Original Item: Only One Available. This is an especially attractive U.S. Civil War contract Model 1861 .58 caliber percussion rifle musket manufactured by Alfred Jenks & Son at the Bridesburg Machine Works and dated 1863. Bridesburg was one of the largest private producers of Model 1861 rifle muskets for the Union war effort, and this example retains the desirable U S / BRIDESBURG lock marking, matching 1863 barrel date, New Jersey N.J state surcharge, military inspection cartouches, original three leaf rear sight, correct tulip head ramrod, and an unusually strong three groove bore that still shows visible machining marks. The combination of clear Civil War contractor markings, state ownership marking, original configuration, and excellent bore makes this a particularly appealing Union infantry arm.

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 U.S. Model 1861 rifle musket was one of the principal infantry arms of the Union Army during the Civil War. Chambered in .58 caliber and designed for the expanding base Minié type projectile, it combined a 40" rifled barrel with percussion ignition and a rugged military stock and furniture arrangement. The Model 1861 eliminated the Maynard tape primer system used on the earlier Model 1855, simplifying production and returning to the conventional percussion cap system.

Demand during the Civil War quickly exceeded the production capacity of Springfield Arsenal, forcing the Federal government to rely heavily on private contractors. Among the most important was Alfred Jenks & Son, operators of the Bridesburg Machine Works near Philadelphia. Bridesburg became one of the largest private suppliers of Model 1861 pattern rifle muskets to the Union, with more than 98,000 Bridesburg and Philadelphia marked arms ultimately produced during the war years.

The Bridesburg firm initially received a contract in 1861 for 25,000 rifle muskets, followed by additional contracts as Federal demand continued. Surviving contract records show that Jenks ultimately delivered approximately 98,000 rifle muskets under its wartime contracts, making the company one of the most significant private producers of the Model 1861 family.

This example remains in its original muzzle loading percussion configuration and does not show the later breech loading alterations applied to many Civil War rifle muskets after the war.

The lock plate is dated:

1863

on the tail. Forward of the hammer is the Federal eagle, followed by:

U S
BRIDESBURG

The lock markings remain legible, although past peppered oxidation and subsequent cleaning have softened portions of the stamping. The lock plate itself remains in very good condition for a wartime service arm.

The breech of the barrel retains traces of the standard Federal inspection and proof markings:

V
P
Eagle's Head

The barrel date on top of the breech is worn but can still be discerned as:

1863

A particularly desirable additional marking is the New Jersey state surcharge:

= N.J

This indicates that the rifle musket was marked for New Jersey state ownership or issue at some point in its service history, adding a distinct state association to an already desirable Federal contract arm.

The left side of the stock, or counterpane, retains two boxed inspection cartouches, one beneath the rear lock screw and another slightly farther to the rear. Both are now too faint to read confidently, but their survival further supports the arm's U.S. military inspection history.

The iron butt plate is correctly marked:

US

and all three barrel bands retain their proper:

U

orientation stamps (U for "up").

The original rear sight is still present and remains functional. It uses the correct Model 1861 style two leaf arrangement, with one folding leaf providing the 100 yard and 300 yard notches at right angles to one another, and a second folding leaf for 500 yards. Both leaves remain movable on this example.

The metalwork presents very well and remains relatively close to the bright finish originally seen on U.S. military rifle muskets of this period. It has clearly been cleaned and polished over the years, which has softened some markings, and there is evidence of old peppered oxidation on several of the fittings, particularly the barrel bands.

There is some powder residue related oxidation around the percussion bolster and nipple area. The nipple itself remains in very good condition. The bolster cleanout screw is also still removable.

The lock functions correctly during manual inspection, holding securely at half cock and releasing from full cock. These observations describe only the present mechanical condition and should not be interpreted as confirmation that the rifle musket is safe to load or fire.

The bore is one of the standout features of this example. It is in excellent condition, with all three grooves clearly defined and a bright interior. Remarkably, machining marks are still visible within the grooves. There is comparatively little interior wear for a Civil War rifle musket, suggesting relatively limited firing compared with many surviving examples, although the exact amount of wartime use cannot be established from bore condition alone.

The one piece walnut stock has developed the attractive red brown color expected of well aged, oiled military walnut and shows the dents, dings, scratches, and handling wear appropriate to a Civil War service arm. We do not see major structural breaks or extensive repairs.

There are, however, several stress cracks around the lock area, including one running from the lower lock screw toward the breech. This is a commonly encountered stress point on full stock military muskets and is fully disclosed.

The original tulip head ramrod remains present beneath the barrel. It retains the enlarged shank and threaded end characteristic of the Model 1861 configuration. Both sling swivels are also present and move freely.

With its 1863 dated Bridesburg lock, matching barrel date, desirable New Jersey state surcharge, surviving military cartouches, correct three band configuration, correct two leaf 100/300/500 yard rear sight, proper tulip head ramrod, intact sling swivels, and exceptionally strong three groove bore, this is an especially appealing Civil War contract rifle musket. Bridesburg arms played a major role in equipping Union infantry, and this example combines strong contractor identification with a distinct New Jersey association and unusually good interior condition. It would be an excellent addition to a Civil War collection, a New Jersey military display, a U.S. martial arms collection, or a grouping focused on private contractors who helped arm the Union.

Specifications:-

Year of Manufacture: 1863
Maker: Alfred Jenks & Son of Bridesburg, PA
Model: 1861 Rifled Musket
Caliber: .58"
Cartridge Type: Minié Ball and Powder
Barrel Length: 40 Inches
Overall Length: 56 Inches
Action type: Side Action Lock
Feed System: Muzzle Loaded
Federal Classification: Pre-1899 Antique

The Springfield Model 1861 was a Minié-type rifled musket shoulder-arm used by the United States Army and Marine Corps during the American Civil War. Commonly referred to as the "Springfield" (after its original place of production, Springfield, Massachusetts), it was the most widely used U.S. Army weapon during the Civil War, favored for its range, accuracy, and reliability.

The barrel was 40 inches long, firing a .58 caliber Minié ball, and the total weight was approximately 9 pounds. The Springfield had an effective range of 200 to 300 yards, and used percussion caps to fire (rather than the flintlocks of the 18th century, the last U.S. flintlock musket was the Model 1840). Trained troops were able to fire at a rate of three aimed shots per minute while maintaining accuracy up to 500 yards, though firing distances in the war were often much shorter. The most notable difference between the Model 1861 and the earlier Model 1855 was the elimination of the Maynard tape primer for the Model 1861 (the Maynard primer, a self-feeding primer system, was unreliable in damp weather, and the priming mechanism was expensive and time-consuming to produce). Further, unlike the Model 1855, the Model 1861 was never produced in a two-banded "short rifle" configuration.

The Springfield was aimed using flip-up leaf sights. The sight had two leaves, one for 300 yards and the other for 500 yards, and with both leaves down, the sight was set for a range of 100 yards. By contrast, the British Pattern 1853 Enfield, favored by the Confederates, utilized a ladder-sight system with 100 yard increments, using steps from 100 to 400 yards and a flip up ladder for ranges beyond 500 yards. While the Enfield's sights did allow finer range settings, the Springfield's simple leaves were more rugged and were less expensive to produce. The Enfield's sights extended to 900 yards (and further, on later models), compared to the 500 yard maximum range of the Springfield's sights. Realistically, though, hitting anything beyond 600 yards with either weapon was mostly a matter of luck. While the sight designs were very different, the two weapons were otherwise very similar, and had very similar effective ranges.

The Model 1861 was relatively scarce in the early years of the Civil War (many troops were still using Model 1842 smoothbored muskets and Model 1816/1822 muskets converted to percussion cap primers, both in .69 caliber). It is unlikely that any of these were available for use in the First Battle of Bull Run. However, over time, more and more regiments began receiving Model 1861 rifled muskets, though this upgrade appeared somewhat quicker in the Eastern Theater of Operations. Over 1,000,000 Model 1861 rifles were produced, with the Springfield Armory increasing its production during the war by contracting out to twenty other firms in the Union. The number of Model 1861 muskets produced by the Springfield Armory was 265,129 between January 1, 1861 and December 31, 1863. According to United States Muskets, Rifles and Carbines by Arcadi Gluckman Colonel Infantry, United States Army, published 1949.

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.

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.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

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.