An authentic early production Confederate Richmond Rifle-Musket in untouched, dark "as found" condition. This example displays the classic high-hump lockplate dated 1862, characteristic of the earliest Richmond production following the Confederate government's transfer of the former Virginia State Armory. The unmarked iron butt-plate and nose cap indicate manufacture during early 1862 when Richmond was utilizing unfinished Harpers Ferry components left behind after the Federal evacuation and capture of the arsenal. The barrel exhibits heavy pitting around the bolster, obscuring the barrel date, but still clearly retains the desirable "VP" over Eagle inspection mark. Particularly noteworthy is the distinctive broken "P" proof mark, a well-known characteristic of early 1862 Richmond production resulting from the use of a damaged proof die. The stock has the Richmond in-letting and shows honest evidence of wartime service with the expected nicks, dings, and handling marks accumulated through field use. The musket retains its correct Richmond rear sight, while the distinctive Richmond high-hump hammer displays the coarse knurled finish typical of the armory's early manufacture and correctly lacks the Model 1855 tape-primer cutter. An interesting feature of this musket is the absence of its sling swivels, which appear to have been removed during its period of service rather than in modern times, adding another layer to its history. Overall, this is a completely untouched, dark, uncleaned example of an early 1862 Richmond Rifle-Musket, exhibiting all of the desirable features sought by advanced Confederate arms collectors. It is a fine representative of the Confederate government's earliest efforts to produce military arms after assuming control of the Richmond Armory.

History: Following Virginia's secession in April 1861, the Confederate government took over the former Virginia State Armory at Richmond and began manufacturing rifle-muskets using machinery, tooling, and unfinished parts salvaged from Harpers Ferry. Early 1862 production arms often incorporated recycled Federal components while gradually transitioning to entirely Confederate-made parts. These muskets armed thousands of Southern soldiers throughout the Civil War and remain among the most historically significant shoulder arms produced by the Confederacy.

Presented by Richard Ferry Military Antiques – Florida's largest dealer in fine Civil War collectibles.

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