Unmarked US M1861 dated 1864

[BBurkett]

Hello gents

Up for discussion and viewing is a US M1861 pattern rifle musket that is in VN to Fine condition. Lock bare except for 1864 date, no US on buttplate, bands stamped with traditional "U", barrel stamped with VP Eagle. No inspectors cartouches on stock flat opposite of lock. No inspectors marking on inside of lock, rifling is excellent and sharp lands and grooves. Underside of barrel has a "P" and a "c" with tang having a "c" underside. Stock also has no inspectors marks inside lock mortise.

 

[captaindrew]

Nice, thanks for sharing

 

[UCVRelics]

Nice one. The lack of inspectors marks has me leaning toward a Bannerman's post war put together from all the parts he bought surplus after the war. Lets see what @johan_steele thinks.

 

[BBurkett]

Tim Prince and another well known collector said they're pretty sure it's an undocumented Whitney with 5 or six examples known so far.

 

[BBurkett]

Nice one. The lack of inspectors marks has me leaning toward a Bannerman's post war put together from all the parts he bought surplus after the war. Lets see what @johan_steele thinks.

The lack of federal cartouches or inspectors marks lean towards a contractor that used condemned parts, did not sell this particular model to the Fed Govt because of the parts not gauging properly with inspectors set gauges. That leaves a pretty narrow set of contractors AND the fact these are virtually hand fitted narrows it down even further. "good and serviceable..."

 

[BBurkett]

BTW, Dave Taylor has one just like this in attic find condition and lists it as a Whitney from all the most recent info available

 

[johan_steele]

I would agree that it is a Whitney; either a "Good and Serviceable" sold to the states or militia. There are a couple other possibilities. It might be one made up post war by Whitney from parts and sold off surplus. I've recently been told a good number of Whitney's ended up in France for the Franco Prussian War. FWIW I own an M1855 RM made up by Mr Haack in the early 80's from disassociated parts he'd picked up. This included a dozen or more with almost all original parts, some of them condemned parts. He worked from this stock for several years then began adding his own manufactured parts to complete arms. But I'm inclined to go with a Whitney "Good and Serviceable."

 

[mofederal]

A nice looking Springfield whatever it's origins. I would like town one like it.