Colt repro 1861's any good?

[medbill]

I have a buddy that has two a 2 band and a 3 band and he doesn't know what to do with them. Are they good shooters? What are they worth on the used market, see a few on Gunbroker and they don't seem to be moving at least not for what the guys are asking.

Thanks for any advice...I'm trying to talk him into skirmishing too BUT want him started off on the right foot.

B

[Craig L Barry]

It depends on what you are looking for. it is about as good as one of the Italian made rifle-muskets, because that is essentially what it is, for only about $350 more. The Colt Special Model repro they are selling is an Armi Chiappa (Armi Sport) US 1863 with slightly different hardware and a few of their Enfield lock parts. The story on those started evolving around the mid 1990s when (as legend has it) "Colt" was going to produce a "Made in the USA" reproduction of their Special Model of 1861 rifle-musket. That turned out to mean assemble components/parts made in Italy here in the USA, and slap "Colt" on the lockplate with a faux Samuel Colt autograph etched into the trigger guard. These are offered for about $900 on gunbroker.com.

The lock parts of the repro Colt Special Model will interchange with an Armi Sport Enfield. The stock is straight off their US 1863 rifle musket. There is a chapter on this particular repro rifle-musket in "The Civil War Musket: A Handbook for Historical Accuracy" if you are interested in more of the details. Bottom line, it is a decent reproduction but nothing special.

[medbill]

Thanks will tell him and thank you as well for giving him an idea around what to ask for them.

Billy