Home » Archive » FR-724 US Civil War M1861 Springfield “Special Model” Colt Rifle

FR-724 US Civil War M1861 Springfield “Special Model” Colt Rifle

This item is listed for historical interest only. It is not for sale.

When the war commenced, Colt immediately approached the US War Department with an offer to manufacture as many as 500,000 rifle muskets per year. While Colt’s production estimates were certainly optimistic, his company was known for quality and mass production. After some wrangling, Colt secured a contract for 25,000 muskets of the exact pattern now being made at the United States armory at Springfield. Colt actually had no intention of producing exact replicas of the US M-1861 “Springfield”, but rather a somewhat simplified design of his own that outwardly resembled the M-1861 the Special Model 1861 Rifle Musket was born. Over the next three years, Colt LG&Y and Amoskeag would produce over 185,000 of these guns for US government and several state contracts. 96,500 of the guns were delivered to Ordnance Department by Colt alone. This colt rifle is in good+ condition with all metal parts having an even cleaned patina. The lock is marked 1864, the Colt Mfg markings are still present. All parts are original to the gun as is noted by the lack of barrel band springs, Colt were more similar to the Enfield in design this way, the bands had screws to tighten and hold the bands on. The gun also has an old repair to the butt stock. These Colts are difficult to find among the M1861 Springfield rifles.