An interesting observation for Dick Hosmer...

[Dick Hosmer]

Where do I join up?

Assume you are referring to post #13?

[Fred]

Here's another interesting feature on rifle #6...
The trigger guard sling swivel isn't held onto the trigger guard with a Screw. It is held on with a rivet.
Here are photos of both sides of the swivel.
Note how the trigger guard on rifle #6 is Armory Blued and not Armory Bright.

Attachment 41058

Attachment 41059

[Dick Hosmer]

The rivet vs. screw thing is no big deal - depends on which musket it came from - but the bluing is unusual.

[Fred]

Dick, was the 1st model 1863 Springfield Rifled Musket the one that had blued barrel bands and springs or was it the 1864? I know that the rear sights were blued.
I recently received from Dixie Gun Works a Surplus rear barrel band for the Model 1863 Rifled Musket that has the split at the bottom with a screw in it. It's mint and is blued. I only needed the screw, but Dixie only had the barrel bands with the screw, so for $20.00, I just bought the band. It's interesting how that unused surplus barrel band is still available today. They sure made a lot of spare parts in anticipation that the Model 1863 was going to be around for some time.
Anyway, the rifle is an interesting one that had been examined for consideration as the final design of that model. I sure would like to see rifle's #1 and #8 to see how they differed from each other and this one.

[Edatbeach]

The rivet vs. screw thing is no big deal - depends on which musket it came from - but the bluing is unusual.

Actually, the "Table Showing Changes..Rifle-Musket from 1855 to 1873" (Fuller, p.295) specifies that the guard bow and screw of the M1864 - the model with band springs - is used on the M1866/68/70 rifles. Use of the rivet type ended with the M1863 - the rifle musket without band springs.

[Edatbeach]

Dick, was the 1st model 1863 Springfield Rifled Musket the one that had blued barrel bands and springs or was it the 1864? I know that the rear sights were blued.
I recently received from Dixie Gun Works a Surplus rear barrel band for the Model 1863 Rifled Musket that has the split at the bottom with a screw in it. It's mint and is blued. I
It's interesting how that unused surplus barrel band is still available today. They sure made a lot of spare parts in anticipation that the Model 1863 was going to be around for some time.

Yes, the M 1863 was the one with blued split bands. There were a lot of Springfield parts left over because this model was the one used for M1868/70 stocks, since the middle band did't need to be filled in, thus, many were disassembled. Also, a few outside manufacturers made the M1863, and at the war's end they had large stocks of left over parts.

[Fred]

All Very Interesting! Wow. Thanks Edatbeach!
I'll bet you could tell me if the earliest 1863 Type II or otherwise known as the 1864 rifled muskets initially used the split bands in conjunction with the band springs. Maybe the older parts would've been used up first?
I've seen one such specimen whose Eaglehead stamp was Smaller than on an 1863 with solid bands that I observed.

[Edatbeach]

All Very Interesting! Wow. Thanks Edatbeach!
I'll bet you could tell me if the earliest 1863 Type II or otherwise known as the 1864 rifled muskets initially used the split bands in conjunction with the band springs. Maybe the older parts would've been used up first?
I've seen one such specimen whose Eaglehead stamp was Smaller than on an 1863 with solid bands that I observed.

Yes. Ordnance Circular No. 42, Series of 1864, gave instructions on how to ID the various models when ordering replacement parts.
The "Model 1863" had "Bands oval and open, with band screws; some are blued and other bright."
The "Model 1864" (i.e. so called Type II) had "Bands oval and bright. The upper and lower band solid and without studs." Also had "Band Springs."

So, the Ordnance Dept. was very strict in the configuration of the various models.