This Civil War era single-shot muzzleloader is a .58 caliber early Harpers Ferry Model 1855 percussion rifle in good overall condition. Longarm has a 33” round barrel with broad three-groove rifling. Barrel is secured to the stock with two barrel bands and band springs. All furniture is iron including the lockplate, hammer, nose cap, butt plate, trigger guard, swivels and ramrod. All gun metal has dark plum color but in the past has been heavily cleaned. Screw heads and other pronounced areas show evidence of being ground or burnished to remove pitting.

The beveled lockplate holds a large spur hammer and houses the Maynard tape priming system. This system employed a waterproof paper tape of percussion caps inserted into the primer magazine held behind a hinged door. This system set a cap onto the nipple when the hammer was cocked and the trigger pulled. The tape priming system mechanics are still strong and smooth. On the face of the Maynard primer “door” the large spread-winged eagle motif is visible with slight wear over the shield. Hammer has a knife-edge lip that severed the expended portion of the primer tape. Lockplate surface shows moderate pitting along bottom edge and is also marked with “U.S. / HARPERS FERRY” forward of the primer door while the date “1859” is behind the hammer. Musket has a rear sight with one short leaf-sight and an iron blade front sight. Barrel breech area clean with minor pitting. No date visible on the tang. No proof marks visible on the barrel. Original nipple and bolster. Saber-bayonet lug is present on the right side of the barrel at the muzzle.

Mechanics crisp and tight. Bore is clean with sharp rifling. The steel, swelled-shank, tulip-head ramrod is original and retains its threaded tip. All barrel bands are original and secured to the stock via flat iron springs. Black walnut stock is solid with no cracks or splits. Wood surface lightly cleaned and shows no dings or gouges. One faint cartouche visible on the flat. Screws have been worn down in most places, as has the bolster. Longarm retains only the rear swivel. Butt plate is marked with a worn “US”and is moderately pitted. The patch box in the butt stock is complete and present. An overly cleaned, but nice and seldom seen Harpers Ferry Model 1855 rifle-musket of the Civil War era.    [jet]

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