1863 Springfield Muskets

[northernreb]

What would be the correct finish for the 1863 Springfield type I & type II muskets? Would barrels be blued? - John DeCaro

[ajroscoe]

Re: 1863 Springfield Muskets

John,
As far as I know, no M1855/1861/1863 Rifled Muskets were blued. There were left unfinished and polished, what is called "Armory Bright" in the parlance of the time. I have never seen an extant musket that was anything other than armory bright.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: 1863 Springfield Muskets

Hallo!

The M1863 returned to the early days of the M1855 Rifle. :)

The lock was case hardened in mottled colors, as was the hammer. The bands were blued. The rear sight was blackened or bright. However, they are known with both blued and bright barrel bands as well.

There is some disagreement and the "bright ones," with some lads arguing that some were struck bright before leaving the arsenal to conform to the near all bright
M1861's. As with Enfields said to have been struck bright to visually match mixed M1861 Springfield companies within the same regiments, I have never (not yet) seen documentation for those opinions.

I have an original M1863, the remains of the colors on the lockplate and hammer appears as bands of black shadows as all that is left. And I have a mint M1863 or
M1864 hammer in mottled colors, as well as a number fo blued bands, in the parts drawer somewhere..
Often times, overzealous dealers and collectors have buffed or polished off the "ugly shadows" thinking them dirt or age discolorations on what they think should be an all bright finish. (A belief initially held by the Italains as well who reproduced the early repro M1863 and M1864 (M1863 Types I and II) with bright hammers and locks as well.

Curt