This excellent condition rifled and sighted M1842 musket was once in the collection of long-time and well-known collector John Henry Kurtz. It bears a Springfield 1853 dated lockplate and 1854 dated breechplug tang, indicating assembly early in 1854 rather than a mixing of parts, a year in which Springfield manufactured 10,000 of them, and the next-to-last year of their production. It is also rifled, provided with a cupped ramrod for the conical bullet, and fitted with an 1855 pattern long-range rear sight, modifications done to 9,929 Model 1842s at Springfield from 1856 through 1859.

The has a great look and condition, with smooth metal on all parts and matching color, clear markings on both metal and wood, a tight fit of wood to metal, and good edges to the wood with few handling marks. These were issued “national army bright” and the metal preserves that finish with just scattered gray aging and no pitting. The barrel preserves its bayonet stud. All bands, springs and swivels are in place and match in color and condition. The side plate, hammer and buttplate screws all have crisp slots. The long-range rear sight is in place and complete. The left breech shows a clear V/P/eagle head proofmarks and a crisp 1854 date on the breechplug tang. The left barrel flat shows some tiny dings, but no vise marks and still has a small “T” subinspector stamp. The breech and bolster are very good and show no pitting from percussion caps. The nipple is not battered. The lock plate shows a crisp eagle over US forward and SPRING/FIELD/1853 in three lines to the rear of the hammer. The side of the bolster matches the lockplate in condition, showing no pitting. The lockplate and hammer show a tad more color, the result of casehardening, though finished bright for issue. The cupped ramrod is in place and shows a “I.104” marking near the tip, likely a rack number from some point in its history. The mechanics are perfect and the bore is semi-bright with just some minor pitting.

The wood has a good surface, very crisp edges and a warm brown tone with a few scattered darker spots and a very tight fit to the metal. The left side flat has some scratches but also a very sharp inspector’s cartouche, with one scratch crossing it, but legible and visible from a distance. The edges of the barrel channel, side flat and lock apron are sharp. The ramrod channel is good, but the only loss we see to the wood is on the underside of the forestock below the middle band which was carelessly moved at some point, scraping the wood on one side of the ramrod channel for a couple of inches. There is a little darkening below the hammer, but no wood loss or burnout, and the fit to the barrel breech and breechplug tang is tight. The buttstock is great, with a tight fit of the buttplate, which matches all the other metal, and smooth surface you have to search hard to find handling marks, just a few narrow scratches, some tiny dings near the buttplate tang and what looks like a letter “G” or “C” that had been very lightly scratched in on the upper left flat, and is hard to make out.

John Henry Kurtz liked displaying arms with their correct accouterments. The Model 1842 was widely issued at the beginning of the war and this would look great with early issue equipment, but they were in service throughout the war and the government even went so far as manufacture 1864 pattern cartridge boxes for .69 caliber rifled arms. This would be a very nice addition to an infantry collection or display of regulation Civil War longarms. It also has a nice provenance to a longtime, collector, customer, and friend.  [sr] [ph:L]

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