Question About Miroku and Euroarms Repro 1861 Springfields

[Southron Sr.]

This is a two part question:

1. Do the repro Miroku (Japanese) 1861 Springfields have a standard type breech plug system (as employed on the original 1861 Springfields) I.E., a removeable breech plug OR one like some of the old Numrich repro 1861 Springfield barrels (made in the 1960's) where the entire breech section had to be unscrewed?

2. From you owners of both Miroku and Euroarms repro 1861 Springfields-
Your opinion about the quality, accuracy, fit & finish etc., of these arms.

THANKS!

[Johan Steele]

The Miroku is ten times the weapon of the Euroarms, it actually has the balance much closer and original parts will fit in mine. I have no respect for either the Euroarms or ArmiSport M1861... both are equally wrong in that they only visually resemble an original.

If you don't have it... you should.

Barry, Craig L., The Civil War Musket: A Handbook for Historical Accuracy-Lock, Stock and Barrel, Watchdog Press, 2006.

[Jim_Burgess_2078V]

My Miroku M1861 Springfield is one of the early ones (2 digit serial #) which I acquired soon after Dixie Gun Works made them available in 1990. The ramrod that came with it was dead soft but Dixie readily replaced that. Other than minor lock tuning and upgrading the front sight and rear sight leaves the only significant modification I made was glass bedding to fill the big void under the barrel. After 19 years and with the original barrel it continues to put a .580460 Rapine Minie on target if I do my part.

Never had reason to pull the breech but I believe it has a standard breech plug.

Jim Burgess, 15th Conn. Vol. Inf.

[J Weber 4114V]

The Jap Springfield's are closer in size,feel and weight than ether of the Italian repo's. On the two I have worked on they both have a standard removable type breech plug.Fit and finish is quite good.
Now the minuses.
The tang on the breech plug is about 1/4 " longer than any of the others.
No real problem except you cant drop in any other barrel.
Also I was going to have one relined by Bobby Hoyt. He informed me that the way the barrel is threaded to the breech makes it unsafe for him to reline them in his normal way. He said the only way he would do one is to install a new barrel onto the Jap breech. I went this route. It did cost more though.
All of the ones I have looked at were a bit large in bore dia. .579-.582
The last thing that some people dislike is the two piece stock. The splice is at the lower band. I just redo the joint then full length bed the stock. [epoxy]

Hope this helps.

[William H. Shuey]

Not really on subject, but I have a replica Charleville that was sold during the years of the centennial of the American Revolution and was made by Miroku. I'm not sure if it was for Dixie or someone else. The quality of the workmanship is very good. The quality of the steel, particularly the frizzen, is enough to make some of the Italian gun makers cry. The first time I took it out to shoot was for a demonstration of early weapons at a local gun club on Hunting and Fishing day. I fired about 50 rounds that afternoon and that "flinch lock" only failed to fire 3 times. Each time I simply poured another charge of 4F in the pan and BANG, away she went. Marvelous piece!

Bill Shuey