Richmond Arsenal Rebuilt US Model 1855 Rifle Musket

American Civil War

.58 caliber. 40" barrel secured by three flat, spring retained barrel bands. NSN. Bright finish, steel furniture, walnut stock. Single shot muzzleloading percussion ignition rifle musket with Maynard's patent automatic priming lock. Lock marked in two lines at the front: U.S./SPRINGFIELD and dated 1859 at the tail. Primer magazine door with {Spread-Winged American Eagle} motif. Breech with no visible date but rack numbered B/10. Left angled breech flat with the usual, but weak, V/P/{Eagle Head} proof marks and a Richmond Arsenal "reinspection" {Five Pointed Star} mark, identified in Murphy & Madaus' Confederate Rifles & Muskets (p.607) as a mark found on Richmond Arsenal rebuilt and assembled muskets using recycled US parts. The stock is marked with a .25" capital "S" on the counterpane, a small "T" behind the triggerguard, another "T" in the barrel channel and possibly a "Q" in the barrel channel as well, although it is not well defined. Stock with screw retained iron nose cap. Barrel with 1855 pattern long range rear sight, not found on 1859 or later dated 1855 Rifle Muskets, further indication of the composite nature of the Richmond assembled gun. Retains the original combination musket front sight and socket bayonet lug on the barrel, both sling swivels, a partial roll of priming tape in the lock's magazine and a full-length correct pattern swelled-shank tulip head ramrod. Records from the Richmond Arsenal complied by author and researcher Paul Davies in his book C.S. Armory Richmond indicate that the arsenal repaired some 20,904 .58 caliber rifle muskets between August of 1862 and December of 1864. Overall a very nice example of a Confederate assembled and refurbished Model 1855 Rifle Musket.

This lot is located in Cincinnati.

Very good. Bore very good as well, partly bright with moderate oxidation and strong rifling, showing no significant pitting. Metal lightly cleaned to bright with a dulling steel patina and scattered freckles and patches of oxidized surface discoloration. Markings are mostly legible in the metal, with the proof marks on the barrel soft and the breech date not present as noted. Lock markings are crisp and clear, lock mechanically functional, tape primer system intact. Stock very good to fine, with crisp edges and lines, showing no indications of having been sanded. Wood does show some scattered bumps, dings and mars. Counterpane appears to have never been cartouched with the "S" mark present, mentioned above. Lack of cartouches suggest this was a replacement stock that Richmond used, rather than one that had been part of an assembled gun. It was possibly from some of the stores of finished and partly finished parts acquired at Harpers Ferry when it was taken by the state of Virginia. The toe of the buttplate has the collection number A6 on it in white ink or paint.

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Arms, Armor and Militaria

Richmond Arsenal Rebuilt US Model 1855 Rifle Musket

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