Rare Rifled Arsenal Percussion Alteration of a US Model 1840 Musket by Pomeroy

American Civil War

.69 caliber. 42" rifled barrel retained by three flat spring-retained bands. NSN. Bright finish, iron furniture, walnut stock. Single shot muzzleloading percussion altered musket. Lock marked with a {Spread-Winged Eagle}/L POMEROY forward of the hammer and 1844/US vertically in two lines at tail of lock. Barrel tang dated 1841 with US/JCB inspection marks at breech and correct Pomeroy contract raised P proof in a depressed starburst. Visible script NWP and WAT cartouches on counterpane, the marks of arsenal sub-inspector Nahum W Patch and Ordnance Officer William Anderson Thornton. Arsenal alteration from flint to percussion with the alphanumeric reassembly mating mark that appears to read 9A on the stock comb and O7 under the barrel, mismatched. These mating marks are associated with percussion alterations performed at the Watervliet Arsenal. Bore is arsenal rifled with three lands and grooves, an upgrade performed after the percussion alteration. The barrel and stock were likely mismatched at this point in time, as the Model 1840 musket was technically an "interchangeable parts" gun, although not always in practice. Matching reassembly marks on rifled examples have never been ecnountered by this cataloger. Correct pattern, full-length trumpet head ramrod with threads at end, face of rammer not modified for elongated ball ammunition. Both sling swivels present. According to Moller only 681 cone-in-barrel altered US muskets were later rifled without the addition of rear sights circa 1858-1859.

This lot is located in Cincinnati.