This Model 1861 is complete and all original, made at Springfield, with matching 1862 dates on lock and barrel, sharp edges, tight fit of wood to metal, crisp markings including two nice cartouches, a mint, shiny bore with good rifling and a tight action. We would rate it excellent but for some storage scratches to the buttstock and counterpane, and two gouges on the right forestock forward of the middle band.

This was the standard rifle musket of the Civil War with production starting at Springfield in July 1861. The pattern improved on the M1855 in eliminating the Maynard tape priming system and the patch box in the buttstock, and by the time production started a new rear sight had been developed as well. This is a great example with all metal in the bright as issued and the rear sight showing thin, correct, blue. All markings in the metal are crisp, including those on the buttplate, lock, barrel, directional markings on the bands, etc. The lock and barrel have matching 1862 dates. The rifle appears unfired, with no corrosion near the nipple, thin blue on the rear sight and only a few brown spots from dried grease.

The wood has nice color, fits all the metal tightly, has sharp edges, and two crisp cartouches on the side flat: finish-inspector William P. Taylor’s “WPT” and Erskine Allin’s “ESA” acceptance stamp below and to the rear of Taylor’s. The buttstock shows some shallow storage scratches and light dings, mostly on the right. The side flat shows some as well, but they do not interfere with the cartouches, which have both sharp lettering and borders. The right forestock shows two gouges at the band spring of the middle band, one small one below the stock edge, the other just above the ramrod channel which puts the wood in the “very good” range. We have elected to leave these as they are and let the next owner decide whether to have a competent conservator repair them, but think it could be done invisibly and the overall condition of the rifle merits it.

Springfield dramatically increased production in 1861 to arm the large number of new volunteers. Little more than 22,000 of the M1855 .58 caliber rifle muskets were in government arsenals in late 1860: more than 6,000 of these were at Benecia Arsenal on the west coast, and another 7,000 were in southern states. Springfield increased its work force, machinery, and started night shifts, managing to turn out some 33,000 of the new Model1861s by the end of 1861 and 173,000 from January to December 1862, an accomplishment that allowed for eventual replacement of older and imported arms and for U.S. contractors to tool up and begin deliveries. This is a key piece in any Civil War or U.S. martial arms collection.  [sr] [ph:L]

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