Expanding my Historical Black Powder Collection
Another musket for the wall. This one fills the gap between my M1795 and M1842; an 1822 M1816 Springfield flintlock converted to percussion in the 1850s, and most likely used early in the Civil war. There are three variations: the 1816 Type 1, the Type 2 (sometimes called M1822) and the Type 3 (sometimes called the M1835). There were no official designations of M1822 and M1835, just a set of minor changes begun that year. Stock is great with no cracks but a little missing wood around the tang. Bore has light pitting for the first six inches, and is better lower down. This type of conversion is called the cone-in-barrel (or Belgian cone) and was the most common type of conversion. The integral brass flash pan was ground down to the side plate and filled, the holes for the frizzen and spring were filled, and offset right on the breech the barrel was drilled and tapped for the cone. Another two types were the drum-and-bolster and one by Remington. Stock cartouche is illegible, and there is graffiti below it "MMP." On the left edge of the breech there is a "S.M.C." stamp - it may be a unit or militia designation. The bayonet is original and the sling and tompion reproductions.
Some unusual stamps: "MM" inside lock upper left and ZR in center, "PT" and "T" inside and to the front of the trigger guard, "7" and "T" on the wood in front of the butt plate, "D" on the side plate, and "T" sub-assembly marks on all internal lock parts.
The M1816 is one of the longest serving long arms for the U.S.; from 1816-1842.
T
http://s470.photobucket.com/user/maj...%20Springfield
