Guns International #: 100667431

Category - Military Rifles - Antique - Springfield Rifles - Antique

Category
Military Rifles - Antique
Springfield Rifles - Antique

CIVIL WAR HARPERS FERRY MADE MODEL 1855 U.S. PERCUSSION RIFLE-MUSKET

Description:
 SCARCE AND HISTORICAL CIVIL WAR HARPERS FERRY MADE MODEL 1855 U.S. PERCUSSION RIFLE-MUSKET, DATED 1860. This is truly an attic condition example of one of the earliest .58 caliber rifle muskets issued in the Civil War. Only 12,158 were made at the Harpers Ferry Armory in Virginia (now West Virginia) and could have been used by the Confederacy, This one shows long and hard use, but is basically sound, has the correct late iron patchbox and iron forend tip, wood shows much handling and use but is also basically solid and retains faint/worn cartouche, trigger guard put on backwards and needs to be turned around! (I'd do it, but the closer I get to guns with a screw driver in my hands the more the value starts to go down!) All metal a deep uncleaned brown patina with some considerable pitting around the front of the hammer, bolster, top of barrel breech and on the trigger guard bow- all from heavy black powder firing- probably under the worst of conditions- interesting that the trigger guard bow is also black powder (possibly blood) pitted too as anyone who has shot much black powder in muzzle loaders knows, your hands get lots of fouling and soot on them which would end up on the trigger guard and later cause rust, needs a rear sight, front swivel (has the correct barrel band, just needs a swivel, and catch on the Maynard tape primer door, the tape primer mechanism functions fine when the hammer is cocked, primer door has the eagle embossed on it, back of lock plate marked "1860," and the front of the lock plate marked "U.S." over "HARPERS FERRY." (markings are much clearer/sharper than appear in the photo) Correct 40" barrel. All the metal deeply brown patina and matching in color and wear, a very significant U.S. martial arm and one in which few surviving examples remain. Should be easy to fine the few small missing parts for this one. Flayderman's guide (last edition now 9 years old) lists these in antique "good" condition (which is pretty awful by definition) at $1400 and "fine" condition at $5000.  My price $2650.

SOLD

Antique: Yes
Manufacturer: Harpers Ferry
Model: 1855 US Rifle-Musket
Caliber Info: .58
Condition: VG
Barrels: 40