This is another draft article I thought I'd run by you for constructive criticism - hope you enjoy reading about an arm that is quite important in our history, but which has been relatively unknown on a larger scale. As always, copyrighted.
John
The U.S. Model 1842 Musket
It was the first of some things, and it was the last of some things. As a milestone transition piece, the U.S. Model 1842 Musket was the harbinger of things to come. At the same time, it was also the last holdout of some of the features of “old school” military long arms. It now occupies a secure place as a classic in the history of U.S. military weaponry.
Until the Model 1842 came into usage, United States soldiers were equipped with .69 caliber flintlock muskets, not far removed from the .69 caliber Charleville muskets obtained from France during the U.S. Revolutionary War. These were smoothbore muzzleloaders, made since 1795 in the U.S. In addition to charging the barrel with powder and ball, the user was required to deposit a small quantity of black powder into a pan in the lockwork. A frizzen which incorporated the pan cover served as the striking surface for the flint-loaded cock. When the gun was triggered, it released the spring-powered cock forward. This caused the flint to strike the frizzen and also uncovered the pan. A shower of sparks from the flint striking steel was directed into the pan. This in turn caused the powder in the pan to ignite and transfer its fire through a vent into the breech, igniting the main powder charge. The shooter would have to endure flash and smoke near his face, and hold steady during the time interval it took for the gun to actually fire. Loading the arm took time, exacerbated by the necessity to charge the pan with powder. The Model 1842 changed all that, as it was the first standard longarm in U.S. service to use a percussion cap to ignite the propellant charge. A blow on the cap by the hammer caused the potassium chlorate and fulminate of mercury compound in the cap to detonate. Now priming could be accomplished in a second or two, as the firer simply placed the cap on a vented nipple over the breech. An added benefit was near instantaneous ignition of the propelling charge when the trigger was pulled. In addition, there was no flash and smoke to mess with the shooter’s vision. The old problem of rain sometimes soaking the powder in the pan was solved, as the percussion cap was way more resistant to moisture. Today, all our individual military firearms use percussion ignition, and this began with the Model 1842.
When Springfield Armory and Harpers Ferry Armory were producing flintlock weapons, few of the parts that were made were interchangeable with other arms of the same pattern. Although the parts were similar, enough small differences existed that extensive hand fitting was required to make all the parts work together effectively. Beginning with the Model 1840 flintlock, the Model 1842’s direct progenitor, some effort was made to make some of the parts interchangeable through rigid dimensional standards and measurements. However, it was not until the Model 1842 was produced that all parts became completely interchangeable. This interchangeability was put to the test when a flood at Harper’s Ferry damaged about 9,000 Model 1842s in April, 1854. These muskets were disassembled, and the parts placed into boxes containing similar parts. The parts were cleaned and polished, and then reassembled into complete firearms. All of the components fit together perfectly with no problems. Today, the principle of parts interchangeability is applied to firearms manufactured around the world. The Model 1842 marked the start of this concept.
Model ‘42 was a dead ringer for the earlier flintlock ‘40 except for the lock, and used the same furniture, ramrod, and triangular bayonet. Weighing about 10 pounds, the muskets were standardized at 58” in overall length, with a 42” barrel. The regulation charge for this smoothbore was 110 grains of black powder behind a .65 caliber round ball, wrapped in a paper cartridge. That had been the customary load since the early days of the .69 caliber flintlock muskets, and included enough powder for flintlock priming. The more modern ’42 with percussion priming used the same load, however. The average infantryman could probably get off 2 to 3 shots per minute.
The Model 1842 was purposely built with a thicker barrel, as was the previous flintlock Model 1840. The purpose of this was to allow future rifling of these arms, allowing greater accuracy. In the 1856-1859 time period, approximately 14,000 of them were rifled to use the Minié ball. Somewhat less than 10,000 of these were also equipped with adjustable long-range sights. I have personally fired one of those original rifled and sighted ‘42s with 70 grains of black powder and a .685”, 730-grain Minié ball. It was quite accurate and it kicked like a mule! In the 1850s, it was reported by Harper’s Ferry Acting Master Armorer James Burton that the rifled ‘42s firing Miniés were actually more accurate than .58 caliber rifled muskets. However, the .69 caliber was abandoned and the .58 caliber adopted primarily because the .58 Minié had about as much mass as a .69 round ball. .69 Minié bullets were quite heavy, and it was tough to carry a bunch of them. It was also felt that the recoil of the .69 caliber arms with the Minié bullet would be too much for the average soldier.
The Model 1842 was produced by both Springfield Armory and Harper’s Ferry Armory, with quantities of about 172,000 and 103,000 respectively. Contract manufacturers included Benjamin Flagg, Asa Waters (both of Milbury, Connecticut), and Palmetto Armory in Columbia, South Carolina. The smoothbore musket illustrated is most unusual in that although it was manufactured in 1858 at Springfield Armory, it remains unfired to the present day. It was in war reserve storage at Springfield, and then wound up in a museum and kept untouched for over 60 years. It then went through the hands of three owners, maintained in perfect condition. Its value is now in the many thousands of dollars. Collectors seek these arms in virtually any condition, with the rifled versions meriting a modest premium. Mexican War period examples (with dates prior to 1847) are also valued more.
The Model 1842 saw little or no actual service in the Mexican War (1846-1848) due to the different logistics support required compared to the more prevalent flintlocks. Later, it was used extensively in the American Civil War (1861-1865). The smoothbores, loaded with “buck and ball” were devastating when volley fired, capable of filling the air with fast-moving lead. These were used by both Union and Confederate troops. Both smoothbore and rifled versions were deadly arms.
Good condition original specimens are not often seen on the market today, as they have been out of production for over 160 years. Modern reproductions have been made, and are sometimes seen in the hands of Civil War re-enactors. This is entirely fitting given the originals’ use, particularly in the early stages of the war. The ’42 was the last of the .69-caliber smoothbore muskets, and the first standard U.S. longarm to use percussion ignition and all-interchangeable parts. As such, this important transition piece occupies a respected place among classic firearms.
(c) 2015 JLM
John
The U.S. Model 1842 Musket
It was the first of some things, and it was the last of some things. As a milestone transition piece, the U.S. Model 1842 Musket was the harbinger of things to come. At the same time, it was also the last holdout of some of the features of “old school” military long arms. It now occupies a secure place as a classic in the history of U.S. military weaponry.
Until the Model 1842 came into usage, United States soldiers were equipped with .69 caliber flintlock muskets, not far removed from the .69 caliber Charleville muskets obtained from France during the U.S. Revolutionary War. These were smoothbore muzzleloaders, made since 1795 in the U.S. In addition to charging the barrel with powder and ball, the user was required to deposit a small quantity of black powder into a pan in the lockwork. A frizzen which incorporated the pan cover served as the striking surface for the flint-loaded cock. When the gun was triggered, it released the spring-powered cock forward. This caused the flint to strike the frizzen and also uncovered the pan. A shower of sparks from the flint striking steel was directed into the pan. This in turn caused the powder in the pan to ignite and transfer its fire through a vent into the breech, igniting the main powder charge. The shooter would have to endure flash and smoke near his face, and hold steady during the time interval it took for the gun to actually fire. Loading the arm took time, exacerbated by the necessity to charge the pan with powder. The Model 1842 changed all that, as it was the first standard longarm in U.S. service to use a percussion cap to ignite the propellant charge. A blow on the cap by the hammer caused the potassium chlorate and fulminate of mercury compound in the cap to detonate. Now priming could be accomplished in a second or two, as the firer simply placed the cap on a vented nipple over the breech. An added benefit was near instantaneous ignition of the propelling charge when the trigger was pulled. In addition, there was no flash and smoke to mess with the shooter’s vision. The old problem of rain sometimes soaking the powder in the pan was solved, as the percussion cap was way more resistant to moisture. Today, all our individual military firearms use percussion ignition, and this began with the Model 1842.
When Springfield Armory and Harpers Ferry Armory were producing flintlock weapons, few of the parts that were made were interchangeable with other arms of the same pattern. Although the parts were similar, enough small differences existed that extensive hand fitting was required to make all the parts work together effectively. Beginning with the Model 1840 flintlock, the Model 1842’s direct progenitor, some effort was made to make some of the parts interchangeable through rigid dimensional standards and measurements. However, it was not until the Model 1842 was produced that all parts became completely interchangeable. This interchangeability was put to the test when a flood at Harper’s Ferry damaged about 9,000 Model 1842s in April, 1854. These muskets were disassembled, and the parts placed into boxes containing similar parts. The parts were cleaned and polished, and then reassembled into complete firearms. All of the components fit together perfectly with no problems. Today, the principle of parts interchangeability is applied to firearms manufactured around the world. The Model 1842 marked the start of this concept.
Model ‘42 was a dead ringer for the earlier flintlock ‘40 except for the lock, and used the same furniture, ramrod, and triangular bayonet. Weighing about 10 pounds, the muskets were standardized at 58” in overall length, with a 42” barrel. The regulation charge for this smoothbore was 110 grains of black powder behind a .65 caliber round ball, wrapped in a paper cartridge. That had been the customary load since the early days of the .69 caliber flintlock muskets, and included enough powder for flintlock priming. The more modern ’42 with percussion priming used the same load, however. The average infantryman could probably get off 2 to 3 shots per minute.
The Model 1842 was purposely built with a thicker barrel, as was the previous flintlock Model 1840. The purpose of this was to allow future rifling of these arms, allowing greater accuracy. In the 1856-1859 time period, approximately 14,000 of them were rifled to use the Minié ball. Somewhat less than 10,000 of these were also equipped with adjustable long-range sights. I have personally fired one of those original rifled and sighted ‘42s with 70 grains of black powder and a .685”, 730-grain Minié ball. It was quite accurate and it kicked like a mule! In the 1850s, it was reported by Harper’s Ferry Acting Master Armorer James Burton that the rifled ‘42s firing Miniés were actually more accurate than .58 caliber rifled muskets. However, the .69 caliber was abandoned and the .58 caliber adopted primarily because the .58 Minié had about as much mass as a .69 round ball. .69 Minié bullets were quite heavy, and it was tough to carry a bunch of them. It was also felt that the recoil of the .69 caliber arms with the Minié bullet would be too much for the average soldier.
The Model 1842 was produced by both Springfield Armory and Harper’s Ferry Armory, with quantities of about 172,000 and 103,000 respectively. Contract manufacturers included Benjamin Flagg, Asa Waters (both of Milbury, Connecticut), and Palmetto Armory in Columbia, South Carolina. The smoothbore musket illustrated is most unusual in that although it was manufactured in 1858 at Springfield Armory, it remains unfired to the present day. It was in war reserve storage at Springfield, and then wound up in a museum and kept untouched for over 60 years. It then went through the hands of three owners, maintained in perfect condition. Its value is now in the many thousands of dollars. Collectors seek these arms in virtually any condition, with the rifled versions meriting a modest premium. Mexican War period examples (with dates prior to 1847) are also valued more.
The Model 1842 saw little or no actual service in the Mexican War (1846-1848) due to the different logistics support required compared to the more prevalent flintlocks. Later, it was used extensively in the American Civil War (1861-1865). The smoothbores, loaded with “buck and ball” were devastating when volley fired, capable of filling the air with fast-moving lead. These were used by both Union and Confederate troops. Both smoothbore and rifled versions were deadly arms.
Good condition original specimens are not often seen on the market today, as they have been out of production for over 160 years. Modern reproductions have been made, and are sometimes seen in the hands of Civil War re-enactors. This is entirely fitting given the originals’ use, particularly in the early stages of the war. The ’42 was the last of the .69-caliber smoothbore muskets, and the first standard U.S. longarm to use percussion ignition and all-interchangeable parts. As such, this important transition piece occupies a respected place among classic firearms.
(c) 2015 JLM
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