Richmond rifle musket assembled by the state of Virginia in 1861 after the capture of Harpers Ferry in April in that year. A number of parts were captured at the Armory and shipped to Richmond. There in Richmond a small number of arms were assembled by the State of Virginia before the Confederate government took over production. The musket has an overall dark matching patina having never been cleaned. The lock is nicely marked 1861 and Richmond Va. The iron butt-plate does not have the U.S. stamping and appears to be from unfinished Harpers Ferry parts along with the 1855 patch box. The barrel bands are marked with the U lining up with the retaining spring. The nose cap is of iron. The barrel is dark with pitting around the nipple with the VP over eagle markings visible. The barrel date area is too corroded to make out the date. The wood is dark with the usual nicks and scratches associated with field use and devoid of any inspector's cartouches. The wood has a crack under the lock-plate as noted in my photographs. There is a cutout in the lock cavity for the Maynard tape primer often observed on some 1861 and 1862 Richmonds. Of interest are the lines scribbled on the wood to facilitate the in-letting of the patch-box cavity as noted in my photographs. Visible markings like these would have never passed inspection at a government armory. Overall the lock-plate appears to be original to the gun however the hammer and hammer screw appear to be replacements.

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