1863 Springfield: Real or Replica

[64Springer]

I’d ask someone who knows and not the Billy Bob internet experten. Get someone who knows and in person. Where do you live?

I take it that you will no longer be giving any advice to people on this forum or on the internet in general.

Afterall, opinions are just opinions and not fact unless the opinions are presented in person.

Will the rifle change from what Billy Bob sees in the pictures and what the expert sees in person?

 

[sturmkatze]

I take it that you will no longer be giving any advice to people on this forum or on the internet in general.

Afterall, opinions are just opinions and not fact unless the opinions are presented in person.

Will the rifle change from what Billy Bob sees in the pictures and what the expert sees in person?

Take what I say with a grain of salt like everyone here until proven. I don’t claim expertness. If you’ll notice, when all the experten are telling guys crazy stuff to do to fix their guns, I always say "find a gunsmith”. Unless you know, It’sa bad idea to do a lot of things.

What I detest is the snarky answers and such that appear here. I highly suggest he go to a real expert in person. I recommended Paul Ackerman. I don’t know much about Silly War guns… not my interest.

 

[64Springer]

That's the point I'm trying to make with my snark.

There are a lot of people on this forum that do know a lot about Civil War firearms.

And the opinions expressed here are just a reliable as the opinions expressed by an in-person expert.

 

[springfield art]

Looks like an authentic old one that's been heavily re-worked in modern times.

 

[andy52]

I know very little about these firearms but here are a few photos of an original and I'm pretty sure most arsenal guns had cartouches on the stocks. Your is missing some of the stamps in the photo of the original

.

 

[64Springer]

Any idea of a value in something like this?

At the risk of offending, not more than 700.

If you want to keep her, strip the stock, hit it with some 150 grit to develop a tooth and stain it a dark brown.

Use a wooden block backer on your sandpaper to keep surfaces and lock panels nice a crisp.

Then finish the stock with BLO or Tung Oil and rub it in well. No building up coats. NO SHINE.

Good luck with her.

 

[Splitear]

At the risk of offending, not more than 700.

If you want to keep her, strip that stock, hit it with some 150 to develop a tooth and stain it a dark brown.

Use a wooden block backer on your sandpaper to keep surfaces and lock panels nice a crisp.

Then finish the stock with BLO or Tung Oil and rub it in well. NO SHINE.

Good luck with her.

No offense taken. I did get the barrel bands off, and I don't see any proof marks on it. I really don't have an interest in keeping it, so I'll be posting it this afternoon/evening for $600

I appreciate so much help, it was fun learning about the 1863, and next time I'll have a better idea of what to look for.

 

[TFoley]

I'd be grateful if somebody could school me on 8-groove rifling, and the muzzle-loading rifles on which such complex and expensive work might have been carried out.

 

[hawkeye2]

Splitear we are all glad to have been able to help. I think you have a fair price on it and if the lock is reliable with that bore it should be a good shooter. Unfortunately 63 bands are narrower than 61s and if one were to try replacing the existing ones they would be to far back from the springs. Even with the defects mentioned it is still an attractive piece and should give years of service.

As an aside, to be an approved N-SSA firearm, whether an original, parts gun, custom or repro the barrel must have been manufactured by an approved barrel maker and so marked. All parts must match originals in dimensions and location. Having the ability to get an approval would add to the value for me but others man not feel that way.

 

[Splitear]

Splitear we are all glad to have been able to help. I think you have a fair price on it and if the lock is reliable with that bore it should be a good shooter. Unfortunately 63 bands are narrower than 61s and if one were to try replacing the existing ones they would be to far back from the springs. Even with the defects mentioned it is still an attractive piece and should give years of service.

As an aside, to be an approved N-SSA firearm, whether an original, parts gun, custom or repro the barrel must have been manufactured by an approved barrel maker and so marked. All parts must match originals in dimensions and location. Having the ability to get an approval would add to the value for me but others man not feel that way.

Thank you for the information, there’s so much to learn. I’ll be sure to include some of this in my ad if you don’t mind.

 

[Splitear]

I really just don’t see any marks on the barrel outside of the ghosty looking stamp on the drum.

 

[64Springer]

If it were an original there'd be a ton of inspector stamps all over the tang and the end of breech plug.

Wish I had kept the pics from '64 tear down and inspection.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

In a bit over my head here, and looking for some help identifying if this is an original 1863 Springfield or a reproduction. The gun is in good shape, bore is very good, lock is strong. The barrel bands are on tight, and I think I’d have to drive them off to remove them, and I don’t want to go beating on this thing if I don’t have to How would I go about determining if this is the real deal or a defarbed replica? Any help is appreciated.

Well it looks like it has the right flip up sights but perhaps the 300-yard sight is broken off. Here's a picture of a modern reproduction. Supposedly the 300-yard sight was most commonly used. The picture of the sight on yours is missing the 300-yard leaf and the 100-yard sight is in use. If it was the default choice, it would make sense that it would be the most likely to get broken off over the years, if it's actually an original rifled musket.