US 1842 musket with 0.75 barrel!

[danpick]

Morning gentlemen! I'm new to the site. I just inherited a Springfield 1842 date stamped 1849 from my father. I don't have a lot of experience with older/antique firearms. I'm looking to get advice on cleaning it up, not really restoring it. I just want it to look great, and last many generations to come. It's in good shape, some surface rust, smooth bore. unfortunately, the stock was cut down just before the back barrell band, it has a wooden ramrod in it, and it's missing the back sling ring. Any advice on cleaning it up, how to display it, general care, etc? Any help and/or advice would be gratly appreciated!

[englishrussian]

This is a great forum I didnt think it would be so interesting!

englishrussian http://www.email2femail.com

[gew8805]

Getting back to the original question of the "odd" caliber, it is simply a worn bore, nothing more. There is not that much difference between .69 and .75 caliber. Careful measurement of the barrel all the way down to the breach will show variation all along it's length, with the breach possibly worn to as much a .80, maybe even more. The barrels at the time of the manufacture of the musket were iron, not steel and wear such as this, especially in post military use where cleaning was not as frequent as it should have been would have been common.

[gew8805]

Oh, forgot to add that the bayonet lug under the barrel is standard for both the M1840 (last flint US musket) and M1842 muskets.