Eli Whitney, Jr., was one of the two earliest contractors for the M1841 rifle, taking a contract on October 22, 1842, the first of three contracts under which he delivered 27,600 rifles into 1855, more than other contractor and even more than Harpers Ferry. This is from his second year of production, 1846, in which he supplied 2,400 rifles, while Harpers Ferry was only getting into production, turning out 700.

This is a nice-looking rifle with an untouched, uniform age patina to the metal and wood. The wood has a deep, warm brown tone and preserves very good edges and a tight fit to the metal with some handling dings, age scratches and some rubbing along the edges. The side flat still shows two cartouches: one in a rectangle with rounded ends near the upper lock screw, with the initials tough to make out, and the other, clearer, in a vertical oval at the rear. The wood under the hammer shows burnout from long use and the top of the barrel next to the nipple shows corresponding pitting. This obscures the barrel date, but the V and P barrel proofs at the left breech are clear and the US/JCB inspector stamp of Joseph C. Bragg is legible just above.

From the breech forward the barrel is largely smooth metal, though dark, and retains its original fixed v-notch rear sight and blade front sight and shows no sign adaptation for a bayonet. This is unusual in that M1841s were widely altered in experimentation or updating, particularly in the addition of different long range rear sights after the introduction of the conical (Minie) ball and different methods of attaching a bayonet. The ramrod is the swollen style with steel or iron tip used after the introduction of the new ammunition, but the bore has been reamed out to smoothbore for later use around a farm and it is impossible to tell whether it had be re-rifled from .54 to .58 during its military use. The brass has a beautiful aged tone that complements the wood. Many of the screwheads, particularly on the patchbox, show blue.

The mechanics are excellent. Although showing use, the nipple has not been battered down. Although the bolster shows pitting from the percussion caps, the lockplate shows just a little corrosion at top, immediately below the bolster and hammer, and is largely smooth metal showing mix of silver gray with some dark gray and brown spots, but very clear markings: “N. HAVEN / 1846” in two vertical lines behind the hammer and forward of the hammer “E. WHITNEY / US” with just a small spot on the E.

The rifle is complete and all original, showing age and history, but still very visually appealing.  [sr] [ph:L]

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