Mississippi Barrel?

[gemmer]

The owner of this rifle says it's built on an original .54 cal Mississippi barrel. Given the bolster, I doubt that's the case, but comments would be welcome. Further pics on GB 611299063.http://pics.gunbroker.com/GB/611299000/611299063/pix802238916.jpg

[John Holland]

It isn't impossible, years ago there were a number of original Mississippi barrels available which had the breeches cut off most likely by Bannerman. The barrel may be one of those with a modern bolster added to it.

[Muley Gil]

My dim memory says that there was once a fence built by sinking Springfield rifle-musket barrels into concrete and chain was welded to the tangs. Does anyone else remember this and where the fence was located?

[MarkTK36thIL]

I believe the barrel fence was at the Grant Farm in St. Louis, MO, but don't quote me yet.

[Bruce Cobb 1723V]

With out seeing a bolster picture it could be anything. It could also be an original with a newer civilian / kentucky type tang screw.

[Grayrock Volunteer]

If it is a M1841 barrel, which I doubt, it has had the original bolster ground off and a new one brazed or welded on. The breech has also been modified into a hook breech type. The rear sight is also in the wrong spot, and I don't see any barrel proofs either. The ramrod is of the correct brass headed style for .54 caliber M1841s though.

Here is a picture of the lock for reference.
5040



Garrett

[John Holland]

My thoughts regarding the possibility of it being one of the Mississippi barrels which had been shortened at the breech is because there are no side flats to the barrel. When the breeches were cut off they were cut just ahead of the flats, thereby leaving a full round barrel. They were also in near unfired condition. The current barrel length would tell more, along with a photo of the rifling.

[gemmer]

Another thought I had was why would anyone go to the trouble of using such a barrel on a custom gun, other I guess than for the novelty of it. I asked the owner for a pic of the muzzle and he said he'd send one.

[John Holland]

This rifle isn't a new build by any means and the barrels were cheap....maybe from DGW, but like I said earlier they were nearly new as far as the bores were concerned.

[Phil Spaugy, 3475V]

I had one of those original barrels on a M1841 I got from George Thompson years ago. If I remember correctly George told me that Bill Large put the breech on the barrel. In any case I never could get it to shoot real well,no doubt due to the deep quick twist original rifling. My pards on the Guards called it "Old Leaky" because it tended to "weep" a bit around the seam where the breech met the original rifling. As with too many of my past firearms I let it go when something else shiny came along. Amazingly I was talking to Carlton Layne last year and he was telling me about a M1841 he has just acquired and low and behold it was "Old Leaky!"

[John Holland]

It's a small world, isn't it?

[bobanderson]

My pards on the Guards called it "Old Leaky..."

Careful, Phil. That's the kind of nickname that could stick.