Model 1842 Springfield U.S. Infantry Musket

Description

Model 1842 Springfield U.S. Infantry Musket

 

Fine example of the U.S. Model 1842 Springfield smoothbore musket in .69 caliber. The lock is marked with the cagle over U.S. and dated Springfield 1845, while the barrel tang bears the date 1853. The Model 1842 was the first standard U.S. military musket produced entirely with interchangeable parts and represented a major step forward in American industrial arms manufacture.

 

This example displays a very dark, richly colored walnut stock which contrasts attractively with the steel components that retain much of their original armory bright appearance.

 

Some steel surfaces show traces of dried oil that have aged to a yellow tone, further enhancing the pleasing contrast between metal and wood.
The barrel retains clear “VP” and eagle head proof markings on the left side of the breech, and the U.S. stamp on the buttplate remains crisp. Both sling swivels remain intact. The musket is equipped with a trumpet-tipped ramrod with the distinctive divided tip used on rifled versions of the Model 1842, suggesting possible arsenal alteration or replacement during service.

 

The Model 1842 occupies a key position in American military small-arms development. It was the first standard U.S. musket produced completely by machine methods with fully interchangeable parts, and it bridged the gap between the old smoothbore infantry arm and the later rifled musket that would dominate Civil War battlefields. Well-preserved examples remain especially desirable because they show the robust, utilitarian lines of the antebellum Federal musket just before the revolution in military rifled arms.

 

Inventory Number: RIF 316