U.S. Model 1842 Musket.
.69 calibre round ball, or , “buck and ball” that was a .69 round ball with three rounds of buckshot.
1843 is a very early lock marking for this model.
The bayonet.
Widely used in the first two years of the war by both sides, and used by certain regiments, like those of the Irish Brigade and the 12th NJ, who preferred it, into late 1864.
Between 1843 and 1855 a total of 275,000 of this model were manufactured by Springfield and Harpers Ferry Armories ,of which 172,000 were turned out at Springfield alone.The bayonet utilized for this model musket was the Model 1842 socket bayonet, which was 20-1/2 inches long, with a 2-7/8 inch socket and an 18-inch triangular blade.The U.S. Model 1842 Musket was the first arm to be produced at both the Harpers Ferry and Springfield Armories on a completely interchangeable basis, and aside even from this significant fact, holds a prominent position in the development of U.S. military shoulder arms.This was the first regulation percussion arm produced in the national armories , and at the same time, the last of the .69 caliber smoothbores.
Model 1861 Rifle Musket. (.58 caliber)
Part of the William Muir Contract lock dated 1863.
M1855 socket bayonet.
Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle Musket.
This gun is in .58 caliber instead of .577.
(The number 24 indicates .58 caliber, a 25 marking would have indicated .577 caliber.)
This engraved number on the butt plate tang often indicated a Confederate purchase.
I went through a very extensive exercise with some very savvy U.S. fellows in order to determine that "I did not have enough of the markings to call it a Confederate piece".
Supposedly some Enfield’s made for the US, in 24 bore, in the early part of the war, were actually bought by the Rebels, and that might explain the bore size.
Note;
An excerpt from part of that exercise.
While it's difficult to positively ID anything and to determine legitimacy from a photo, the piece seems to be a CS central government purchase. 1121 is the "control number." If the ramrod is original to the piece, it will also have 1121 engraved on it near the jag head. There should have been a large serif letter in front of the butt plate tang, but the stock seems to have been scraped. On the bottom of the stock behind the trigger guard, there should be two commission broker's stamps and a JS anchor stamp. The stampings behind the trigger guards were often light. Lacking the anchor stamp, there should be either a G or an SC on the lock side of the butt stock for this particular number range.
Brit regulations specified that all arms were to have a number not to exceed four digits engraved "and in no instance stamped or punched" on the butt plate, the ramrod, the bayonet socket, the bayonet scabbard stud, and the waist belt.
The bayonet.
U.S. Model 1841 Rifle (a.k.a. Mississippi Rifle) .54 caliber.
This rifle was part of the Whitney contract.
It was Model 1841 rifles produced by Whitney which reputedly were shipped to the First Mississippi Volunteer Infantry during the Mexican War, and from which the term ”Mississippi Rifle” was derived.
Regardless, however, Whitney Model 1841 rifles bearing dates earlier than 1850 are the exception instead of the rule, with many more being delivered after this date than before.
(Robert M. Reilly-United States Military Small Arms 1816-1865)
1848 lock date.
The M1855 sword bayonet.
David
.69 calibre round ball, or , “buck and ball” that was a .69 round ball with three rounds of buckshot.
1843 is a very early lock marking for this model.
The bayonet.
Widely used in the first two years of the war by both sides, and used by certain regiments, like those of the Irish Brigade and the 12th NJ, who preferred it, into late 1864.
Between 1843 and 1855 a total of 275,000 of this model were manufactured by Springfield and Harpers Ferry Armories ,of which 172,000 were turned out at Springfield alone.The bayonet utilized for this model musket was the Model 1842 socket bayonet, which was 20-1/2 inches long, with a 2-7/8 inch socket and an 18-inch triangular blade.The U.S. Model 1842 Musket was the first arm to be produced at both the Harpers Ferry and Springfield Armories on a completely interchangeable basis, and aside even from this significant fact, holds a prominent position in the development of U.S. military shoulder arms.This was the first regulation percussion arm produced in the national armories , and at the same time, the last of the .69 caliber smoothbores.
Model 1861 Rifle Musket. (.58 caliber)
Part of the William Muir Contract lock dated 1863.
M1855 socket bayonet.
Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle Musket.
This gun is in .58 caliber instead of .577.
(The number 24 indicates .58 caliber, a 25 marking would have indicated .577 caliber.)
This engraved number on the butt plate tang often indicated a Confederate purchase.
I went through a very extensive exercise with some very savvy U.S. fellows in order to determine that "I did not have enough of the markings to call it a Confederate piece".
Supposedly some Enfield’s made for the US, in 24 bore, in the early part of the war, were actually bought by the Rebels, and that might explain the bore size.
Note;
An excerpt from part of that exercise.
While it's difficult to positively ID anything and to determine legitimacy from a photo, the piece seems to be a CS central government purchase. 1121 is the "control number." If the ramrod is original to the piece, it will also have 1121 engraved on it near the jag head. There should have been a large serif letter in front of the butt plate tang, but the stock seems to have been scraped. On the bottom of the stock behind the trigger guard, there should be two commission broker's stamps and a JS anchor stamp. The stampings behind the trigger guards were often light. Lacking the anchor stamp, there should be either a G or an SC on the lock side of the butt stock for this particular number range.
Brit regulations specified that all arms were to have a number not to exceed four digits engraved "and in no instance stamped or punched" on the butt plate, the ramrod, the bayonet socket, the bayonet scabbard stud, and the waist belt.
The bayonet.
U.S. Model 1841 Rifle (a.k.a. Mississippi Rifle) .54 caliber.
This rifle was part of the Whitney contract.
It was Model 1841 rifles produced by Whitney which reputedly were shipped to the First Mississippi Volunteer Infantry during the Mexican War, and from which the term ”Mississippi Rifle” was derived.
Regardless, however, Whitney Model 1841 rifles bearing dates earlier than 1850 are the exception instead of the rule, with many more being delivered after this date than before.
(Robert M. Reilly-United States Military Small Arms 1816-1865)
1848 lock date.
The M1855 sword bayonet.
David
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