The Monster Enfield Defarbing Thread

[paulcalloway]

Re: Too Many Enfields?

I'm still rolling around that 250,00 Enfields number - Chris, someone is pulling your leg. At a $400 price tag, that's $100 million in top-line sales selling Enfields to CW Reenactors.

If there was that kind of business to be had selling Enfields at CW reenactments, Sam Walton would have been setting up a tent.

[Parault]

Re: Too Many Enfields?

I have the typical Einfield that most people start out with when they make that "plunge". I have since then purchased a EA 1853 Springfield conversion.
I would like to purchase another Springfield late model soon.

[Chad Teasley]

Re: Too Many Enfields?

When one has a mortgage, property taxes, car payments, kids in college, etc., multiple rifles has a really low priority....

Amen, and amen.

After having been absent from the hobby for a while, I'm in the process of gearing back up for both my son and me to participate after my return from overseas. I'll be springing for two muskets in the near future, and have been thinking long and hard about what models they will be.

My conclusion: More than likely, both will be the venerable P-53 Enfield. Why?
Quite simple: The Enfield is acceptable for a fairly wide range of impressions.

I've been tempted to go with the model 1842, but as I'll probably do more late War events than early War, I think the Enfield will be better, for the simple reason that it is more likely to be appropriate for most events that I hope to attend.

Is the Enfield already over-represented in the hobby?
Quite possibly.
Will I be ADDING to that over-representation by adding two more of them to the ranks?
Yep.

In a perfect world (i.e. one in which Uncle Sam paid me six figures per annum), I'd just get P-53's AND 1842's for both me and my son.

Unfortunately, the world isn't perfect, and two of my other teenagers at home are currently in need of braces...

And that takes priority over having a musket to fit every impression. :)

[jhuether]

Re: Too Many Enfields?

In a perfect world (i.e. one in which Uncle Sam paid me six figures per annum), I'd just get P-53's AND 1842's for both me and my son.

Deployment has always been the best time to update my kit, or even add a new impression. To be honest it is the only time that I can afford both of my hobbies (homebrewing being the other) on a NCOs pay scale. I probably could cut a few corners here or there, but to be honest with my schedule I am lucky if I can attend one event a year. And, while my wife encourages my hobbies, she doesn't want to see any more of our money sitting in the closet, hardly used.

Since I have been here this past year, I have decide to get back into the military side of the hobby, having to start from scratch, since it has been almost 7 years since I last had a military impression, and I sold everything when I joined the Army.

"Hello. My name is Jason and I am going to buy an Enfield.":)

[7thNJcoA]

Re: Too Many Enfields?

I agree about it being easier to change uniforms for diffrent impressions rather than weapons. I love firearms and collect many diffrent types. I have alot of repro civil war muskets and use them mainly for living history ecsp the lorenz, because most reenactments in the east coast are springfield and enfield NAZIs so It is hard to introduce the diffrent types of weapons to the public. The biggest thing for the event organizers is SAFETY!


EDIT: Sign your full name to every post.

[rlendt]

Re: Rack Numbers Engraved on the P-53 Enfield

Hi,
I have owned a P-53 Enfield for about 30 years and have never been able to figure out what the number "6410" stamped on the ramrod is. Could this be a rack number or is it too high for a rack number? The only other potentially Confederate markings are faintly stamped "CS" markings on the lock plate, trigger guard, and butt plate.
The lock is stamped "Potts & Hunt" "London" and the barrel (Which was made by "Barnett" according to the stamp on the bottom of the barrel) has the normal London commercial proof marks stamped on the top left breech. There are no English, or Confederate for that matter, governmental inspection marks of any type that I can locate.
Thanks for the interesting discussion.
Bob Lendt

[BrettKIllinois]

Re: Too Many Enfields?

Sure I don't have kids or a mortgage or live in California, all of these are choices I have made to not have.

[Secesh]

Re: Too Many Enfields?

Obviously you've missed the point entirely .....

[Bob 125th NYSVI]

Re: Blockade Runner Enfield Defarb

Todd:

Ley me see if I've got this right, because I'm in the market for a defarbed Enfield.

You prefer the Armi model because the stock starts closer to the original than the Euro. And the profile of the barrel/mounting parts are closer to the original.

You both stain (Minwax) and linseed oil the stocks in order to get the color right and you're willing to do a lighter color than you see on most stocks (saw a Bridesburg with a light stock).

You also correct some other items.

You're working off of an original/information provided by Tim Prince.

It does however seem that the defarb you do is appropriate for a CSA impression or a western Fed after Vicksburg, but not an eastern Fed.

Do you do a version that would be appropriate for an eastern Fed?

Thanks

[Todd Watts]

Re: Blockade Runner Enfield Defarb

Well, kinda-sorta. I only apply walnut stain/Minwax to the guns that have a lot of "sap wood" which is a very light figureless wood located on the outer few inches of tree trunks. These must be stained to look decent because regular linseed oil will leave them eggshell white. There is nothing structurally wrong with the wood, it is just completely without natural pigmintation so I have to darken it manually. (I don't think I have ever seen an example of sap wood on any original muskets from back then. This may be because none survived, or they simply threw that wood away and only used the core wood. Back then they had plenty of gigantic walnuts with which to carve stocks and these were large enough that they could have easily steered clear of the sap wood. Today however, wood is at a premium and the trunks are not large enough to allow the mass-producers the luxury of carving away from the sap wood.) Otherwise, I only apply a couple of hand-rubbed coats of boiled linseed just like the originals got. I seal this with wood wax.

All of mine can be either CS or US and are correct for any theater. Federals did obtain Enfields that were CS contract-bought as Grant reported at the fall of Vicksburg. What he described as "new stands of English rifles" had to be new Enfields. He had some of his troops trade-in their own "obsolete" muskets for the captured new guns and then offered as the "captured stores" his own guns. (Clever fellow!)

I do the BSAT versions of Joseph Wilson, Charles Swinburn and now, Eyton Bond. To make them "CS" all I need to do is apply the "JS over anchor" stamp or the "anchor over S". If you want, I can engrave the rammer, buttplate tang and even bayonet with matching "inventory/rack/lot" numbers/lettters which can be correct for any style from what I can tell. I have seen several examples with such markings and many without. I don't stamp these numbers and letters because I simply do not have the fancy stamps of the size they liked to use. I hand-engrave the markings in a rather simple fashion which mimics closely what some markings were done like. Some were obviously "engraved" with a straight file and these look so bad that I don't like doing them. If a guy if paying that much for a musket and then a hundred or so for me to improve it, I am afraid he'd gasp in horror if I made it look too original.;)

I am glad to see the pics of one of my defarbs up there. I remember that one, and it is funny that when I do see pictures of them I often can remember the gun in particular. Each one, just like the originals, is unique because no two stamp exactly alike, blue alike, have the same wood, etc. I'd like to add 1 major caution regarding the Euroarms barrel bands. They are cast and do not weld too well.:D I only tried to build up the tabs with the welder once!

Oh, the wood will take the color it will based on its own pigmentation as it soaks up the oil. Some come out nearly blonde and some turn a deep brown. I can force them to darken by adding dye, but otherwise there is not much control over what tone it will take. What Euroarms does is add walnut-stain dye to make theris dark brown. Armi Sport for some reason applies a reddish dye. Linseed was all that was used originally - so that is what I use.

[Bob 125th NYSVI]

Reproduction Muskets

I'm not sure where to put this one so mods move it around as you see fit.

I've been researching the various vendors who "defarb" weapons.

But based on that research there are only (currently) two manufacturers of ACW muskets (Armi & Euro) and that even those people who build one from the ground up are using one of the two manufacturers base parts with either custom or original parts mixed in.

However I haven't seen anybody who claims to be making a correctly profiled and weighted barrel.

Did I miss someone?

Thanks.

[mrgrzeskowiak]

Re: Reproduction Muskets

Bob, I am friends with someone locally that de-farbs weapons,, PM me and I will send you his info if you are interested. I am aware of only armi and euro as makers of repro guns..

[Western Blue Belly]

Re: Reproduction Muskets

One maker not often mentioned is Davide Pedersoli. They make a repo '61 Springfield. I have never seen one of the rifles in person so I cant say anything about it, but at $1050.00 it better not need de-farbing of any kind.

http://www.cherrys.com/pedpics/s243b.jpg

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Reproduction Muskets

I haven't seen anybody who claims to be making a correctly profiled and weighted barrel.

Did I miss someone?

Yep!

http://www.edsmart.com/whitacre/

[mrgrzeskowiak]

Re: Reproduction Muskets

I shoot with N-SSA and the whitcare barrels are good, but they are made more for accuracy and not authenticity. Just as Bob Hoyt manufactures and re-line barrels. Nobody is making EXACT reproductions of barrels. As I understand it they are shaped differently than euro or armi barrels to compensate for there competition, (progressive) rifling. As a previous owner of a Pedersoli Musket, They are NOT de-farbed.. and still have modern markings. The 42 comes semi-de-farbed out of the box..but, that is a smoothbore and may not be correct for your impression....