The Monster Enfield Defarbing Thread

[jhodnett]

Re: James River Armory - Defarbed Enfields

From what Mark told me at James River the hammer is actually from a run of M1861 Special Models that was done a while back and I am pretty pleased with it. Overall I am very happy with the weapon. Thank you for your comments.

[Craig L Barry]

Re: James River Armory - Defarbed Enfields

That is indeed the more accurate repro "fat" hammer. JRA offers them for both Armi Sport and EOA models. The London hammer is unmarked as in the example above. The Birmingham version has the double line engraving around the perimeter and "flames" extending down the nose. A real improvement to the overall appearance.

[CJ Roberts]

Re: James River Armory - Defarbed Enfields

Jeff,

Very nice looking rifle. The hammer looks particularly good. Do you happen to know if this is the so called "fat hammer" that JRA is producing? It looks heavier than the standard Euroarms/Armisport hammers.

C.J. Roberts

[jhodnett]

Re: James River Armory - Defarbed Enfields

Here are some pics of my Barnett Enfield that I purchased from James River.

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Blockade Runner Enfield Defarb

Stock engraving, too. That should make you happy. Two for one.

Re: Blockade Runner Enfield Defarb

I was just browsing at the Gunrunner site http://www.gunrunnerauctions.com/ and they are selling an 1862 dated Enfield which they claim has the Confederate "anchor" on the lock plate. I can't tell by the pictures attached if they do or not. I did see an original on the internet a year or so ago that had a distinct JS over anchor mark on the lock plate of an Enfield. This one they are selling is not the same one I saw because its condition is far worse. It appears that it was done in at least a very limited number of instances but "why" I can't be sure.

[Prodical Reb]

Re: Reproduction Muskets

Craig,
Will do, I'll stop by and say "Howdy!". I dont want to miss this event. I'll be home on R&R and our unit has over 100 registered. That and the fact that for once the US will out number the CS. This was done by limiting the CS Registration. 800 CS and 1200 US is the goal.I know the CS has been reached and was pretty close on the US. I'll also be participating in the AP Hill preservation march. Harpers Ferry to Sharpsburg on Thursday and Friday.
The '56 is getting the stock and ramrod replaced. The rammer wasn't correct but will be, it should turn out nice. While it may be considered a "bitser" as some would say it, it will serve the purpose quite well. It was all original except for the ramrod when I bought it. It does has solid bands with retaining springs. These were bought by both Union and Confederate armies as this was a 2nd rate weapon by the Brits at this time.
The '63 Springfield was brushed by a wire wheel after chroming looks like armory finish. and still looks pretty darn good after 20 plus years of service. While I was in HI my brother in law used my gear. I got him hooked into the hobby and had to feed his habit.

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Reproduction Muskets

I am having to do this a lot in this thread...let me re-phrase that. An original P-53 Enfield rebuilt with original and reproduction parts offers the greatest potential for a good Civil War Enfield. Any reproduction is not going to be the same or as good. You are doing what we call a "put together", both Wick and I have P-53 Enfields like this.

Take care in the Middle East and stop by The Watchdog tent at Boonsboro (Sept Storm) to say hello. Bill Osbourne (Lodgewood) will know what to and he has a large inventory of parts. Sounds like this is a type II, hardband w/ band springs? I want to hear about the outcome of your rebuilt "put together" project.

As far as your repro Dixie/Miroku US 1863, you could post it for sale here and a dozen guys would jump on it, despite it needing refinishing. The Mirokus, while slightly (and oddly) off in that Japanese way, are very popular now among the "Get It Right" crowd because the overall proportions and weight are pretty close to an original. Actually it is not that hard to reproduce "armory bright" from chrome bright. I would give it a dose of something like Birchwood-Casey blue remover (an acid) which will dull it right up, wash that off with steel wool and then start again. You could probably send our resident firearms expert Curt Heinrich Schmidt a private message as he may know of a better method for restoring the correct finish. His hands on knowledge exceeds mine, but what I've suggested will work.

[Prodical Reb]

Re: Reproduction Muskets

Craig,
thanks for the info about the Colt Special Model 1861 and the PHs. I didn't know that about the serial numbers. I don't own a Colt repro. I've always wanted to but the cost is has prohibited owning one. Now I don't know. I do own one of DGW's 63 springfields by Miruko. That has been my old faithful since starting reenacting in mid eighties. Unfortunately I really farbed it up back then by having it chromed and brushed for ease of maintenance and looks. I've wisened up a bit since then! Now I don't know what to do with it in this condition. Very Shiny but not authentic........BTW Great buy on the PH for $500.

I'm currently over here in Bagram, Afghanistan and have shipped a '56 Tower type II to Lodgewood where it is currently getting a new stock. I hope to have it and use it at Sep Storm. The original stock was very worn down, so much so the bands were loose and 1 retaining spring didn't "retain" the band. Under the trigger guard tang where the stock is inletted for the trigger guard, it is stamped "J SWIFT POOL" . I was told the he was either the Stock maker or assembler. the ram rod channel was also made for the windsor type ramrod with the swell near the jag head.

I also bought a P60 short rifle here also. The lock is stamped "1860 Enfield" with all steel furniture(butplate, nose cap, triggerguard) Only the small eyelet for the nipple protector and chain attachment is missing. Unfortuneately both rifles are no longer rifled and both were formerly in the service of the Queen. They appear to have been bored to shotguns. I'll probably have the P60's original barrel lined to return it to shooting condition. I'm still straddling the fence about re-bluing it.

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Reproduction Muskets

Yes you are right, that was an over-generalization. Dixie Gun Works does sell Armi Sport and D.Pedersoli however the "majority" of their muskets are from Euroarms, including all the new US 1861, 1863 and P-53 kits they offer. Navy Arms is mostly Euroarms and D Pedersoli. Point being of course, neither of them "manufacture" anything and the majority of the Civil War repro muskets are coming from Italy including the Parker-Hales. The Parker-Hales serial number 15000 and up (after the mid-1990s) are being made in Italy by a division of Euroarms and bear little resemblance to the original UK (Birmingham) produced version. They are not that much different except in very minor detail from the Euroarms P-53 Enfield and pale in comparison to the Birmingham made Parker Hale of the 1970s. I was fortunate to recently pick up a 70s vintage P-53 Parker-Hale, serial number 2802, in almost out of the box condition, except for a few minor scratches and bumps from moving/handling over the years. Apparently it was sitting in somebody's closet unfired for decades, like a time capsule. Anyway it is vastly superior to any of the Italian Enfields. An original LACo lock assembly dated 1861 from my collection drops right into the lock mortise and fits it like a glove. It feels like an original in your hands instead of a boat anchor. I have owned and used a couple of the UK Parker Hales in years past, but never one this pristine. I paid $500 for this one, an amount I consider ridiculously low given the quality and condition of the piece. If you can find a Birmingham made Parker-Hale P-53, my recommendation would be to buy it. It offers the greatest potential for a good Civil War Enfield after de-farbing.

The Colt Special Model 1861 repros you are inquiring about are assembled in the US from parts made in Italy. This is also covered in the "The Civil War Musket". You will find that after pulling the lock, the internal parts all interchange with Armi Sport, but not with an original Colt Special Model. The sellers were evasive about the distinction between "assembled in the USA" and "made in the USA". The giveaway on the Colt is found when you take a close look at the Armi Sport (Armi Chiappa) US 1863 "Springfield" in the A-C catalog you will immediately note the similarities between it and the "Colt Special Model". I happened to have both on hand at the time. It is identical except for a few stamping details. The gun stock in particular is not the US Model type, but rather follows the contours of the Special Model, and so on. The Colt Special Model repros are available on gunbroker.com starting at $899, for which you are essentially getting an Armi Sport US Model 1863 with "Colt" stamped on it. By the way, Taylors & Co (last time I checked) does not import the Armi Sport US Model 1863.

As far as de-farbing the Colt Special Model reproduction, the first thing would be changing the date on the lock from 1861 to 1862 or later (the first Special Models were not delivered until August 1862), refinishing the stock with boiled linseed oil and filing off the farby "Samuel Colt" autograph on the trigger guard. Not too bad, but there are much better choices for less money.