1842 Springfield

[Zonie]

Some time ago I bought a 1842 Springfield at a local gunshow.
Although it was in fair condition, sometime in its past, the wood around the tang was broken and some good soul? had replaced it with plastic wood.

I just made a repair of the area and thought you might like to see the finished Musket.

I believe the 1842 Model was the first full size US Musket to use the Precussion lock, and the last of the smoothbores. It was .69 caliber.
Many of these 1842s later had their smoothbores rifled by Government Arsenals and a rear sight added, but this one escaped that process.
These Muskets were used in the Mexican American War and later on both the North and the South used it in the Civil War.



For more photos check out the "1842 Springfield Project" post on the Builders Bench.

This gun was made in 1846 and in its 158 year life someone has carved the initials AN PLC on the left side of the stock.
This was most likely done by some civilian. The initials read correctly when the gun is inverted as it would be when hung over a fireplace or door and NOone I can think of in the military would have defaced the Governments gun, even 100+ years ago.

 

[Liver eatin’ Johnson]

Nice looking piece indeed! How does it shoot? ( maybe just once? )

 

[Zonie]

I've toyed with the idea of shooting it, but the barrel is quite rusty and it is only .053 thick at the muzzle.
It also is "belled" at the muzzle and measures .749 bore.
Some of this might be wear, but the outside is belled too.

I might load up a 30 grain load with some damp paper "stuffen" and touch it off for the "one last harrah" shot.

 

[Gary]

Nice looking patina on that Springfield. Since it's belled, I'd agree with your decision not to shoot it. Save it for display and study.

 

[musketman]

Is that a .69 caliber or a .75???

The one I seen had a recessed muzzle, the riflings started about 1.5 inches below the end of the barrel, (sounds like T/C's QLA system), it was .69 caliber with two Brunswick style rifling...

 

[Zonie]

Musketman: This is a .69 cal smoothbore. Well, it used to be a smoothbore before Mr Rust decided to live there for a while.

Boy, what a slob.


I had asked for pictures of an 1842 in the General Interest section and Roundball was nice enough to provide me with several good photos.
If you look at them, the ones of the Harpers Ferry are of a smoothbore like mine and the ones of the Springfield are of the rifled version.
At least that's what I think it is because it has a rear sight! My musket says Reer Sight?? We don't need no stinken rear sight!!!! ::

I think the bore measurement I mentioned in the earlier post is just due to the enlarged barrel at the muzzle. Also a patch on a bore brush starts out REAL easy and about 3 inches down the bore gets fairly tight and stays that way to the breech.