Guns International #: 103390476
Seller's Inventory #: 250363

Category - Civil War Rifles - Springfield Rifles - Antique

Category
Civil War Rifles
Springfield Rifles - Antique

CONFEDERATE “Q” Mark CIVIL WAR Era SPRINGFIELD U.S. M1842 Percussion Musket 1847 DATED Musket with U.S. SOCKET BAYONET

Description:
CONFEDERATE “Q” Mark CIVIL WAR Era SPRINGFIELD U.S. M1842 Percussion Musket

1847 DATED Musket with U.S. SOCKET BAYONET

Here we present an antique Springfield Armory U.S. Model 1842 Musket with a “Q” marked on the underside of the stock, manufactured circa the Mexican-American War Era in 1847 in Springfield, Massachusetts. This is a nice example of a U.S. gun that was captured or collected by the Confederate States Ordnance teams (or civilians) and placed into the Confederate cleaning and repair (“C&R”) system for reissue to Confederate troops. Between 200,000 and 250,000 firearms were turned in for refurbishing at either Danville, Staunton, Lynchburg, or Richmond. This rifle bears a Confederate States final inspector’s stamp “Q” just forward of the trigger guard tang. The identity of the individual inspector is unknown. Theories state the letter may be a real initial or possibly an assigned letter. In any case, the number and variety of guns bearing this mark point to someone working at the Richmond Arsenal/Artillery Workshop. This is a nice Springfield Model 1842 that no doubt saw service in the field during the war, and at some point changed hands amount combatants, moving from a Union soldier into the hands of a lucky Confederate soldier!

The “Q” and “Z” final inspection stamp of a Confederate Ordnance officer working the Confederate States cleaning and repair system preparing “captured and collected” arms for reissue. The basic text on these is Steven Knott’s 2019 study, which cataloged a number of different arms passing through the system and the work done on them, along with several inspector’s stamps. The “Z” stamp is associated with Capt. Louis Zimmer, who supervised C&R operations in Richmond from late 1864 to 1865, but subsequent cataloging of marks indicates they did not necessarily reflect the inspector’s initials. Knott estimates that as many as 200,000 weapons captured or collected by C.S. ordnance teams or civilians during the war, along with another 50,000 turned in by C.S. forces, may have passed through the system, mostly from the eastern battlefields that fell under Confederate control.

From the period of 1844 until 1855, about 275,000 Model 1842 muskets were manufactured at the Springfield and Harpers Ferry Armories, along with some being made by private providers commissioned to assist in production. Along with usage during the Mexican-American War in 1846 through 1848, these would have been in the hands of local militia all over the antebellum United States and used by both combatants at the outbreak of the American Civil War. Sights were not included in the smoothbore’s design but arrived later as the muskets were rifled later in its life. The Model 1842 was the first regulation percussion musket to be manufactured at both Springfield and Harpers Ferry Armories, as well as the first to be produced by both national armories with fully-interchangeable parts. These were also the last .69 caliber smoothbore arms to be produced by the U.S. government. Both the original smoothbore version and the modified rifled version of the Model 1842 were used in the American Civil War. The smoothbore version was produced without sights (except for a cast one on the barrel band). When Model 1842 muskets were modified to have rifled barrels, sights were usually added at the same time as the rifling.

The overall condition is very good. Bright gray patina. Robust action. The stock has been modestly refinished. Clear markings throughout with a worn Cartouche remnant on the left flat. The smoothbore is dim and good. Nice U.S. marked bayonet.

Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.

Barrel is 42 inches.

Caliber: .69 Percussion

Overall condition as seen in photos.

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ancestryguns

$3200

#250363
 

Antique: Yes

Price: $3,200.00
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