Bought on this forum years ago, Civil War rifles

[Hoosier8]

I bought 4 Civil War rifles from someone that had them, if I remember correctly, in someone’s attic. All in various states of repair. I am finally going to start conserving them.

Robinson contract m1861 - sheet metal bands need replacing. Missing ramrod. This one is in good enough condition to shoot.

Springfield 1838 percussion conversion of an M1816. Missing lock plate internals and hammer. Got one coming off of EBay. missing ramrod. Picked it up yesterday and found the first part of the forearm is not attached to the stock. Carved into the stock J.H.S. On one side and Howard on the other. Curious.

Potsdam M1809 percussion conversion. Missing front band retaining spring.

Enfield 1853 3 band. Missing lock. Questionable stock maybe sanded. Worst condition finish. Looking for a ‘Tower’ marked lock. Possible confederate rifle.

I will not ‘refinish’ them but conserve them to halt rust.

Separate from that I also have a Simeon North M1810 percussion conversion pistol. Pretty rusty. Really cool but missing the ramrod, ramrod swivel, and barrel stud (the ramrod cannot be lost it is attached to a swivel on the barrel). I will replace that with a reproduction swivel. Believe it or not it has a safety button.

 

[MrSmitty]

Where are the pictures? I don’t see any pictures. Am I missing the pictures?

 

[Kdf101]

I feel cheated out of pictures.

 

[TJ Kackowski]

It happened years ago ... might not be any digital pics to post.

 

[Hoosier8]

It happened years ago ... might not be any digital pics to post.

I can take some pics this weekend and post them.

 

[MrSmitty]

It happened years ago ... might not be any digital pics to post.

Ok, that is funny!!!

 

[BigRed]

There are no pictures because there is no such thing as a Civil War rifle.

Perhaps we will see some pics of War of Northern Aggression rifles, or War to Prevent Southern Independence rifles, but there are no Civil War rifles.

 

[Hoosier8]

Where are the pictures? I don’t see any pictures. Am I missing the pictures?

In order left to right.

Robinson contract 1861
Springfield 1838
Potsdam
Enfield

At bottom Simeon North M1810

The Enfield was probably used by the anti-Northern Aggression forces as @BigRed would put it.

 

[Hoosier8]

I got a cheap bore scope todey long enough to get to the end of the E. Robinson.

Still has something in it. Maybe just a lost cleaning patch.

 

[wisboy]

Big Red .... is the war over?

Asking if you heard.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

I got a cheap bore scope todey long enough to get to the end of the E. Robinson.

Still has something in it. Maybe just a lost cleaning patch.

View attachment 341999

Quite possibly I'm wrong, but I don't think that's a cleaning patch. It looks to me like it's wrapped around something that looks suspiciously like chunks of lead. I'd be careful with removing it and wear protection if it was me.

 

[Leadeye]

One of the things I do with cap and ball or flintlock is remove the wood and then submerge everything in diesel fuel mixed with Kroil for a while. In addition to making it easier to remove screws it reduces the chances of old charges going off.

 

[gassprint1]

I got a cheap bore scope todey long enough to get to the end of the E. Robinson.

Still has something in it. Maybe just a lost cleaning patch.

View attachment 341999

Why not soak in evaporust stuff. Think I'd wait to remove that patch and ball if going to soak it.

 

[Hoosier8]

Quite possibly I'm wrong, but I don't think that's a cleaning patch. It looks to me like it's wrapped around something that looks suspiciously like chunks of lead. I'd be careful with removing it and wear protection if it was me.

Looks like the opening from the nipple in the upper left and the ring of the breach plug on the upper right. I will purchase a worm to retrieve whatever is in there.

 

[Hoosier8]

Why not soak in evaporust stuff. Think I'd wait to remove that patch and ball if going to soak it.

I will do what I can to pre-clean the barrel then completely disassemble and steam the steel parts and barrel to convert any rust into black rust (ferro-ferrous oxide) to stop any red rust then card it and re-clean the barrel and get a good soak it in kerosene. After that it will get a good oiling.

 

[Wabatuckian]

I will do what I can to pre-clean the barrel then completely disassemble and steam the steel parts and barrel to convert any rust into black rust (ferro-ferrous oxide) to stop any red rust then card it and re-clean the barrel and get a good soak it in kerosene. After that it will get a good oiling.

Hello,

Since it's a cap conversion, why not remove the nipple and hit it with compressed air? That's pretty standard practice when you dry ball a gun or can't discharge the load for whatever reason.

They make CO2 cartridge setups for this, but I personally use an air nozzle with a rubber tip.