1853 Enfield Help in Identification

I hear all forum members about leaving it alone , my take on it is like a classic car some want the original patina on the metal , I like to fix them to a factory new condition . The Enfield will only be lightly prepped as it is in great condition (no Pitting) on barrel just light sanding with 1500 /2500 grit sand paper , then a good cleaning/degreasing then correct blueing , same with the stock light sanding to remove old varnish , the up to 5 or more coats of boiled linseed oil . Oh ConfederateCanuck there is corrosion and dirt particles in the stamped recesses of the date stamps, it takes the 60X power lighted loop to see them.
 
I hear all forum members about leaving it alone , my take on it is like a classic car some want the original patina on the metal , I like to fix them to a factory new condition . The Enfield will only be lightly prepped as it is in great condition (no Pitting) on barrel just light sanding with 1500 /2500 grit sand paper , then a good cleaning/degreasing then correct blueing , same with the stock light sanding to remove old varnish , the up to 5 or more coats of boiled linseed oil . Oh ConfederateCanuck there is corrosion and dirt particles in the stamped recesses of the date stamps, it takes the 60X power lighted loop to see them.
 
I like to fix them to a factory new condition .
At the risk of beating a dead horse here, and I apologize in advance, no matter what you do, you are not going to succeed in "fixing" (it isn't broken) the rifle into factory new condition. For heaven's sake, you were talking about taking a grinder to it. It is over 150 years old, whatever you do is most likely going to be to the great detriment to the historical value as well as the monetary value of the rifle. I know you are not interested in the monetary value but think of the generations to come that will be interested in seeing what an original Enfield is like, not someone's idea of what it should look like.
 
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Might as well get a set of number stamps from your local hardware store, and give that last digit on the lockplate a whack to correct and restore it to whatever date you like. If you are going to mess with this nice untouched Enfield, might as well have your way with it all the way!
 
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I hear all forum members about leaving it alone , my take on it is like a classic car some want the original patina on the metal , I like to fix them to a factory new condition . The Enfield will only be lightly prepped as it is in great condition (no Pitting) on barrel just light sanding with 1500 /2500 grit sand paper , then a good cleaning/degreasing then correct blueing , same with the stock light sanding to remove old varnish , the up to 5 or more coats of boiled linseed oil . Oh ConfederateCanuck there is corrosion and dirt particles in the stamped recesses of the date stamps, it takes the 60X power lighted loop to see them.
When one restores a classic car, they add value, if the work is competently done. When one restores an antique arm, it devalues the piece, think before you do this.

What you call old varnish, is the factory finish, so if this were a classic car, the factory finish makes it more valuable.

The finish on the stock could be lightly cleaned and you could cold blue the barrel (vinegar will correct when needed), you won’t devalue it too much.
 
When one restores a classic car, they add value, if the work is competently done. When one restores an antique arm, it devalues the piece, think before you do this.

What you call old varnish, is the factory finish, so if this were a classic car, the factory finish makes it more valuable.

The finish on the stock could be lightly cleaned and you could cold blue the barrel (vinegar will correct when needed), you won’t devalue it too much.
Package4 You corrected yourself a few posts back about old varnish , are they factory varnished or oiled and waxed ? My restoration is going to be a very mild one . a gentle reconditioning of the stock and using boiled linseed oil to finish it, bluing will be as close to the color which came from the factory , the grinding on the front sight post was a suggestion thrown out there and I agree with the forum comments I will not grind the front sight post period.
 
Package4 You corrected yourself a few posts back about old varnish , are they factory varnished or oiled and waxed ? My restoration is going to be a very mild one . a gentle reconditioning of the stock and using boiled linseed oil to finish it, bluing will be as close to the color which came from the factory , the grinding on the front sight post was a suggestion thrown out there and I agree with the forum comments I will not grind the front sight post period.
So, varnish today and varnish 150 years ago are different animals and the term is used loosely, thus my correction. The finish on your already beautiful piece is the original, if you remove it, it is highly unlikely you will obtain the same again. Linseed oil is a component of almost all antique varnishes and then there are differences with resin, mineral sprits and wax.

Somewhere I have the correct formula used for both British and American weapons, though I had a computer crash. I recovered most files and will need to see if those are among the living. Modern day finishes will be incorrect and your finish is already beautiful, I would not strip it, using your analogy, it would be like removing a complete factory finish from a classic car.
 
So, varnish today and varnish 150 years ago are different animals and the term is used loosely, thus my correction. The finish on your already beautiful piece is the original, if you remove it, it is highly unlikely you will obtain the same again. Linseed oil is a component of almost all antique varnishes and then there are differences with resin, mineral sprits and wax.

Somewhere I have the correct formula used for both British and American weapons, though I had a computer crash. I recovered most files and will need to see if those are among the living. Modern day finishes will be incorrect and your finish is already beautiful, I would not strip it, using your analogy, it would be like removing a complete factory finish from a classic car.
Package4 I hear what you are saying but this is over 150 years old so really I do not know what is original or recent MFG, or older MFG , or arsenal original. I will guess ...guess that the stock was replaced at some time in the past , or I have an exceptional original . This P53 has no documented history, so who really knows. I asked this question recently and did not get an answer on the sights . My rear sight has been deemed correct by the experts on this forum. My question was on the barrel where the rear sight sits is the impression , a very clear impression of a previous sight which is 3" long , what 3" long sight was used on P53's ? Thanks
 
Between people refinishing originals and others defarbing repros, I am totally at a loss what to think.
I do agree with the defarbing on reproductions , that is why I wanted an original and being no expert I will say that the barrel on my P53 is an original. All other parts your guess is as good as mine. Defarbing , Refinishing , one other category is swapping out parts, like lockplates, etc . Really even experts cannot factually tell you what you have unless accurate documentation has been kept, and forged documentation is common . On Refinishing originals I do tend to disagree. My next Civil War Era purchase will be the P53 's worthy companion an 1861 Springfield original I would rather pay more for one that was made when those Dirty Blue Bellied Carpet Bagging Yankee Scalawags seceded from the South .
 
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Package4 I hear what you are saying but this is over 150 years old so really I do not know what is original or recent MFG, or older MFG , or arsenal original. I will guess ...guess that the stock was replaced at some time in the past , or I have an exceptional original . This P53 has no documented history, so who really knows. I asked this question recently and did not get an answer on the sights . My rear sight has been deemed correct by the experts on this forum. My question was on the barrel where the rear sight sits is the impression , a very clear impression of a previous sight which is 3" long , what 3" long sight was used on P53's ? Thanks
The reason you did not get an answer to your question (Sight) is that you did not supply pictures of the areas you were speaking. Your stock is original, the finish is original, the barrel is original and the lock plate looks to be as well. How can one tell, years of looking at and taking apart originals. Are there any marks in the ramrod channel?
 
I do agree with the defarbing on reproductions , that is why I wanted an original and being no expert I will say that the barrel on my P53 is an original. All other parts your guess is as good as mine. Refinishing originals I tend to disagree. My next Civil War Era purchase will be the P53 's worthy companion an 1861 Springfield original I would rather pay more for one that was made when the dirty Blue Bellied Carpet Bagging Yankee scalawags succeeded from the South .

The reason you did not get an answer to your question (Sight) is that you did not supply pictures of the areas you were speaking. Your stock is original, the finish is original, the barrel is original and the lock plate looks to be as well. How can one tell, years of looking at and taking apart originals. Are there any marks in the ramrod channel?
 
The impression is 3'' long , the newer correct sights are centered between the impression,Package4 I will post a picture of that area for you shortly . No marks at all in the ramrod channel . Thankyou again forum members for your responses.
 
I'll quote myself... The rear sight is correct and appears original to the gun; The "impression" is the area that was polished before the sight was attached.

""The sight on your P53 is a correct period sight. The leaf {the part that lifts up} will have the numbers up to "8" as you noticed along the right edge of the ladder, but on the right side at the top where the "V" notch is will be a "9". It's a 900 yard sight.

The area around the sight especially the area to the rear, as in your photo, was well cleaned and polished before the sight was silver soldered on. This made it a more solid bonding, as they were not {originally} screwed into the barrel. Rear sights are often missing on well used P53s, as they were simply knocked off. If replaced later they usually will show lead all around the base which was never done that messy in the original assembly..""
 
This thread just leaves me speechless. I can't even begin to understand how someone could think that rifle needs restoration.

It reminds me of a thread on another site I visit. A guy had a rifle his uncle brought back from WWII and he decided to "honor" his uncle's memory by turning it into a hunting rifle that he could use each fall. He basically spent a bunch of money to turn an $800 rifle into a $150 rifle and when he was finished discovered that it was tough to find proper ammo for it. It wasn't long before he started another thread to show how he was modifying another military rifle into his hunting rifle, and never mentioned the first one again. He could have just bought a new factory made hunting rifle for less than he had in the modifications of the two of them.
 
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