1863 springfield

sully2311 · April 19, 2019, 07:07 PM

Has anyone else seen a 1863 springfield rifled musket with a bead front sight? My brother has one and I have borrowed it to check for value and possible cleaning and maybe shoot...

http://s228.photobucket.com/user/sully2311/library/1863

Hawg · April 19, 2019, 07:56 PM

No, Does it still have rifling? Many of these had the rifling removed and used for shotguns.

mehavey · April 19, 2019, 07:56 PM

You mean an actual shotgun bead, and not this http://www.civilwararsenal.com/wp-co...ebd4l0001.jpg?

sully2311 · April 19, 2019, 09:24 PM

Not sure of rifling yet, the bore is VERY dirty, I did throw a patch puller down it, flashlight showed something at the bottom, was just some old paper bits.
Wasn’t sure if cleaning the barrel at least would affect any kind of value, never been around a firearm this old before

sully2311 · April 19, 2019, 09:25 PM

Actual bead, I’ll take a couple pic in a few
No ram rod either unfortunately....

pic link at the top

l.cutler · April 20, 2019, 04:08 AM

If it has a bead then it was added later. What is the barrel length?

sully2311 · April 20, 2019, 02:12 PM

Barrel end to tang end....35 in.

Hawg · April 20, 2019, 05:17 PM

Barrel length for a 61 Springfield is 40 inches minus the tang so it's been cut. The stock has been cut down and most likely the rifling has been reamed out. It's also been aggressively cleaned. Value is around 300 bucks and you might have to wait awhile to get that from somebody that wants a war date lock.

sully2311 · April 20, 2019, 05:38 PM

Wow! Aggressively cleaned? It is all grimed and dirty... do you mean the wear down of the lock sides and the barrel? Sorry, don’t mean to be stupid about it.
My brother doesn’t care of the value, wants to clean it up some and make a wall hanging center piece of some kind.

Thanks Hawg!

Hawg · April 20, 2019, 06:10 PM

I didn't see any patina on the barrel, just white steel.

sully2311 · April 20, 2019, 06:15 PM

Ah, ok, yeah, the whole barrel is just spotted and such, no bluing left at all

mehavey · April 20, 2019, 06:37 PM

The original Springfield came in the white (no bluing at all).
I'm just seeing the original naturally-aged (tho' neglected) steel.

...and yes, someone soldered a bead on as a sight

sully2311 · April 20, 2019, 07:05 PM

Huh... ok, I appreciate you all! Thanks again!

Hawg · April 20, 2019, 07:16 PM

Quote:

The original Springfield came in the white (no bluing at all).
I'm just seeing the original naturally-aged (tho' neglected) steel.

...and yes, someone soldered a bead on as a sight

Looks like it has been cleaned at some point to me but with all that's been done to it it won't matter.

April 19, 2019, 07:07 PM	#1
sully2311 Member Join Date: December 29, 2013 Location: Gilbert,AZ Posts: 39	1863 springfield Has anyone else seen a 1863 springfield rifled musket with a bead front sight? My brother has one and I have borrowed it to check for value and possible cleaning and maybe shoot... http://s228.photobucket.com/user/sully2311/library/1863 Last edited by sully2311; April 19, 2019 at 10:14 PM.

April 19, 2019, 09:25 PM	#5
sully2311 Member Join Date: December 29, 2013 Location: Gilbert,AZ Posts: 39	Actual bead, I’ll take a couple pic in a few No ram rod either unfortunately.... pic link at the top Last edited by sully2311; April 19, 2019 at 10:17 PM.

April 19, 2019, 07:56 PM	#2
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	No, Does it still have rifling? Many of these had the rifling removed and used for shotguns.

April 19, 2019, 07:56 PM	#3
mehavey Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 6,883	You mean an actual shotgun bead, and not this http://www.civilwararsenal.com/wp-co...ebd4l0001.jpg?

April 19, 2019, 09:24 PM	#4
sully2311 Member Join Date: December 29, 2013 Location: Gilbert,AZ Posts: 39	Not sure of rifling yet, the bore is VERY dirty, I did throw a patch puller down it, flashlight showed something at the bottom, was just some old paper bits. Wasn’t sure if cleaning the barrel at least would affect any kind of value, never been around a firearm this old before

April 20, 2019, 04:08 AM	#6
l.cutler Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2005 Posts: 275	If it has a bead then it was added later. What is the barrel length?

April 20, 2019, 02:12 PM	#7
sully2311 Member Join Date: December 29, 2013 Location: Gilbert,AZ Posts: 39	Barrel end to tang end....35 in.

April 20, 2019, 05:17 PM	#8
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	Barrel length for a 61 Springfield is 40 inches minus the tang so it's been cut. The stock has been cut down and most likely the rifling has been reamed out. It's also been aggressively cleaned. Value is around 300 bucks and you might have to wait awhile to get that from somebody that wants a war date lock.

April 20, 2019, 05:38 PM	#9
sully2311 Member Join Date: December 29, 2013 Location: Gilbert,AZ Posts: 39	Wow! Aggressively cleaned? It is all grimed and dirty... do you mean the wear down of the lock sides and the barrel? Sorry, don’t mean to be stupid about it. My brother doesn’t care of the value, wants to clean it up some and make a wall hanging center piece of some kind. Thanks Hawg!

April 20, 2019, 06:10 PM	#10
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	I didn't see any patina on the barrel, just white steel.

April 20, 2019, 06:15 PM	#11
sully2311 Member Join Date: December 29, 2013 Location: Gilbert,AZ Posts: 39	Ah, ok, yeah, the whole barrel is just spotted and such, no bluing left at all

April 20, 2019, 06:37 PM	#12
mehavey Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 6,883	The original Springfield came in the white (no bluing at all). I'm just seeing the original naturally-aged (tho' neglected) steel. ...and yes, someone soldered a bead on as a sight

April 20, 2019, 07:05 PM	#13
sully2311 Member Join Date: December 29, 2013 Location: Gilbert,AZ Posts: 39	Huh... ok, I appreciate you all! Thanks again!