This Civil War era single-shot muzzleloader is a .58 caliber early Springfield Model 1855 percussion rifle-musket in very fine to excellent overall condition. Longarm has a 40” round barrel with broad three-groove rifling. Stock is secured to the stock with three-barrel bands and three band springs. All furniture is iron including the lockplate, hammer, bolster, buttplate, triggerguard, swivels and ramrod save the brass nose cap which changed to iron in 1859. All gunmetal appears to have been lightly cleaned and exhibits just very few spots of fine rust pitting. All metal wears a pleasing light gray sheen or coloring.

All lockplate stampings sharp and clear and show the large spreadwinged eagle on the kidney-shaped, hinged primer door, along with the date “1857” deeply stamped behind the large, high spur hammer. Large eagle motif on door is still high in detail. Lockplate surface wears a mottled medium gray patina with a smooth finish. Lockplate marked with the “U.S.” / SPRINGFIELD” forward of the hammer. Barrel breech area clean with minor oxidation and exhibits a strong, sharp date “1857” on the flat. (Date is slightly double-stamped.) Also, sharp, strong proof marks visible on the barrel left facet. Original nipple and bolster.

Beveled lockplate is fitted with a C-shaped hammer and with the Maynard tape priming system. System employed a waterproof paper tape of percussion caps inserted into the primer magazine that set a cap unto the nipple when the hammer was pulled back and trigger pulled. Tape priming system mechanics very strong and smooth. Hammer has a knife-edged, bottom lip that severed the expended portion of the tape. Musket has a large long range rear sight graduated to 800 yards and an iron blade front sight.

Over two hundred and fifty thousand such longarm weapons were produced for the US Ordnance Dept during the war years. Mechanics crisp and tight. Bore is dusty, but should clean to bright. Rifling strong. The original, steel, swelled-shank, tulip-head ramrod retains its threaded tip. All barrel bands are original and secured to the stock via flat iron springs. Handsome black walnut stock is solid with no cracks or splits. Wood surface is very good, smooth and never cleaned. Does show a few dings and small gouges overall. Two thin government cartouches are visible on the flat. Screws not buggered up. Longarm retains both swivels.

A very fine, Springfield Model 1855 rifle-musket of the Civil War era.

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