Arms, Armor and Militaria

.54 caliber. 33" round barrel secured by two flat brass spring-retained bands. NSN. Browned barrel, color casehardened lock and hammer, brass furniture, walnut stock. Single shot percussion muzzleloading rifle. Lock marked with a {Spread-Winged Eagle}/US forward of the hammer and in three vertical lines at the HARPERS/FERRY/1854 at the tail. Breech plug tang dated 1855 a mismatch that is often encountered on these altered rifles. Breech with correct small V/P/{Eagle Head} proof and an WW/P inspection mark. Counterpane with no legible inspection marks but with a clear JLR inspection inside the patchbox cut-out, the mark of Harpers Ferry Rifle Manufactory Foreman John L. Rowe. Patchbox cut-out with the three router pilot holes found on Harpers Ferry made 1841 rifle stocks. Spare cone in patchbox. Buttplate without the "US" on the tang, as is correct. A tiny GDM stamp is present in the toe line of the stock, near the buttplate, indicating ownership by George D Moller. Type II long range ladder rear sight that has been partially re-graduated with the original 200, 3, 4 on the right sidewall and the renumbered 5 through 10 on the ladder. Original brass blade front sight. Rifle equipped with Harpers Ferry added saber bayonet lug on the right side, 2.5" from the muzzle with a 1" guide key. As a result the upper band is the shorter 2.5" variant used by Harpers Ferry on the guns that received saber bayonet lugs on the barrel, replacing the original 3.375" long upper band. Retains original sling swivels and a full-length swelled steel tip ramrod with good threads at the end. These all steel ramrods were added to some Harpers Ferry modified rifles that were intended to utilize conical ammunition. During the production run at Harpers Ferry a total of 25,207 Model 1841 rifles would be produced between 1844 and 1855. Of those, nearly 9,000 would be altered at Harpers Ferry to accept bayonets and would receive new, long-range rear sights. This is one of those early alterations and probably one of the 1,200 rifles altered in fiscal year 1855 that was not of "new production" to receive a Type II rear sight. The Type II rear sight replaced the fragile Benton folding ladder screw-adjustable rear sight. A rare Harpers Ferry 1841 variant rifle for the collector of Harpers Ferry rifles or Mississippi Rifles, and from the preeminent collection of American Military Long Arms. A correct pattern saber bayonet for this rifle is being offered in the timed online sale that accompanies this live sale.