Bridesburg 1863?? Repro?

[Maddog12]

I recently put a down payment on a repro (I think) 2 band .58 Bridesburg musket with an 1864 barrel. I found it at a small civil war shop near my hometown, Richmond, VA. From what the guy could tell me it was a former N-SSA members gun and the price seemed right so I jumped on it. I had a few questions about it because I havent seen or heard of one before. When I held it up and looked down the sights it felt very balanced and light like my 1861 Colt 2 band so of course I fell in love with it, and what shooter doesnt want more guns? I did some research on the internet and from what I found they dont make repro Bridesburg locks, so could the lock be original? And I know the barrel might have been aquired separately, but if they do make a complete repro, are they good shooters?

-Thanks
Michael "maddog" Anderson, 33rd VA Co. D

[Edwin Flint]

Sounds like you may have found a skirmishers custom gun. Examine it closely for makers marks and you might find out who built it. Many skirmishers custom build guns with original parts.

I do not know of any Bridesburg mass produced repros.

[ms3635v]

Hey Michael. The Bridesburg musket was produced by Alfred Jenks and Sons. Jenks began making the contract musket on August 16, 1862, and ended production on May 17, 1865. During that time, Jenks and Sons manufactured 107,464 contract muskets. I have two original Bridesburg muskets and one was probably a late war manufacture as it is in excellent condition. The only thing that comes to mind with 2 band Bridesburg muskets would be that someone may have cut it down after the war or, as in one of the previous responses on this thread stated, is that the musket may have been built using original parts for or by a skirmisher.

[Joe Plakis, 9575V]

I know that there were a few contractors that started making 1861 style muskets and then switched over tooling to make the new type as well. I am pretty sure that Bridesburg was one arsenal gthat made both the 1861 and 1863 type muskets.

[John Holland]

MD12 -

I think you may want to pay a visit to the Small Arms Committee for an individual approval card to use your new Artillery type rifle for skirmishing.

JDH
SAC

[Jim_Burgess_2078V]

I have a similar rifle that I picked up at a gun show a couple of years ago. It was made by James River Armory using Euroarms parts with the barrel rifled by Bob Hoyt. These are no longer being made. James River Armory represented this model as a "Richmond Armory rifle", an alteration using captured parts (to explain the Bridesburg lock). Correct me if I'm wrong, John, but I thought most of the JRA rifles were N-SSA approved.

Jim Burgess, 15th Conn. Vol. Inf.

[John Holland]

Yes Jim, but he didn't say it was a JRA.

JDH

[ms3635v]

Joe is correct. Jenks and Sons did produce both 1861 and 1863 model Springfield muskets. See "the US Model 1861 Springfield Musket," by Hartzler, Yantz and Whisker, pages 48 through 53.