Springfield 1842 Musket at LGS

GaryED50 · August 16, 2020, 11:56 AM

Awesome find at my LGS. an 1842 Springfield rifled Musket. In very good condition. It was so incredible to pick up and hold this Rifle, if it could only talk and tell about its adventures and service. asking price was $1099.00
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Jim Watson · August 16, 2020, 12:30 PM

An original? Rifled?
I know they went back and rifled a bunch of muskets. A .69 Minie ball is a LARGE projectile.

GaryED50 · August 16, 2020, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Watson

An original? Rifled?
I know they went back and rifled a bunch of muskets. A .69 Minie ball is a LARGE projectile.

Surprised me too but I took a look with a bore light and its definitely rifled. it was really something to see and examine.

44caliberkid · August 17, 2020, 12:36 PM

If this is an original arm in VG condition, the price is excellent, should be $2000 - $3000. If it is a reproduction then it is just discounted a couple hundred.

std7mag · August 18, 2020, 12:40 AM

I'm leaning towards reproduction.
Rifling really wasn't in production till closer to the end of the war.
Civil war that is, so your talking 1863-64.
I was wondering if it shouldn't have been a flintlock, but upon further research the 42' was indeed percussion. The 40's were changed over from flintlock to percussion to make them 42's.
And they were indeed smoothbores.
Even my original 1861 Harpers Ferry is a smoothbore.

Still, nice find & beauty of a musket!
And one you can shoot!

Hawg · August 18, 2020, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by std7mag

I'm leaning towards reproduction.
Rifling really wasn't in production till closer to the end of the war.
Civil war that is, so your talking 1863-64.
I was wondering if it shouldn't have been a flintlock, but upon further research the 42' was indeed percussion. The 40's were changed over from flintlock to percussion to make them 42's.
And they were indeed smoothbores.
Even my original 1861 Harpers Ferry is a smoothbore.

Still, nice find & beauty of a musket!
And one you can shoot!

There were 14,000 of them rifled between 1856-1859.

GaryED50 · August 18, 2020, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by std7mag

I'm leaning towards reproduction.
Rifling really wasn't in production till closer to the end of the war.
Civil war that is, so your talking 1863-64.
I was wondering if it shouldn't have been a flintlock, but upon further research the 42' was indeed percussion. The 40's were changed over from flintlock to percussion to make them 42's.
And they were indeed smoothbores.
Even my original 1861 Harpers Ferry is a smoothbore.

Still, nice find & beauty of a musket!
And one you can shoot!

Its not a repro my friend

Its one of two authentic muzzle loaders he has in the shop. the other is an Springfield Model 1861. hate to imagine the price on that one

Jim Watson · August 18, 2020, 04:29 PM

Ought not to be too bad, there were far more 1861s than reworked 1842s.

Hawg · August 19, 2020, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryED50

Its not a repro my friend

Its one of two authentic muzzle loaders he has in the shop. the other is an Springfield Model 1861. hate to imagine the price on that one

You should be able to find a decent 1861 shooter for around 1000.00

GaryED50 · August 20, 2020, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawg

You should be able to find a decent 1861 shooter for around 1000.00

Only 1000.00

I thought it would be much higher

Gary

Hawg · August 20, 2020, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryED50

Only 1000.00

I thought it would be much higher

Gary

Decent shooter, not a museum piece. You can find them with cut down stocks for a lot less.

GaryED50 · September 15, 2020, 01:57 PM

I must apologize and beg a thousand pardons... I had an occasion to drop back by the LGS and examined the musket again and it is a smoothbore

sorry guys

Gary

**4V50 Gary** · September 24, 2020, 02:02 PM

I've given to believe that some 1842s were rifled subsequent to being made.

That's the difference between a rifled musket (smoothbore musket that has been subsequently rifled) and a rifle musket (long arm originally made with a rifled bore).

Hawg · September 24, 2020, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4V50 Gary

I've given to believe that some 1842s were rifled subsequent to being made.

That's the difference between a rifled musket (smoothbore musket that has been subsequently rifled) and a rifle musket (long arm originally made with a rifled bore).

You are correct.

johnm1 · September 25, 2020, 05:40 AM

The research I did on mine indicated that the 1842 barrels were made 'thicker' in anticipation of future rifling. And as indicated above, quite a few were manufactured with rifling. I understand that the rifled version came with a rear sight.

My wife bought me mine at a local auction for fathers day. That was exiting. Mine isn't rifled either and I have a hard time keeping it on a man sized target at 25 yards. But I bet I could hit a regiment sized target at 100 yards.

My 1861 is much more accurate, though I have only shot it with 58 caliber round ball. Still trying to figure a way to measure its actual bore diameter.

I thought that all 1861's were rifled?

**Mike Irwin** · September 25, 2020, 06:12 AM

"I thought that all 1861's were rifled? "

Yes.

The Model 1842 was the last musket adopted into US service, and it was also the last .69 caliber adopted. Tests at Springfield armory with rifled M1842s vs. what would later become the .58 caliber M1855 showed that the .58 cal. Minie ball was more accurate and had better ballistics and range.

T. O'Heir · September 25, 2020, 01:08 PM

At $1,099, it's a probably Traditions repro. That's not a bad thing, but $1,099 is a bit less than their MSRP of $1209.
Supposedly rifled after 1855 when the .58 calibre was adopted.
https://americanhistory.si.edu/colle...t/nmah_1202360

August 16, 2020, 11:56 AM	#1
GaryED50 Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2012 Location: Dawsonville Georgia Posts: 542	Springfield 1842 Musket at LGS Awesome find at my LGS. an 1842 Springfield rifled Musket. In very good condition. It was so incredible to pick up and hold this Rifle, if it could only talk and tell about its adventures and service. asking price was $1099.00 [IMG][/IMG]

August 18, 2020, 12:40 AM	#5
std7mag Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2013 Location: Central Taxylvania.. Posts: 3,609	I'm leaning towards reproduction. Rifling really wasn't in production till closer to the end of the war. Civil war that is, so your talking 1863-64. I was wondering if it shouldn't have been a flintlock, but upon further research the 42' was indeed percussion. The 40's were changed over from flintlock to percussion to make them 42's. And they were indeed smoothbores. Even my original 1861 Harpers Ferry is a smoothbore. Still, nice find & beauty of a musket! And one you can shoot! __________________ When our own government declares itself as "tyrannical", where does that leave us??!! "Januarary 6th insurrection". Funny, I didn't see a single piece of rope... Last edited by std7mag; August 18, 2020 at 02:35 AM.

September 24, 2020, 02:02 PM	#13
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,838	I've given to believe that some 1842s were rifled subsequent to being made. That's the difference between a rifled musket (smoothbore musket that has been subsequently rifled) and a rifle musket (long arm originally made with a rifled bore). __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

September 25, 2020, 05:40 AM	#15
johnm1 Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2006 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 652	The research I did on mine indicated that the 1842 barrels were made 'thicker' in anticipation of future rifling. And as indicated above, quite a few were manufactured with rifling. I understand that the rifled version came with a rear sight. My wife bought me mine at a local auction for fathers day. That was exiting. Mine isn't rifled either and I have a hard time keeping it on a man sized target at 25 yards. But I bet I could hit a regiment sized target at 100 yards. My 1861 is much more accurate, though I have only shot it with 58 caliber round ball. Still trying to figure a way to measure its actual bore diameter. I thought that all 1861's were rifled? __________________ John M. Mesa, AZ

September 25, 2020, 06:12 AM	#16
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,389	"I thought that all 1861's were rifled? " Yes. The Model 1842 was the last musket adopted into US service, and it was also the last .69 caliber adopted. Tests at Springfield armory with rifled M1842s vs. what would later become the .58 caliber M1855 showed that the .58 cal. Minie ball was more accurate and had better ballistics and range. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

August 16, 2020, 12:30 PM	#2
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,541	An original? Rifled? I know they went back and rifled a bunch of muskets. A .69 Minie ball is a LARGE projectile.

August 17, 2020, 12:36 PM	#4
44caliberkid Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2017 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,104	If this is an original arm in VG condition, the price is excellent, should be $2000 - $3000. If it is a reproduction then it is just discounted a couple hundred.

August 18, 2020, 04:29 PM	#8
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,541	Ought not to be too bad, there were far more 1861s than reworked 1842s.

September 15, 2020, 01:57 PM	#12
GaryED50 Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2012 Location: Dawsonville Georgia Posts: 542	I must apologize and beg a thousand pardons... I had an occasion to drop back by the LGS and examined the musket again and it is a smoothbore sorry guys Gary

September 25, 2020, 01:08 PM	#17
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	At $1,099, it's a probably Traditions repro. That's not a bad thing, but $1,099 is a bit less than their MSRP of $1209. Supposedly rifled after 1855 when the .58 calibre was adopted. https://americanhistory.si.edu/colle...t/nmah_1202360 __________________ Spelling and grammar count!