British Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle Musket altered to Rifle

American Civil War

.58 caliber. 34.375" barrel, secured by two clamping barrel bands. NSN. Blued and color casehardened finish, brass furniture, walnut stock. Single shot percussion muzzleloading rifle musket shortened to rifle configuration, with a reproduction Enfield rear sight, Barleycorn front sight, saber bayonet lug on right of barrel 4" from the muzzle, a sling swivel in the toe of the stock, no upper swivel present and a reproduction ramrod. Lock marked 1862/TOWER forward of the hammer and with a {CROWN} without a VR underneath at the tail. Standard Birmingham commercial proofs at breech. Saber bayonet lug numbered 106 to mate with matching bayonet. Standard barrel lengths for these rifles were 33" with the longer barrel indicating that it was cut down from a 39" rifle musket barrel. A number of extant examples survive of similar guns that were Confederate altered from rifle musket length to rifle length with saber bayonet lugs added. Stock appears to be a standard rifle stock with no lower swivel hole in the triggerguard and the lower swivel in the stock toe. An interesting and likely Confederate used Enfield rifle musket altered to rifle. {ANTIQUE}

This lot is located in Cincinnati.

Good. Bore Fair to Good with weak three groove rifling and moderate oxidation with some pitting. Metal with a medium plum patina that appears to be a combination of old finish, possibly some chemical aging and natural aging. Metal mostly smooth with some scattered surface roughness and some pinprick pitting. Markings mostly clear and legible. Mechanically functional action. Lock somewhat ill-fitting. Rear sight is a modern replacement as is the lower swivel loop. Wood with scattered bumps, dings and mars and some fairly tight grain cracks around the lock screw escutcheons and the lower edge of the lock mortise.

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Please email [email protected] for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.

Mr. Tim Prince

Senior Consulting Specialist, Arms, Armor & Militaria

[email protected]312 280 1212

Tim Prince has more than 30-years of experience in the field of antique and collectible arms and is a nationally recognized expert in the area of Civil War small arms. A long-time researcher and author, Tim has been a contributing author to two major books about Civil War firearms, including The English Connection: Arms, Material and Support Furnished to the Confederate States of America by Great Britain (2014) and Confederate Shotguns and Southern Agent Marked Shotguns (2017). He was also a major contributor to the recently updated Blue Book of Antique American Firearms & Values – 2nd Edition (2019) as well as the 2010 updates to the Civil War Collector's Price Guide - 12th edition. Over the last decade Tim has authored more than 50 articles on 19th century collectible and military arms, which have been published in such varied publications as Civil War News, North-South Trader, and Military Antique Collector. Since 2016 has appeared as a featured appraiser in the field of Arms & Militaria on the popular PBS television series Antiques Roadshow. He is a member of the American Society of Arms Collectors and currently serves on the board of directors of that organization. He is also a member of and formerly served on the board of directors of the Society of American Bayonet Collectors. Tim is a life member of the Ohio Valley Military Society, the Tennessee Military Collectors Association, the Alabama Military Collectors Association, is a member of the Company of Military Historians and is a member of numerous other colleting groups and societies. He is the owner of College Hill Arsenal, a web based antique and collectible arms retail web site, specializing in the American Civil War and related military items. Tim has engaged in the business of buying, selling, researching, and appraising antique and collectible arms and associated military items for some three decades. Since 2016 he has also served as a senior Consulting Specialist in the field of Arms, Armor & Militaria for Cowan’s Auctions, a Freeman's Company.

Mr. Tim Carey

Associate Vice President, Head of Department, Arms, Armor and Militaria

[email protected]312 280 1212

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British Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle Musket altered to Rifle

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