Original item: One Only. The US Model 1842 Musket was a .69 caliber musket manufactured and used in the United States during the 19th Century. It was a continuation of the Model 1816 line of muskets but is generally referred to by its own model number rather than just a variant of the Model 1816. All of these muskets were 58 inches long, with a barrel around 42 inches in length.

The Model 1842 was the last U.S. smoothbore musket produced. Many features that had been retrofitted into the Model 1840 were standard on the Model 1842. The Model 1842 was the first U.S. musket to be produced with a percussion lock, though most of the Model 1840 flintlocks ended up being converted to percussion locks before reaching the field. The percussion cap system was vastly superior to the flintlock, being much more reliable and much more resistant to weather.

The Models 1840 & 1842 were made with thicker barrel walls, with the intention that they could be rifled later, however this "attic fresh" example is still in the original smoothbore configuration, with a lovely aged patina overall. The lock plate is marked with the correct American "Federal Eagle" / U.S. under of the hammer, and was produced at the United States Armory and Arsenal at Harpers Ferry itself, as indicated on the lock plate tail:

HARPERS
FERRY
1852

Many of these muskets were produced under contract, however this example was made at one of the Federal armories. The rifle side plate is thin and not bulged, as typical of the Model 1842 Musket. Previous iterations had had a more pronounced side plate with a bulge in the middle. The musket looks to have seen extensive firing while in service, and there is heavy powder burn around the cap bolster which has eaten away at some of the wood of the stock as often happens. The barrel is so worn by powder burn that the original "V / P / Eagle's Head" proof markings are no longer visible, nor is the tang date. There is also a partial boxed cartouche on the left side of the stock, which we were not able to read.

With all iron mounts this .69 caliber musket is in very nice patinated condition, but it is missing the "tulip" shape ramrod. Both barrel bands and the nose cap are present, but the nose cap is loose and not secure as the band spring is missing the small button that locks the nose cap into place. The butt plate is correctly U.S. marked. It still has both sling swivels present, one on the middle barrel band and one on the front of the trigger guard, and both are still easily movable. The cap nipple cone looks to be an arsenal replacement as the powder burn around it is so bad that it would’ve left the cone basically useless. The lock still functions correctly, holding correctly at half cock and firing at full. We checked the bore, and it is still smoothbore, and was not rifled later, as many were, though it is somewhat fouled and oxidized inside.

The metalwork overall has an oxidized patina from long storage, which really has a great look, which we left intact so the future owner can decide whether to leave it as is, or to clean it up a bit. The stock has a lovely dark brown finish, however it shows wear from storage and transportation over the years, which has exposed the lighter underlying wood. As mentioned there is some wood loss due to the excessive powder burn. There are some very small gouges on the fore stock area. Really a great looking old musket that would look fantastic hanging on the wall.

A very nice example of the last smoothbore percussion musket that the United States fielded, still in the original configuration. Ready to restore or display as is!

Specifications:-

Year of Manufacture: 1852
Caliber: .69"
Cartridge Type: Ball and Powder
Barrel Length: 42 Inches
Overall Length: 58 Inches
Action type: Side Action Percussion Lock
Feed System: Muzzle Loading

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.