Original Item: Only One Available. The Springfield Model 1812 Musket was a .69 caliber, flintlock musket designed and manufactured by the Springfield Armory. In the years after the War of 1812, due to deficiencies perceived in the model 1795, the U.S. wanted them quickly replaced, and so also contracted out various orders to gun manufacturers of the time.

On July 18th 1812 ELI WHITNEY received a U.S. Government Order for 15,000 Flintlock Muskets, to be delivered at a rate of 1,500 units per year for the next 10 years. To avoid confusion with his existing Contracts with the State of New York and others, he marked these muskets, at least initially with just N.HAVEN in a Scroll on the Lock Plates. Please see Page 96 of UNITED STATES MARTIAL FLINTLOCKS by ROBERT M. REILLY, published in 1986, a truly marvelous work, for full description and details.

An extremely rare Musket from this 1812 Contract in fine condition, iron mounts and a very nice wood stock. It has a nice inlaid brass "+" on the right side of stock, and it comes complete with the original ramrod. The barrel breech area only has minor powder burn, and the original P proof mark is still visible, as well as an SNY marking. This may mean that it was dispersed to the New York militia or guard after it was obsolete, probably in the 1830s-40s. 

This example has been fully cleaned and put into excellent display condition. The lock is functional, holding correctly at half cock and firing at full. The metalwork has a really nice patina, and the wood stock is in great shape with a very nice color.

A U.S. Flintlock Musket that can fit into any advance U.S. Martial Collection in just lovely condition and ready to display!

History of the Model 1812 Musket:

The War of 1812 revealed many weaknesses in the earlier Model 1795 Musket. The Model 1812 was an attempt to improve both the design and manufacturing process of the musket. The design borrowed heavily from the French Charleville model 1777 musket. The Springfield Model 1812 musket arrived too late to be of use in the War of 1812 but would later become standard issue to regular infantry and militia units.

The Model 1812 was a .69 caliber smoothbore musket, with a 42-inch (107 cm) barrel and a 54-inch (137 cm) stock, and a total length of 57-inch (145 cm). The Model 1812 was produced only at Springfield: the M1795 would continue in production at Harpers Ferry into 1818.

The Model 1812 was produced in a quantity of almost 30,000 between the years 1814 and 1816. It was replaced by the Model 1816 Musket. However, the Model 1812 remained in service for many years, and was even used in the American Civil War, mostly by the Confederate forces. By the start of the Civil war, the weapon was considered to be old and obsolete but was needed to fill arms shortages.

Some Model 1812 muskets were later converted to percussion lock firing mechanisms. The percussion cap system was much more reliable and weatherproof than the flintlock system used on the Model 1812 in its original configuration.

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: c. 1812-1816
Caliber: .69"
Cartridge Type: Ball and Powder
Barrel Length: 42 Inches
Overall Length: 57 Inches
Action type: Side Action Flintlock
Feed System: Muzzle Loading

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