SPECIAL MODEL 1861 RIFLE-MUSKET, .58 CALIBER, PERCUSSION
Made by four different firms, 1862-1865. Total production: approximately 174,000.
Overall length: 56". Weight: 9 lbs. 3 oz.
The U.S. Special Model 1861 Contract Rifle-Musket differed considerably from the regulation U.S. Model 1861 Rifle-Musket. In fact, very few parts interchange, with the exception of a few screws, the fore-tip, side screw ferrules and trigger assembly. The motivation behind the production of this weapon seems to be the availability of Enfield rifle-musket-making machinery in Hartford, Conn., and Windsor, Vermont. Sitting unused since the bankruptcy of Robbins & Lawrence following the cancellation of their British arms contracts, Colt eyed the machinery as an economical and expedient measure to meeting the Government’s demands for weapons.
AMOSKEAG SPECIAL MODEL 1861 RIFLE-MUSKET, .58 CALIBER, PERCUSSION
Amoskeag Auction Company, Inc.
Made by Amoskeag Manufacturing Company, Manchester, New Hampshire, 1862-1865, 27,001 delivered.
Face of the cone seat is stamped with a spread eagle. The lock plate is marked forward of the hammer with a spread eagle between “U.” and “S.” above “AMOSKEAG MFG. CO. / MANCHESTER, N.H.” in two lines. The date is stamped behind the hammer. The barrel is marked with the V.P. and eagle proof marks as well as the date.
The U.S. government gave the Amoskeag Manufacturing its first contract for 10,000 rifle-muskets on January 7, 1862. Amoskeag received a second contract dated November 5, 1863 for 15,000 rifles and a third one on January 6, 1865, for 2,000.
| GOOD–$1,200 | FINE–$3,500 |
COLT SPECIAL MODEL 1861 RIFLE-MUSKET, .58 CALIBER, PERCUSSION
James D. Julia Auctioneers, Fairfield, Maine
Made by Colt’s Patent Firearms Company, Hartford, Connecticut, 1862-1864; 96,505 delivered.
The face of the cone is stamped with a spread eagle. The lockplate is marked in front of the hammer in three lines, “U.S. / COLTS PT F.A. MFG. CO. / HARTFORD CT.” The date of manufacture is stamped behind the hammer. Left barrel flat near the breech stamped “STEEL” on some but not all rifles of all three manufacturing years.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, the Colt Company was one of the largest and most modern private arms manufacturing companies in the world. On July 4, 1861, the Chief of Ordnance Lt. Col. James W. Ripley awarded the Colt company the first contract of the war for rifled-muskets. Colt was to deliver 25,000 weapons at the price of 20 each. First contract rifle-muskets featured barrel bands with integral tension screws. Collectors refer to these as “Type I.”
The Colt Company received a second contract dated June 5, 1863, for an additional 50,000 rifled muskets at the same unit price. Weapons of the second and third contracts have plain barrel bands secured by inlet spring catches. These weapons are referred to as “Type II.”
The company received a third contract on March 19, 1864, for 37,500 weapons. At the end of 1864, after taking delivery of 21,500 rifle-muskets, the Ordnance Department suspended and canceled the contract in anticipation of the war ending.
In July 1863, Colt agreed to sell to the New York weapons and equipment supplier, Schuyler, Hartley & Graham “Second Class U.S. Rifle Muskets” produced up to that time. The second class weapons were those that had failed to pass government inspection. On July 11, 1863, Schuyler, Hartley & Graham sold 2,500 of these second class rifle-muskets to the state of Connecticut. A plain nipple bolster (no eagle stamp) characterizes the second class weapons.
After the cancellation of the third contract, Colt did not immediately suspend manufacturing of the Special Model 1861 Rifle-Musket. From May to September 1865, workers completed at least 8,000 additional rifle-muskets. In 1866, the Colt Company sold 12,100 Model 1861 Special Rifle Muskets to the government of Egypt.
| GOOD–$1,500 | FINE–$4,000 |
LAMSON, GOODNOW & YALE SPECIAL MODEL 1861 RIFLE-MUSKET, .58 CALIBER, PERCUSSION
James D. Julia Auctioneers, Fairfield, Maine
Made by Lamson, Goodnow & Yale Company, Windsor, Vermont, and Shelburn Falls, Massachusetts; 1862-1864, 50,000 delivered.
Three different variations of lockplate markings have been encountered. The first is marked in front of the hammer with a spread eagle over “U.S.” and beneath the bolster, “L.G. & Y. / WINDSOR-VT” in two lines. The date (1862 being the earliest) is stamped behind the hammer. The second type was marked with a large spread eagle over “U.S.” in front of the hammer and “L.G-Y. / WINDSOR- VT” in two lines beneath the bolster. Notice that the second in is italicized on this variant. The date (1863 being the earliest) is stamped behind the hammer. The third version does not have any eagle stamped on the plate and is marked beneath the bolster, “U.S. / L.G-& Y. / WINDSOR-VT.” in three lines. The bottom line is in italics. The earliest date to the rear of the hammer on the third version is 1864.
Lamson, Goodnow & Yale Company received their two contracts, each for 25,000 stands at 20 each. The first was awarded on July 11, 1861, followed by the second on October 7, 1861. The company made its first delivery on September 24, 1862, and continued to deliver on the contracts at an average rate of 2,000 rifle-muskets per month until the final delivery on December 10, 1864.
When the terms of the final contract were met, Messrs. Goodnow and Yale left the arms-making business. The company reorganized as E.G. Lamson & Company.
| GOOD–$1,200 | FINE–$3,500 |
LAMSON & CO. SPECIAL MODEL 1861 RIFLE MUSKET, .58 CALIBER, PERCUSSION
Made by E.G. Lamson, & Company, Windsor, Vermont, 1865, total quantity estimated at under 500.
Lockplate marked “U.S. / E.G. LAMSON & CO. / WINDSOR VT” in three lines in front of the hammer. Behind the hammer, the plate is marked “1865.”
Lamson did not receive a contract to manufacture Special Model 1861 Rifle-Muskets after Goodnow and Yale left the company in 1865. Though Lamson had contracts to produce Palmer and Ball & Lamson carbines, he obviously wanted to take advantage of the surplus parts still in the Windsor manufactory.
