1863 Dated CIVIL WAR Antique U.S. COLT SPECIAL M1861 .58 Union Rifle-MUSKET Percussion EVERYMAN’S RIFLE Primary Infantry Weapon

Product Description

1863 Dated CIVIL WAR Antique U.S. COLT SPECIAL M1861 .58 Union Rifle-MUSKET

Percussion EVERYMAN’S RIFLE Primary Infantry Weapon

Here we present an antique Civil War U.S. Colt Special Model 1861 Percussion Rifle-Musket, produced under contract in 1863 at the Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut. Production began in September of 1862 while the war was in full swing. The Union was still trying to make up for arms shortages and the destruction of the Harpers Ferry Armory with production at Springfield, supplementing this with contracts with over 20 other contractors, like Colt, for rifle-muskets. Colt contracts, along with these other contractors for the Federal and State Governments, resulted in approximately 643,500 muskets being produced.

The M1861 is representative of the “everyman’s” rifle during the war. About 1.5 million rifle-muskets were made in the U.S., over 800,000 of which were made by the Springfield Armory. This was the last hurrah of the rifle-musket as arms development and tactics rapidly advanced during the short period of the American Civil War. Nevertheless, the 1861 represented new technology as it was made for use with the Minié ball, a hollow based, conical projectile that was small enough to quickly push down the muzzle of a rifled barrel and expanded to create a good gas seal unlike a solid, round ball. Almost immediately after the war, the US military switched from the old muzzle loading type weapons to the newer breech loading rifles, bringing an end to the musket as a standard frontline firearm in American history.

The American Civil War raged from April 12, 1861, to May 9, 1865, in which roughly 77,000 Colt Special Model 1861 muskets were produced by Colt for the U.S. government. Like the Springfield production of the Model 1861, the Colt could be considered the “everyman’s” infantry weapon.

The overall condition is good. The barrel is a bit more weathered than the lock. The action is excellent. The bore is scaley and pitted with rifling still visible. The stock is solid, showing wear, and still bears a good cartouche on the left stock flat.

Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.

Barrel is 40 inches.

Caliber: .58 Percussion

Overall condition as seen in photos.

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$1800
#247649