Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Manheim, Pennsylvania
    (Lancaster County)
    Age
    37
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    Default Help Needed - 1836 Harpers Ferry

    Hoping someone may be able to provide some info on this rifle. This was my grandpas that was handed down to me. Any help identifying it and also value would be awesome!
















  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Hatboro, Pennsylvania
    (Montgomery County)
    Posts
    304
    Rep Power
    226058

    Default Re: Help Needed - 1836 Harpers Ferry

    That's a U.S. Model 1816 musket, produced at the Harper's Ferry Arsenal - it was originally flintlock and was converted to percussion, likely in the 1840s or 1850s, or possibly in the run up to arm up the volunteer armies during the beginning of the Civil War. It was converted using what's known as the "drum" or French-style conversion system, in which the original flintlock vent hole is drilled out, and a drum is inserted to hold the nipple that holds the percussion cap, and a new percussion hammer replaces the old flintlock hammer. Thousands of these were converted to percussion during the 1840s and 1850s after the U.S. Army adopted the percussion system, and thousands more were converted both right before and in the early part of the Civil War. They were very common on both the U.S. and Confederate side, particularly early in the war. Caliber .69; the issue ammunition was either a round ball or "buck and ball" - a round ball and three buckshot sized pellets. Devastating round at the range these typically were used at during the war. Yours saw a fair amount of use, seeing how rusted and pitted the nipple and drum area are. The lockplate, barrel, barrel bands and stock appear to be in good condition. Value is tough to pin down, but Harpers Ferry muskets tend to carry a bit more value than the Springfield Model 1816s, so I'd say somewhere between $800 and $1200. Nice piece of history - congrats!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Austin, Texas
    Age
    72
    Posts
    1,220
    Rep Power
    1417580

    Default Re: Help Needed - 1836 Harpers Ferry

    Send an e mail to Mark at oldguns.net He has been very helpful to me and has a wealth of knowledge. Also a pretty cool web page for people who are interested in old guns.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Manheim, Pennsylvania
    (Lancaster County)
    Age
    37
    Posts
    137
    Rep Power
    217541

    Default Re: Help Needed - 1836 Harpers Ferry

    Quote Originally Posted by indianjack View Post
    Send an e mail to Mark at oldguns.net He has been very helpful to me and has a wealth of knowledge. Also a pretty cool web page for people who are interested in old guns.
    I just wanted to thank you for this suggestion. Me and John have been discussing over the past few days!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Manheim, Pennsylvania
    (Lancaster County)
    Age
    37
    Posts
    137
    Rep Power
    217541

    Default Re: Help Needed - 1836 Harpers Ferry

    Quote Originally Posted by shiloh View Post
    That's a U.S. Model 1816 musket, produced at the Harper's Ferry Arsenal - it was originally flintlock and was converted to percussion, likely in the 1840s or 1850s, or possibly in the run up to arm up the volunteer armies during the beginning of the Civil War. It was converted using what's known as the "drum" or French-style conversion system, in which the original flintlock vent hole is drilled out, and a drum is inserted to hold the nipple that holds the percussion cap, and a new percussion hammer replaces the old flintlock hammer. Thousands of these were converted to percussion during the 1840s and 1850s after the U.S. Army adopted the percussion system, and thousands more were converted both right before and in the early part of the Civil War. They were very common on both the U.S. and Confederate side, particularly early in the war. Caliber .69; the issue ammunition was either a round ball or "buck and ball" - a round ball and three buckshot sized pellets. Devastating round at the range these typically were used at during the war. Yours saw a fair amount of use, seeing how rusted and pitted the nipple and drum area are. The lockplate, barrel, barrel bands and stock appear to be in good condition. Value is tough to pin down, but Harpers Ferry muskets tend to carry a bit more value than the Springfield Model 1816s, so I'd say somewhere between $800 and $1200. Nice piece of history - congrats!
    Thank you for this awesome amount of information!

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