Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. The Springfield Model 1861 was a Minié-type rifled musket shoulder-arm used by the United States Army and Marine Corps during the American Civil War. Commonly referred to as the "Springfield" (after its original place of production, Springfield, Massachusetts), it was the most widely used U.S. Army weapon during the Civil War, favored for its range, accuracy, and reliability.
The Springfield Rifle cost $20 each at the Springfield Armory, where they were officially made. Overwhelmed by the demand, the armory opened its weapons patterns up to twenty private contractors, including Norwich Arms Co. of Norwich Conn, which manufactured around 18,000 rifle-muskets under contract from 1863-64.
This particular example has been personalized a lot, and was clearly owned by a guy who truly hated his enemy. It started life as a regular Springfield percussion rifle made in Norwich but has been personalized by someone with the initials G.W.. It also has had the barrel either altered or replaced, so it is now only about .48" in diameter, with a fairly rusty bore. There are two, what appear to silver plaques each engraved, one inlaid into the right side of the butt and the second in the right side of the fore stock. The butt plaque has a very decorative scrolled border surrounding the word "Avenger". The Fore Stock plaque, also decorated says:-
He Who Shoots First
Lives To Shoot Again
Revenge. G.W.
Most probably a son or Brother of a previous Civil War casualty. The Rifle has been in storage for a great period and appears varnished long ago which has somewhat protected the surface. The back sight is absent, the barrel is 34" and there is no front nose cap. The rear of the barrel has a somewhat exotic inlay of a Crown over entwined letters in reverse that looks like it is made from GOLD however will probably turn out to be brass.
We would love to know the back story on this particular Rifle. Ready to display!
Specifications-
Year of Manufacture: circa 1863-4
Caliber: Approx 12mm / .48"
Cartridge Type: Ball and Powder
Barrel Length: 34 Inches
Overall Length: 50 Inches
Action type: Side Action Lock
Feed System: Muzzle Loaded
NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these.
- This product is available for international shipping.
IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.
These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers". Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.
Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services.
- Not eligible for payment with Paypal or Amazon
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