1816 Harpers Ferry Musket - Confederate Braised Bolster Conversion

1816 Harpers Ferry Musket

Confederate Braised Bolster Conversion.  SOLD

This musket started off as a flintlock smooth bore musket.  The lock is marked HARPER'S FERRY and has a date that looks to be in the late 1820s.  The last digit is somewhat indistinct.  The musket is full length with all three barrel bands and original ramrod.  The parts are all original and present except the band spring for the upper band is broken and mostly missing.  The metal is a pleasing brown with pitting along the rear of the barrel and on the lock.  The lock action works fine. The barrel proofs and tang date are not visible.  The stock is full length and one piece.  The wood has the general bumps and bruises but has good corners and has not been sanded.  There is a hint of inspectors Mark's 

Flintlock 1816 muskets were made for almost 30 years and saw service in the Mexican War and Civil War.  This one is converted to percussion using a method used only in the South.  In this conversion a lug of iron was braised to the side of the barrel over the flintlock touchole. A hole was drilled through the bolster connecting to the inside of the barrel.  That hole was plugged and a cone was installed.  This example has a large civilian hammer installed to complete the percussion conversion.  The hammer has a high spur with crude light cross hatching.  Thousands of these muskets were shipped south under the militia acts and additional were sold south in the years prior to the war.  Conversions like this were done in Virginia and used by many southern regiments.  

SOLD