-NO RESERVE-This mid war Confederate Richmond Rifle musket was the property of renowned historical subject sculptor Ron Tunison. Ron was a long time friend and customer and has been gone a couple years now. I bought a number of items at the auction of his collection.

I have thoroughly examined this musket and can accurately describe it thus... Mid war Richmond musket composed mainly of Richmond parts with some federal parts cannibalized by the armorer. The lock is a wonderful 1863 dated example with strong markings and being all CSA made including the hammer. The stock is a Richmond made stock not having the inlet channel for the tape primer arm on the 1855 locks. It also does not have the inlet for a swelled ramrod ahead of the forward barrel band. All these features are proper and correct for Richmond products. The brass butt plate and nose cap are Richmond made. The barrel is a federal barrel made by Whitney Arms Company missing the rear sight. The missing rear sight shows us easily that the barrel is not a Richmond made barrel. Richmond barrels have a small stabilizer notch incised perpendicular to the main dovetail. This barrel does not have that notch. The barrel is void of a date and void of the VP and eagle proof marks. Instead it is deeply stamped with a small numeral -8-, at the left breech barrel flat, and stamped J over 27 two inches behind the front sight. These are Whitney markings. The bottom and top barrel bands are federal. The middle barrel band appears to be Richmond made. The ramrod is a Richmond rod with a welded restoration. The tulip and several inches of rod are original Richmond made. Note the flaw near the tulip. This original rod was obviously damaged or broken and a previous owner had the rod extended to full length. The welder responsibly marked the repaired end with his initials. Richmond Arsenal spent as much time repairing and reassembling muskets from captured parts as it did making guns from scratch. This is just such a musket. Mostly CSA made parts with a captured Yankee barrel.

This musket has been disassembled and reassembled many many times judging by the poor wood to metal fit and the numerous signs of disassembly. The wood around the brass butt plate shows a gouge where someone pried the butt plate tang out. this area also has an ancient repair of a tiny nail securing a large wood sliver to the right of this tang. The trigger guard and nose cap also have obviously been on and off many times. Maybe Ron or a previous owner used this gun as a show and tell piece to illustrate features.

Attached to this musket is the canvas and leather rifle-musket sling that has been -known- for years to be Confederate... until recently when it stopped being known. For decades these crude canvas slings with double wire attaching hooks were accepted by everyone as Confederate, and they sold for around a thousand dollars. But then --- one pesky specimen surfaced with a Maine contractors name stamped onto it. I believe it was A.W. Decrow of Bangor but my memory isn't perfect. At any rate, now the slings are a mystery. I know Ron Tunison added this sling to this musket as the sling has one collection tag, and the musket has another.

Materials, Packing, and UPS Shipping on this item is $55.00. Insurance is $1.50 per hundred. UPS now charges over $6 for the signature required service. The insurance and signature service are optional, but there can be no insurance for theft or loss without the signature required service. NO SHIPMENTS OUTSIDE USA.

VG