Original Item: Only One Available. This is a rare and very attractive South Carolina contract Palmetto Armory Model 1842 .69 caliber percussion musket, dated 1852 and manufactured at Columbia shortly before the Civil War. Only 6,020 muskets were ultimately delivered under the South Carolina state contract, making surviving examples considerably scarcer than their Federal Springfield and Harpers Ferry counterparts. This example retains the desirable Palmetto tree lock marking, Columbia address and date, faint W.G. & CO. barrel marking, South Carolina marked buttplate, original smoothbore configuration, and a particularly attractive mixture of aged steel and brass colored furniture.

This is an antique black powder firearm manufactured before 1899. Under federal law, it may generally be owned within the United States without a special license or permit and does not require transfer through a Federal Firearms Licensee. However, state and local laws may vary. This firearm is sold solely as a historical collector’s item and has not been test fired or inspected for firing safety by a professional gunsmith. Any mechanical or bore observations provided below describe only its present condition and should not be interpreted as confirmation that the firearm is safe to load or fire. The purchaser is solely responsible for complying with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

The Palmetto Armory project grew from South Carolina's effort to establish a domestic source of military arms during the increasingly tense years preceding the Civil War. Columbia silversmith and jeweler William Glaze, working with experienced Massachusetts arms maker Benjamin Flagg, contracted with the state to provide muskets, rifles, pistols, sabers, and artillery swords patterned after arms then in United States service. Flagg had substantial New England firearms manufacturing experience, and machinery, parts, and technical assistance were obtained from the Asa Waters operation in Millbury, Massachusetts.

The South Carolina contract called for 6,000 muskets, but surviving state accounting records show that Glaze ultimately delivered 6,020 muskets before the account was settled in November 1853. Considerable quantities of parts originated with the Waters operation and from Federal surplus components, while fitting, assembly, marking, and at least some component manufacture took place in Columbia. These circumstances account for some of the variation seen among surviving Palmetto muskets today.

The basic arm followed the U.S. Model 1842 Percussion Musket, the standard .69 caliber smoothbore military musket of the period. The Model 1842 was the first U.S. regulation musket designed and manufactured from the outset with a percussion ignition system rather than as a flintlock requiring later conversion. It retained the traditional large .69 caliber smoothbore barrel and full length military stock while incorporating the much more reliable percussion cap system.

Standard Model 1842 dimensions were approximately 58" overall with a barrel of roughly 42". This example remains in the original smoothbore configuration rather than having been subsequently rifled. The bore measures approximately .71" to .72" at the muzzle, depending upon the point measured, reflecting considerable wear and use beyond its nominal .69 caliber specification.

The lock plate retains the distinctive Palmetto Armory marking surrounding the South Carolina state symbol beneath the hammer:

PALMETTO. ARMORY

(Palmetto Tree)

S ★ C

The tail of the lock is clearly marked:

COLUMBIA
S. C. 1852

These markings are among the most recognizable of antebellum South Carolina military arms and give the musket a direct connection to the state's prewar arms procurement program.

The left side of the barrel breech retains faint military proof markings:

V
P
Eagle's Head

and a faint maker or contractor marking on the left barrel facet:

W.G. & CO.

for William Glaze & Company. Variations of the Glaze marking, including W.G. & CO., WM. GLAZE & CO., and related forms, are documented on surviving Palmetto contract arms.

The buttplate tang is stamped:

S C

for South Carolina ownership. No clearly legible inspector's cartouches remain visible in the walnut stock.

The musket displays an unusual complement of brass colored furniture, including the barrel bands and other fittings, which have developed a very attractive aged golden patina. The sideplate is the thin, flat Model 1842 style rather than the heavier raised form encountered on earlier U.S. muskets. The precise present configuration of the furniture is discussed further below, as documented Palmetto muskets can show considerable component variation and some of the fittings on this example differ from the most commonly recorded contract pattern.

The barrel and lock have matured to an attractive mottled gray and brown patina. There are areas of old peppering from oxidation, particularly around the breech and percussion bolster, but no major active rust blooms or severe structural damage are evident. The lower portion of the lock plate shows some older light pitting. The considerable residue related oxidation around the percussion cone and bolster is consistent with extensive black powder use.

The percussion cone itself shows somewhat less oxidation than the surrounding bolster and appears likely to have been replaced during the musket's working life. It is nevertheless an old replacement and fits naturally with the overall aged appearance of the arm.

The lock remains mechanically functional during careful manual inspection. The hammer holds correctly at half cock and releases from full cock with a strong action.

The bore is dark and heavily fouled, with considerable evidence of long use. As noted above, the muzzle now measures approximately .71" to .72" rather than the nominal .69 caliber. This condition is entirely consistent with a military smoothbore that experienced substantial firing, cleaning, and age.

The walnut stock has developed a rich dark red brown color from age and oiling. It shows the expected dents, dings, scratches, and handling marks associated with military service. There is a crack extending from the left side of the breech area toward the upper lock screw, a common stress location on full stocked percussion muskets. We do not see evidence of a major stock replacement or extensive structural grafting.

All three band springs remain present, although the upper band spring appears to be a comparatively recent replacement. Both sling swivels are present and move freely.

A trumpet head steel ramrod is present beneath the barrel and retains threads at the narrow end. Its general form is appropriate for a Model 1842 type musket, although we cannot establish whether this particular rod has remained with the musket since original manufacture or represents a period replacement.

South Carolina's Palmetto muskets occupy a particularly interesting place in American arms history. Manufactured for state service less than a decade before secession, they were already in South Carolina inventories when the Civil War began and were available for issue to Confederate forces. That makes them genuine antebellum South Carolina military arms with a direct connection to the state that initiated secession, although without specific unit or soldier provenance we cannot state where this individual musket served during the conflict.

With its scarce 1852 Palmetto Armory lock, faint W.G. & CO. barrel marking, S C state property mark, original .69 caliber smoothbore configuration, functional lock, full length military stock, and unmistakable aged service appearance, this is an especially evocative example of one of the most desirable Southern contract muskets of the antebellum period. It would make an excellent addition to a collection of South Carolina arms, Confederate associated firearms, Model 1842 muskets, Civil War longarms, or scarce American state contract weapons.

Specifications:-

Year of Manufacture: 1852
Maker: Palmetto Armory
Model: 1842 Percussion Musket
Caliber: .69" - worn to about 0.71" at muzzle 
Cartridge Type: Ball and Powder
Barrel Length: 42 Inches
Overall Length: 57 3/4 Inches
Action type: Side Action Percussion Lock
Feed System: Muzzle Loading
Federal Classification: Antique Firearm

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IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

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Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.