Needs Some Knowledge: 1862 Tower/Enfield

[Craig L Barry]

It is always a good idea to restrict live fire for reproductions which are made for that purpose. It's not that originals are not shootable, but there is risk involved including damage to the piece (and yourself). If the barrel is sound and you do decide to live fire it, certainly replace the cone with a modern steel reproduction with better threads. You can put the original cone back into the bolster for display. A replacement cone with the same threads---probably 5/16 x 18--- can be had for less than $10 from Dixie Gun Works or Track of the Wolf (and others). I replace the percussion cones on the muskets that I fire regularly once or twice per year because they flatten out with repeated strikes from the hammer.

Previous post on the Birmingham barrel maker Henry Clive is spot on...they made a good many barrels found on surviving Civil War-era Enfields.