1861 Springfield Musket

[suzkat]

I have a Springfield rifled musket with V, P and
eagle marks and cartouches with dates of 1861. I understand the 1861 was first and rarest year of production. The condition is probably average with corrosion around the breech and on the barrel bands. Stock has crack at butt. Sliver of wood missing at muzzle. Original ramrod.
Owner was shocked when I told him it was loaded.
Was passed down from CW vet through their family.
The bore is pretty good. What would a range of value be on a rifle like this?

 

[bangfxr]

First thing would be to dampen the powder with water down the barrel and the nipple for a couple days to desolve the powder, then oil down the barrel and pull the ball. I would venture to say by your discription of the condition between $600 to $800 as a wall hanger.

 

[BEP]

Without pictures I would have to agree on that price range. Over the last couple of years I've picked up several Civil War era long arms; an 1816, an 1842 and an 1861. They have to be in pretty good condition to be worth $800.00; of course we're not talking museum quality but they need to be complete and without any flaws greater than "minor to light medium', whatever that means.

And it's surprising how many are still loaded. Sometimes it's just stuff that somebody rammed down the bore but there is also gunpowder involved often enough to give one pause.

 

[Big Iron]

Yes.....loaded. That's cause it weren't no good empty back in the day!

BI :grin:

 

[Tumblernotch]

I have a Springfield rifled musket with V, P and
eagle marks and cartouches with dates of 1861. I understand the 1861 was first and rarest year of production. The condition is probably average with corrosion around the breech and on the barrel bands. Stock has crack at butt. Sliver of wood missing at muzzle. Original ramrod.
Owner was shocked when I told him it was loaded.
Was passed down from CW vet through their family.
The bore is pretty good. What would a range of value be on a rifle like this?

A total of 265,129 M1861 rifle-muskets were made at Springfield between January 1861 and sometime early in 1863. I'd say the highest production was in 1862, but at least 100,000 or more were probably made in '61. What the other fellers say about the price sounds pretty close, but I've been seeing online sellers offering Springfields at $1,400 + in the condition you describe. Twenty years ago, $250 to $300 would have gotten you a decent shooter. I've been seeing nice '61's with $2,500 to $3,500 price tags lately.

 

[suzkat]

I appreciate all your feedback. I took it to a gunshow and had alot of lookers and some who took my phone number, but nobody pulled out their wallets. Being the 150th anniv and this being a battle tested original dated 1861, I'm going to be patient about parting with it. There were 1000 guns at this collectors show and not a single model 1861 for sale. I'm going to put it at $1200 and see what happens.

 

[Tumblernotch]

You could start there and always come down if you need to. Not seeing a picture of it makes it hard to put a ballpark figure on it. And it's all in the eye of the beholder. Some buyers may only offer $700 or $800 and some may offer your asking price. Good luck with it!

 

[Jim Evans]

hotoSmile:

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

At $1200? I am sorry to say that by the description you posted in your initial post you are about $300 to $400 too high. But, as SR.Chief said - this thread needs a photo.

 

[suzkat]

Perhaps it's too high. On the other hand I've been all over the internet and haven't seen but
1 other 1861 dated Springfield for sale. I'm seeing it as supply and demand. Maybe someone will appreciate how many rounds went through it during the civil war. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[BEP]

We do not list links to sites with forums here, but if you go to the GunBroker auction site, you'll see a number of '61 Springfields for sale. Just do a search for "musket". I keep an eye on them; some of them have been listed over and over again for over a year or more with either no bidders or the seller has a reserve that's too high and the gun doesn't sell.

I'm not saying that you don't have a nice rifle-musket there. But the market is really soft for such right now and has been for some time. I would guess that folks - some folks at least - are selling them and similar items because times are tough financially in a lot of areas of our country right now; as in my native Michigan. It's a great time to be a buyer but maybe not so great to be a seller. And before the bubble burst three years ago this month you probably would have been right in the ballpark with that price.

But by all means ask your starting price. It's always possible to lower a price but difficult to raise it. Good luck.