Amoskeag Model 1861 Special Muskets at Taylors and Company

[threepdr]

I was visiting the Taylor's and Company website today for some revolver parts and stumbled on this listing. It is for a Model 1863 Springfield, but the photo shows an Amoskeag marked Model 1861 Special musket. The price is only $599!

I messaged them and the photos are correct, and they were a special run and have a special price. These are essentially the same gun of the Colt signature series and the Amoskeag that was sold by Chattahoochee Firearms a few years ago.

Has anyone seen one of these current muskets? They are made by Chiappa (AKA Armi-Sport). The price is very enticing!

http://www.taylorsfirearms.com/long-...musket-58.html

[MarkTK36thIL]

Re: Amoskeag Model 1861 Special Muskets at Taylors and Company

Jeez, at that price, it'd be a great defarb! I would shoot John Holland or post on the NSSA forum too.

[cairnsy44]

Re: Amoskeag Model 1861 Special Muskets at Taylors and Company

As I looked at the photo, one shows the lock plate saying 1863 Amoskeag-Manchester, NH. But it's really an 1861?

[MuleyGil]

Re: Amoskeag Model 1861 Special Muskets at Taylors and Company

The Model 1861 has a different style bolster that has a clean-out screw.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Amoskeag Model 1861 Special Muskets at Taylors and Company

It looks to me like the "Special Model" 1861, as produced by Colt, Amoskeag, and a couple others. As previously mentioned, the now-closed "Chattahoochie Black Powder Arms Co." made these back around the same time Colt had their "Signature Series" black powder arms in production (1995-2000??).

If they are on par with the CBPA Co pieces in terms of quality and historical accuracy, this looks like a good deal.

*Update*
This just in...
Just looked at the detailed pics on their website. I'm not really enthusiastic about what I see.

[Dbackfed]

Re: Amoskeag Model 1861 Special Muskets at Taylors and Company

The bolster looks all jacked up.

[threepdr]

Re: Amoskeag Model 1861 Special Muskets at Taylors and Company

The only issue with the bolster that I see is that it appears to extent further out from the lock plate then orginals. They were almost flush on the originals. I think the hammer is Jacked up, however. The good thing is that original mint hammer cost only $30 and they are a drop in fit.

Mark Hubbs

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Amoskeag Model 1861 Special Muskets at Taylors and Company

Good catch. In the book The Civil War Musket: A Handbook for Historical Accuracy (2006) which is currently out of print, there is the same revelation that the Armi Sport US model 1863 is essentially the same in terms of its component parts as the reproduction Colt Special Models of a generation ago. The internal lock parts actually interchange with the Armi Sport Enfields but they do not interchange with an original Colt Special Model 1861 lock...also the stock shape is another clue, or really I would say, it was a dead giveaway.

We all knew on some level that Colt Mfg was not really making those reproductions of the Special Model of 1861 rifle musket back then, any more than Colt Mfg made those slightly better Signature Series 1851 Navy revolvers they used to sell, right? That was Uberti supplying parts under license to their specifications.

[McNally]

Re: Amoskeag Model 1861 Special Muskets at Taylors and Company

The Civil War Musket: A Handbook for Historical Accuracy (2006) which is currently out of print

Not to derail the topic too badly, but is it possible there could ever be a reprint or an updated edition, either as a physical book or ebook? I just got a used copy for $pancreas and I know you don't see a dime from people selling used copies at ridiculous markups (unless they're all you selling copies from a box in your garage, in which case well done!).

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Amoskeag Model 1861 Special Muskets at Taylors and Company

Hallo!

I tried two daze ago ordering one on line from Taylor's 14 times. It never went through. (I was going to get one and swap the anemic repro hammer for a minty original.)

I had had two of the Italian Colt Colt's back when,, and sold them off. I planned on calling and ordering one by phone the next morning. When I woke up the next day. I had lost interest.

SM1861's remain VASTLY "under-represented" in the Hobby. (

Oh, M1861's basically have a modified curved M1855 hammer (minus the tape primer notch and beefed up a bit in the nose.). The M1863 and M1864 used a modified SM1861 hammer.

Curt

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Amoskeag Model 1861 Special Muskets at Taylors and Company

Not to derail the topic too badly, but is it possible there could ever be a reprint or an updated edition, either as a physical book or ebook? I just got a used copy for $pancreas and I know you don't see a dime from people selling used copies at ridiculous markups (unless they're all you selling copies from a box in your garage, in which case well done!).

No plans to reprint The Civil War Musket: A Handbook for Historical Accuracy. That book had a pretty decent run. First published in 2006, it sold well enough to warrant a 2nd edition in 2011. The 2nd edition had about 75 more pages, mostly on the Enfield. Like most Watchdog publications, all proceeds were donated to battlefield preservation, including the author's share of the royalties.

Also, I suppose the biggest reason is The Watchdog (publisher of the book) is soon to be no more. We are closing down the non-profit 501 (c)3. The Watchdog also had a pretty decent run (1993-2017). Nicky Hughes was the first editor, Geoff Walden was on staff at that time. Then Bill Christen took over in 1997. Virginia Mescher was an associate editor. The book publications have largely stood the test of time. The Watchdog also published Columbia Rifles Research Compendium Volume 2, For Fatigue Purpose by Patrick Brown and the pamphlet Making Cartridges, by Patrick Reardon. The Watchdog was being published as a column in Civil War News from 2009 until last month.

[MuleyGil]

Re: Amoskeag Model 1861 Special Muskets at Taylors and Company

IIRC, Colt's SM musket was based on the Enfield, as opposed to the 1861Springfield pattern.

The Chattahoochie models of a few years back had the barrel threaded too deeply and when live fired, the base of the Mini bullets would expand into this threaded area and the base would be messed up. Accuracy suffered greatly.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Amoskeag Model 1861 Special Muskets at Taylors and Company

Hallo!

Think of putting an "Enfield" type lock on an M1855 body. :)

Colt had hoped to create a competitor to the weapons being turned out by Springfield and contractors at a lower price. What gave him a boost was that machinery in Hartford and Windsor that was left over or left behind after Robbins & Lawrence went bankrupt (when Britain pulled a fast one and cancelled their Enfield making contract) could be modified and used.

Chattahoochie was just an importer of the Chiappa SM1861, they did not make them. Like Lou Imperato was doing with the "Colt Signature" ones with "better" QC....but without the Italian stampings and added Colt logo, etc.

Curt

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Amoskeag Model 1861 Special Muskets at Taylors and Company

Right. And that US model 1863 that Armi Sport is selling is pretty much exactly what that is...they are serviceable, nothing special. They can be re-worked into something decent. And the price is right. However, you are spot on when you say that the repro Special Model of 1861 is very much under-represented in the hobby. In the final analysis, of the Armi Sport product offerings, the US 1842 is still the best bet all around.

[JomsViking]

I have bought a lot of really great Leather gear from Dell and he has really been great to work with. Never had a bad stitch. Very high quality and quick service. Will probably order a ground cloth this week, should get a lot of use out of it in Florida.