CHAPTER 5 Models Perfected

The new arms which Jefferson Davis had authorized were not fully formed. Neither Burton nor Allin had quite finished with them in both detail and final specifications.
The pistol-carbine barrels as eventually issued were 12 inches long, not 10. And in addition to the continuation of the U.S. Rifle Ml841, significantly modified, as the Ml855 Maynard primed rifle, a new carbine was prepared and a few constructed. The new carbine exists in at least two minor sub-types; both are superficially alike, and both resemble in their furniture and stock shape the discontinued Sappers and Artillery Musketoons, Models of 1847. The lock is common military bar lock, front action, without the new tape primer, but the ramrod is fastened to the muzzle of the barrel by a double swivel somewhat like that which permanently affixed the ramrod to the pistol-carbine barrel. The stock extended only half way to the muzzle, and nose cap and band are like those of the new series, in brass. A ring for the shoulder sling is fitted to the front of the trigger guard, and the guard plate itself is shaped like the early musket form dating all the way back to the 1812 pattern, instead of the simplified M1855 type which was easier to machine. The second type had the sling loop on the rear of the guard.
This rifled carbine, Ml855, is a rare arm today and few were made. Judging from the components, it was a model to use up existing parts of the discontinued Sappers Musketoon. The rifle which Craig designed was a much more important arm, having its influence upon many rifles of the Confederacy as well as the special Remington-built rifle of the Union in 1862.
Colonel Craig must be credited with this colorful brass-trimmed Maynard primed rifle. Though relatively scarce in numbers made, and low in survival rate due to being used from the first in the war, its present esteem among collectors is not only due to these causes. It is also a very attractive arm of this period. The lock is hardened in grey-brown mottled colors. The barrel is browned or rust-blued to a satin finish having a bronzy cast. Bands and butt are of brass. The patchbox is slightly smaller in outline than that on the older Ml841 rifle, but similar. Inside, the wood is mortised
not for patches or tools, but with two intersecting circular cuts which just accommodate a special sniper’s front sight. Constructed of two rings, one is about the barrel, the other loops the front sight and holds cross wires in the exact position of the tip of the front sight. It is held, by a set-screw, to the barrel, and is slipped off when not in use. The rather wide brass nose cap, protecting the stock but not holding down the barrel as in earlier rifle front bands, is held on by rivets. The steel ramrod is swell-ended and concaved to match the ogive of Burton’s Harpers Ferry bullet. At first a ladder type rear sight was fitted, the M1855. In 1858 a more compact sight having two folding leaves was introduced and variations of this sight remained in use until after the war.
Tools for the new rifle were prepared for building it at Harpers Ferry, as urged by Craig. The new rifle musket, 40-inch barrel, was also started into production. Because of the importance which these tools later assumed when captured by the Confederacy, it is worthwhile reviewing just what they may have been.
First, the exterior size of the barrel is nearly the same as that of the 1841. The barrel has a stud and guide for attaching a sword bayonet. The breech and cone seat are finished like the same parts of the new rifle musket. The lock is identical with that of the new rifle musket, and the rear sight similar. While the mountings are described as similar, the nose cap was heavier, while the patch box was used on the rifle but seldom on the rifle musket. The ramrod was similar to the rifle musket, but shorter. The sword bayonet had a cast brass hilt, a muzzle loop, and groove on top of the grip for attaching to the rifle stud. Its scabbard was black leather, with brass band or throat and tip. The rifle musket bayonet was of the more usual triangular form, with face and back flutes, and a rotating clasp to hold it firm, locked behind the front-sight fixed base.
Because of these differences, as well as similarities, between the two major arms at Harpers Ferry, duplicate suites of gun machinery existed in part. There was equipment to make both rifle and rifle musket bands and nose caps; but only one set of tools for locks including all their parts. This later was to affect the fitting up of rifles at Fayetteville Arsenal for the North Carolina

From Official Records Atlas are line drawings of U.S. perfected M1855 Rifle Musket and Harpers Ferry Rifle, mistakenly labeled rifle musket. Rifle was later substantially copied by Remington using style 1841 locks.

troops. A few of the Fayetteville rifles used locks or lock plates from Harpers Ferry which had been originally forged out for the Maynard primer; and U.S.-type hammers. But most of them employed an S curved hammer not seen on any other arm but this famous Confederate built-up rifle.

Craig liked the Ml855 rifle, and urged its issue to militia. He preferred it to the patent arms of the day, and spoke of its shiny fittings inspiring a martial air in the militiamen. But it was Jefferson Davis who signed the final papers on the model, and to him belongs the credit for its authorization.

It was a good, strong weapon. Soon after a few had been made, tests of blow-up strength were tried. Several arms were taken without special selection from piles of finished guns, and loaded with more than one cartridge. With the rifle musket, four charges would get blown out of the barrel, but when five were loaded, the bottom ball melted partially, the second charge fired, and the entire force of the powder escaped through the vent with a prolonged sound resembling steam at

Ml855 Rifle Musket as adopted had side-wing leaf sight sometimes called “long range

sight (detail). This sight also fitted to Rifles. Springfield made year later (1859) has improved sight usually associated with 1861 variation, may have been rebarreled during use with later sight.

high pressure. Although all the barrels were rifled, and were mortised and tapped for the sight base, they passed through the firings uninjured. The rifle barrel was made of steel (M1841 bored up to .58), the others (new rifle musket, altered M1842 musket) of iron.”

Velocity tests using a 510-grain bullet and 60 grains

Shape of perfected minney ball is shown on package of rifle musketoon ammo in Stu Miller collection. Hollow in base was varied depending on bore to adjust bullet weight for light kick. In loading old muskets, paper tail was torn off to expose powder.

of black powder averaged over 10 shots at 963 feet per second for the new rifle musket, and 914 feet per second for the shorter-barreled Ml841 rifle altered to take the new caliber bullet. The grooves cut in the side of the Burton bullet to hold lubricant also make their way heard through the air; standing behind a line of skirmishers there is a solid, deep-toned bumblebee-like z-z-z-z-z-z-zip that terminates in the echoing slap of the projectile at the target. Velocities slightly lower than sound made this audible; a higher velocity would have merged the bow-wave sound of the ball with the report. Ten shots with the pistol-carbine, 40-grains powder, 468-grain bullet, averaged only 603 feet per second.
Standardized at last, under a new Administration, the Model 1855 rifle musket was programmed for production. With the election of Abraham Lincoln, the critical
post of Secretary of War was given to a supporter from Pennsylvania, the much-maligned Simon Cameron. Recognizing the lack of productive capacity of the national armories, the Government relied heavily upon domestic industry for the production of arms. The withdrawal of South Carolina from that Federal compact of the 1780’s; the formation of an autonomous, sovereign, federal government in Montgomery, Alabama; the bombardment at last of the hated Yankee stronghold, brought on the conflict that the War party, the Black Republicans, seemed to want. And, as volunteers sprang to their respective colors North and South, the manufacturers tendered their services. Arising from the melee of Union Army contracts was a mish-mash of confusion, patronage, and grasping middlemen, and the Civil War rifle musket scandals.