This is a Pattern 1853 Enfield type III rifle musket from the American Civil War. The overall length of this weapon is 54 3/4", with a barrel length of 39". This particular gun was manufactured by Barnett of London, England. J. E. Barnett & Sons supplied arms to the Confederate Ordnance Department, as well as Georgia and South Carolina in the early months of the war. Barnett sold weapons to S. Isaac, Campbell and Company from 1861 through 1864. The Barnett stamp is found on the inside of the lock as well as stamped on the bottom of the barrel. The bore of the barrel is dark surface rust and shows no visible rifling, gaging at .62 caliber. The proof marks are no longer legible, as the bolster and breech area have some pretty significant pin pricking and pitting. This old long gun did some shooting in it's time. The front sight has been altered, having been filed down into a tapered sight that would no longer double as a bayonet lug. Like so many of Enfields, the rear sight is missing. The lockplate is stamped with a crown over a large print TOWER to the rear of the hammer and BARNETT/LONDON forward of the hammer. The action has issues, the hammer holds at half cock and full cock, but the main spring is missing. On the back of the lockplate is the stamp of BARNETT. The patina of the lock matches the barrel and bands. Both sling swivels are missing, but the ramrod is present. The nose cap, trigger guard and butt plate are brass and have a mellow golden patina. The stock is in good condition, but does have two stress cracks, one around the lock and another opposite the lock running from the barrel channel to the rear escutcheon. The wood is a medium brown tone, except where it was heavily handled, at the wrist area and just behind the middle barrel band. These two areas are practically black. On the right stock comb the initials of RB have been scratched into the wood. What looks to the number 2 has been carved deeper into the same side as the initials. This one came out of an old house in Wilmington, North Carolina, and I picked it up in Gettysburg last month.

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