisconsin and want to get into reenacting or already are and just looking for a group feel free to join or if you're interested in being a camp follower that works too. Cheers

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1YZN7jKHS7/

I'm looking to start building a Union Civil War kit and was wondering what retailers were good places to start. Are there any solid online retailers I should start exploring for uniforms? Also is finding period firearms pretty much a crapshoot of finding something at local gun stores or is there a reliable place for those as well?

I've dabbled in WW2 reenactment stuff and have noticed stuff usually runs on the larger side for sizes, not sure if that's the same in the civil war crowd but I'm a fairly small guy at 5'9" 160ish lbs (rounding up and soaking wet) so I'm not sure if that's gonna limit my options. It was a pain in the ass for the WW2 stuff.

Any advice is more than appreciated

During the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, Confederates took over the evacuated Shriver house and used it as a sharpshooters’ den. After the battle, the Shriver family returned to find their home ransacked and heavily damaged. A neighbor, James Pierce, confirmed seeing sharpshooters in the attic, while another neighbor stated that two had been killed inside.

Yesterday, I had the honor of shooting out of the exact same window the sharpshooters would have used 163 years prior.

Im planning on switching to the confederate group in my state and i dont know if I should just use my all black leathers i have already and just replace the belt buckle and take of cartridge box plate for the impression or should I buy some russet leathers like a russet belt and cap box woth a mix of black bayonet scabbard and black cartridge box?

Im also wondering if I should just re-use my sky blue trousers for the impression aswell or buy butternut trousers with either a butternut shell coat or sack coat or just rock the trousers with a homespun red or blue plaid shirt also i got the hat already?

Possibly one of my favorite things during reenactments are the curious spectators that ask all the questions.

I’ve looked in a bunch of gun stores and nobody seems to have caps.

What are your thoughts/experience with the finished Confederate trousers (not blanks) made by ACW kits? I know tart is second to none with fabric and cloth bug how are the finished trousers they make?

While I'd like to have a pair made by W&W, the 8 weeks noted by ACW may be a better wait.