What is this? Identifying Springfield yard sale find

[FreshPrince711]

Hello!

I was hoping the community would help me identify this Springfield rifle musket. I got it at a yard sale a few miles down the road from my apartment for $700. I am unsure if it's an original with field repairs, a post-war pieced together, or really old replica.

Things I noticed:

-wood shrinking (most evident on the butt plate)
-lack of serial numbers or reproduction markings.
-amount of cleaned rust marks
-mismatched 1863 bands/hammer with 1861 lock
-markings under the barrel tang

Along with this I'd like to know what these stamps mean. There's and X under the trigger guard, an L on the right side of the front barrel band, and whatever under the tang means.

Thank you!

 

[JOHN42768]

Welcome, enjoy. I believe it to be real that over time someone worked on. There were no serial numbers and other marks are various inspection.

 

[Story]

@FreshPrince711

1) Your screenname reeks of Philly. Jus' sayin.

2) Did you check the barrel to see if it's got a load in it?

 

[FreshPrince711]

@FreshPrince711

1) Your screenname reeks of Philly. Jus' sayin.

2) Did you check the barrel to see if it's got a load in it?

Nowhere near philly....just a nickname I picked up over time.

Barrel is clear, pinged and visually verified

 

[FreshPrince711]

Welcome, enjoy. I believe it to be real that over time someone worked on. There were no serial numbers and other marks are various inspection.

Thanks! What do you think was worked on over time? Anything stick out as done after the war?

 

[JOHN42768]

Obvious sanding and stock wrist may have been cracked

 

[Jeff in Ohio]

The lock is dated 1861. But the rest of the musket is a late war model. The parts interchange, and the lock looks like it has been with this gun for a long, long time.

 

[rob63]

Thanks! What do you think was worked on over time? Anything stick out as done after the war?

The ramrod is a reproduction. The barrel bands and sling swivel are on backwards. The rear sight is missing the long range leaf.

 

[Conquerordie]

A Model1861 lock would not be on a M1863 musket. So since the rest of the gun appears to be late war, too me the lock is a total replacement. The hammer screw looks newer than the plate or hammer. So I think someone assembled the lock out of original parts to complete the gun. It's like a lot of these old muskets, plenty of original parts available, and someone used them to complete a civil war musket. So I think the parts of the guns saw the war, just not as the assembled musket you see before you.

 

[bayonet]

That nipple is a reproduction replacement (originals can be found) and the wood shrinkage on the rear butt stock by the plate is normal. For $700 guess you did ok but in that condition I would have not paid anymore.

 

[FreshPrince711]

The ramrod is a reproduction. The barrel bands and sling swivel are on backwards. The rear sight is missing the long range leaf.

Wow! What sticks out about the ramrod that makes it a repro?

 

[FreshPrince711]

Obvious sanding and stock wrist may have been cracked

Yeah. Cracked and repaired for certain. I was hoping it was war-used and war-broken but that's a long shot

 

[FreshPrince711]

The ramrod is a reproduction. The barrel bands and sling swivel are on backwards. The rear sight is missing the long range leaf.

I just flipped the barrel bands around. Not sure what you mean by the sling swivels are backwards. As it stands now that I flipped the bands. The screw is on the right for the bands and on the left for the sling screw on the trigger guard. Does the trigger guard screw/swivel need flipped too?

 

[rob63]

Wow! What sticks out about the ramrod that makes it a repro?

The swelled part is made as a separate part from the long shaft. The entire rod was made in one piece on originals.

Yes, the trigger guard screw/swivel needs flipped as well.

 

[Trooper "D"]

A Model1861 lock would not be on a M1863 musket. So since the rest of the gun appears to be late war, too me the lock is a total replacement. The hammer screw looks newer than the plate or hammer. So I think someone assembled the lock out of original parts to complete the gun. It's like a lot of these old muskets, plenty of original parts available, and someone used them to complete a civil war musket. So I think the parts of the guns saw the war, just not as the assembled musket you see before you.

Frankenmusket

 

[plymouthairrifle]

This old war horse was there! It is the best it can be and should be treated with the respect it deserves.

 

[scooter748driver]

Welcome from the Fort Sumter and the Fredericksburg forums.

 

[rob63]

This is just a guess, but I would bet that this gun fell into the hands of a reenactor that cleaned it up to look new and replaced the ramrod and nipple so that it could shoot blanks. Prior to that it was a relatively intact rifle-musket in attic condition.

 

[FreshPrince711]

The swelled part is made as a separate part from the long shaft. The entire rod was made in one piece on originals.

Yes, the trigger guard screw/swivel needs flipped as well.

I got a scope down the barrel. Do you know why it's super shiny at the bottom? Did they fix something with lead?

 

[FreshPrince711]

This is just a guess, but I would bet that this gun fell into the hands of a reenactor that cleaned it up to look new and replaced the ramrod and nipple so that it could shoot blanks. Prior to that it was a relatively intact rifle-musket in attic condition.

A Model1861 lock would not be on a M1863 musket. So since the rest of the gun appears to be late war, too me the lock is a total replacement. The hammer screw looks newer than the plate or hammer. So I think someone assembled the lock out of original parts to complete the gun. It's like a lot of these old muskets, plenty of original parts available, and someone used them to complete a civil war musket. So I think the parts of the guns saw the war, just not as the assembled musket you see before you.

Quick question. I got a scope down the barrel and found this at the bottom. What is it, why is it super shiny? Is it safe to fire blanks?