Tweet
Hallo!
I came across this on the N-SSA board, and thought I would share it here. For discussion and opinion.....
This is a "parts gun." However, the question is.. whose parts and when? Meaning:
1. It could be a post CW parts gun
2. It could be a Civil War surplus parts gun such as "assembled' by Bannerman
3. It could be a late War Richmond Armory parts gun.
IMHO, it could well be any of those three. But, at a maximum it is a Richmond. At a minimum, it has a Richmond Armory "cut down" barrel.
Part of Confederate armory duties was often the refurbishing and recycling of Federal arms gleaned from the battlefield and reissued, or damaged guns that were sent back and repaired or reworked before being reissued.
One of the rarer "classes" of these arms are rebuilds. This one appears to be an M1861 stock and lock, with M1863 barrel, barrel bands, hammer, and earlier musket ramrod. But, the barrel has been reduced from the RM's 40 inch barrel to 36 to make a "Short Rifle." A number of these have survived but are not well known.
Why, if no more, a Richmond barrel.
"Richmonds" started out as Virginia assembled RM's made from Harpers Ferry parts. When the Confederacy took over and moved the HF equipment to Richmond, they assembled parts and phased in their own manufacturing on the HR RM machinery. NUG, Richmonds will carry the HF proof system of "V," "P," and "Eaglehead" initially just using the same HF stamps.
However, Richmond also used a "third proof' in the form of a five point star on refurbishes.
It is my unproven theory, that the third proof or star indicated a "rebuild" extensive enough to require a new inspection. And in the case of RM's refurbished into "Short Rifles" (think of the so-called "Artillery Rifles" which are not technically rifles because they are just shortened thin RM barrels and not heavy true rifle barrels), when the barrels were sawed-off from 40 down to 36 they required a final inspection before going into service.
That seems to hold true, as the rebuilt mixed part "Short Rifles" carry the star proof (and sometimes no "V. P. Eaglehead Federal or CS HF use stamps). But, there is a surviving parts gun that is an M1861 just with a 1862 dated Richmond lock carrying the addition of the star and inspector's letter stamp.
What say ye?
I learn more towards a later parts gun myself. The flash pitting and discoloration around the bolster does not extend to the lock plate implying or suggesting that the barrel is older than the lock plate.
However that is not always a Hard and Fast rule as barrels are iron or mild steel and not necessarily as 'hard" as the case hardened surface of the lock plate. BUT, that hardening is very fragile and very shallow, so one often sees that area "corroded" as well.)
Curt
I came across this on the N-SSA board, and thought I would share it here. For discussion and opinion.....
This is a "parts gun." However, the question is.. whose parts and when? Meaning:
1. It could be a post CW parts gun
2. It could be a Civil War surplus parts gun such as "assembled' by Bannerman
3. It could be a late War Richmond Armory parts gun.
IMHO, it could well be any of those three. But, at a maximum it is a Richmond. At a minimum, it has a Richmond Armory "cut down" barrel.
Part of Confederate armory duties was often the refurbishing and recycling of Federal arms gleaned from the battlefield and reissued, or damaged guns that were sent back and repaired or reworked before being reissued.
One of the rarer "classes" of these arms are rebuilds. This one appears to be an M1861 stock and lock, with M1863 barrel, barrel bands, hammer, and earlier musket ramrod. But, the barrel has been reduced from the RM's 40 inch barrel to 36 to make a "Short Rifle." A number of these have survived but are not well known.
Why, if no more, a Richmond barrel.
"Richmonds" started out as Virginia assembled RM's made from Harpers Ferry parts. When the Confederacy took over and moved the HF equipment to Richmond, they assembled parts and phased in their own manufacturing on the HR RM machinery. NUG, Richmonds will carry the HF proof system of "V," "P," and "Eaglehead" initially just using the same HF stamps.
However, Richmond also used a "third proof' in the form of a five point star on refurbishes.
It is my unproven theory, that the third proof or star indicated a "rebuild" extensive enough to require a new inspection. And in the case of RM's refurbished into "Short Rifles" (think of the so-called "Artillery Rifles" which are not technically rifles because they are just shortened thin RM barrels and not heavy true rifle barrels), when the barrels were sawed-off from 40 down to 36 they required a final inspection before going into service.
That seems to hold true, as the rebuilt mixed part "Short Rifles" carry the star proof (and sometimes no "V. P. Eaglehead Federal or CS HF use stamps). But, there is a surviving parts gun that is an M1861 just with a 1862 dated Richmond lock carrying the addition of the star and inspector's letter stamp.
What say ye?
I learn more towards a later parts gun myself. The flash pitting and discoloration around the bolster does not extend to the lock plate implying or suggesting that the barrel is older than the lock plate.
However that is not always a Hard and Fast rule as barrels are iron or mild steel and not necessarily as 'hard" as the case hardened surface of the lock plate. BUT, that hardening is very fragile and very shallow, so one often sees that area "corroded" as well.)
Curt
Comment