Please let me jump in as this thread is not too old. I, too, am looking at Defarbing my Chiappa Enfield 1853 into something that resembles what my Great Grandfather Jacob Johann Jennewein had in the American Civil War. Being from Wisconsin, company G Wisconsin 42nd Inf. Regiment. He enlisted in August 31, 1864 and mustered out on June 20th 1865, just in shy of one year. My Cousin Larry has his rifle and he sent me pictures of it. I don't think it was bright color, but blued.
Looks blued to me in the picture I'll attach. Also in another picture (attached) is a close up of the side of the lockplate. It is different than a lot of others I have seen as it is "T O W E R" over the date of 1862, where others are made with the date above the TOWER name.
I've sent off an email to Todd Watts to see if he can make it so that the word T O W E R is spaced further apart than what is normally made as a defarb and put the date underneath it. I have seen Lodgewood's website and talked to them. Looks like quite impressive work. VERY impressive.
I cannot have my Great Grandfather's rifle but I would like to have one that looks as much like it as possible. Larry says it still has the original sling and original leather ammo pouch (which has a number of original paper patch bullets).
So, why was the TOWER over 1862 different made than the other way around?
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