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1855 harpers ferry brass mounted rifle

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ian45662

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Does anyone here know if the 2 band 1855 harpers ferry brass mounted rifles had browned barrels? If not browned what color were they. What about the locks were they color case hardened? If so what process did they use to get what type of color? Do you guys know where I may be able to find pictures or literature about this subject?
 
Ian,
I think you're referring to the 'Artillery' length version of the 1855. The barrels weren't browned (I just saw an original over the weekend, dated 1859), so I've seen, nor were the locks case hardened (except for the insides, maybe...certain parts may have been) but the exterior of the lock as well as the barrel were left "armory bright".
I can't give you any specifics, but check out the Civil War Reenactor forums and the Authentic Campaigner forums. If you look you should be able to find something.

-Chris
 
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If by artillery version you mean cut down from a full length like they did with some of the 63s then no thats not what I am looking for as these particular guns were always 2 band length. These guns have really thick barrels like the 1863 remington contract rifles and also have all brass hardware. There is an example on gunbroker.com and the barrel is brown and there are traces of color case hardening on the lock plate . I just wonder if the brown has happened over time and if I am not just seeing things with the lock plate. I am going to build one of these rifles and I am trying to do all the research I can before I take on this project because it will have to pass inspection so that I can shoot it in n-ssa competitions.
 
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Ian, you are of course correct, what you are talking about is a M1855 Rifle with 33" barrel. The M1855 Rifle was the last standard production rifle made for US service. The original finish varied, some barrels were supposedly browned while the majority were finished with bright barrels. This is the one that you are building, correct?
 
yes I am going to build one. I talked to someone else who said he has seen an iron mounted prototype rifle with all the original finish still on the rifle. Although he said the one he saw was an iron mounted and not a brass mounted I thought it was interesting because he said that the barrel had a red-bronze finsish on it and they used some kind of special varnish containing dragon's-blood resin to achieve this.
 
Ian-

No, that's not what I meant. I'm 99% sure the "Artillery" Version was the name given to the 1855 model 2-banders (as has been said, also called the "Rifle length" version- just names for the same gun). As others have posted, there probably were others that had barrels browned. I have never seen any with a lock that was browned or case-hardened, though. You could go either way- case in point being the 1841 Mississippi Rifle- which can be found both bright and browned- but the locks are not hardened. You'll see this on 1863 Springfields, Enfields, 1842 rifled muskets, and some others. But not the '55s, so I've seen.

Thanks, and sorry if I confused you, :grin:
-Chris
 
Flayderman's Guide says the Model 1855 Brass mounted rifles were early production made prior to 1860.

The book, speaking of the iron mounted rifles also says,
"Iron mountings standard, although brass used on early production... All metal parts finished bright; blued barrel bands observed occasionally on iron mounted arms; browned barrel standard on brass mounted arms...
Recent research reveals that 3,544 were brass mounted through to mid-1859 when mountings were changed to iron of which 5,151 were so fitted..."

Apparently when the Confederate forces took the armory approximately 2,800 of the brass mounted rifles were destroyed in the fire.
 
In which case, this opens up several possibilities as to how this gun should look...making it a matter of which firearm 'date' is to reproduced.

Sorry, guess I was wrong about the barrel. Whoops! Hope anything I posted helps. :) :redface:

-Chris
 
ian45662 said:
Does anyone here know if the 2 band 1855 harpers ferry brass mounted rifles had browned barrels? If not browned what color were they. What about the locks were they color case hardened? If so what process did they use to get what type of color? Do you guys know where I may be able to find pictures or literature about this subject?

A few early production rifles had brass mountings. The locks as well as all other mountings were bright. The stock was coated with linseed oil but not polished. The barrels were not browned but coated with a brown varnish made in proportions of 1/5 oz. of Dragon's Blood and 1 oz. of Shellac dissolved in 1 qt. of alcohol.
 

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