1861 tower enfield

[0for]

I have an 1861 Enfield, 54 caliber rifled barrel. It has a patch box (minus lid) . I acquired it in an estate sale, so I have no other background on it. I’m having trouble finding information on it and would appreciate any insight on it.
thank you,
0for

 

[Grayrock Volunteer]

It's a British P1853 type III Rifle-Musket. The patchbox is a non-military featured added by a former owner. Are there any markings on the buttplate or stamped into the wood in front of it or behind the trigger guard?

 

[cositrike]

Looks to me like an Afghan build for the tourist trade. If it’s .54, it’s not an Enfield barrel.

 

[Conquerordie]

It looks like when it was proofed it was .58 with those "24" stamps. Parchbox looks like something off a New England rifle. Still has three groove rifling it looks like. Sure it's .54? Agree maybe a vet took it home and dressed it up after the war.

 

[0for]

Correction:
I just rechecked my micrometers and realized that I misread it the first time. The rifle is really a 58 caliber. 75 year old eyes make mistakes sometimes. Thanks for questioning me.

 

[JamesT]

Not an authority on Enfield rifles by any means. It is certainly a pattern 1853. Photos of the stock just ahead of the buttplate tang and fore and aft of the trigger guard may offer some more clues. Maybe a clearer photo of the barrel proofs as well. The lack of the VR Cypher below the crown on the lockplate is usually indicative of manufacture for commercial sale. At that time meaning U.S. or C.S. governments. The patch box is a later add on by previous owner.
James

 

[0for]

thanks everyone for the informatio . Here are some pics to help

 

[Conquerordie]

The circle mark above the butt plate tang is usually in the area where Confederate inspection marks were. It's faint but looks like it was there. It would mean the rifle may have been a apart of a Confederate purchase, but doesn't mean it was used here by Confederates. I'd look into that more. It's just another part of the guns history.

 

[ResearchPress]

thanks everyone for the informatio . Here are some pics to help

Do you have a full length picture available and can you confirm the barrel length? The rearsight is the wrong way for a Pattern 1853 Rifle Musket. Do you have pictures of the sight detail? Thanks.

David

 

[Stantheman86]

I would go with, it's an Afghan rebuild using mostly original Enfield parts and some stuff they cobbled together. They used these to fight Russians and then later American , British and other forces so someone was probably trying to keep it usable.

I had read the big lead bullets were used to shoot at helicopter tail rotors and throw them out of balance. Maybe this was a Mujahedeen AA gun

If Confederate Sharps copies were found in the Nepal arsenal hoarde then who knows how anything ended up anywhere

 

[0for]

Do you have a full length picture available and can you confirm the barrel length? The rearsight is the wrong way for a Pattern 1853 Rifle Musket. Do you have pictures of the sight detail? Thanks.

David

Here are more pictures, I hope they help:

 

[0for]

Here are more pictures, I hope they help:View attachment 181613View attachment 181614View attachment 181615View attachment 181616View attachment 181616View attachment 181616View attachment 181617View attachment 181613

 

[0for]

Barrel is a shade over 39”

 

[ResearchPress]

Barrel is a shade over 39”

Thanks for the additional information. So the barrel length conforms to that of a Pattern 1853 Rifle Musket. As noted earlier, the rearsight is (re)mounted the wrong way for this Pattern Rifle. I can't add anymore than has already be provided by others.

David

 

[0for]

Thanks for the additional information. So the barrel length conforms to that of a Pattern 1853 Rifle Musket. As noted earlier, the rearsight is (re)mounted the wrong way for this Pattern Rifle. I can't add anymore than has already be provided by others.

David

Thank you for the information