Should I buy a Springfield Rifle or not?

[Pukin Dog]

There is a guy at work who used to do Civil War re-enacting but got out due to physical issues.  He has an Armi-Sport?  replica 1861 model Springfield that he says is in very good shape that he is willing to sell for $325 (plus ~50 premade cartridges and a tin of caps)

I've looked up on Dixie Gun Works and looks like new ones run around $500-600 or so.

Thing is, I just shoot cowboy so not sure what the heck I would do with it.  I'm thinking if it is a good enough deal, just get it, shoot it for a year or two and then resell it. 

Do you think its worth $325 (if in as good as shape as he says?)  Would I get my $ back on it?

[Major 2]

depends.... you'd get your money back or close...
there is always a newby reenactor coming on.... if you find him, he will probable give ya $325-350

FYI ...Armi Sport made the Colt 1861 model Springfield ( so called Signature Series ) they are nice guns.

[Tommy tornado]

Here I was thinking that you were buying a Trapdoor.  Not a bad price for a used Springfield.  That is about the going price for a used one.  They are fun to shoot and are effect on deer during muzzle-loading season.  I have an Enfield and Mississippi Rifle and enjoy shooting them every now and then as a change of pace.  It could also make a good wall hanger/shooter.

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy PD,

How would that fit in with NCOWS shoots?

DD-DLoS

[Major 2]

Lets see if he can work up to 3 shots in a minute as a CW infantryman had to do.... 
hmmmm , 10 shot stage ....
might be a slight disadvantage compaired to a shortstroke 66/73....
But peg the style"o"meter 

I'm sorry I sold mine 

[Frenchie]

I've got my Armi Sport '61 Springfield up for sale. You guys are making me feel sorry to get rid of it. 

It's not a rifle, it's a rifle musket. Muskets are long-barreled (39+ inches) infantry weapons. For centuries they were smooth-bored because they were A.) cheaper than rifles, B.) easier and faster to load than rifles, and C.) massed infantry didn't need to be accurate or reach out very far, they just needed to get a lot of lead in the air as fast as possible.

Then some French guy named Minié designed a cylindro-conoidal bullet with a hollow bottom with a little plug in it. The bullet was smaller than the bore diameter and went down much easier than a ball or bullet that had to be forced down into the rifling. When the powder went off, the plug got driven up into the hollow and forced the sides of the "skirt" to engage the rifling. He had some musket barrels rifled and tried it out with great success, thus creating the "rifled musket" which started out as a smooth bore and got rifled later on. Rifle muskets are ones that begin life with long rifled barrels.

Then some fellow named Burton, who was the Head Armorer at the US Arsenal in some little backwoods burg called Harper's Ferry, took Minié's idea and went one further by taking out the plug and making the "skirt" thinner and more flexible. Et voila! The innovative Burton bullet! What's that? You've never heard of the "Burton bullet"? That's because M. Minié's name is so much more romantic-sounding (and already so widely known) that no one wanted to change it to "Burton bullet".

Anyway, three shots a minute is possible, I guess (just not for me), but I guarantee they won't be aimed shots. If you want to try to work up to that speed, I strongly suggest you have someone standing by to do nothing but watch what you do with the ramrod, or else you run a great chance of pulling trigger and watching the 'rod go whirlagig-twisty-'round-the-Maypole for a surprisingly long way downrange. Needless to say, it'll be in no shape for further use as a ramrod. Give it to your wife and let her make something decorative with it.

On second thought, I just might keep this ungainly piece of ordnance. After all, it's only the second gun I've actually named, I call her "Charlene" (see the movie Full Metal Jacket for the reference). The first gun I ever named was a Colt's Combat Commander, I called him "John Moses". Dang, now I'm kicking myself for selling that thing, again!

[Steel Horse Bailey]

PD - Buy!

Why?  'Cause ya can.  I know you know why a dog licks ... and so forth.  Need I say more? 


Frenchie, sir;  A tip of the hat to you.  Your descriptive "you run a great chance of pulling trigger and watching the 'rod go whirlagig-twisty-'round-the-Maypole for a surprisingly long way" is great and has already made my day!  (It also sounds like the voice of experience, non?)    (Or at least witnessed!)   

[Frenchie]

    Glad you liked it, Jeff.  No, not experience or observation, just reading about it and not wanting to piddle on the electric fence myself. 

[Pukin Dog]

DD - I'm giving serious thought to joining NCOWS.  Just not many shoots around these parts compared to SASS.

Any way, thanks for your opinions.  I'll take a look at it when he brings it in.  I need a backup lever gun for CAS more than I need this, but if its in nice shape I might go for it.  There are quite a few Civil War re-enanctors in these parts so if it needs to move on in the future I'm sure I could pretty much get my investment back out of it.

Plus I'm an avid CW reader (must have 100+ books on it plus 100's more read from the library) and have never shot a rifle musket.  Perhaps its time to rectify that discrepancie in my experience!

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Frenchie: "not wanting to piddle on the electric fence myself."

Great words of wisdom!


PD, I just watched Gettysburg last night (for the umpteenth time) and it re- reminded me how much I love the old Mil. guns like the Sp'fields.  Or Enfields.  Or ...

[Major 2]

I always been partial to the 61 version of the Springfield Rifled Musket...
It has a elegent shape, sorta bcakward recurve of the Hammer, it stands out, IMO over the the 63 S shape.

I wish I still had my Colt marked replica 

[44caliberkid]

Look it over, then offer him $300 cash for it, wave it in his face.  They are a handsome piece and fun to shoot.   And a .58 cal minnie will just ruin a deer's day at about 100 yards.