Chuck Russell
Cadet
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2013
- Location
- North Dakota
I took the plunge recently and purchased a used but not abused M1855 rifle musket. The lock plate is dated 1859. The finish on all the metal parts suggest to me that they have been together for a long time. Because of pitting from firing, the barrel date is gone. The V and P are present, but must have been stamped by a limp-wristed inspector. Only with a good imagination would I say that any portion of the eagle head remains. Pitting extends into that area. After I received the weapon, I began Web searches for the M1855. Looking at photos from auction and dealer sites I realized that the rear sight on what appear to be original 1859 and 1860 versions of the M1855 is slightly different from what is on the barrel of my rifle. Searching this forum I found a nice list describing the 4 variations of Springfield Armory sights from 1855 to 1865. My rear sight is the third variation, the one with the protective hump or "ear" like the rear sight found on the M1861. My concern is that either the rear sight is a replacement of the original or that the original 1859 dated barrel was replaced with a M1861 barrel and sight. After looking through pictures in Hartzler, Yantz and Whisker's book on the M1861, I have pretty much convinced myself that the barrel on my rifle is not a replacement that was removed from a contract manufactured M1861. My question for the experts is whether there is any discernible difference in a barrel from the M1855 series of rifle muskets manufactured at Springfield and those of M1861. My hope is that the barrel is the original "1859" dated with only the rear sight replaced. I took the barrel out of the stock. The only other markings on the barrel other than the V and P are letters stamped on the vertical portion of the breech plug tang and letters, numbers and symbols stamped on the breech end of the barrel that surrounds the hole the plug is screwed into. Any insight into my dilemma would be greatly appreciated. Maybe I've driven myself crazy from collecting M1 rifles and carbines where the obsession with originality boils down to finish, drawing numbers, parts codes, etc, etc. Thanks for humoring me, Regards, Chuck Russell