Miller conversions were done by the Meriden Manufacturing Company in Connecticut from 1865 to 1867. Patented by one of their own employees, the system allowed the rifle musket to fire a .58 caliber rimfire cartridge. Flayderman estimates the number converted at 2,000 and notes guns attributed to the state forces of both Maryland and New York. Moller gives a much higher number, 5,000, and notes they were made for South Carolina in 1866, with some perhaps going to South America. The system used a hinged breechblock that was close enough to the Allin system that when the latter was adopted by Springfield Miller sued and eventually received a royalty.

This example rates good for condition. The rifle is complete and all original, the markings are sharp, the wood-to-metal fit is tight, the wood has good edges and color, but it shows rough handling, with numerous handling marks and a couple of shallow gouges on the right forestock. The metal, though, is smooth, mostly a dull silver gray with some thin brown, and a few darker gray spots on the lock. Both sights are in place, as are all bands, springs, swivels, cleaning rod, etc. Markings on the top of the breech are crisp: “W. H. & G. W. MILLER / PATENT MAY 23 1865 / MERIDEN MAN’FG. CO. / MERIDEN CONN.” The lockplate is stamped “PARKERS’ SNOW & CO. / MERIDEN CONN.,” with the date “1863” to rear of the hammer. (No one has explained the use of “Parkers’” in the stamping- perhaps it was supposed to be a comma, indicating there were two Parkers in the company.) In any case, the Meriden Mfg. Co. was simply a late 1864/early 1865 reorganization and re-naming of the company.  Clean bore with good rifling, nice crisp action.

In any case, Parker-Snow had a September 1863 contract for 15,000 M1861 rifle muskets that was completed November 1, 1864. The 1863 date on the lockplate marks this perhaps as one of roughly 2,000 delivered by the end of 1863 or among the 1,000 delivered in January 1864, with the contract completed by November 1864. This was rapid and efficient work, but the company already had experience in making the guns: they had subcontracted with James Mulholland to undertake his contract, supplying 5,502 M1861s from July through October 1863. Thus, since they not only made, but used their own markings on the Mulholland M1861s, there is the possibility that this actually went out somewhat earlier as part of his contract.

The Meriden Manufacturing Company is also known among martial arms collectors as the maker of the Triplett & Scott repeating carbine, but their most famous product, highly regarded among shooters and collectors, was something else: the Parker shotgun.    [sr] [ph:L]

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