This Richmond Armory longarm, often referred to as a Confederate ‘Low Hump’ rifle musket, is a complete and authentic example of the Type-3 Richmond musket. The ‘low hump’ characteristic inherent in the Federal M1855 lockplate was designed to support the Maynard tape primer system which the Confederates did not utilize in their own production. This shoulder arm, a .58 caliber rifle-musket, is based on the M1855 Pattern made at the U.S. armory at Harpers Ferry, VA. In April of 1861, Virginia State Forces under rebel Captain Turner Ashby raided Harper’s Ferry and made off with the Federal armory’s most modern M1855 rifle and rifle musket tooling and milling machinery, including all the spare M1855 musket parts and dies. The equipment was relocated to the Richmond, Virginia Armory where the Type-3’s were assembled once the CS Armory was refitted with the Federal machinery. These early low-hump models had lock plates with the date “1863” stamped behind the hammer. Forward of the hammer the plate was stamped with “C. S. / RICHMOND, VA.”

This Richmond rifle-musket is a scarce longarm of the early Southern-produced rifle muskets that was assembled at the Richmond Armory with original M1855 rifle parts taken from the Federal Harper’s Ferry Armory. Early Richmond rifle-musket production runs were assembled almost entirely from the captured M1855 parts including the metal furniture which was mostly iron. But as noted by the late Fred R. Edmunds, an authority on Richmond rifles, these longarms likely included some brass component parts in their makeup, i.e. butt plates and stock tips, a.k.a. nose caps taken from the armory inventory when Ashby conducted his raid. We feel this example exhibits a number of Harpers Ferry-captured parts in its assembly, assembly characteristics such as the brass butt plate and iron barrel bands, all bands stamped with the “U”.

Longarm has an iron cast nose cap with rivet, no screw and other Richmond Armory-produced characteristics such as a hammer with no Maynard primer cutting edge, a crudely checkered hammer thumb, and a walnut stock with no cartouches. Hammer is slightly loose. Arm has a 40” steel barrel, and an unmarked two-leaf rear sight. All gunmetal on this rifle musket exhibits dark coloring. Lockplate bears a dull, dark gray patina with light pinprick rust pitting overall. Musket measures 56” long overall with a 40” long round barrel. Barrel bore is on the dark side but exhibits three-groove rifling in good condition. Proof markings of “V / P / eagle head” visible on the breech left facet but are worn. Both sling swivels present.

Black walnut stock measures 51½” long and has acquired a pleasing dark patina. Stock has no patchbox or cartouches but does have a crude old repair crack at the top of the stock along the wrist. Another crack repair along the left breech plug tang. Both appear to be period repairs. Also, a crudely applied metal escutcheon? that measures 2” x ½” is nailed to the left side of stock. Opposite side shows evidence of a circular device once nailed to the wood. Ramrod has the M1861 original shank-swelled ramrod with threaded tip intact. An interesting, fine example of a true Richmond ‘Low-Hump’ M1855 rifle musket.

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