Confederate Cleaned & Repaired "Q" Marked US Springfield Model 1842 Musket
American Civil War
.69 caliber. 42" round barrel. SN: NSN. Arsenal Bright finish, full-length American Black Walnut musket stock. Single shot muzzleloading percussion smoothbore musket with the barrel secured by three flat, spring-retained barrel bands. Lock is crisply marked with a {Spread-Winged Eagle}/US forward of the hammer and SPRING/FIELD/1855 in three vertical lines at the tail of the lock. Breech plug tang with matching 1855 date and left breech quadrant with V/P/{Eagle Head} inspection marks. Counterpane with a weak script cartouche that appears to be the JS of Springfield Arsenal inspector James Stillman. The musket is further marked with a crisp Q forward of the triggerguard, indicating the gun was "Cleaned & Repaired" in the Confederate Arsenal system during the Civil War. The musket retains its original brass blade front sight on the top strap of the upper barrel band, both sling swivels and a correct original trumpet head ramrod that is full-length with threads at the end.

The gun is accompanied by a copy of Stephen Knott's book "Captured & Collected - Confederate Reissued Firearms" which details the story of the guns that were run through the Confederate C&R (Cleaned & Repaired) process at various southern arsenals. The "Q" mark that is found on this gun is believed to indicate work done a the Richmond Arsenal/Artillery Workshop to make firearms serviceable again for reissued to troops in the field. Overall this is a really fine and crisp example of a US Model 1842 musket with a desirable Confederate refurbishment mark in the wood.

Fine. Smooth bore is fine and bright with some lightly scattered oxidation and minor discoloration. Metal lightly cleaned to bright leaving the proof marks slightly softened, but with the tang and lock marks still extremely crisp. Metal shows some lightly freckled discoloration and some scattered areas of very minor light surface oxidation. Lock is extremely crisp and mechanically excellent. Stock is fine, retaining some feathery texture to the wood and a deeply stamped, if slightly blurred, cartouche on the counterpane. The wood shows some scattered minor bumps, dings and surface scuffs from handling, light use and storage. A truly fine and crisp musket overall.