Product Description
Scarce CIVIL WAR Era Antique E. ROBINSON U.S. M1861 Rifle-MUSKET w/BAYONET
1864 Dated .58 Caliber Contract Model Musket
Here we present an antique Edward Robinson Contract U.S. Model 1861 Civil War Rifle-Musket, made in 1864 in New York, New York. The Model 1861 was the primary musket at the start of the American Civil War for the Union. The musket was designed to fire the .58 caliber minie ball. 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 U.S. 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 Federal army was not prepared for war in 1861. Quite a few of its arms were in southern hands, and the two armories, Springfield, Massachusetts and Harpers Ferry, Virginia, could not make the standard rifle-musket quickly enough to supply the army. Early in the War, Harpers Ferry was captured, and the machinery was sent to the south. The result was that the Union turned to contractors. The Model 1861 was contracted out to over 20 different companies aside from the national armory at Springfield. Compared to the total production numbers of over a million, production of the Robinson contract was limited at 24,000 making these scarce and desirable.
The overall condition is good. The action is excellent. The bore is dim with good rifling. The stock has a short, stable split above the rear lock screw head. The stock has been modestly refinished. The outline of a very faint cartouche can still be made out on the left stock flat. The bayonet is in good condition and fits tightly to the musket but it is missing the tension screw.
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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$2800
#244351