Recent Find Richmond Musketoon

[OldSarge79]

For over a year I've been looking for a decent Richmond musket to go with my Richmond bayonet, but am very careful in the search, too many faked, altered and non-original parts.
Two or three months ago, I came across what was advertised as a cut-down Richmond musket that someone had reamed out to make a smoothbore. I gave it a quick perusal, asked for a few more photos, such as the lock cut-out, barrel bands, etc. The guy never sent the photos and I moved on. There are a lot of altered muskets out there.
About three weeks ago, I looked at it again. Lo and behold, the photos I had asked for had been added to the listing, and they looked good. I began seriously researching the details and after a while found it, first in Flaydermans, then in Murphy's Confederate Carbines and Musketoons, and finally a single photo in Davies' C.S. Armory Richmond.
I wasted no more time and bought it. It just arrived yesterday.

The gun is actually a Richmond Armory Musketoon, made with a 30-inch .60 caliber smooth bore barrel. The very distinctive feature is that there is no real "flat" around the lock plate or on the opposite side, It just curves away from the lock plate and the washers on the opposite side. That unique feature allowed me to buy it with a fair amount of confidence.

I have taken it apart and am happy to say that I am satisfied that it is all original, complete and unaltered, with the possible exception of the ramrod, only because it has no thread. It is in very nice condition with great patina, and came at a very low price.

These are described by Murphy as "quite scarce." They seem to be generally referred to as a "Naval Musketoon" on the theory that being smooth bore with short barrel and made to take a standard Model 1855 or Richmond bayonet, it would meet the needs of close combat repelling boarders, etc. Some, however, think they were intended for cavalry issue. Considering the excellent condition this one is in, with only a few dings in the wood, I lean toward naval use.

The only oddity is the circle cut into the top of the wrist. Never seen anything like it.
The final photo shows the musketoon in its new home, with Richmond bayonet (third from top in the case).

It came with a bayonet which, although for a .58 caliber musket, I have not been able to identify. I'll post it on the Edged Weapons forum.

As always, I apologize for the poor photos. I gotta get a decent camera!

 

[gjpratt]

Wonderful pickup. I can't wait to see it in person. (And your new digs)

 

[JOHN42768]

Glad you found it

 

[OldSarge79]

Wonderful pickup. I can't wait to see it in person. (And your new digs)

Any time Hal. Let me know when you're up this way.

 

[JackADriscoll]

Neat find thanks for sharing. One not as nice old recently for 3750. They are quite rare birds

 

[scooter748driver]

Very nice! Congratulations

 

[OldSarge79]

Well, I finally have a better camera so I thought I would add some decent photos.

Deleted: Photos didn't come through. I'll keep trying.

 

[Cato3rd]

Beautiful gun and nice pickup for the collection. I remember seeing your display in an older thread and always admired your display setup

 

[OldSarge79]

Thank you kindly!

Now if I can only figure out why the website won't accept the photos...... Unlike the ones I posted originally, the new ones are crystal clear. I can state with absolute confidence that Technology hates me, and frankly, the feeling is mutual.

Edit: The problem seems to have something to do with my new phone (hence the new camera). I can still upload my other photos onto CWT but not the ones I took today on my new Pixel phone. I was able to send them to my email, from where I downloaded them into my laptop. They just won't upload from there. I've tried to go into the "properties" of the photos to see if there was something blocking it but no luck.

Anyone have any suggestions?
I need to get this figured out soon or I will never be able to upload photos from my new phone.

 

[rob63]

Thank you kindly!

Now if I can only figure out why the website won't accept the photos...... Unlike the ones I posted originally, the new ones are crystal clear. I can state with absolute confidence that Technology hates me, and frankly, the feeling is mutual.

Edit: The problem seems to have something to do with my new phone (hence the new camera). I can still upload my other photos onto CWT but not the ones I took today on my new Pixel phone. I was able to send them to my email, from where I downloaded them into my laptop. They just won't upload from there. I've tried to go into the "properties" of the photos to see if there was something blocking it but no luck.

Anyone have any suggestions?
I need to get this figured out soon or I will never be able to upload photos from my new phone.

I don't really know anything for sure, I just googled it, but it looks like a pixel phone has an option where it can save photos in a "raw" format rather than "jpeg." My suggestion is to open the camera app on the phone, look in settings, make sure it is on jpeg.

 

[OldSarge79]

I muddled through it and it's JPG. I changed one to JPEG but it still didn't work.

My phone just called me Hal. Stupid phone, that's not my name.

 

[Papabyrd]

Thank you kindly!

Now if I can only figure out why the website won't accept the photos...... Unlike the ones I posted originally, the new ones are crystal clear. I can state with absolute confidence that Technology hates me, and frankly, the feeling is mutual.

Edit: The problem seems to have something to do with my new phone (hence the new camera). I can still upload my other photos onto CWT but not the ones I took today on my new Pixel phone. I was able to send them to my email, from where I downloaded them into my laptop. They just won't upload from there. I've tried to go into the "properties" of the photos to see if there was something blocking it but no luck.

Anyone have any suggestions?
I need to get this figured out soon or I will never be able to upload photos from my new phone.

Transfer them to your pictures on your computer. when you plug your phone to the computer it will ask what you want to do. After it downloads all your pictures pick the ones you want to transfer and select a folder to put them in. easier than emailing them.

 

[OldSarge79]

Success!
Here is one. Will add more.

 

[OldSarge79]

I think I have a workable setup now, a photo compression app. It didn't work with two photos but did with five. I'll settle for that for now.
Anyway, note the lack of a "flat" around the lock plate and the washers on the opposite side, especially the front washer. A unique feature of the Richmond Armory musketoon.

 

[R. Porter]

I download my pictures from my phone to my computer and then select the photos I want to post for editing and save them as jpg. They seem to be saved in the phone and downloaded in a format that the website doesn't recognize, so if I do nothing else I must save the pictures I want to post as jpg.

Now about that "U" on the barrel bands. I understood that to be an inspector's mark on Springfield muskets and trapdoor Springfields. Are these barrel bands from stock captures at Harper's Ferry?

 

[OldSarge79]

Now about that "U" on the barrel bands. I understood that to be an inspector's mark on Springfield muskets and trapdoor Springfields. Are these barrel bands from stock captures at Harper's Ferry?

They are actually there to show which way the barrel band should be facing, the open end of the "U" toward the bore end.
Barrel bands made by Federal armories are always stamped with the "U" lined up with the spring that holds the band in place.
Confederate-made bands are much more haphazard, with the "U" almost always not lining up with the spring. Occasionally they are found with no "U" at all and have even been known to be on the wrong side of the band. It's another difference in the quality of Federal and Confederate-made arms.

Richmond and Fayetteville shoulder arms are famous for the "offset U."

 

[R. Porter]

They are actually there to show which way the barrel band should be facing, the open end of the "U" toward the bore end.
Barrel bands made by Federal armories are always stamped with the "U" lined up with the spring that holds the band in place. Confederate-made bands are much more haphazard, with the "U" almost always not lining up with the spring. Occasionally they are found with no "U" at all and have even been known to be on the wrong side of the band. It's another difference in the quality of Federal and Confederate-made arms.

Richmond and Fayetteville shoulder arms are famous for the "offset U."

Well that's interesting! When did the use of U's begin and were they used by foreign arms makers or just American ones?

 

[OldSarge79]

Sorry for the delay in responding but I was hoping someone with a more definitive answer would jump in.
All I can say is that my Model 1842 musket, dated 1844, doesn't have U's on the barrel brands. My Model 1855, dated 1857, does. Exactly what year they started I can't say. It may have been with the Model 1855's.
As for other countries, I haven't a clue.