1-18-21 Rifles

[Trivia Master]

How many standard variations including altered were there of the US 1855 Rifle Musket. Do not include Confederate made from Harpers Ferry catche captured.

credit: @JOHN42768

 

[hughes]

Three

 

[stuart1861]

The US 1855 rifle-muskets broadly fall into three (3) basic types.

1 – Lock plate marked Springfield or Harpers Ferry 1857/8, with a walled (long range) ladder rear sight, and a brass nose cap.
2 – Lock plate marked Springfield or Harpers Ferry 1858/9, with a solid base rear sight with three sighting leaves marked 1,3, 5 for yardage, and a brass (early/transitional) or iron nose cap.
3 - The same as #2, dated 1860/1 but with an iron nose cap only, and an iron patch box.

Muzzleldrs - The Model 1855 Springfield rifle musket. | Small Arms & Edged Weapons

Was this weapon unreliable due to the Maynard tape primer system? It is said that about one half of the primers misfired.

civilwartalk.com

 

[FarawayFriend]

I'm far from having any idea about rifles, so I totally depend on Wikipedia and the like.

From what I found there were three variations:

• the 56 inch rifled musket
• the 49 inch rifle
• the 1858 modification (Model 1858)

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Springfield_Model_1855&oldid=980186378

Model 1855 Musket

The Model 1855 Musket was produced by the Springfield Armory. Unlike its predecessor, the Model 1842 Musket, the Model 1855 was a rifled musket using the new Minie Ball ammunition. 1 Design Details 2 Ammunition 3 Variants 3.1 Model 1855 Rifle 3.2 Model 1855 modified (Model 1858) 4 Usage 5...

guns.fandom.com

 

[captaindrew]

3 standard variations I believe. All with the Maynard Tape Primer the original M55 produced in 57/58 with a ladder rear sight and brass nose cap, the 58/59 version with a simple rear sight, 60/61 version with the simple rear sight, patch box, and iron nose cap. There was also the M55 rifle, the shorter "Harpers Ferry 55" but being the question specified the rifle musket I don't think you're looking for that and there was also the Whitney contract M55 which had some differences. I'm guessing there were some other contract variations out there but of the top of my head and a quick search that's all I got.

 

[Brenal]

3 ?

 

[General John S. Bowen]

3

 

[JOHN42768]

Question credit

 

[kholland]

3. There was a 3 band version, a shorter 2 band version and an 1858 version with a simpler rear sight.

 

[Mike Serpa]

3

 

[FarawayFriend]

I'm far from having any idea about rifles, so I totally depend on Wikipedia and the like.

From what I found there were three variations:

• the 56 inch rifled musket
• the 49 inch rifle
• the 1858 modification (Model 1858)

View attachment 388162
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Springfield_Model_1855&oldid=980186378

View attachment 388164

Model 1855 Musket

The Model 1855 Musket was produced by the Springfield Armory. Unlike its predecessor, the Model 1842 Musket, the Model 1855 was a rifled musket using the new Minie Ball ammunition. 1 Design Details 2 Ammunition 3 Variants 3.1 Model 1855 Rifle 3.2 Model 1855 modified (Model 1858) 4 Usage 5...

guns.fandom.com

Not intending to split hair here but maybe it is important when it comes to scoring the answer as correct or not.
While in my previous post I said there are 3 variations and named these, one could also say that there was one original and two variations, making three variants.

Not being a linguist I would not even in German be sure if the correct answer to the question about the variations would be three (if counting the various models) or two (one original model plus two variations) then ... so I hope this is not about the words, but about the meaning.
There were 3 models (or variants) - or in other words: one basic model and two variations.

In my opinion, both answers should be counted as correct, they are meaning the same.

 

[Stony]

3

 

[DBF]

If I read and understand the question (and I’m not sure I am) I’ll go with what I discovered on CWT a thread dated November 2, 2018:

Post #1: “There were at least three different variants of the 1855 in the 4-years it was produced, perhaps more” another link posted in Post #3 is no longer on the internet; Post #4 says he’s still searching for more; same poster as #4 says again in #6 “In 1859 the brass nose cap was changed to iron, and the patch box was added, so 1859-60- and 61.” (so that’s 3); Post #7 also lists 3; Post #8 the original person that started the thread is excited with whatever Post #6 listed: in Post #9, the same poster of #7 posts again not to confuse the 1855 Springfield musket with the 1855 Harper’s Ferry rifle; (too late I’m already confused); the last Post #15 (thankfully) finally adds his comments and I must say I concur: “This one is going to take a while to read and digest. There is a lot of information here and what I have read so far is quite enlightening.”
However after all that - I’ll go with posts #6 & #7 and what they listed which was 3.​

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/1855-springfields-need-a-refresher-on-types-and-styles.151326/

 

[hoosier]

According to a Wikipedia article, it seems that there were three: the original model, the Harpers Ferry model (with a shorter barrel), and a modified model introduced in 1858.


https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Springfield_Model_1855&oldid=980186378

 

[WJC]

How many standard variations including altered were there of the US 1855 Rifle Musket. Do not include Confederate made from Harpers Ferry catche captured.

credit: @JOHN42768

I am aware of ten:
1. Springfield Manufacture;
2. Harpers Ferry Manufacture;
3. 40" Barrel;
4. 38" Barrel;
5. Long-Range Rear Sight;
6. Two-Leaf Rear Sight;
7. No Patch Box;
8. Iron Patch Box;
9. Brass Fore-Tip secured by Rivet;
10. Iron Fore-Tip secured by screw.

The Maynard Tape Primer System allowed for use of either tape or percussion cap, so I do not count that as a variation.

 

[warbird43]

I'm not very familiar with Civil War small arms (rifles and pistols), but for want of a better guess, I would say two.

 

[Ole Miss]

3
Regards
David

 

[VMIKeydet]

Three https://civilwartalk.com/threads/the-model-1855-springfield-rifle-musket.158753/

 

[sarladaise]

Found a list posted by @JOHN42768 - I hope that's what he's looking for:

US 1855 Springfield Rifle Musket: 6 variations
Type 1: brass-tipped, rear sight variation 1 & no box
Type 2: brass-tipped, small three leaf rear sight & no box
Type 3: iron-tipped, small rear sight & no box
Type 4: brass-tipped, small rear sight & with box
Type 5: iron-tipped, small rear sight & with box
Type 1 Version 2 altered: brass-tipped, small rear sight & no box

Harpers Ferry Rifle Musket: 7 variations (without Confederate-made captured at Harpers Ferry)
Type 1: brass-tipped, long range rear sight & no box
Type 1, Version 2: as 1, except w/o any sight
Type 2: brass-tipped, small rear sight & no box
Type 3: iron-tipped, small rear sight & no box
Type 4: brass-tipped, small rear sight & box
Type 5: iron-tipped, small rear sight & box
Type 1, Version 2 altered: brass-tipped, small rear sight & no box
13 variations.

https://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/musket-1855.178116/#post-2317414

There's also a Whitney US M 1855 Rifle-Musket Derivative

https://www.gunvalues.gundigest.com/whitney-arms-company/

and a M 1855 Maynard Tape Springfield

 

[Dave DuBrucq]

If I understand this question there were two standard variations.