Palmetto lock plate

[Ferd454231]

I just picked up a Palmetto marked musket. It has a V P and what could be a palmetto. There is no Wm. Glaze anywhere that I can see. Additionally there is no SC on the barrel. The butt tang has a nice US. The lockplate has the Palmetto mark and the S C. The word Columbia is hard to read and anything under that is beyond my ability to read. The barrel from breech to business end is about 43". I understand from an earlier exchange that the factory did alot of conversion and repair work. Since the barrel is stamped 1846 I would assume (or hope) that this is the case. Where the butt tang came in I couldn't say. Photos are attached. They are as good as I could get as was my level of cursing. So please help brothers and sisters. Enlighten me. Thanks H

 

[JOHN42768]

Nice. What caliber is it? I thought the barrel might be off a Model 1841, but not long enough.

 

[UCVRelics]

Nice piece. Here is a thread we had on these awhile back. @Lanyard Puller can give more details.

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/palmetto-armory.150148/

 

[Ferd454231]

John42768 It is .69 and except for the lock plate and butt plate looks just like my Harper's Ferry Model 1842 (with an 1852 barrel).
Thanks Ucvrelics, as always. I had used that thread when I first became interested in this piece. I know its not a prime Palmetto just wondered what I was dealing with.

 

[UCVRelics]

Its not but then it was a war horse. It hard to see but it looks like a weak Columbia SC mark on the back of the lockplate right where it should be.

 

[Jeff in Ohio]

That mark behind the V and the P is not a palmetto tree, but an eagle head

 

[Ferd454231]

Jeff,
Thanks. That makes a lot more visual sense. Now help a fellow Buckeye out. What does the eagle head mean? Ignorance is not bliss but it is my natural condition. H

 

[Lanyard Puller]

@Ferd454231
Major Congratulations on the Palmetto musket..
It's as right as rain, showing the usage that would be expected. I'll post a few more photos, but the link from UCV relics a few postings above will have some good photos of the barrel and butt plate marks on most, but not all, of the Palmetto long guns.

Wm. Glaze had been working with Benj. Flagg in obtaining 1842 model muskets for SC even before the establishment of The Palmetto Armory. The majority of parts in everything the Armory made were surplus or condemned. The "42 pistols often have small "C" marks on some major parts.

The barrel on your gun is from a US Model 1842 .69 cal., smooth bore musket, assembled by Flagg {with leftover Asa Waters} parts., on an earlier {pre-Palmetto} SC contract. It was US inspected at some time well before it went on to a Palmetto musket, thus the "eagle head" on the barrel.

The bayonet lug on the bottom of the barrel is where it should be, although others are on top. The '42 had no rear sight...again correct. Rear sight's were added much later when these most remaining {all had brass bands} Palmetto muskets were rifled and sighted for the ACW.

The "S.C." on the butt plate is also correct, and could even be over stamped on US, if a surplus US plate was the next butt plate laying on the workbench. When you get to inspect/accept your own production there's more than a little lee way !!


I'll be happy to take her off your hands for the next few years for a thorough evaluation. BTW, it's in better condition than most of 'em.

Muzzle area of 1842 Flagg. Bottom bayonet lug...some are on the top.

Breech area of same. Note the "Eagle". My bar code is the "15" I've had this one a very long time..(1063 now)

SC buttplate. fresh stamp on a surplus 1842 buttplate

 

[Ferd454231]

Lanyard Puller,
Many thanks. Once again you have come to my rescue. I know, "Don't mean nothing", but it does. H

 

[Lanyard Puller]

Thanks for the kind words.
Always a pleasure and a good review of that kind of stuff, which old guys need more frequently than others.

Give me a head's up if you ever want to part with her. She'll be among her Palmetto friends again in SC.
Dave