Guns International #: 103019316
Seller's Inventory #: 247210

Category - Springfield Rifles - Antique - Civil War Rifles

Category
Springfield Rifles - Antique
Civil War Rifles

1826 Antique U.S. SPRINGFIELD M1816 .69 HEWES & PHILLIPS Conversion MUSKET CIVIL WAR 1863 Dated “Bolster” Conversion

Description:
1826 Antique U.S. SPRINGFIELD M1816 .69 HEWES & PHILLIPS Conversion MUSKET

CIVIL WAR 1863 Dated “Bolster” Conversion

Here we present an antique U.S. Springfield Model 1816 Percussion Conversion Musket, manufactured in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1826 and was converted to the “Bolster” style” conversion to percussion by Hewes and Phillips circa 1863. Hewes and Phillips began their business in the manufacture of steam engines in New York City in 1845 and transferred to Newark, New Jersey, the following year. After two more moves the company was settled in its Civil War location at the foot of Orange Street, facing the Passaic River. Here the muskets were converted, and some 400 hands were employed. So far, no actual contracts for the war work have been uncovered, but library sources state their first order was the 8,000 converted muskets for the New Jersey Militia. These are known dated 1861. Hewes and Phillips were known to convert many muskets for other state militias using the “Bolster” conversion method. The musket work was done concurrently with that of producing motive steam machinery for the Federal Navy.

The War of 1812 revealed many weaknesses in American muskets. In an attempt to improve both the design and manufacture of the musket, the Model 1812 musket was created. The Model 1816 made further improvements, and replaced the Model 1812. Harpers Ferry became America’s second national armory after the site was personally selected by George Washington, with the Springfield Armory being the first. The U.S. Congress authorized the building of the new foundry in 1794, and by the following year, was producing hundreds of arms for the national army, which was primarily flintlock muskets and pistols. Inspired largely by the French Charleville Model 1777 musket, Harpers Ferry began producing the Model 1816. The M1816 was a smoothbore, muzzle loading weapon which used a .69 caliber musket ball.

The advent of the Model 1842 Musket made the M1816 obsolete, but not unserviceable. Eventually, most made their way to storehouses and armories. Beginning in 1848, when more than 700,000 of all types of flintlock muskets where reported in storage, the most serviceable where converted to percussion ignition. Three types of alteration were performed. All alterations involved grinding the flash pan down and replacing the hammer. The "French Style" conversion added a drum and nipple to the flashhole. The "Belgian Style" involved plugging the vent hole with a weld and tapping a nipple directly into the barrel. This is the type of conversion that was only done at Harper's Ferry and Springfield and is sometimes referred to as an "armory conversion." The last type of conversion was used late in the renovation process, beginning about 1852, and involved adding a bolster to the breech of the barrel, so it is termed the "Bolster Style" of conversion.
The M1816 was in production at Springfield (325,000) and Harpers Ferry (350,000) between 1816 to 1844 with around 675,000 muskets produced during this run. Additionally, more than a dozen contractors also made the Model 1816 Muskets, like this one, during its production years, adding more than 146,000 muskets for a grand total of 821,421 M1816 Muskets produced. It saw service during the Mexican-American War and was even pressed into service during the Civil War in both the updated percussion and the old flintlock format. In the 1850s and 1860s, many 1816’s went through the conversion from flintlock to percussion.
The overall condition is very good. Strong action. Good bore for its age. Bright gray patina. The stock is in very fine shape. Markings are sharp. An object is wedged in the bore at the breech. Light cartouche remnants are present on the left stock flat.

Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.

Barrel is 41 inches.

Caliber: .69 Percussion

Overall condition as seen in photos.

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ancestryguns

$2000

#247210
 

Antique: Yes

Price: $2,000.00
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