Reproductions

cie

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I recently purchased a US model 1861 rifled musket. The gun is in pretty pristine condition which causes me to wonder if it is possibly a reproduction. Is there a good source for information on reproductions? All acceptance marks seem correct. The cartouches on the stock are very faint but essentially correct.
 
Reproductions are usually marked pretty clearly that they are indeed "repros". Proof marks, if period and from the country of manufacture should tell the tale. Sometimes the rear of the lock plate has some marks and inspectors stamps. PHOTOS........would help!!! Dave
 
It is not unusual for repros to be "defarbed" - reworked to make them look as much as possible like an original.
Detailed examination, including disassembly would help. Also consider the rifling characteristics. Not many repros duplicate the original rifling.
 
A reproduction will have the manufacturer's name on it somewhere. A real vintage musket will or should have a patina. Unless Bubba has been at it.
 
Here are some pics. In general everything looks correct, and perhaps it was overcleaned at some point, but to me it looks too new to be 150years old.

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The hammer suggests M1863, not M1861.
Bands suggest M1863, Type I.
Markings certainly do not look like what you would find on a repro.
In 1865, Type II should have been the pattern of M1863 in standard production, but whether all contractors followed Springfield, I don't know.
Better research Remington contracting.
An original would have been finished in the white.
I think you have a very nice original there, based on your photos. If it is modern, someone went to a great deal of effort to make a fake.
You need to do some careful research, but I think you have a good one.
 
"...perhaps it was overcleaned at some point...would have been finished in the white..." A vintage musket would have a patina after 145 years. It should look like the metal in the letter stamps on the barrel.
Some bonehead removed the patina and its collector value with it. I'm guessing the longitudinal scratches on the barrel came from sandpaper. Stock has been cleaned too. That's not such a big deal.
 
You have a good one you can even see the U.S. inspectors initials. There is a website
that can tell you their names. I think it is called proof house. V on the barrel means viewed and P means passed. The GM below is the man who inspected .
 
That's original, definitely, though it's either been very well maintained (as in someone regularly oiling it for the last 140 years or storing it in a climate controlled room - in the 1860's!), or someone has recently touched it up with 600 grit sandpaper.

Even if touched up, it's a nice example and would probably shoot good too.
 
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