{"product_id":"original-u-s-civil-war-springfield-model-1861-contract-rifled-musket-by-e-robinson-of-new-york-dated-1865","title":"Original U.S. Civil War Springfield Model 1861 Contract Rifled Musket by E. Robinson of New York - Dated 1864","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. 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.\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\u003eEdward Robinson of New York, N.Y.\u003c\/strong\u003e. The firm produced some 30,000 weapons for the army during the Civil War. These were delivered up to the end of the war, and they did not change to the model 1863 specifications, so there are examples of Model 1861 rifled muskets dated 1864 and 1865.\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\u003eThis lovely matured example however was not converted, and is still in the original configuration, though the bore now measures out to 0.62\". We checked inside, and there is no evidence of rifling remaining, and it looks to possibly have been smoothbored into a 20 gauge fowler, not an uncommon fate for Civil War rifled muskets. It is dated \u003cstrong\u003e1864\u003c\/strong\u003e on the lock plate tail, and also has the \u003cstrong\u003eFederal Eagle\u003c\/strong\u003e stamped into the lock under the hammer over \u003cstrong\u003eU.S.\u003c\/strong\u003e. To the right of this is the contractor's maker mark: \u003cstrong\u003eE. ROBINSON \/ NEW YORK\u003c\/strong\u003e. The markings on the lock are clear and overall the lock plate is in very good condition, especially considering the age, with just some light peppering. The barrel nocks form still shows the correct \u003cstrong\u003eV \/ P \/ Eagle's Head\u003c\/strong\u003e proof marks, however the date on the barrel is worn away. There is also a faint \u003cstrong\u003eL.E.M.\u003c\/strong\u003e marking on the left side of the barrel, a known marking on Robinson contract muskets, for sub-inspector \u003cem\u003eL.E. Mitchell\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe walnut stock is in lovely shape, showing a lovely red brown color, with the expected dents and dings from use in service. It has a great matured look, with no signs of repairs or major restoration, though it definitely has been cleaned over the years, which removed the original inspection cartouches from the left hand side by the lock screws. The metalwork overall has a nice peppery patina, achieved by years of light oxidation and subsequent cleaning, with a bit of pit rusting in areas. The breech area of the barrel shows significant powder burn, so this is definitely a musket that saw a good amount of service during the war and afterwards. The bore shows some areas that are still smooth from when it was smoothbored, with areas of fouling and oxidation from lack of cleaning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lock functions correctly, holding at half cock and firing at full, though the cleanout on the bolster is currently frozen. This gun is fitted with what looks to be three leaf sight, however the leaves are all broken, and it shows a good amount of past oxidation. Most likely they were broken off long ago trying to free them up. Both sling swivels are intact and move freely. The ramrod is the correct and original tulip type with an enlarged shank, and has intact but worn threads on the end.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is a great chance to pick up a very nice service used example of a Civil War Contract Rifled musket, probably smoothbored for hunting post war. Ready to research and display!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:-\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYear of Manufacture: 1864\u003cbr\u003eCaliber: .58\" - worn to 0.62\"\u003cbr\u003eCartridge Type: Minié Ball and Powder\u003cbr\u003eBarrel Length: ;40 Inches\u003cbr\u003eOverall Length: 56 Inches\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAction type: Side Action Lock\u003cbr\u003eFeed System: Muzzle Loaded\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\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":45234202280005,"sku":"ONJR26MYMF002","price":1495.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/04C370AF-3A21-4C82-9A5A-23A6C9526B89.jpg?v=1782767114","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-u-s-civil-war-springfield-model-1861-contract-rifled-musket-by-e-robinson-of-new-york-dated-1865","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}