William Muir of Windsor Locks received a U.S. contract for 30,000 1861 pattern rifle muskets in December 1861. He subcontracted pretty much all the constituent parts. For details see Hartzler, Yantz and Whistler, and also Moller. Deliveries commenced in January 1863 and finished in November 1864. 29,000 are accounted for in the deliveries. Government records credit the company with the full 30,000. The missing 1,000 were likely delivered by another maker, or one of his subcontractors, and credited to his account.

This rifle follows the specifications for the 1861 contract rifle muskets, with .58 caliber barrel with three barrel bands, all springs and swivels in place, front and rear sights in place, with sight leaves, and ramrod present, and is in very good condition. The hammer is the correct 1861 configuration. The bolster has the clean out screw, etc.  The lock plate is clearly stamped “1863” behind the hammer, and “Wm MUIR & Co / WINDSOR LOCKS, CT.” forward, under the bolster, with an eagle with U.S. shield on its chest, over a U.S, between the hammer and bolster.

All the metal is smooth and muted silver in color. The rear sight shows thin blue. The hammer and bolster show some faint color, the hammer shows darker gray also, and the hammer screw shows some blue. The lockplate shows some darker gray all show some faint brown grease stains, but nothing horrible. The eagle shows a little rubbing and may have been cleaned, but all the rest of the lock markings are sharp. There seem to be no signs, however, of a barrel date, V/P/eagle head barrel proof or “U.S.” on the buttplate tang.

The wood is very good, with a deep brown color and good fit to the metal, with just minor handling dings and some small pressure dents to the butt flats. The edges to the lock platform and left flat show some slight rounding from handling, but no cracks or chips, just scattered handling marks. As with the metal, there are no inspector or acceptance cartouches visible on the side flat.

This is a nice 1863 dated 1861 rifle-musket by a known U.S. contractor who fulfilled his federal government contracts. The gun does not seem to have been over cleaned or scrubbed for postwar use, which might remove markings, and is likely a privately purchased or state contract arm that would make an interesting addition to a collection of U.S. martial arms or 1861 contracts, the standard infantry arm of the Civil War.  [sr]

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