Description
This weapon started out as a 40″ barrel 3 band rifled musket but was arsenal altered to a two band rifle with a 30″ barrel. It was manufactured by Providence Tool Company of Rhode Island in 1864 and is crisply marked in several places, as shown. All functional action is tight and crisp and the bore is near fine. It is, however, missing the original ramrod but does have a socket bayonet (missing the locking ring) which fits perfectly.
It is believed that about 500 rifled muskets were altered to artillery musketoon length circa 1863-1865 and used by artillery state troops including New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. The bore is a standard .58 and the front sight is correct for the pattern. Some feel these weapons were altered for military academy cadets and it is known that others were altered in the late 1950s to 1960s for use by North South Skirmish Association shooters–but it is also known they did exist during the Civil War and earlier as artillery forces needed shorter barrel weapons in the field.
Overall condition is very good and no Civil War gun collection is complete without one of this pattern! Inexpensive original Civil War long gun!
