Austrian Model 1854 Lorenz Rifle Musket Type I

American Civil War

13.9mm (.547") caliber. 37.25" octagon to round barrel secured by three flat, spring-retained bands. NSN. Blued finish, iron furniture, beech stock with raised cheek rest. Single shot muzzleloading percussion rifle musket. Lock marked forward of the hammer with date 860 in the traditional Austrian fashion, omitting the first number in the year. Tail of lock with {Austrian Double-Headed Eagle}. Breech marked with the {Austrian Double-Headed Eagle} as well and the contractor name that appears to be IG JUST. Stockel shows a Jakob Just working in Ferlach, Austria as a gunmaker during the 1st quarter of the 19th century and it is likely that this was a relative or descendant. A contractor J is also stamped in the toe line of the stock behind the triggerguard with usual Austrian inspection marks in the metal. The matching mating mark "6" is found on most parts, although in some cases it is quite worn. Type I configuration with fixed block rear sight in correct short dovetail with correct semi-helical profile musket front sight that doubles as a socket bayonet lug. Retains both sling swivels and a correct pattern original Austrian ramrod that is full-length and has some threads at the end. The Austrian Model 1854 Lorenz was the third most used infantry long arm of the American Civil War by both sides with hundreds of thousands being imported for use. Some of the imported guns were blued, like this one appears to have been, giving rise to the nickname "Austrian Enfields" among some US soldiers for those blued guns. The guns were imported in their original caliber like this one, as well as in various calibers that were attempts to ream them up to the more traditional .58 caliber then in use by both combatants. Reports indicate these "modified" Lorenz rifle muskets arrived with bores anywhere from about .55 to .60 on the US side. The conventional wisdom has always been that the the nominally .54 caliber guns with block sights were more likely to have "southern" use, but little evidence backs that up, although there appears to have been more of the original caliber guns in use by the Confederates than by the Union simply because the Confederates were acquiring them as they already existed and were not having the guns modified at additional expense. A very nice, far above average condition example of an important Civil War import arm.

This lot is located in Cincinnati.