1863 Springfield Type 1 musket

[GL]

I laid an original 1863 Civil War musket away today at the local gunshop. It was behind a stack of bolt actions and I saw the barrel standing above the rest. This is a type 1 without the band springs. This type was quickly improved into the more familiar type 2 in 1864. This particular musket was most assuredly used in the Civil War in combat as it is such an early model.
It came from an old mans estate that was purchased by the shop owner. It is missing two bands(a common issue with muskets of this age) and the trigger guard swivel but is otherwise intact and in working order. It is still fully functional and the lock works perfectly. Marked with VP, the eagles, US Springfield and dated 1863 behind the hammer. Mine is in comparable condition to the one shown in the link, albeit more pitted but still shiny and legible with the rear sight still on it.

HERE is what I am buying for $300. I am blown away. Pics to come.

Does this count as a Today's Find?

 

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[TooManyHobbies]

The one in the link is $1600. So, yes, nice find.

 

[MonkeyBoy]

I laid an original 1863 Civil War musket away today at the local gunshop. It was behind a stack of bolt actions and I saw the barrel standing above the rest. This is a type 1 without the band springs. This type was quickly improved into the more familiar type 2 in 1864. This particular musket was most assuredly used in the Civil War in combat as it is such an early model.
It came from an old mans estate that was purchased by the shop owner. It is missing two bands(a common issue with muskets of this age) and the trigger guard swivel but is otherwise intact and in working order. It is still fully functional and the lock works perfectly. Marked with VP, the eagles, US Springfield and dated 1863 behind the hammer. Mine is in comparable condition to the one shown in the link, albeit more pitted but still shiny and legible with the rear sight still on it.

HERE is what I am buying for $300. I am blown away. Pics to come.

Does this count as a Today's Find?

WOW!!!! $300!! man.. great find!!!

MB

 

[Trond]

I wish i could find beautiful guns like that everyday.

 

[dcinffxva]

If the barrel hasn't been cut, the wood hasn't been cut, and the rifling hasn't been bored out to smoothbore it sounds like a good deal.

 

[seger98]

I think it qualifies as a today's find, good deal!

 

[Twin Digger]

Nice. What Kind of condition

Can't Wait to see the picture.. I watched a youtube clip on I think it was CWdigger's site where he purchased one as is and cleaned it up.
Very nice relic to post on display.

Lookk forward to seeing it on here.

 

[Bridge End Farm]

awesome find congrats

 

[GL]

Re: 1863 Springfield Type 1 musket(UPDATE)

Okay. I brought home my musket.

It is indeed a dated 1863 Springfield and it is not a replica so I am still happy with the $300 I paid for it. It is worth at least that. It still appears to be a type 1 Springfield. I will be researching deeper tonight.
It is missing the barrel bands and the trigger sling swivel but otherwise is complete. Original bands can be had off Ebay believe it or not. It has the correct 1863 hammer profile and the tulip ramrod with the threaded end. The lock functions perfectly and the nipple is not plugged. The metal is rather pitted but shiny. It is legible and seems solid. I was told it was fired recently but it has no powder odor so I doubt that although I don't doubt that it is a functional firearm. The wood is typical for a 146 year old gunstock with scratches and nicks but isn't cracked or broken. This seems like a solid, functional shooter. VP marked barrel, U.S marked butt plate, 1863/ U.S Springfield marked lockplate. The bore is dirty and typical for a 146 year old military weapon.
My 1865 bayonet fits but doesn't lock due to the stock end being 1/16th of an inch too long. Perhaps I need an 1863 bayonet? Maybe they were year specific for this model. Anyway. I now own an original, functional Civil War musket made early so I imagine it was probably used in the conflict from the start.

 

[Chico Rico]

Amazing. What a beautiful muzzle loader. A true gem.

 

[ivan salis]

not bad at all

 

[kdismuke1]

NICE RIFLE. CONGRATS.

 

[cuzcosquirrel]

That's pretty decent for a fireplace hanger.

My family had an old Charlieville musket that was converted to percussion for the Civil War. The family legend was that it was dug up on Valcour Island, which went along with some household objects made from wood from Benedict Arnold's fleet.

In truth, it was probably used by a New York regiment, and may have been used at Gettysburg. My family finally sold it for around 1000.00 to a collector.

A lot of the Civil War guns were converted to either breech loader, or cut down and used as hunting rifles and shotguns. A friend has one bought through Sears in the early 1900's by his family that was converted over to a shotgun.

I've always wanted to get an Indian War conversion rifle, either one of the early civillian models, or an 1873 type.

 

[GL]

This one is a smoothbore. It doesn't look bored out because it's utterly smooth with no marks, and the barrel is marked VP...weird. It should have 3 lands in it.
The barrel is 40 inches long but the stock only had provisions for 2 bands, an 1863 stock needs 3 bands. It appears to be smaller than the usual .69 for a smoothbore. I need to do more research. Part of the joy of relics is finding out why they are the way they are.

Mystery musket with an 1863 lock and trigger assembly.

 

[Curious The George]

GL, A little tip for you that could save you some grief.

There is always the possibility that an old muzzle loader could have a charge in it.

The way you check is to bounce that steel ramrod in the barrel. Do that by taking it out of the ramrod holder, slide it down the barrel, holding the barrel vertically, till there it is about 6" from the breech plug. Then with a quick snap of the wrist throw the ramrod all the way in.

If there is no charge in the breech the ramrod will bounce, you likely will hear a steel on steel ring when it hits.

If there is a charge in it, the ramrod won't bounce back out. The lead bullet, wadding and charge of powder will absorb the hit and the ramrod will make a dull thud and not spring back out.

This is not abuse of the weapon. It is the standard method for checking for a loaded weapon. Been used ever since the thing was issued to the first soldier that held it in his hands.

Check it so you don't get any kind of a surprise. Do it outside. And never, ever, put your hand over the end of the ramrod when it is in the barrel of the weapon. Always grasp it around. Should there ever be an unintended discharge the ramrod will slide right through your fist. You may get a powder burn but you won't get a new hand decoration that will mess up your metal detecting.

If there is a charge in it. Two ways to get it out. You pull the bullet and dump out the charge, you need a worm for your ramrod to do that. Or unscrew the nipple. Put some water in the powder charge, take the barrel off the stock and unscrew the breech plug. Clean out the charge and push the bullet on through with the ramrod.

 

[rjw4law]

One heckuva deal

 

[GL]

It's empty. I checked that before I bought it. Ramrod hits bottom and pings. Bounces back.
If I blow into the nipple the air goes right through so I know it's clear of debris and will most likely fire.
I cleaned the bore with solvent and a brush, then wiped it clean with a wad and oil. I shined an LED down it and it is clear all the way to the breech face. You can see the ring where the ramrod has been hitting it. There is zero rifling. It is absolutely smoothbore and right at 40 inches which is correct. Bright too. Really nice inside. I removed the lockplate and the internals are in remarkably good condition and function perfectly. Crisp workings and edges with no real wear. I oiled them and they are smooth. The wood is not repaired or cracked like most. Smells very old.
This is supposed to be a rifled musket so either the barrel isn't original or it has been converted to shotgun duty. The barrel is marked VP though so maybe it's something else. Either way it is an 1863 lockplate and pattern so I love it. It's also HUGE.
Just a big firearm overall and the fact it would have been used in combat makes me imagine what it must have been like 144 years ago in some field somewhere.

 

[Curious The George]

One great way to invest $300. If you get original trim and make it as original you will have a nice piece. If you were to sell it you would come out far better than the stock market for your money.

 

[steif]

If it is a smoothbore it has been bored out to use as a shotgun, might have been by sears and roebuck...lol..
no really, they advertised in their 1890's and up thru as late as 1906 they had springfield rifles converted to shotguns for $2.85. the only thing they did was just bored the barrel out to use shot pellets.
in all reality, being bored out, you found a $700 to $1000 musket just as it sits with the missing bands and such.
There are a lot of people that buy them just to hang on the wall and look at and they don't care if it's original rifled or bored out.
I'd like to have one like that, I'd still shoot it with round ball and a patch. being bored out it is of course oversized, but a 58 minie with a patch will still work, but not too accurately of course.
That is a great find!

 

[GL]

Unfortunately I am going to have to sell it. I lost my job yesterday.