{"product_id":"original-u-s-civil-war-colt-special-model-1861-contract-rifle-musket-with-w-p-taylor-stock-cartouche-dated-1864","title":"Original U.S. Civil War Colt Special Model 1861 Contract Rifle Musket with W.P. Taylor Stock Cartouche, Dated 1864","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. This is an original U.S. Civil War Colt \"Special Model 1861\" rifle musket manufactured by \u003cstrong\u003eColt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company\u003c\/strong\u003e of Hartford, Connecticut and dated \u003cstrong\u003e1864\u003c\/strong\u003e. It remains in its original percussion configuration and full length, retaining its distinctive Colt Special pattern features, W.P. Taylor stock cartouche, three leaf rear sight, tulip shaped ramrod, and strong three groove bore.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Colt Special Model 1861 was a distinctive contract variation of the U.S. Model 1861 rifle musket. Samuel Colt had acquired machinery associated with Pattern 1853 Enfield production from the defunct Robbins \u0026amp; Lawrence operation, and Colt incorporated several design changes into its contract muskets, including differences in the barrel bands, hammer, and bolster. Elements of the Colt Special pattern later influenced features adopted on the U.S. Model 1863 rifle musket. Similar Special Model 1861 contract arms were also produced by Amoskeag Manufacturing Company and Lamson, Goodnow \u0026amp; Yale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lock plate tail is clearly dated:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1864\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eand the lock is marked beneath the bolster:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eU.S.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCOLT'S PT. F. A. MFG Co.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHARTFORD CT.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe markings remain generally clear, though honest service wear and past cleaning have softened portions of the lettering. A \u003cstrong\u003eFederal eagle\u003c\/strong\u003e remains mostly visible on the lock. There is also evidence of old powder related corrosion and subsequent cleaning around the bolster, which has softened some of the original contours.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe percussion nipple shows past oxidation but remains in very good condition. At the breech, cleaning and removal of old powder fouling and corrosion have largely erased the original barrel markings. The \u003cstrong\u003eV\u003c\/strong\u003e proof remains visible, the \u003cstrong\u003eP\u003c\/strong\u003e survives only as a faint ghost, and the eagle head and barrel date are no longer legible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe left side of the barrel carries the distinctive Colt Special marking:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSTEEL\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe left side of the walnut stock retains a crisp boxed script:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWPT\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ecartouche, attributed to \u003cem\u003eWilliam P. Taylor,\u003c\/em\u003e a civilian sub-inspector who worked as a finished arms inspector on behalf of the Springfield Armory and the U.S. Ordnance Department\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lock functions strongly in its present condition and holds correctly at half cock. The Colt Special three leaf rear sight remains in place, with the 100, 300, and 500 yard leaves present and moving correctly. These observations describe only the current mechanical condition and should not be interpreted as confirmation that the rifle musket is safe to load or fire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bore is in very good condition, with strong three groove rifling and only light overall fouling. There is no indication of major interior pitting or severe past oxidation from the supplied inspection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe exterior metal has developed an attractive lightly oxidized gray and brown patina, with evidence of long service and periodic cleaning but no major areas of deep pitting or severe corrosion. The barrel bands retain their U markings, and the butt plate tang still shows its U.S. marking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth sling swivels remain present and move freely. The rifle musket also retains the correct tulip shaped ramrod with straight shank, and the threaded narrow end remains intact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe one piece American black walnut stock is in very good condition and has a pleasing red brown color with a waxed surface. It shows an appealing untouched appearance with sharp bevels and no visible major cracks, repairs, or significant postwar alterations. Expected service dents and handling wear are present, but the original stock geometry remains notably well preserved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith its 1864 dated Colt lock, U.S. \/ COLT'S PT. F. A. MFG Co. \/ HARTFORD CT. markings, STEEL barrel stamp, crisp WPT stock cartouche, correct Colt Special three leaf sight, complete U marked barrel bands, U.S. marked butt plate, tulip shaped ramrod, and strong three groove bore, this is a well preserved example of a Civil War Colt Special Model 1861 contract rifle musket. The softened lock markings, cleaned bolster corrosion, largely removed breech proofs and date, light bore fouling, and overall service wear are all fully disclosed. It would fit especially well in a Colt Civil War, Special Model 1861, U.S. contract rifle musket, or advanced American martial firearms collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications-\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYear of Manufacture: 1864\u003cbr\u003eMaker: Colt's Patent Firearms Mfg. Co\u003cbr\u003eModel: Special Model 1861 Rifle Musket\u003cbr\u003eCaliber: .58\"\u003cbr\u003eCartridge Type: Minié Ball and Powder\u003cbr\u003eBarrel Length: 40 Inches\u003cbr\u003eOverall Length: 56 Inches\u003cbr\u003eAction type: Side Action Lock\u003cbr\u003eFeed System: Muzzle Loaded\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFederal Classification: Pre-1899 Antique\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Springfield Model 1861\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Springfield Rifle cost $20 each at the Springfield Armory, where they were officially made. Overwhelmed by the demand, the armory opened its weapons patterns up to twenty private contractors, including\u003cstrong\u003e Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company\u003c\/strong\u003e of Hartford, Connecticut, who produced approximately 100,000 under contract during the civil war.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColt became the most notable producer of contract Model 1861 Springfield, as they had made several minor design changes in their version, the \"Colt Special\" rifled musket. Samuel Colt had acquired machinery that had been used to build Pattern 1853 Enfield rifles from the defunct Robbins \u0026amp; Lawrence Machine Shop \u0026amp; Armory, and as a result was able to make a rifled musket that had the \"best\" of the British and American designs. These changes included redesigned barrel bands, a new hammer, and a redesigned bolster, all derived from the Enfield tooling he had purchased. Several of these changes were eventually adopted by the Ordnance Department and incorporated into the Model 1863 rifled musket.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to Colt, the \"Special Model 1861\" was also produced by contractors \u003cem\u003eAmoskeag Manufacturing Company\u003c\/em\u003e of Manchester, New Hampshire, and \u003cem\u003eLamson, Goodnow, and Yale\u003c\/em\u003e of Windsor, Vermont. These companies also had access to the improved British Designs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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 \u003cem\u003eUnited States Muskets, Rifles and Carbines\u003c\/em\u003e by Arcadi Gluckman Colonel Infantry, United States Army, published 1949.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the war ended, many model 1861 and 1863 rifled muskets were modified to a breech loading actions with new metallic cartridges. With these modifications, the basic 1861 evolved into the Springfield Model 1873 which served the US until being replaced in the 1890s by modern breech loading rifles chambered for new smokeless powder rounds that were far superior to the Model 1873.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNOTE: 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.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45723394834501,"sku":"ONJR26AURA15","price":2295.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/FCAAD7F0-E94F-4EA4-BADF-C78B02FF557A.jpg?v=1790471533","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-u-s-civil-war-colt-special-model-1861-contract-rifle-musket-with-w-p-taylor-stock-cartouche-dated-1864","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}