Arsenal Percussion Altered Rifled & Sighted 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 upgraded by rifling and sighting with the addition of an M1855 long range rear sight and a steel front sight blade. Lock marked with a {Spread-Winged Eagle}/L POMEROY forward of the hammer and 1843/US vertically in two lines at tail of lock. Barrel tang dated 1843 as well with US/NWP inspection marks at breech over the correct Pomeroy contract raised P proof in a depressed starburst. Clear script EB and WAT cartouches on counterpane, the marks of arsenal sub-inspector Elizur Bates and Ordnance Officer William Anderson Thornton. The bore was arsenal rifled with three lands and grooves, after the percussion alteration. The gun retains a correct pattern, full-length trumpet head ramrod with threads at end, and face of rammer correctly modified for elongated ball ammunition. Both sling swivels are present, as well as the socket bayonet lug under the barrel near the muzzle. It appears that most of the few hundred US Model 1840 musket that had been altered to percussion and were further upgraded by being rifled and sighted were arms that had been originally issued to the state of Virginia under the Militia Act of 1808. They were forwarded to Frankford Arsenal in 1860 for the rifling and sighting upgrade and were returned to the state before the outbreak of hostilities. Less than 500 US Model 1840 muskets were so altered for Virginia. This is likely one of those and as such a scarce secondary Confederate rifled musket. {ANTIQUE}

From the Lifetime Collection of Robert G. Paulsen

This lot is located in Cincinnati.