Help with Enfield musket

[LafayetteCountyDigger]

I have this 2 band Enfield musket can y'all tell me what I am missing for it and where I can buy it? The action still works

 

[UCVRelics]

Interesting Enfield. The barrel is not original to the stock.

 

[LafayetteCountyDigger]

That's interesting. Is the barrel civil war correct? I paid 600$ for it. What parts do I need to make it complete?

 

[UCVRelics]

That's interesting. Is the barrel civil war correct? I paid 600$ for it. What parts do I need to make it complete?

Not being able to see barrel markings its hard to say but the front and rear sights are missing.

 

[LafayetteCountyDigger]

I can include pictures of the markings. Im pretty sure a rear sight was never attached to the gun.

 

[UCVRelics]

It is an Enfield barrel but does not match the stock. Also what is the marking behind the hammer on the rear of the lockplate?

 

[UCVRelics]

It would have had a front and rear sight.

 

[LafayetteCountyDigger]

The British crown

 

[LafayetteCountyDigger]

The rear sight must have been put on poorly I can't see where it would have attached. Apart from the sights what else am I missing. Thank you a lot for helping me out

 

[UCVRelics]

Lets see if we can get the Enfield guru's to chime in. Paging @Lanyard Puller and @Craig L Barry

 

[LafayetteCountyDigger]

You think I got off good getting it for 600? I've seen ones in similar condition and in some cases worse for 800-1200

 

[johan_steele]

Some questions. Is the trigger guard iron or brass? I can't tell from the pics on my phone. I suspect it's brass in which case you have a P58 Naval rifle.

The ramrod is incorrect, the barrel looks wrong for the stock but without closer inspection what I can see to "correct" it to ACW use would be a front & rear sight, nipple, bayonet lug, a correct Enfield ramrod & front sling swivel.

Lodgewood likely has all the parts and can do the work. If you want to do the work, again Lodgewood is likely to have all the parts as might Gunderson Militaria. Enfield parts are relatively common from a variety of vendors.

For me I look at a rifle that has already had parts swapped and I'd look for the parts to convert it to a P56 which is everything mentioned above except swapping out the brass trigger guard with an iron one, swapping out the brass nose cap with an iron one and installing a rear sling swivel. In other words essentially creating a counterfeit of a weapon it never was for more money.

For $600 you have a project. Figure at least another $200 in parts ( some quality repro) plus the cost of installing the sight & bayonet lug to return her to what she was 150 years ago. You might be able to get a complete replacement barrel from One of the NSSA vendors. I would pay to have it done right by someone the skill of Dave Stavlo at Lodgewood or Todd Watts because brazing the sights on is the work of a professional IMO and Enfield parts often as not will require hand fitting.

 

[johan_steele]

The rear sight must have been put on poorly I can't see where it would have attached. Apart from the sights what else am I missing. Thank you a lot for helping me out

The sights and bayonet lug would have been brazed on. It isn't uncommon for them to come off.

 

[Jeff in Ohio]

Perhaps the most important question is whether this was made as a short rifle, or whether it is a cut-down rifle musket. You might make a careful measurement of the length of the barrel, and post some photos of the muzzle end of the barrel.

Johan Steele has given you a good list of missing parts you would have to deal with.

But you also have a broken off cone aka nipple in the barrel and getting out the broken one and replacing it might be a bigger project than all the other work.

 

[LafayetteCountyDigger]

I think I'll leave it as is it's my first civil war era rifle.

 

[Lanyard Puller]

You've gotten some good ideas of what's wrong with it.

I'd like to know the barrel length, and if there's any trace of a bayonet lug {color change in the metal, or residual traces of solder near the right side of the muzzle area. ???

It could be a P56, P60 commercial made rifle {thus the brass mounts} or a P58 Naval rifle

 

[LafayetteCountyDigger]

How do I measure the barrel and there is a lot of color change and bare metal near the end and on right side. How do I measure the barrel

 

[LafayetteCountyDigger]

I can see a little trace of solder

 

[bayonet]

Heres an idea, sell it back to someone for $600 and use that as a down payment for an original complete CW Enfield that hasn't been Frankensteined. Also not mentioned above is trying to match the patina or wear on all the replacement parts you will need to bring it up to par so it looks half way decent.

 

[LafayetteCountyDigger]

Who's someone who I can go to who will restore the musket for me for 1000$ or under