U.S. Springfield Model 1863 Type II Rifle-Musket / SOLD
U.S. Springfield Model 1863 Type II Rifle-Musket - Inventory Number: RIF 239 / SOLD
Dated 1864
This is a U.S. Model 1863 Type II, commonly referred to as the Model 1864 Springfield Rifle-Musket, dated 1864 and produced at the height of the American Civil War. Chambered in .58 caliber, this muzzle-loading, single-shot firearm was a refinement of the earlier Model 1861 and represents the final evolution of the percussion rifle-musket used by Union forces.
Manufactured at the Springfield Armory, the 1864 model features a 40-inch barrel, iron mountings, a bolster-type percussion lock, and three barrel bands—one of which is the distinctive solid band with a clamping screw, replacing the older split-band design. It is also fitted with a simplified rear sight and retains the classic walnut stock with inspector cartouches. The lockplate is crisply marked “U.S. SPRINGFIELD” with the eagle motif and dated “1864.”
Thousands of these rifles saw front-line use in the final campaigns of the war, including the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Petersburg. The Model 1864 reflects both wartime innovation and mass-production efficiency at its peak, offering a powerful blend of functionality and historic significance.