Fine Unaltered Harpers Ferry US Model 1841 Mississippi Rifle

American Civil War

.54 caliber. 33" round barrel secured by two flat brass spring-retained bands. NSN. Browned barrel, color casehardened lock and hammer, brass furniture, walnut stock. Single shot percussion muzzleloading rifle with fixed sights. Lock marked with a {Spread-Winged Eagle}/US forward of the hammer and in three vertical lines HARPERS/FERRY/1850 at the tail. Breech plug tang dated 1850 as well. Breech with correct small V/P/{Eagle Head} proof and an AW/P inspection mark. Counterpane with the block JLR inspection of John L Rowe with the same inspection inside the patchbox cut-out, along with the three router pilot holes found on Harpers Ferry made 1841 rifle stocks. Spare cone in patchbox. Buttplate without the "US" on the tang, as is correct. Original production configuration with fixed block rear sight, brass blade front sight and no bayonet lug. Retains original sling swivels and full-length brass-tipped steel ramrod with good threads at the end. Harpers Ferry produced 2,676 M1841 Rifles in 1850. During the entire production run at Harpers Ferry a total of 25,207 Model 1841 rifles would be produced between 1844 and 1855. Of those, nearly 9,000 would be altered at Harpers Ferry to accept bayonets and would receive new, long-range rear sights. Many more of the Harpers Ferry produced 1841 Rifles would be similarly altered during the early months of the American Civil War, primarily to accept a bayonet of some sort, and these alterations took place both in the North and the South. Today finding an original, unaltered Harpers Ferry produced 1841 rifle that is still in .54 caliber without any modifications is quite difficult and these guns are highly sought after by collectors. This is a very nice and crisp example that would be a wonderful addition to any collection.

ex-Ted Heske Collection, The Collection of John Vagnetti

This lot is located in Cincinnati.