Confederate Cleaned & Repaired "Q" Marked US Springfield Model 1842 Musket

American Civil War

.69 caliber. 42" round barrel. SN: NSN. Arsenal Bright finish, full-length American Black Walnut musket stock. Single shot muzzleloading percussion smoothbore musket with the barrel secured by three flat, spring-retained barrel bands. Lock is crisply marked with a {Spread-Winged Eagle}/US forward of the hammer and SPRING/FIELD/1855 in three vertical lines at the tail of the lock. Breech plug tang with matching 1855 date and left breech quadrant with V/P/{Eagle Head} inspection marks. Counterpane with a weak script cartouche that appears to be the JS of Springfield Arsenal inspector James Stillman. The musket is further marked with a crisp Q forward of the triggerguard, indicating the gun was "Cleaned & Repaired" in the Confederate Arsenal system during the Civil War. The musket retains its original brass blade front sight on the top strap of the upper barrel band, both sling swivels and a correct original trumpet head ramrod that is full-length with threads at the end.

The gun is accompanied by a copy of Stephen Knott's book "Captured & Collected - Confederate Reissued Firearms" which details the story of the guns that were run through the Confederate C&R (Cleaned & Repaired) process at various southern arsenals. The "Q" mark that is found on this gun is believed to indicate work done a the Richmond Arsenal/Artillery Workshop to make firearms serviceable again for reissued to troops in the field. Overall this is a really fine and crisp example of a US Model 1842 musket with a desirable Confederate refurbishment mark in the wood.