In another thread discussing the intentional damaging of muskets and rifles by the losing side, I mentioned that I had an Enfield that appeared to have been intentionally damaged so that it could not be used. Specifically, someone appears to have grabbed the weapon close to the muzzle, raised it above their head, and swung down like it was an axe. The idea being that the butt of the weapon would hit something hard, like a rock, and snap the wrist so that it could not be used. Anyone finding the weapon would have to use it for parts since the entire stock would need to be replaced. In the case of my gun someone found the two parts and put them back together again using those squiggly staples sometimes fount on the backs of picture frames at the corners to keep the frame together. Overall the stock is dark, the brass is dark. the barrel, ramrod and other iron parts are dark.
From what I can tell, the lock plate looks like it comes from Birmingham. The stock is too dark to see a cartouche anywhere.
You can see the damage to the stock. the diagonal line headed down and left from the back of the lock plate is the staple on the hammer side. The staple on the other side is more visible.
The damage as seen from above. There is also what appears to be a three sided pyramid shape cut into the stock. I suppose it could have been done by an impact but it looks like something someone would do intentionally for identification purposes.
From the bottom you can see that whatever broke the stock also broke the trigger guard.
There are no stamps or carvings on the butt or its tang, and none on the brass at the other end of the stock. I haven't removed the ramrod because it's stuck. If you look at the screws on the butt you will see that they are in awful shape and would probably require drilling out. I also don't have a work space that I could use to examine the gun more closely.
A look for barrel stamps doesn't show much. I think they were there and sometimes, in the right light, if I turn the barrel just right, and squint, I think I see something that could have been a "25".
In case you want a look at the rear sight, here's a not so good view. I didn't notice anything engraved on the sides, but I didn't look very close.
I think all those white specks are paint. The action still works and you could theoretically shoot it, if it had a functioning stock, and the nipple hole was clear (don't know, haven't checked) and the barrel was clean (it's not). I don't see rifling when I look in the barrel. I'm pretty sure it's not loaded. I checked with a stick and with an endoscope I got off eBay. I think if it was loaded I would have remembered. I have another rifle that seems loaded using both a stick and endoscope and I remember that one. I think it might have two rounds in it. It's next to where I sleep. I hope it doesn't fall over and go off one night. I included pictures of the gun at half-cock and at full-cock.
Half-cock:
Full-cock:
So that's my broken Enfield. Does it look like it was damaged to make it worthless to an enemy? Does it look like it was used in the Civil War rather that some other conflict or no conflict at all?
From what I can tell, the lock plate looks like it comes from Birmingham. The stock is too dark to see a cartouche anywhere.
You can see the damage to the stock. the diagonal line headed down and left from the back of the lock plate is the staple on the hammer side. The staple on the other side is more visible.
The damage as seen from above. There is also what appears to be a three sided pyramid shape cut into the stock. I suppose it could have been done by an impact but it looks like something someone would do intentionally for identification purposes.
From the bottom you can see that whatever broke the stock also broke the trigger guard.
There are no stamps or carvings on the butt or its tang, and none on the brass at the other end of the stock. I haven't removed the ramrod because it's stuck. If you look at the screws on the butt you will see that they are in awful shape and would probably require drilling out. I also don't have a work space that I could use to examine the gun more closely.
A look for barrel stamps doesn't show much. I think they were there and sometimes, in the right light, if I turn the barrel just right, and squint, I think I see something that could have been a "25".
In case you want a look at the rear sight, here's a not so good view. I didn't notice anything engraved on the sides, but I didn't look very close.
I think all those white specks are paint. The action still works and you could theoretically shoot it, if it had a functioning stock, and the nipple hole was clear (don't know, haven't checked) and the barrel was clean (it's not). I don't see rifling when I look in the barrel. I'm pretty sure it's not loaded. I checked with a stick and with an endoscope I got off eBay. I think if it was loaded I would have remembered. I have another rifle that seems loaded using both a stick and endoscope and I remember that one. I think it might have two rounds in it. It's next to where I sleep. I hope it doesn't fall over and go off one night. I included pictures of the gun at half-cock and at full-cock.
Half-cock:
Full-cock:
So that's my broken Enfield. Does it look like it was damaged to make it worthless to an enemy? Does it look like it was used in the Civil War rather that some other conflict or no conflict at all?
Bringing the