Muzzleldrs Beater 1854 Lorenz

CyleKostello

Sergeant
Joined
Jan 27, 2021
Location
Washington, DC
Hi all, had a nice day today so took my beater Lorenz out into the sun to get some pics.

the condition is beyond poor but my god the thing oozes character. Looks right off the field at Chickamauga. My favorite part is the replacement 1845 Harper’s Ferry lockplate. The presence of that lock plate is darn near proof positive that this rifle crossed the ocean and saw the elephant. Shockingly the rifle is still mechanically solid.

There’s a few markings on the rifle, if anybody knows what they are or what they mean please share!

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The Harper's Ferry lock on the rifle is certainly creative. The barrels on Muster 1854 System Lorenz rifle muskets are liberally marked with a variety of assembly and proof markings. No one that I know of, including the Austrian Army Museum in Vienna, has a crib sheet to decypher them. Some rifle barrels are marked with unit markings - regiment, company, and rifle number - but the mark on the barrel isn't one of those.
 
The Harper's Ferry lock on the rifle is certainly creative. The barrels on Muster 1854 System Lorenz rifle muskets are liberally marked with a variety of assembly and proof markings. No one that I know of, including the Austrian Army Museum in Vienna, has a crib sheet to decypher them. Some rifle barrels are marked with unit markings - regiment, company, and rifle number - but the mark on the barrel isn't one of those.
Interesting! As you said the rifle is liberally marked. Took pics of some other markings on it.
1) what looks like an H on the lower end of the barrel, opposite side of the lockplate
2) an S or a (5) and what looks like some worn text
 
This is one I used to own, about 20 years ago, and I noticed it had migrated to Gunderson's web site several years ago. I've owned at least four Lorentz rifles where they were "repaired" by replacing the lock with another - two were Enfield locks, this one, and one I don't think I ever figured out what non-Lorenz lock was used!
I don't have any recollection or record of where I got it and so no clues as to it history.
 
Definitely not the most attractive girl at the dance but a survivor for sure and a great collectible. I like the look of it. Thanks for showing.
 
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