Charles --

Let's call them "arms" since items issued by the state could include longarms, carbines, revolvers, swords and artillery. There's also equipment and accoutrements to consider.

The state had no authority to issue state property directly to civilians. In order to arm a company, it had to be organized and accepted under state law. The law almost certainly required the company to post bond in exchange for arms. The bond was expected to provide security for proper use of arms by the company.

Once a company entered Confederate service, the Confederate government compensated the State of Georgia for the arms taken into service, or else the arms were returned to the State of Georgia.

In 1860-61 the State of Georgia purchased a large number of weapons to arm volunteer militia companies. Most came from New England manufacturers. Also, like most Southern governors, Governor Brown requested that the War Department ship large numbers of arms to the U S armory in his state during 1860. This was in response to Harpers Ferry. Secretary of War John B Floyd ordered literally tons of muskets and other weapons shipped to the South. Accordingly, when Georgia left the Union, the state had an abundance of first-rate arms available for volunteers.