All originals were made as three band, the whole two band artillery model is sort of a made up deal. Colt sold the Colt repros, Chattahoochie sold the Amoskeag and LG&Y repros.
My first Enfield or military style long Gun
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So the Colt was sold as an M1881. Do you know if the Amoskeag was sold as an Enfield? The original owner said this was an Enfield or sold as one.
Trashcan aka wadcutter.
Nice musket !!
Drop a shinny pistol cartridge 'bullet down' the bore & shine a bright led light down the bore 'or'
drop a lighted arrow nock down the bore to illuminate it.
Can also purchase interior or exterior bore lights at sporting goods stores or on Amazon.
Thank you. I am going to look up bore lights tonight!
These are cheap and work great as bore lights.
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The Enfield 1858 and the 1855 Harpers Ferry Rifles (specific model, not to be confused with the M1855 musket) were 2-band. During the ACW a lot of 3-band guns were also cut down to make the shorter 2-band artillary rifles. Many of the 2-band repros mimic those.
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They resembled the Enfields, it's easy to mistake them. The Colt Special Musket really did look "Enfieldish". My cousin's husband has his family handed down original Colt Special from the 9th (or 11th?) NJ Reg't. along with ctg. box, late war no brass plate and it has the orig. sling and bayonet; I think his relative was in late in the war, probably saw no action.
I should have specified, all M1861 specials were made as three band.
No, none of the M1861 specials were identified as Enfields in any way. The originals were just issued and accepted as M1861's like the Springfields and other contract rifle muskets.
It's my understanding about the Colt M1861 Specials that the main difference is the lock in that the lock works are patterned after the Enfield lock. In all other respects they're more inline with the Springfield M1861 rifle musket.
Hi Trot, just to clarify, you are talking about the reproduction rifles right and not the originals? There have been so many comments it gets a little confusing. As I search for info on this specific rifle, I am trying to find out what it was actually called. Thanks again for your help and input.
Ok thank you. Do you have any information on the specific rifle I posted?
aussie pete
40 Cal
Correct, the originals, however the repros were never sold as Enfields either.
They were just different than 1861 Springfields in many aspects. Hammer shape, barrel bolster without the clean out screw, rounded barrel bands clinched with screws instead of held by springs, were all closer to the Enfield. Interestingly, when the Springfield was redesigned in 1863 it very closely resembled the 1861 Special.
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So do you know if these repos were sold as Springfields? Maybe they didnt call them either and had something completely different.
I remember checking them out at the time, I believe they were sold as 1861 special contract rifle muskets. Definitely not as Springfields.
Thank you, That gives me something new to start searching for.
