Very Scarce Whitney “Manton" Marked 1861 Rifle-Musket. 56" Overall length with a 40" round barrel. The .58 caliber bore is very good with strong rifling. Meta has a smooth even brown patina. Stock is good with the normal issue and storage dents. There are no cracks or chips. The lock is marked “Manton" in gothic style letters. It is dated “1862". The barrel has “V/P" on the top flat and “G.W.Q." inspector markings to the side. The nose cap is the typical Whitney cast pewter. Action functions correctly. Whitney made these rifle muskets to be sold as “near Springfield’s". Initially he denied making them but later admitted to making them. It is estimated that about 1,300 were made but they are rarely seen today. 1,074 were sold by Fitch and Waldo of New York to the state for the re-activated militia as a result of the July 1863 New York city draft riots.