Re: Musket Stocks - The "Right Color"?
Hallo!
As made by the arsenals, the rear sights (and screws and barrel band springs) on "Springfields" were not blued, but rather "quench blackened."
My guess for sights, it was designed to cut down on reflected (actually refracted) light distortion.
That was the sight base, the two sight screws, and the two leaves on the late model M1855, M1861, M1863, or one leaf on the M1863 "Type II."
However, it was sometimes removed before issuance.
I have never encountered documentation as to why.
As a result, (and assuming it was not done in say 1961 to improve the looks before a sale by a dealer or antique seller), one sometimes finds rear sights both dark and bright.
I replace the bright Italian rear sights with the blackened Rich Cross ones on my Italian
"Springfields."
(As an aside, the hammers and lockplates were color case hardened for function rather than looks. The "color" on M1855 and M1861 arms was arsenal or armory polished bright, except for the M1863 arms..)
Curt
Hallo!
As made by the arsenals, the rear sights (and screws and barrel band springs) on "Springfields" were not blued, but rather "quench blackened."
My guess for sights, it was designed to cut down on reflected (actually refracted) light distortion.
That was the sight base, the two sight screws, and the two leaves on the late model M1855, M1861, M1863, or one leaf on the M1863 "Type II."
However, it was sometimes removed before issuance.
I have never encountered documentation as to why.
As a result, (and assuming it was not done in say 1961 to improve the looks before a sale by a dealer or antique seller), one sometimes finds rear sights both dark and bright.
I replace the bright Italian rear sights with the blackened Rich Cross ones on my Italian
"Springfields."
(As an aside, the hammers and lockplates were color case hardened for function rather than looks. The "color" on M1855 and M1861 arms was arsenal or armory polished bright, except for the M1863 arms..)
Curt
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