2 Band 1842 Model Springfield

[KC Scot]

Gentlemen-
I have a two band '42 Springfield, and always assumed that it was a cut down. Someone recently told me that there was a very limited production of some of these 2 band muskets for some sort of expedition. Obviously, I would interested in speaking with someone who might possess the knowledge of discerning the fact from fiction. ANY help would be appreciated!
Thanks-
John Owens

[Phil]

There was the "Fremont Rifle" which is a shorter and rifled version of the 1842 musket with the ladder rear sight on it that was made for the expedition of the same name. There are also the model 1847 Musketoons and carbines made for the cavalry, artillery and engineers that resemble a cut-down 1842.

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

In 1847, approximately 3200 M1842 muskets were recorded as being modified, most likely for the Fremont Expedition. They have shorter 33 inch barrels and are 48 1/2 inches overall, with the bores being rifled and a long range rear sighted added, and the forward sling swivel being moved from the middle band to the upper band (nosecap).

CHS

[WashKellum]

The Ricmond and Macon Arsenals also cutdown some 1842's for the mounted troops, but I believe these were all smoothbore guns.

Regards,

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

Yes, in addition to using M1855 parts, Richmond Armory started out assembling Harpers Ferry M1842 parts into muskets. In November, 1862 the Armory was pushing carbines and musketoons for the cavalry. 200 smoothbore .69 "M1842 carbines" were assembled that month. Followed by 300 for December, none for January, 313 of either .58 or .69. After that, it appears parts for the M1842 carbines were used up and production shifted to the .58 "Richmond Carbine."

Basically, the "Richmond .69 Carbine" is a sawed-off M1842 tht shoertened the barrel to a nominal 24 1/2 inches, deleted the upper band (nose cap), added a carbine style swivel to the underside of the butt stock, and added a pinched front sight.

Macon Arsenal did not produce M1842's out of parts, but rather modified exisitng M1842's by shortening the barrel to a nominal 36 inches, relocating the upper band (nosecap), and sometimes adding a bayonet lug (this creating a problem with the lug penetrated the turned down tapered barrel and blew off).

CHS

[KC Scot]

Thanks so much for the info, gents. I'll try and post some pics tomorrow to continue to pick your brains. I can tell you, that on the side lock the date is an eagle and says "US" with "Springfield 1850" towards the back end of the lock, behind the hammer. On the breech plug tang it is dated 1852. From the tip of the barrel to the end of the tang is 32 1/2 inches, and overall the gun is almost an exact 46 inches. And it is a smoothbore. Also, the ramrod is the perfect size, threaded on the end. Cut down??? Doesn't make sense unless a seperate ramrod was made at a later date.
I picked this gun up at an auction in northern Wisconsin in about '94 for a song. The stock had been split, and the steel was very "dirty". It's in MUCH better shape now. After the auction, I asked the elderly lady who's sale it was about what she knew. The only info she had was that her grandfather or great grandfather brought it home from the war as a trophy, she thought.

[billmatt04]

Interesting discussion. I own what I had assumed to be a cut-down '42 Springfield. It doesn't have a rear sight and it hasn't been rifled, and the front band has been forced down onto the stock and doesn't have a spring to hold it in place. It is interesting to me, though, that the tang is marked 1851 and the lockplate is stamped 1846. Everything seems to point to being a cut-down, but is there anything I have missed?

[bbcwreenactor]

If u post pictures we could help u more

[tompritchett]

I am curious, are you just seeking information or are you putting it for sale. If the former, this thread is in the wrong conference and I can move it where it belongs.

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

In brief and to over-generalize...

On the "exciting side" there are the M1842's that were reworked by the Confederates.

On the "unexciting" side there are the M1842's that either became the fodder for Post War surplus "poorman's" or "farmers" shotgun reworked and sold by companies such as Bannerman's and Sears & Roebuck for many years.
Or, Post War, what someone did on their own, or had a gunsmith do (to various degrees of workmanship) to make a long musket into a better wielding hunting piece.

CHS