U.S. Providence Tool Comp Model 1861 Musket Rifle

Make: U.S. Providence Tool Comp
Model: Model 1861 Musket Rifle
Caliber: .58 Cal
Action: Precussion
Barrel: 40
Bore: Dark
Condition: Good
U.S. Model 1861 Rifle-Musket, made by contract by Providence Tool Company of Providence, Rhode Island, in 1864. The Providence Tool Company (best known for their Peabody and Peabody-Martini rifles) was founded in 1850 to manufacture machine tools. That changed, however, after they received several lucrative contracts during the American Civil War to make 82,000 1861 Pattern rifle-muskets, in which 70,000 had to be delivered by the end of 1864. Providence continued to have success even after the close of the Civil War with large overseas contracts, the largest being 650,000 Peabody-Martini rifles delivered to the Turkish government beginning in 1873. Interests were maintained in guns until the business failed in 1917. The M1861 is representative of the �everyman�s� rifle during the American Civil War. About 1.5 million rifle-muskets were made in the U.S., over 800,000 of which were made by the Springfield Armory, while the others were made by over 20 different private contractors, providing ample collecting opportunity amongst all the variants. Only about 70,000 were made by Providence Tool Company. This was the last hurrah of the rifle-musket as arms development and tactics rapidly advanced during the short period of the American Civil War. Nevertheless, the 1861 represented new technology as it was made for use with the Mini� ball, a hollow based, conical projectile that was small enough to quickly push down the muzzle of a rifled barrel, and expanded to create a good gas seal unlike solid, round ball. lock marked with a federal eagle with wings outstretched and clutching arrows in the middle of �U.S./PROVIDENCE TOOL CO./PROVIDENCE R.I.� The rear of lock plate is dated 1864. In its original patina with some pitting on the metal parts, scratches, dent, dings and cracks in the stock, and missing its ram rod. Please see photos.