Original item: Only One Available. A great Civil War Long Gun, the U.S. .54 Caliber Percussion Rifle was in 1841 way ahead of its time and showed stout service in the American/Mexican War. They were well-regarded, and still in arsenal as the tensions rose, culminating in the U.S. Civil War of 1861-1865. They were in a smaller caliber than desired, but with the thick barrel walls used in construction, this proved to not be an issue, as they could be re-bored to accept the now standard .58 Minié ball used by the Springfield model 1855 and 1861 muskets.

This conversion was undertaken by Colt, who purchased approximately 11,368 Model 1841 rifles from the Ordnance Department in 1861 under an agreement to sell them back after they were converted. The rifles were re-bored to .58 caliber with 7 groove rifling, and were all fitted with Colt Model 1855 revolving rifle 100/300/500 yard three leaf rear sights. The government requirement also stipulated that the rifles be able to fit a bayonet, and Colt's solution was to attach a ring bayonet lug on the barrel for a saber style bayonet. By June 1862, Colt had sold back 10,411 of the rifles, with some others being sent to State Militias. For more information please see American Military Shoulder Arms, Volume III by George Moller, pages 156-159.

This is a very nice patinated example of the bayonets produced for these Colt conversions. The 25 ¼" single-edged blade has a slight curve and a thick, flat spine that ends in a 140mm double-edged spear point. The blade is in good condition, showing staining and some past pitting on the edges. The brass hilt is marked with serial number 228 on the back, which would match the number on the bottom of the screw attached bayonet lug added to the barrel. It has never been sharpened, and still has a clear date on the ricasso:

1861

This lovely example comes more than ready for further research and display.

Specifications:
Blade Length: 25 ¼"
Blade Style: Single Edge Yataghan w/ Fuller
Overall length: 30“
Crossguard: 3 ¾”