M1841 CW Alterations Pt 3

[Curt Schmidt]

Hallo Kameraden!

It would appear that I quickly exhausted the interest pool of those three or four lads with Mex War "Mississippi's..." ;-)

Rather than post M1841 "esoterica" that takes up bandwidth for no real contribution, I will not post the "measurements and numbers" for the different alterations, but rather list which originals I have dimensions taken from (and how there are measured or measured from).
Any lad needing them for themselves or a gunsmith for the particular alterations, please PM or e-mail me.

1. Colt Contract Alterations: with Colt M1855 "revolving rifle" rear sight dovetailed to the barrel, long 1841 double loop front band, Colt clamp on bayonet ring, .54 or .58 caliber, M1841 brass front sight.

2. Harper's Ferry and/or Whitney 1854/1855 Alterations: with very early M1855 1,000 yard "low" long range rear sight (.706 high X 2.25 wide)) soldered to barrel, "1854" short double loop nosecap, "Mississippi" bayonet lug with one inch guide rail, .54, M1841 brass front sight.

3. Harper's Ferry Alterations: with early M1855 1,000 (with rare 50 yard increments) "low" long range rear sight (.706 high X 2.25 wide) soldered to barrel, "1854" short double loop nosecap, "Mississippi" bayonet lug with one inch guide rail, .54, M1841 brass front sight.

4. Harper's Ferry Experimental Alterations: with early M1855 900 yard (with rare 50 yard sidewall increments) "low" long range rear sight (.706 high X 2.25 wide) soldered to the barrel, "1854" short double loop nosecap, "Mississippi" bayonet lug with one inch guide rail, .54, M1841 brass front sight.

5. Harper's Ferry "Benton Screw Sight" 1854/1855 Alterations: with Benton long range rear sight dovetailed to the barrel, "1854" short double loop nosecap, "Mississippi bayonet lug with one inch guide rail, .54 or .58, M1841 brass front sight, M1841 brass front sight. (The other Benton alterations were with Snell bayonets. I have the specs, but there are no repro Snell bayonets for this.)

6. A. J. Drake Contract for Massachusetts Alterations: with M1855 Rifle
(1858 pattern) rear sight, but with the rear projecting "dovetail" on the sight base removed and squared off. M1841 double loop front band, .54 calibre, M1855 Rifle iron front sight, mounted backwareds (low end of the blade to the rear)

7. Harper's Ferry Alterations: with early pattern M1855 Rilfe 1,000 "high" long range "high" rear sight (.750 high X 2.47 wide)) dovetailed and screwed to barrel, "1854" short double loop nosecap, M1855 bayonet lug (no guide rail), .58, M1855 iron rifle front sight, brass front sight (not backwards).

8. Harper's Ferry Alterations: with early pattern M1855 Rilfe 1,000 "high" long range "low" rear sight (.706 high X 2.25 wide)) soldered to the barrel BACKWARDS, "1854" short double loop nosecap, M1855 bayonet lug (no guide rail), .58, M1855 iron rifle front sight, brass front sight (not backwards).

Rich Cross makes early/early, early, and late M1855 Rifle rear sights, and I believe he also makes the M1855 Colt Revolving Rifle rear sights. I know no one making the variations with the 50 yard breakdown on the sidewalls.

Curt-Heinrich Schmidt

[Minieball577]

Re: M1841 CW Alterations Pt 3

Curt,
Rich also makes the 50 yard increment sight, or has made them in the past. He does make the Colt sight, and the Benton as well. He has also made, or rather copied, the rarest of the rare Mississippi sights, the "pre-Benton" slide sight, of which ten were known to have been made. Really neat sight though. Similar to a Benton, but without the screw adjustment.

BTW there is a good (decent) copy of the "Snell" (Harper's Ferry "Ring") bayonet available.

[1stMaine]

Re: M1841 CW Alterations Pt 3

Comrades,

Curt, I am still very interested in this subject, and thank you again for sharing all of your learning and opinions with us. My personal interest is in the Windsor model, and to that end, will be very dependant upon others for the hard data regarding their product.
My long-term plans are to recreate the 7th Maine with enough members to form a seperate company. This regiment was issued the Windsor-made M1841, and carried it until the 7th was merged (with the 5th and 6th Maine) into the 1st MVV. It's a nice unit inthat it saw action in the Eastern theater throughout the war, and was in almost all of the major engagements, and man minor affairs. Having an entire unit armed with rifles would be nice, and this might be the impetus required to finally fully start this project. The only known varience from the issue uniforms and accouterments is the M1855 Rifleman's belt, and the Windsor Rifles.
With the data on the Windsors, it comes down to finding someone who can/could do the work, and with it, one part of the problem is solved. The other two parts would be the correct bayonet, and, of course, the M1855 belt.
Anyway, again please accept my thanks for your continued efforts. They are greatly appreciated up here!
Respects,

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: M1841 CW Alterations Pt 3

Hallo Kamerad!

Thanks for the Cross updates- I am nearly 20 years out of touch and date.

And, who is making a quality Snell bayonet (or Mississippi or M1855 Sabre bayonet.... ;-) )?

Curt-Heinrich Schmidt
Need To Get Out More Mess

[Charles Heath]

Re: M1841 CW Alterations Pt 3

Curt,

Go ahead and post the 1841 esoterica here on he A-C Forum, if you don't mind. It doesn't take up much bandwith (famous last words) and it will be nice to print it all out in one batch. I've gone back to printing and filing rather than saving on hard drives and eventually losing data for one glitch related reason or another. For what it's worth, for those interested in the Trans-Miss aspects of this firearm, several fine discussions have taken place over the years on the Frontier Guard Living History Association EZBoard forum, and can be found with the search engine.

Thanks, this mini-series is really good info for those of us who aren't period weapons buffs. Who could ever get bored? :wink_smil

Charles Heath

[ACo.]

Re: M1841 CW Alterations Pt 3

I agree, please post any further information, it is worth the time and effort if you have already done the work and it will allow more understanding of a fine and well loved weapon that saw a great deal of service in the War.
T.P. Hern
4th Virginia
Stonewall Brigade

http://www.stonewallbrigade.com/