SCARCE 1808 DATED SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1795 MUSKET TYPE-2 MUSKET

SCARCE 1808 DATED SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1795 MUSKET TYPE-2 MUSKET

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$2,250.00

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Item Code: 2025-3651

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Following the general lines of the French 1766 Charleville musket and referred to as a “Charleville pattern” in contemporary records, and the M1795 by modern collectors, this was one of 5,890 muskets manufactured at the Springfield Armory in 1808 of the Type-II pattern, which overlapped in production with the Type-I in 1806 and the Type-III in 1809. For details see Moller, Schmidt, and Johns. This is an attractive looking musket in good condition, showing just an old repair to the right wrist and upper lock mortise, some expected wear, a set of later owner’s initials, etc., but in original flint and would have been carried by regular army troops in the early westward expansion and into the War of 1812, with the date of manufacture marking an increased concern by the US government about domestic arms manufacture.

The metal is deep brown and the wood a pleasing warm brown in color. All bands, springs, swivels, and bayonet lug are in place. The metal is mostly smooth, with some minor shallow pitting on the breech, breechplug and tang, buttplate, etc. The barrel is 45-3/4” in length. The top mounted bayonet stud is in place at the muzzle. It has vise marks at breech and along he left side of the breechplug tang from old repair work: the wood is stable, has a good surface and color, but the lock apron shows an old nail and glue repaired crack curving up and forward from the pointed rear teat of the lockplate and then forward along the breechplug tang. We see a small chip out at the teat and a short crack at the front of the lock apron curving down, visible on the underside. There is a narrow gap along the right of the breechplug tang and an old chip at the breech on the left. The side flat shows a crack running forward from the front screw. There is some slight darkening and wear to the ramrod channel, mainly in front of the lower band.

The lockplate is deeply stamped forward of the cock, SPRINGFIELD in an arc under an eagle, looking toward the muzzle, with a script “US” overhead, with the upper part of the eagle and some of the US slightly rubbed. The 1808 date at rear of the lockplate and on the buttplate tang are both good. The “P” and “V” barrel proofs are visible, but the US and eagle’s head stamps are not visible, from wear or obscured by the shallow pitting or vise marks. The wood shows an obvious set of later owner’s initials in the side flat that likely did away with any trace of the US acceptance stamp. The triggerguard with finial and rear tang is mostly smooth metal, with just a little shallow pitting on the tang. The finial is the slightly rounded form that replaced the earlier pointed version about 1806. The sling swivels on the other hand are the later Type-II versions that came in 1807/08 using a simple loop suspended from lateral machine screws rather than the earlier bell shaped swivels held by a lug. The ramrod appears to be original as well, measuring 44” long, with button head and threaded end. The mechanics are very good.

This is a scarce musket and an interesting study piece as well, being both part of continuous development of US military shoulder arms but also showing ongoing changes and improvements even within the specific model. The 1808 date is also significant since it marks a rise in tensions with Britain in the wake of the Chesapeake-Leopard affair that led to increased US government attention being paid to domestic arms production both at the national armories and by private manufacturers, who were encouraged by a new round of government contracts on what were considered favorable terms.  [sr][ph:L]

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