Original U.S. Civil War Museum Grade Colt Hartford "Special Model 1861" Springfield Rifled Musket with Inspector Cartouches - dated 1863

Original Item: Only One Available. "Museum Grade" is not a term that we use often at all, so we do not use it lightly. However there is no better description for the condition of this rifle. It is the best example we have ever seen of a Colt Hartford "Special Model 1861" Springfield rifle, and looks to possibly be completely unissued. It's like we reached back in time and snatched it straight from the arsenal. We received this out of an old collection that was exceptionally well curated, as well as well protected from the elements, which has allowed us to offer this fantastic example, just as we received it.

The Springfield Model 1861 was a Minié-type rifled musket shoulder-arm used by the United States Army and Marine Corps during the American Civil War. Commonly referred to as the "Springfield" (after its original place of production, Springfield, Massachusetts), it was the most widely used U.S. Army weapon during the Civil War, favored for its range, accuracy, and reliability.

The barrel was 40 inches long, firing a .58 caliber Minié ball, and the total weight was approximately 9 pounds. The Springfield had an effective range of 200 to 300 yards, and used percussion caps to fire (rather than the flintlocks of the 18th century, the last U.S. flintlock musket was the Model 1840). Trained troops were able to fire at a rate of three aimed shots per minute while maintaining accuracy up to 500 yards, though firing distances in the war were often much shorter. The most notable difference between the Model 1861 and the earlier Model 1855 was the elimination of the Maynard tape primer for the Model 1861 (the Maynard primer, a self-feeding primer system, was unreliable in damp weather, and the priming mechanism was expensive and time-consuming to produce). Further, unlike the Model 1855, the Model 1861 was never produced in a two-banded "short rifle" configuration.

The Springfield was aimed using flip-up leaf sights. The sight had two leaves, one for 300 yards and the other for 500 yards, and with both leaves down, the sight was set for a range of 100 yards. By contrast, the British Pattern 1853 Enfield, favored by the Confederates, utilized a ladder-sight system with 100 yard increments, using steps from 100 to 400 yards and a flip up ladder for ranges beyond 500 yards. While the Enfield's sights did allow finer range settings, the Springfield's simple leaves were more rugged and were less expensive to produce. The Enfield's sights extended to 900 yards (and further, on later models), compared to the 500 yard maximum range of the Springfield's sights. Realistically, though, hitting anything beyond 600 yards with either weapon was mostly a matter of luck. While the sight designs were very different, the two weapons were otherwise very similar, and had very similar effective ranges.

The Springfield Rifle cost $20 each at the Springfield Armory, where they were officially made. Overwhelmed by the demand, the armory opened its weapons patterns up to twenty private contractors, including Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut, who produced approximately 100,000 under contract during the civil war.

Colt became the most notable producer of contract Model 1861 Springfield, as they had made several minor design changes in their version, the "Colt Special" rifled musket. Samuel Colt had acquired machinery that had been used to build Pattern 1853 Enfield rifles from the defunct Robbins & Lawrence Machine Shop & Armory, and as a result was able to make a rifled musket that had the "best" of the British and American designs. These changes included redesigned barrel bands, a new hammer, and a redesigned bolster, all derived from the Enfield tooling he had purchased. Several of these changes were eventually adopted by the Ordnance Department and incorporated into the Model 1863 rifled musket.

In addition to Colt, the "Special Model 1861" was also produced by contractors Amoskeag Manufacturing Company of Manchester, New Hampshire, and Lamson, Goodnow, and Yale of Windsor, Vermont. These companies also had access to the improved British Designs.

The Model 1861 was relatively scarce in the early years of the Civil War (many troops were still using Model 1842 smoothbored muskets and Model 1816/1822 muskets converted to percussion cap primers, both in .69 caliber). It is unlikely that any of these were available for use in the First Battle of Bull Run. However, over time, more and more regiments began receiving Model 1861 rifled muskets, though this upgrade appeared somewhat quicker in the Eastern Theater of Operations. Over 1,000,000 Model 1861 rifles were produced, with the Springfield Armory increasing its production during the war by contracting out to twenty other firms in the Union. The number of Model 1861 muskets produced by the Springfield Armory was 265,129 between January 1, 1861 and December 31, 1863. According to United States Muskets, Rifles and Carbines by Arcadi Gluckman Colonel Infantry, United States Army, published 1949.

After the war ended, many model 1861 and 1863 rifled muskets were modified to a breech loading actions with new metallic cartridges. With these modifications, the basic 1861 evolved into the Springfield Model 1873 which served the US until being replaced in the 1890s by modern breech loading rifles chambered for new smokeless powder rounds that were far superior to the Model 1873.

This fantastic example was not converted, and looks to have spent its life sitting on a rack or a box somewhere in storage. It is dated 1863 on the lock plate tail, and is marked under the bolster with:

U.S.
COLT'S PT. F. A. MFG Co.
HARTFORD CT.

The markings on the lock are crisp and clear with virtually no wear, and the lock plate shows just a bit of minor staining from age. There is very little evidence of any type of powder burn on the cap bolster and the Federal Eagle marking is still crisp and clear, though the nipple cone itself is brass, so it was replaced at some point, probably the only discrepancy on the rifle. There is still a crisp 1863 date on the top of the barrel nocks form, and the left facet still has crisp V / P / Eagle's Head proofs, with a STEEL on the left side behind a letter F, the correct markings for a Colt "Special Model" rifled musket.

We checked the left side of the stock, and there are two crisp boxed cartouches present, which we can easily feel when running our hands over. The upper marking reads DAP, for Dwight A. Perkins, a former Colt employee who went to work as a civilian arms inspector at Springfield Arsenal and would also inspect arms from the Hartford manufacturers Colt and Spencer. The lower cartouche is JT, for John Taylor, known for inspecting Colt M1860 ,44 Revolvers, Starr and Savage .36 Revolvers, and Sharps New Model 1859 Military Rifles during the1861-1862 period.

The lock functions perfectly, with a strong action, and it holds correctly at half cock. The Colt special rear sight is complete, with all three leaves moving easily, with the 100/300 leaf possibly being bent. The bore is fantastic, looking to never have been used. There are still clear cutting marks visible on both the grooves AND the lands! We might even call it MINT! The barrel band U markings are all still present, and they even show their small inspection letters as well, with the same being true for the U.S. stamped on the butt plate tang.

The metalwork is overall fantastic, with no signs of major cleaning, and all the markings still crisp. There is just a bit of overall light staining from age, which we have made no attempt to clean or polish, and we definitely recommend that nothing be done to this "time capsule" rifle. The one piece stock is amazing, showing a lovely light orange brown color, and little sign of use, There are no repairs and very little wear, with the only detraction being a small dent / gouge on the left side of the fore stock by the middle barrel band, probably from a fall while in storage. We do not see any of the usual type of service wear we would see when a rifle is in service. Both sling swivels are present, moving easily, and the original tulip head ramrod is present as well, with intact threads on the end.

This is a great chance to pick up a truly magnificent "Museum Grade" Civil War Colt produced "Special Model 1861" Contract Rifled musket, much as it was when first issued. We do not expect to have another like this anytime in the near future!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1863
Caliber: .58"
Cartridge Type: Minié Ball and Powder
Barrel Length: 40 Inches
Overall Length: 56 Inches
Action type: Side Action Lock
Feed System: Muzzle Loaded

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