1795 Springfield

[Ben Meyer]

My son and I are both into black powder. We have 6 traditional BP guns between us, and 2 inlines(that collect dust).

He's currently at Ft. Benning, GA about halfway thru Army Infantry training(done with Basic Training, 3 weeks into Infantry school). He wants, for his next BP gun to be a 1795 Springfield, which is the gun on the "Crossed rifles" pin/insignia of the Army Infanrty. I know Pedersoli makes one. Who else, thru the years? Whats THE 1795 replica to buy/look for? Did Navy Arms or Zoli or anyone else good ever make them?

 

[Artificer]

My son and I are both into black powder. We have 6 traditional BP guns between us, and 2 inlines(that collect dust).

He's currently at Ft. Benning, GA about halfway thru Army Infantry training(done with Basic Training, 3 weeks into Infantry school). He wants, for his next BP gun to be a 1795 Springfield, which is the gun on the "Crossed rifles" pin/insignia of the Army Infanrty. I know Pedersoli makes one. Who else, thru the years? Whats THE 1795 replica to buy/look for? Did Navy Arms or Zoli or anyone else good ever make them?

Hi Ben,

Congratulations to you and your son for serving.

No one made a factory copy of the 1795 Springfield until Pedersoli began doing it.

However, since the Navy Arms "Charleville" is a copy of the French Musket that Springfield chose to copy for the Model 1795/first U.S. Infantry Musket made there, that would be a second choice, though you would want to get ride of the "Charleville" engraved on the side of the Lock Plate. Below is a link showing how to "de-farb" or modify the Navy Arms musket to better represent an M1795.

Pedersoli/Navy Arms 1766 Charleville/M1795 Springfield (lodgewood.com)

Gus

 

[Artificer]

Hi Ben,

Congratulations to you and your son for serving.

No one made a factory copy of the 1795 Springfield until Pedersoli began doing it.

However, since the Navy Arms "Charleville" is a copy of the French Musket that Springfield chose to copy for the Model 1795/first U.S. Infantry Musket made there, that would be a second choice, though you would want to get ride of the "Charleville" engraved on the side of the Lock Plate. Below is a link showing how to "de-farb" or modify the Navy Arms musket to better represent an M1795.

Pedersoli/Navy Arms 1766 Charleville/M1795 Springfield (lodgewood.com)

Gus

BTW, since Springfield made the first 1795's out of parts they had on hand for the first year or so, then Charleville on the lock plate is not incorrect.

Gus

 

[Artificer]

P.S. Here is an excellent book on the early Springfield Muskets. I purchased my copy at the NPS Springfield Museum Store in 2019 and found all kinds of information I did not know about them.

Springfield Armory Infantry Muskets 1795 - 1844 by Kent W. Johns - Track of the Wolf

Gus

 

[kb466]

Another option is to purchase a 1795 Springfield parts set from the Rifle Shoppe. They have several variations of the 1795 available.
This is not for everyone. It will require a considerable investment of time to receive and build, and requires skill and experience to complete. But if you see it through to the end, you end up with a shootable replica as close to an original as you can get.

 

[rickystl]

Depending on your budget, here is an Indian made copy. Of course the Pedersoli is likely better, and the kit from TRS better yet. JFYI

http://www.veteranarms.com/ReproductionMuzzleloadersandFlintlocks/1795-Springfield.html
Rick

 

[Artificer]

My son and I are both into black powder. We have 6 traditional BP guns between us, and 2 inlines(that collect dust).

He's currently at Ft. Benning, GA about halfway thru Army Infantry training(done with Basic Training, 3 weeks into Infantry school). He wants, for his next BP gun to be a 1795 Springfield, which is the gun on the "Crossed rifles" pin/insignia of the Army Infanrty. I know Pedersoli makes one. Who else, thru the years? Whats THE 1795 replica to buy/look for? Did Navy Arms or Zoli or anyone else good ever make them?

Hi Ben,

Back in the late 1970's, no one was making a copy of the U.S. Springfield Flint Muskets. A few of my buddies and I did volunteering and some reenacting at Historic Fort Wayne in Fort Wayne, IN - where they did "The Summer of 1816" for their normal interpretations. However, once a year they held a pretty good size "War of 1812" event.

My buddy came up with an inexpensive Militia Impression of Brush's Independent Company of Ohio Militia for us to do that event. Back then we did not know that some of the earliest Model 1795's used Charleville locks and were so originally engraved in France before they gave/sold them to the U.S. during the AWI, then U.S. markings were added to the muskets when Springfield assembled parts and rebuilt Charlevilles for the first year or two at Springfield in 1795-6. We "sort of worked" for Navy Arms at NSSA events, so we had an in there. We were able to get Charleville kits with no engravings on the lock plates, to be a bit closer to the muskets that unit would have been issued in the War of 1812. We were going to get the lock plates engraved with U.S. Markings, but the Fort folded before we got around to doing it.

Fast forward around 40 years and with the excellent book I linked above, we would have been "right as rain" in the late 70's with "Charleville" on the lock plates, but we didn't know that at the time.

The Navy Arms 1766 "Charlevilles" were made by Miroku and were very solid guns with excellent sparking locks. Many older NA "Charlevilles" have been used by between 2 to 5 AWI and other reenactors. So if you find a good one, it should give you years of good use.

If it were me and depending on your budget, I would strongly consider the NA Charleville and also the Pedersoli.

Gus

 

[Ben Meyer]

Thx. I will be on the lookout for a Navy Arms! Where were these built?

I dont see him wanting a made in India gun. We've been down the "disappointed by cheap guns" road before. He does have a nice Zoli made Zouave rifle he likes, along with a custom built .54 cal flintlock rifle and .62 cal flintlock pistol.

 

[FlinterNick]

Navy Arms made one which was the same as its charleville with different lockplate stamps. Between the 1795 and various contract muskets of that early republic era, the pedersoli reproduction is not a bad choice given the availability and options. This was a pretty good repro, but you’ll have to find one on auction.

If you ask Dixie Gun Works, they can order a 1795 Springfield in kit form from pedersoli, that way you can more easily defarb the stock, and barre.

The defarb for the 1795 would be mostly slimming down the comb, wrist and lock area while polishing the manufacturing marks off the barrel and correctly stamping.

A rifle Shoppe 1795 is always an option, but his stock for that model gun is used on several of his other patterns, and its almost a blank, the lock isn’t inlet and most inletting will need to be done.

 

[FlinterNick]

the very first Springfield that was a copy of a Charleville that had been in the US armory was copied with very minor modifications to the lock. The features that make a Charleville ’French’ were more or less omitted. The bishops final on the frizzen spring etc.

Side by Side, the Charleville 1766 lock has more tapering on the bevels and the pan is faceted, not round bottom. Some Springfields that were direct copies chose to use a round pan becasue it was easier to mold and some were made of brass. The upper post on the flintcock was also tailed and curved on a 1766 while the Springfield was straighter And less detailed. The 1808 contract musket is a more beefed up version of the 1795, all parts were made slightly heavier. The wickham and Nips versions of the 1797 tend to start taking on more 1777 like features like brass pans, and more rounding of the lock plate and some even had a cheek recess.

 

[Kyle Kalasnik]

Good luck! I love the look of the 1795. I am also a big War of 1812 buff. I think it does not get the attention it deserves.

 

[kb466]

A rifle Shoppe 1795 is always an option, but his stock for that model gun is used on several of his other patterns, and its almost a blank, the lock isn’t inlet and most inletting will need to be done.
[/QUOTE]
I have a Rifle Shoppe parts set for the first model Springfield 1795 Musket. In fact it is next in line to be built after I finish a couple of other projects.
The lock area of the stock came inletted. It will require some detail work on the lock innards, but the plate is almost a perfect fit. I was impressed with the stock provided. It seems accurate in dimensions and shape to a first model 1795 Springfield. I don’t know if the same stock is used on the other 1795’s offered by TRS. But I doubt it. They offer later models of Springfield 1795’s as well as Harpers Ferry 1795’s.

 

[sportster73hp]

Not sure what of your time schedule but TRS kits will require at least 4 weeks if they build the lock.

 

[kb466]

Not sure what of your time schedule but TRS kits will require at least 4 weeks if they build the lock.

A rifle Shoppe 1795 is always an option, but his stock for that model gun is used on several of his other patterns, and its almost a blank, the lock isn’t inlet and most inletting will need to be done.

I
[/QUOTE]
Actually, if they build the lock it will likely take longer than four weeks. Even if they don’t build the lock, it may take awhile if they don’t have the parts in stock. I just ordered a parts set for an 1805 Harpers Ferry pistol. They said it would take at least six months to have the lock assembled. So I ordered the set with just the lock castings. Even at that, they said they would need at least two weeks to make the barrel and stock. The other parts were in stock.
Though I am an enthusiastic and satisfied customer of TRS products, you must remember that you are not likely to get your parts immediately. You often must wait, and plan accordingly. My advice is to call them and discuss when and what they can deliver. Just my advice...

 

[kje54]

My son and I are both into black powder. We have 6 traditional BP guns between us, and 2 inlines(that collect dust).

He's currently at Ft. Benning, GA about halfway thru Army Infantry training(done with Basic Training, 3 weeks into Infantry school). He wants, for his next BP gun to be a 1795 Springfield, which is the gun on the "Crossed rifles" pin/insignia of the Army Infanrty. I know Pedersoli makes one. Who else, thru the years? Whats THE 1795 replica to buy/look for? Did Navy Arms or Zoli or anyone else good ever make them?

Loyalist Arms is hands down the best supplier of Indian made reproduction arms. For $650 you can't go wrong.

http://www.loyalistarms.freeservers.com/springfield1795.html

 

[Artificer]

Thx. I will be on the lookout for a Navy Arms! Where were these built?

I dont see him wanting a made in India gun. We've been down the "disappointed by cheap guns" road before. He does have a nice Zoli made Zouave rifle he likes, along with a custom built .54 cal flintlock rifle and .62 cal flintlock pistol.

I can't begin to count how many times I wished ALL Repro Zouave rifles were made as well as Zoli did it, while working many years at the NSSA Nationals doing trigger jobs.

I'm not completely sure if all Navy Arms Charlevilles were made by Miroku in Japan, but many, if not most were. However, they were generally well made for a factory repro. The NA Charleville kits we purchased and I referred to earlier were made by Miroku and we were able to complete without any major difficulties and worked well.

If you have the tools and knowledge to assemble a kit, I agree with Flinternick that going that way with a Pedersoli Kit would also be a good way to save money.

Gus

 

[sportster73hp]

Actually, if they build the lock it will likely take longer than four weeks. Even if they don’t build the lock, it may take awhile if they don’t have the parts in stock. I just ordered a parts set for an 1805 Harpers Ferry pistol. They said it would take at least six months to have the lock assembled. So I ordered the set with just the lock castings. Even at that, they said they would need at least two weeks to make the barrel and stock. The other parts were in stock.
Though I am an enthusiastic and satisfied customer of TRS products, you must remember that you are not likely to get your parts immediately. You often must wait, and plan accordingly. My advice is to call them and discuss when and what they can deliver. Just my advice...

I am at 4 weeks now and was told a few more . Mine is a Bess

 

[kansas_volunteer]

I was just setting here perusing the fora and thinking a 1795 musket would look nice on the wall when I discovered this thread. Ben, mention of your son at dear old Benning School for Boys brought back some memories. I spent 28 years as an 11B, 11F and 11A. May he return home full of that FOLLOW ME! spirit. You and your boy should each have a 1795 musket so you can mount them properly crossed on the wall when you're not shooting them. Thanks to you other guys for the links to relatively inexpensive reproductions. Perhaps I can swing two to cross on the wall.

 

[Stantheman86]

My son and I are both into black powder. We have 6 traditional BP guns between us, and 2 inlines(that collect dust).

He's currently at Ft. Benning, GA about halfway thru Army Infantry training(done with Basic Training, 3 weeks into Infantry school). He wants, for his next BP gun to be a 1795 Springfield, which is the gun on the "Crossed rifles" pin/insignia of the Army Infanrty. I know Pedersoli makes one. Who else, thru the years? Whats THE 1795 replica to buy/look for? Did Navy Arms or Zoli or anyone else good ever make them?

I'm an Infantryman, well, was one. I once had a goal to collect repros or originals of every Springfield Musket and Rifle-Musket. I'm doing pretty well so far with the 1795, 1816, two original 1861's and a repro Richmond. Also a Pedersoli 1777.

Besides the Indian made ones, Pedersoli is pretty much it for a 1795 Repro.



I have a Pedersoli 1795 I bought from a member here, it was my first Flintlock. It's awesome, I'd just go with a Pedersoli. I've done everything from shoot paper cartridges, load loose powder and ball with wadding, shooting lead shot. Such a versatile weapon. I'm going to try to Squirrel hunt with it.

Besides a Pedersoli, you could probably find a real one for 3-4k , however that's a piece of American history and probably not for shooting.

 

[toot]

I have an original 1795 SPRINGFIELD MUSKET that is the spitting image of a CHARLEVILLE, that it was based on, with original bayonet, no I have not shot it and it still is a great sparker. sorry I cannot put up picture's, my laptop will not do it.