1847 Harper's Ferry Musket

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: 1842 Harper's Ferry Musket

Hallo!

Thanks John!
I was typing faster than I was thinking. Armi Sport not Pedersoli.

Yes, the higher spur also reminds me of some of the M1822 conversions. Once Upon A Time in the Way Back Daze I was sold a conversion hammer as a "M1842" hammer.
I cannot explain it, that is the hammer that came with the Armi SPort. When they first came out, my late pard and I both snatched one up- he went with the "rifled and sighted" and I went with the unaltered.

Curt

[Craig L Barry]

Re: 1842 Harper's Ferry Musket

Right, Pedersoli only makes the decent US 1816 smoothbore flint and Colt conversion repros. Excellent lock function on those. The dwarf percussion hammer Pedersoli uses looked weird, so it was replaced on mine with a Maynard hammer.

Armi Sport makes the very decent US 1842, which is probably the best of the current "out of the box" repros. Or as Curt has put it, the "least worst". And like their Enfields, the earlier production runs were better made than the current crop. The tolerances were tighter and the metal parts less soft. This is particularly noticeable in the triggers and springs.

Note how the spread eagle on the lock plate faces "dexter" (right) on the US 1842s, and afterwards on the US model rifle-muskets it generally faces "sinister" (left), in heraldic terms.

It seems like on originals, the tall thumbspur style hammers were more prevalent on Harpers Ferry produced 1842s, or am I remembering that wrong?

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: 1842 Harper's Ferry Musket

It seems like on originals, the tall thumbspur style hammers were more prevalent on Harpers Ferry produced 1842s, or am I remembering that wrong?

That is exactly what I was referring to. And, yes, I believe you are correct Personally, I like the look of the taller thumbspur.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: 1842 Harper's Ferry Musket

Hallo!

Correct!

Alas, I no longer have any on hand to measure to put up measurements. Sigh.
But I will make a call tonight and see what I might can arrange.

(and while the M1842 was supposed to be the first model with interchangeable parts, they don't always "inter-change..." Those Southerners.... ;-) :-)

Curt

[Craig L Barry]

Re: 1842 Harper's Ferry Musket

You are correct Curt. The original US 1842s were supposed to be parts interchangeable but do not always interchange all parts. For that matter, the US 1861s may not either, particularly if produced by a Federal contractor vs the Springfield Armory. I think the difference is the US model parts can usually be "fit" whereas (for example) with a commercial grade 2 P-53, some parts will just never fit.

One Birmingham Small Arms Trade P-53 in my collection has an arbor shaft that is square on the end and another one is diamond shaped so the hammers will not interchange. The lock assemblies do not interchange parts because screw holes are ever so slightly off from one another and so on.

[onemoreb]

Re: 1842 Harper's Ferry Musket

We de-farbed our Armi Sport '42's by grinding off the blade sight and using silver solder to place a brass blade on it and out of the 6 we have done none have come off. It is quite easy and takes about 20 minutes to do it.

[tsgalloway]

1847 Harper's Ferry Musket

Below are some photos of my original '42 with an 1847 Harper's Ferry lockplate. At some point in it's life, it was painted black. I'd like to clean it up a bit. Is there a safe way to remove this paint with out compromising the musket?

[tsgalloway]

Re: 1847 Harper's Ferry Musket

A few more pics. As you can see above, it has been shortened as well.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: 1847 Harper's Ferry Musket

If this piece is all-original, it blows the theory of the tall thumbspur being a "Harpers Ferry Thang". Another theory bites the dust?

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: 1847 Harper's Ferry Musket

Hallo!

The black paint can be removed with a solvent such as paint thinner, acetone, or even paint stripper, and a soft rag and/or brush like a tooth brush.
Wear rubber gloves as solvents can be toxic, as are their fumes.

And.. disassemble the gun first as chemicals have a tendency to bleach and damage wood.

Curt
Still working on the M1842 Hammer spur height Mess

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: 1847 Harper's Ferry Musket

I'll add to Curt's caution on gloves:
Be aware that gloves you wear may be soluble in some solvents, especially the thin "examination" type gloves. Have a look at your gloves as your work, because they may be disolving slowly as you go.

[Michael Comer]

Re: 1847 Harper's Ferry Musket

If this piece is all-original, it blows the theory of the tall thumbspur being a "Harpers Ferry Thang". Another theory bites the dust?

John,

I don't quite follow here and I'm not the most knowledgeable on period weapons - a deficit I am working on. I think I may know but would like some clarification for my own understanding. If it is a Harper Ferry's lockplate would it not have the tall Harper's Ferry thumbspur on the hammer? Or is the hammer not considered part of the lockplate and you are saying the hammer would be a Springfield put on a Harper's Ferry plate?

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: 1847 Harper's Ferry Musket

Sorry if I wasn't clear.

The piece is considered as a whole. This being the case, in my (limited!) experience, I have noticed that Springfield-made US M1842's appear to have a shorter thumbspur than those made by Harpers Ferry.

The piece pictured appears to be a Harpers Ferry example, yet it appears to have the shorter variety of thumbspur. If one assumes that the piece is comprised of parts that have been together since the time of manufacture, then my (and others) theory of the long thumbspur being associated with "The Ferry" has been disproven... at least in part. :wink_smil

Does that make more sense?

John,

I don't quite follow here and I'm not the most knowledgeable on period weapons - a deficit I am working on. I think I may know but would like some clarification for my own understanding. If it is a Harper Ferry's lockplate would it not have the tall Harper's Ferry thumbspur on the hammer? Or is the hammer not considered part of the lockplate and you are saying the hammer would be a Springfield put on a Harper's Ferry plate?

[Michael Comer]

Re: 1847 Harper's Ferry Musket

Yes, it does make more sense. Thanks for the explanation.

[Craig L Barry]

Re: 1847 Harper's Ferry Musket

I have seen the tall hammers on US 1842s from both Armories, but they seem to show up more often on the Harpers Ferry marked guns. Hammers are one of the parts that interchanged on that model fairly easily. Hammers wear, crack and then get replaced. Don't get too hung up on the height of the thumbspur and exclusivity of that style hammer to the output one Armory.