This heavy, full-stock, percussion cap and ball rifled musket longarm was recovered from the Gettysburg battlefield sometime after the fighting. The musket is an original M1816 Type 2 musket altered by Frankford Arsenal with the then-new Maynard Type primer locks and percussion bolsters made by the Remington Arms Co. of New York. Remington Arms contracted with the government between 1856 to 1859 for 20,000 Maynard primer locks and bolsters and delivered all to Philadelphia’s Frankford Arsenal location.  The primer lock device was centered on the lockplate and had a kidney-shaped hinged door while the bolster /nipple was extra long to fit the Maynard device.  Door has broken off.  A tape or strip of narrow varnished paper holding small dabs of fulminate of mercury was inserted into the hinged door device. When the hammer was cocked, an internal pawl rotated the tape and allowed the fulminate to rest atop the nipple.

The .69 caliber musket, rifled by the arsenal, measures 57½” overall in length and has a 42¼” long round barrel matched to a one-piece stock of dark walnut.  Barrel exhibits two areas where the metal has split-open and burst on the right side at points 12” and 22” down from the muzzle.  The battered and gouged full stock still shows two thin government cartouches on the flat.  Visible on the right side of stock are unknown markings “4 / D 84” stamped into the wood.  All gunmetal, including the barrel, wears a mottled gray / black coloring with moderate peppery pitting overall.  Rear sight is missing. All furniture is iron including the high spur hammer, buttstrap, trigger guard, lockplate, swivels and three barrel bands.  Barrel proof marks completely obliterated.  Lockplate has a faint maker’s mark “REMINGTON’S / ILION N.Y.  /  1857  / U. S.” behind the hammer. No visible marks on barrel tang.

Many of these M1816 Remington-Maynard altered rifled muskets saw Civil War duty in the Confederate army.  600 units saw US naval service.  Original ramrod. Bore is dark and with heavy pitting and no rifling.  Mechanics non-existent with the hammer free.  A great Gettysburg-recovered, relic longarm with possible Confederate usage.