The only problem with this rifle-musket is that it will make you want to upgrade every other long arm in your collection. The wood has wonderful color and surface with crisp edges and is essentially unmarred. We found one slight check just forward of the upper lockplate screw on the off side, and a couple of tiny chips opposite the hammer at shoulder of the left breech, and we had to look hard to find those. The metal is smooth and bright, with crisp marks, just some tiny gray stains on the hammer. All sights, sight leaves, bands, springs, swivels and rod are in place. The action is good and the bore excellent.

The lockplate is dated 1863 at rear and marked forward of the hammer with an American eagle over a “U.S.” and forward of that, “SAVAGE R. F. A. Co. / MIDDLETOWN Ct.” The top barrel flat has a crisp matching 1863 date and sharp “V/P/[eaglehead] barrel proofs on the left breech. The Savage Revolving Firearms Company had completed its revolver contract with the U.S. by September 1862 when it received a contract for 25,000 1861 pattern rifle muskets, about 9,000 of which were delivered by the end of 1863. The side barrel flat, however, bears a “N.J.” stamp and the left stock flat shows a matching “N.J.” in the wood, indicating this rifle was one of just 2,200 made by Savage that were contracted for delivery to New Jersey in 1863 by the partnership of Perkins and Livingston, operating as the Meridian Arms Company, making it both scarce and in remarkable condition.

This is a top-notch example of a US Model 1861 Rifle Musket that would be hard to equal.  [sr]

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