A Richond rifle-musket story

[Dave Fox]

A story. In the '80s I picked up a relic high-hump 1861 Richmond at a Knoxville show. Richmonds have an allure for me, especially those first ones, like this, assembled between October and December, 1861. This $250 purchase had just a stub of a barrel and had seen those proverbial better days. The hammer has the remnant of the Maynard knife edge and the lock innards are original, including an M.1855 triangular stirrup with the redundant hole for a tape feeder arm. The buttstock boasted a Harper's Ferry patchbox in a Richmond assembled stock...no spare cone hole. I slapped a 25-foot restoration of sorts together; original bands, band springs, M.1839 sling, refurbished dug brass nosecap, modified M1861 U.S. barrel, new rammer and forestock. My first visit to Fort Shenandoah earlier this month inspired me. there I acquired an original M.1855/61 rammer, 1860-dated M.1855 barrel, and, from this forum I'm putting together a correct M.1855 rear sight. A talented friend will fit a Dunlap forestock. So, while y'all were shooting your brains out at the Nationals, a relic Richmond began a rebirth! I'll keep you posted.

[Bruce Cobb 1723V]

A story. In the '80s I picked up a relic high-hump 1861 Richmond at a Knoxville show. Richmonds have an allure for me, especially those first ones, like this, assembled between October and December, 1861. This $250 purchase had just a stub of a barrel and had seen those proverbial better days. The hammer has the remnant of the Maynard knife edge and the lock innards are original, including an M.1855 triangular stirrup with the redundant hole for a tape feeder arm. The buttstock boasted a Harper's Ferry patchbox in a Richmond assembled stock...no spare cone hole. I slapped a 25-foot restoration of sorts together; original bands, band springs, M.1839 sling, refurbished dug brass nosecap, modified M1861 U.S. barrel, new rammer and forestock. My first visit to Fort Shenandoah earlier this month inspired me. there I acquired an original M.1855/61 rammer, 1860-dated M.1855 barrel, and, from this forum I'm putting together a correct M.1855 rear sight. A talented friend will fit a Dunlap forestock. So, while y'all were shooting your brains out at the Nationals, a relic Richmond began a rebirth! I'll keep you posted.

As a side note, a good friend of mine took off a buttplate from one and found what we believe to be strands of his wife's hair. Wish they could talk.

[Michael Bodner]

Or maybe your friend clobbered his wife in the head with the butt...

Oh wait, that's not what you meant... LOL

Cool story, BTW!!!

-Mike