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.