|
Hi John, attached are the pictures of a rifle (including the breech and lock markings). The barrel length is 30.5 inches from the breech to the end of the muzzle. There are no other readily identifiable markings or serial numbers on the butt, muzzle or trigger of the rifle. The trigger and lock/hammer do still function.
Unfortunately, I do not have much of a history to provide as to the origins of the rifle, nor do I know how my family member came into possession of it. However, rather than continue the tradition of letting this sit in a closet/attic for years to come, I sought out an expert to confirm the authenticity of the rifle for insurance purposes. In my own independent research, I have had trouble finding any other C.S. Richmond, VA. rifles online to compare this one with—especially any dated 1864. Most of the ones I found online seem to originate in South Carolina. –Blake
JS: Your gun, when originally issued, had three barrel bands, and the barrel measured 40 inches. This rifle has been "sporterized" for home use. In its original configuration, it would also have had a brass nosecap, two sling swivels, a steel ramrod and a two-leaf rear sight. Quite often, soldiers carried their muskets home and continued to use them to hunt game for the dinner table, especially in the rural South and Midwest. A shorter, lighter "fowler" was much more useful than the heavy, clunky rifled-musket taken home at war's end.
This gun was originally .58 caliber with a rifled bore. If you look down the barrel now, it will have the rifling "shot out," and it is now smooth and of larger caliber from lots of use with shot instead of the original minie ball, which was used at long range during the Civil War.
Confederate Richmond Rifled-Muskets were made in Richmond, Virginia, from machinery captured from Harper's Ferry Armory that produced the US model 1855 Rifled-Musket. Variants occurred until late 1862 when Richmonds became very standard with the brass nosecap and butt plate (which yours still retains). There is some variance in inspector marks on 1864 barrels, and of course, both lock and barrel would be dated 1864. Barrel date often is not visible due to erosion from fire of cap in the breech where it was stamped.
An average "attic" condition 1864, complete and all-original musket will bring a small premium over 1862- or 1863-dated models, as they are scarcer and most saw hard use. The Richmond Armory produced and repaired large quantities of arms, but the "new" rifled-musket production is thought to be less than 40,000. This might seem like a large number, but there are only a few surviving fine-excellent examples remaining in private or museum collections of any date or variant.
 An average Richmond musket in complete good condition sells for about $8,000-$10,000, and these are very scarce; most often encountered are guns with smooth bores missing ramrods, sling swivels, rear sights, nosecaps, etc., often restored. These average "restored," or partial guns (still in original configuration), sell in auction for $4,000-$6,000. Your gun with cut barrel is often "stretched" and parts added to emulate a complete gun and would sell for $1,500-$2,500.
Restoration can be expensive, and it is not as popular today as in years past; serious collectors prefer arms "as found." Your gun "as-found" tells the story of the continued use of a “tool of war” turned into a "tool for peace" for home use and will sell for about $1,500-$2,500.
|
