Springfield M-1840 Conversion

[PrivateBrooke]

I was browsing Lodgewood as I frequently do. Usually I just look, but then I saw this and at a very reasonable price.
A Springfield M-1840 Conversion, 1843 lock plate! Belgian cone in barrel. This is in Very nice condition. Other nicks and chips, the stock is solid still, as is the hardware. All original except the ramrod is a reproduction. I'm not sure if the strap is a reproduction or not (I suspect it probably is). It's hard to tell from pictures but the stamps are all there and legible. This is a very shoot able original, I'm excited to own!

I'm super hyped to have finally scratched the "own an original musket" itch I've had for years now. I may clean this up a bit and use it for the occasional early war or western event, as I've wanted a proper conversion which isn't available from the reproduction market (that bad Pedersoli one aside). I actually bought a bayonet from The Horse Soldier that fits and carried it in the Remembrance Day parade yesterday.

 

[captaindrew]

Nice, I saw that listing. Nice conversations can be had for an affordable price and a great way to have a nice original piece. I have one myself for that very reason. You're so right, there's no good reproduction out there and conversations are certainly not represented in the reenacting hobby, especially for early war events. Congrats and your addition!

 

[Dusty]

Very nice, congratulations!

 

[PrivateBrooke]

Nice, I saw that listing. Nice conversations can be had for an affordable price and a great way to have a nice original piece. I have one myself for that very reason. You're so right, there's no good reproduction out there and conversations are certainly not represented in the reenacting hobby, especially for early war events. Congrats and your addition!

The funny thing is I paid less for this than what those Pedersoli ones that aren't close to historically correct go for. I don't remember exactly but I think I may have paid more for my 61 repro when I bought it. I just couldn't not pull the trigger and I'm stoked I did.

I think they'd be more represented if there were actual reproductions available. That's the main thing that keeps numbers minimal.

Something felt extremely right about marching in the parade and standing guard mount with the 149th PVI at Remembrance Day with an original, which is what convinced me to clean her up a little to use for appropriate events!

 

[Kyle Kalasnik]

Very nice! You did well

I check Lodgewood 2-3 times a day. That caught my eye every time.

Congratulations.

 

[johan_steele]

Congrats, you did well on that. Though ditch the sling as it's well post ACW, though quite possibly an original. If I can suggest picking up a bottle of Kramer's Best and giving her a half dozen applications you will appreciate the effect.

My wife refers to Lodgewood as one of my "enablers." Their website is dangerous.

 

[Papabyrd]

Good find but your right about the sling. It is closer to WW2 than ACW . But don't throw it away it has value in its self .

 

[Kyle Kalasnik]

Good find but your right about the sling. It is closer to WW2 than ACW . But don't throw it away it has value in its self .

I concur, sell it and put it towards another muzzleloader or some more reenacting stuff.

 

[PrivateBrooke]

Congrats, you did well on that. Though ditch the sling as it's well post ACW, though quite possibly an original. If I can suggest picking up a bottle of Kramer's Best and giving her a half dozen applications you will appreciate the effect.

My wife refers to Lodgewood as one of my "enablers." Their website is dangerous.

Yeah I think it might be a WW2 sling. It served its purpose this weekend but I'm planning on ditching it, possibly for a reproduction period one or I'll just leave her naked like my 61 repro. I'll have to get some of that Kramers best. I'm not interested in super cleaning, just getting to "well used" is good enough for me, and then protecting her as much as possible from damage and corrosion. I might see about getting another coat of finish on the stock just to be sure she'll be protected.

 

[PrivateBrooke]

Good find but you're right about the sling. It is closer to WW2 than ACW . But don't throw it away it has value in its self .

After a quick google search, it looks like an M1 Garand sling… and honestly I can't be mad about that, original or not.

 

[PrivateBrooke]

Update:

I finally got a light down the bore and was surprised by two things. First, the bore is in VERY nice condition. Hardly any pitting. Second, she's rifled, despite not being sighted as such. The lore grows ever deeper.

 

[Kyle Kalasnik]

Question for the experts, but how often were conversion muskets rifled and I'd assume it was done when the conversion took place?

 

[Joe Whitworth]

She's sporting a US M1907 sling.

 

[rob63]

Question for the experts, but how often were conversion muskets rifled and I'd assume it was done when the conversion took place?

I don't know about being an expert, but I have a copy of a really good book by Peter A. Schmidt that goes into a great deal of detail about the various percussion conversions, and a number of other books that cover the subject to lesser degrees. I made a cursory glance and came away with the impression that it is not a simple question to answer and the subject is truly worthy of a separate thread to cover it in detail. I hope to do that soon, but I know I will be too busy this week to tackle it.

Here is a short summery of what I can glean. The adoption of the percussion system in 1842 led to a large effort to convert muskets using the cone-in-barrel system like used on the O.P's musket. These were done in large numbers, and initially only involved conversion to percussion. The adoption of the Maynard system and the Minie Ball in 1855 let to separate efforts to convert using the Maynard system, and also to rifle musket barrels. It was promptly discovered that the higher pressures associated with rifled barrels and Minie Balls led to problems with the cone-in-barrel method of alteration and the practice of rifling them was quickly dropped. Further rifling of muskets by the Federal government was only done on muskets utilizing a separate breech piece conversion.

The Civil War led to further efforts to update the older muskets, including efforts by the individual states to rifle muskets in their possession. I don't see a simple way to quickly give you any numbers on any of these practices as they are not tabulated as a whole, but are rather listed individually by contractor or arsenal. Hopefully, I can give you more when I get a chance, or someone else can chime in.

p.s. I am heading back to Indiana for the Indy 500, so nothing further will be coming from me until after the race!

 

[rob63]

I did take the time to glance at George Moller's third volume and he has some tables that give totals so I will go ahead and add those before I head to Indy, although I still think the entire subject deserves another thread.

Moller tabulates the grand total of cone-in-barrel alterations done by Federal Arsenals as 329,289.
He also gives a total of 29,680 state-owned muskets altered by Federal Arsenals.

Moller tabulates cone-in-barrel alterations that were rifled and sighted between 1856 and 1859 as 681 that were rifled only, and another 20,980 that were both rifled and sighted. He also mentions nearly 7,000 muskets owned by Kentucky and New Jersey that were rifled by Federal Arsenals, and I know Schmidt listed other states as well so the total is higher than that.

There are also all of the muskets altered using other methods, such as new breech pieces, but that topic will have to wait for now.

 

[PrivateBrooke]

She's sporting a US M1907 sling.

I've since taken that off. But yes it's a world wars era sling as I gathered, so m1907 sounds right.